Sharpest Zoom for Nikon? (Page 3): No matter how good your post processing skills are, they cannot "add" acutance to a soft image. You can add contrast, to give the appearance of...

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

joer wrote:

Just about any lens is sharp if you know how to sharpen it in post processing. In stead of buying a new lens focus on you processing skills.

No matter how good your post processing skills are, they cannot "add" acutance to a soft image. You can add contrast, to give the appearance of sharpness - which is purely subjective - but you cannot make a soft lens resolve more detail, which would be necessary for critically sharp images. You need acutance AND contrast.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

cthahn wrote:

Use a prime lens instead of playing zoom all the time with cheap lenses.

Here we go again - primes are good, and some are pretty bad, and the same can be said for zooms. There are some zooms that perform equally to they corresponding primes. Making such general statements do not add to the conversation, but they do create a misleading impression that primes are always better than zooms, which is clearly not the case. I use and own both. So this is from experience, that I have accumulated over a 48 year period.

What you say used to be the case, back in the 60s and 70s through to the mid 80s - but since then optical design has improved to the point where a good pro zoom is just as good - and far more flexible to use than primes.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

I looked at my Nikon 50mm f1.4G lens (on DXOMark) and it was rated 32 or very good on a D600 but on my D5200 it rated only 21 or fair. I don't understand how the same glass can have different sharpness ratings especially: 16 vs 11?I could understand minor difference, but they are saying this is a poor lens on the D5200 but an excellent lens on the D600. I have heard it said that a full frame lens will perform better on a DX camera because the outer fringe is where most distortion occurs and is eliminated because it is not used, only the center of the lens. Perhaps it is like the loss of sharpness from a digital zoom effect because of the fixed pixel size, except this is optical, pertaining to a specific size area on the lens being able to get only a certain degree of sharpness, and when you spread it out more by cropping the total area of the lens there is an apparent loss of sharpness in an image of the same size. if you used it on an even smaller crop sensor the loss of sharpness would be greater?

luvmypets wrote:

http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Ratings

You may have to copy and paste but it brings you right to the page. On the right hand side you will see the filters. First, go the the filter by camera and enter the brand, next is the model. Then I skip down to mount type, then brand, then type. It automatically filters the results and gives you the comparison. For the lens brands I used Nikon, Sigma and Tamron.

Let me know if I can help further

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

amehta wrote:

I would disagree with the idea of using post processing to "fix" anything like sharpness as a default.

I agree. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Ambrose wrote:

I would like to hear opinions on what you may consider the sharpest zoom available for Nikon. I've grown unsatisfied with my 18-150 and 18-200 due to generally soft results on my D7100.
I shoot mostly landscapes, so I would be looking at the wide end on the low side.
Thoughts?

Opinions are just that. What you want to do, if sharpness is your goal, is to look for technical reviews, like you can find at DxO and other sites. With zoom lenses, you will get best sharpness at one particular focal length, so the "sharpest" is not really for a zoom lens, but for a lens that is zoomed to a particular focal length.

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

My two cents, is simply this, any Nikon Zoom, that 2.8 in speed, will give you steller results, however they are not cheap, but you know the old adage, You get What You Pay For.......

Ambrose wrote:

I would like to hear opinions on what you may consider the sharpest zoom available for Nikon. I've grown unsatisfied with my 18-150 and 18-200 due to generally soft results on my D7100.
I shoot mostly landscapes, so I would be looking at the wide end on the low side.
Thoughts?

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

do

DavidPine wrote:

The sharpest zoom is the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 in my opinion. You shouldn't be getting too soft with the 18-200 f/3.5 with the D7100. Your DOF may be off or your AF may be off for what you are trying to do. Try a single focus point with a wide DOF and a higher f stop and see it that helps. I like my 18-200 on the D7100. For really sharp landscapes, a 14-24 or a 24-70 would be good. Good luck.

You might also want to double-check your diopter setting.

When I got my D7100 a couple of weeks ago, that was the first thing I was told to set -- and I did it several times until I was happy with it. It's the little dial to the right of the viewfinder, if you haven't.

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

I agree with your choice, I own the Nikon 70-200MM VR Zoom and its truly one of my favorite, go to lenses, and when I use my Nikon 2X Tele Extender the results truly are awesome!! check out my sample moon shot, that I took with my lens, and teleextender, in mid afternoon...

Just Fred wrote:

do
You might also want to double-check your diopter setting.

When I got my D7100 a couple of weeks ago, that was the first thing I was told to set -- and I did it several times until I was happy with it. It's the little dial to the right of the viewfinder, if you haven't.

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

Ambrose wrote:

Thanks. I guess I'm looking for any specific brands or models folks have had solid experience with.

I have the Sigma 10-20 and takes very sharp photos. Excellent for landscapes where you want very predominant foreground objects.

Ambrose Loc: North America

Thanks everyone - excellent comments all. I guess looking into a 2.8 zoom is in my future. Better start saving.... :)

drmarty Loc: Pine City, NY

tradio wrote:

14-24, 24-70, 70-200

Ditto - hands down!

amehta Loc: Boston

Ambrose wrote:

tradio wrote:

14-24, 24-70, 70-200

Thanks. I guess I'm looking for any specific brands or models folks have had solid experience with.

Even though nothing else was said, when listed like this the three very specific lenses are called the "Nikon holy trinity":
* Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G
* Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G
* Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

As I said, in my earlier quote, if you purchase almost any nikon Lens with a lens speed of 2.8 or 1.4, you cant go wrong, expensive, but worth it!!!

amehta wrote:

Even though nothing else was said, when listed like this the three very specific lenses are called the "Nikon holy trinity":
* Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G
* Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G
* Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II

Nikonhermit Loc: In This Place

joer wrote:

Just about any lens is sharp if you know how to sharpen it in post processing. In stead of buying a new lens focus on you processing skills.

I respectfully disagree. Here's why: imagine two photographers, one shooting with an "any lens" and the other with a thoroughbred. Come post-processing time, an expert works on both files. Which one do you think will give better prints?

Starting with the best possible input will give the best possible output.

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

true, as the inital photograph, shot with the sharpest lens, will in the long run give you a stellar finished product,

Nikonhermit wrote:

I respectfully disagree. Here's why: imagine two photographers, one shooting with an "any lens" and the other with a thoroughbred. Come post-processing time, an expert works on both files. Which one do you think will give better prints?

Starting with the best possible input will give the best possible output.