Wide angle (Page 2): I understand that. But wouldn't a dx lens on an fx camera be an even wider wide angle?

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

autofocus wrote:

the 11-16 is a lens designed to be used on a crop sensor, not a full frame. I also have the 11-16, fine on my D300, it is indeed a great lens, but not suited well on a full frame body

I understand that. But wouldn't a dx lens on an fx camera be an even wider wide angle?

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

hammond wrote:

Love the Sigma 10-20mm
Not a huge fan of Sigma lenses in general, but this one has produced some really great pics for me, and it's one of the most heavily used lenses in my kit.

The Sigma 10-20 is for a crop sensor camera. I have this lens.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Retired CPO wrote:

I understand that. But wouldn't a dx lens on an fx camera be an even wider wide angle?

No, it wouldn't. A DX lens projects a narrower cone of light onto the sensor and when used on a full frame camera, there would be massive vignetting all around the edges and corners of the image. Or, one could operate the camera in crop mode, which uses only the center portion of the sensor, but also, many pixels end up being thrown away.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

kymarto wrote:

Tamron 15-30mm. Excellent optical quality with built in stabilization.

I have this lens, and it is fabulous. I have seen comparisons on the internet of this lens against the Nikon equivalent, and the Tamron is better.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

JimH123 wrote:

No, it wouldn't. A DX lens projects a narrower cone of light onto the sensor and when used on a full frame camera, there would be massive vignetting all around the edges and corners of the image. Or, one could operate the camera in crop mode, which uses only the center portion of the sensor, but also, many pixels end up being thrown away.

OK. Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Retired CPO wrote:

Yes, I know...and?

The 11-16mm you recommended is a crop sensor ("DX" in Nikon-speak and Tokina-ese). So too is the Sigma 10-20mm that others suggested.

D800 is a full frame camera ("FX").

Those lenses on that camera will vignette heavily. Actually it so happens the 11-16mm will work okay on FX at 16mm. But zooming to any wider will cause the corners of images to be clipped off (I've seen it done with the Tokina... Don't know about the Siggy 10-20mm, never seen it tried.)

It also so happens that many Nikon FX cameras have a "DX" mode that allows crop sensor design lenses to be used on them. When the camera detects that a DX lens is being used (not sure that will work properly with a third party lens), it only uses a portion of it's sensor, equivalent to the APS-C sensor format.

But an FX camera in DX mode essentially "throws away" all the "full frame goodness" it was purchased for.... roughly 60% loss of resolution. A 36MP D800 in DX mode basically becomes a 14 or 15MP DSLR. You'd be better off just getting a 20MP D7500 or a 24MP D7200.

pendennis

billnikon wrote:

Nikon 16-35 mm f/4. It is sharp.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

amfoto1 wrote:

The 11-16mm you recommended is a crop sensor ("DX" in Nikon-speak and Tokina-ese).

D800 is full frame ("FX").

That lens on that camera will vignette heavily. Actually it so happens the 11-16mm will work okay on FX at 16mm. But zooming to any wider will cause the corners of images to be clipped off.

Actually, I didn't recommend the Tokina 11 to 16. I suggested that the OP look into Tokina. I said I had the 11 to 16 and was very impressed with mine and suggested that he go with an f. 4 or something like that since he wanted something small and light, which the f. 2.8 Tokina is not. Tokina does build a couple fx wide angles. Having said that, I ask the question again. If the 11 to 16 would work at 16mm on a full frame without vignetting, wouldn't that make a wider wide angle @ 16mm? I'm just asking out of curiosity, there is still a lot of things about this digital photo world that I don't understand.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

billnikon wrote:

Nikon 16-35 mm f/4. It is sharp.

...I second the motion.

rcarol

Retired CPO wrote:

I have a Tokina 11 to 16 f2.8. It's not small but it's very good. So I also suggest looking at Tokina. Maybe a little slower, f4 or there abouts should be smaller and lighter. It's the first Tokina I've owned and I'm very impressed.

This lens was designed for a crop sensor camera. While it will mount on the D800, you will be throwing away a lot of the sensor's resolution.

badwolf4561 Loc: Bedfordshire, UK

I recently picked up a pre-owned Sigma 15-30mm EX DG for my D610 - OK, it's not the fastest lens going (f3.5-4.5) and it's old, BUT it produces some really nice images. Bargain too at £159. Really happy with the results it produces.

tiphareth51 Loc: Somewhere near North Pole, Alaska

My Sigma 14-24 f2.8 dg has been excellent especially for aurora photography. Imho it is definitely worth a look.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

badwolf4561 wrote:

I recently picked up a pre-owned Sigma 15-30mm EX DG for my D610 - OK, it's not the fastest lens going (f3.5-4.5) and it's old, BUT it produces some really nice images. Bargain too at £159. Really happy with the results it produces.

I also have this lens. It can autofocus on anything from a few inches to infinity. I've used it on everything from close ups of flowers to landscapes. Mine is designated the Sigma 15-30mm D EX Aspherical IF. I bought it for a couple of hundred dollars on ebay. It's a big piece of glass but nice and sharp with a great depth of field.

(Download)

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Looking at the OP's post, I get the drift that he's looking for a zoom lens, not a fixed focal length as he said "Starting at 15 or 18 mm". That said, he doesn't say whether he needed it to be AF or MF. Thus we need more specific info in order to give solid advice...

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Rayjenks wrote:

What is a good small wide angle lens for a Nikon D 800 either Nikon or tamron, or another third party lens. Starting at 15 or 18 mm

When you say starting at 15-18 the connotation is a zoom. There are no "small" full frame zooms in that range ! There ARE some reasonably small single focal length PRIMES in that range - but mostly/affordably manual focus.
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