FYi: Good Nikon DX format best 10 lens review
Nov 27, 2019 08:02:59 #
This web site is of special interest since I own a couple Nikon D500s
https://www.switchbacktravel.com/10-great-nikon-dx-lenses
May be of interest to some. There of pictures but unfortunately they are not high resolution.
Alan
https://www.switchbacktravel.com/10-great-nikon-dx-lenses
May be of interest to some. There of pictures but unfortunately they are not high resolution.
Alan
Nov 27, 2019 08:38:35 #
There are many revies in the Internet about lenses, Nikon in particular seems to have a lot of followers and I have been one of them for more than 55 years. I always look at these evaluations of lenses with a grain of salt. I will give you some examples based on my humble opinion not meaning I am right and the others are wrong.
Yes, I agree entirely that the 35mm f1.8 is an excellent optic but so is also the 50mm f1.8. I am not familiar with the G version but previous versions were very sharp. The Sigma 17-50 f2.8 and similar lens from Tamron are very good choices from what I know from them. They compete in optical quality with the much more expensive Nikon 17-55 f2.8 that lacks VR. The independent lenses are not only less expensive but also lighter and as I said optical quality is very good.
The 18-300 is a lens I have not used, my go to lens for DX format is the Nikon 18-200 VR. Its zoom creeps when held up or down which does not bother me but I can understand it is an annoyance for others. I am not a pixel peeper, I look at my images and when I like them I enlarge to 13x19 and seldom go beyond that. Softness in the corners has never been a show stopper for me specially if shooting portraits. I consider the 18-200 VR as a very good lens to walk around and it has many applications. I do my part and the lens does its part.
Surprised me the low rating given to the 18-55 kit lens. I have seen big enlargements made with this little optics and I have been pleasantly surprised at its quality. I would have nothing against using it in my own photography.
The 24-85 VR was not mentioned, a great optic for full frame at a most reasonable price. It is now my go lens with the Nikon D610.
If there is a lens you like try it first. You could see that the lens is perfectly fine for your applications in spite of the reviews. I wonder why the 24-70 and 70-200 are not in the list.
Yes, I agree entirely that the 35mm f1.8 is an excellent optic but so is also the 50mm f1.8. I am not familiar with the G version but previous versions were very sharp. The Sigma 17-50 f2.8 and similar lens from Tamron are very good choices from what I know from them. They compete in optical quality with the much more expensive Nikon 17-55 f2.8 that lacks VR. The independent lenses are not only less expensive but also lighter and as I said optical quality is very good.
The 18-300 is a lens I have not used, my go to lens for DX format is the Nikon 18-200 VR. Its zoom creeps when held up or down which does not bother me but I can understand it is an annoyance for others. I am not a pixel peeper, I look at my images and when I like them I enlarge to 13x19 and seldom go beyond that. Softness in the corners has never been a show stopper for me specially if shooting portraits. I consider the 18-200 VR as a very good lens to walk around and it has many applications. I do my part and the lens does its part.
Surprised me the low rating given to the 18-55 kit lens. I have seen big enlargements made with this little optics and I have been pleasantly surprised at its quality. I would have nothing against using it in my own photography.
The 24-85 VR was not mentioned, a great optic for full frame at a most reasonable price. It is now my go lens with the Nikon D610.
If there is a lens you like try it first. You could see that the lens is perfectly fine for your applications in spite of the reviews. I wonder why the 24-70 and 70-200 are not in the list.
Nov 27, 2019 11:23:38 #
Alan this actually was a very thoughtful review of DX optics by David Wilkinson...
I indeed concur with many of his inferences albeit certainly not all...
That said I totally agree with the only two non-nikkor choices...
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 OS
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
I have both of these optics and have used them for years now...
Nikon has nothing which even comes close to the value these lens provide.
As a general note over my photographic career I've come to realize that those who shoot commercially and have extensive experience use prime optics when ever practical... long ago as a naive shooter I thought super zooms where a great idea... however once I started to carefully compare results I quickly migrated to primes (or 2X or 3X zooms) Experience is a brutal teacher yet the naive would have no other...
As for the value/worth of VR (or OS)? For action sports it is absolutely useless and actually can (and likely will) slow your frame rate since it steals CPU cycles... I've verified this many times...
And while indoor event shooters will tote VR's merit however if there is money on the table then skillfully deployed speedlights yield far better acuity let alone total control of illumination... I assist many architectural shooters and for interiors they actually deploy power packs with multiple heads... For weddings speedlights (or speedlites for Canon fan boys & girls) are the norm not the exception...
At the end of the day, it's likely not about optics it's instead it's about illumination... a skillfully illuminated portrait with a mediocre lens typically trumps expensive high end glass used on a poorly illuminated subject... As photographers we paint with light.... enough said
All the best on your journey Alan...
I indeed concur with many of his inferences albeit certainly not all...
That said I totally agree with the only two non-nikkor choices...
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 OS
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
I have both of these optics and have used them for years now...
Nikon has nothing which even comes close to the value these lens provide.
As a general note over my photographic career I've come to realize that those who shoot commercially and have extensive experience use prime optics when ever practical... long ago as a naive shooter I thought super zooms where a great idea... however once I started to carefully compare results I quickly migrated to primes (or 2X or 3X zooms) Experience is a brutal teacher yet the naive would have no other...
As for the value/worth of VR (or OS)? For action sports it is absolutely useless and actually can (and likely will) slow your frame rate since it steals CPU cycles... I've verified this many times...
And while indoor event shooters will tote VR's merit however if there is money on the table then skillfully deployed speedlights yield far better acuity let alone total control of illumination... I assist many architectural shooters and for interiors they actually deploy power packs with multiple heads... For weddings speedlights (or speedlites for Canon fan boys & girls) are the norm not the exception...
At the end of the day, it's likely not about optics it's instead it's about illumination... a skillfully illuminated portrait with a mediocre lens typically trumps expensive high end glass used on a poorly illuminated subject... As photographers we paint with light.... enough said
All the best on your journey Alan...
Nov 27, 2019 12:28:43 #
Thanks guys for your thoughtful comments. This link came from a search I was doing for best DX lens. And this was my favorite.
I'm actually looking for a prime in the 35mm focal length. I'm disappointed that the best I can seem to get is a f1.8. My Canon FD cameras lens comes with an excellent f1.2 lens along with a pretty nice f1.4 prime lens. Yes, I still shoot film.
So if you guys run across a high performance lens in the 35mm prime category. I'm trying to keep the bokeh effect down.
Again, Thanks, Alan
I'm actually looking for a prime in the 35mm focal length. I'm disappointed that the best I can seem to get is a f1.8. My Canon FD cameras lens comes with an excellent f1.2 lens along with a pretty nice f1.4 prime lens. Yes, I still shoot film.
So if you guys run across a high performance lens in the 35mm prime category. I'm trying to keep the bokeh effect down.
Again, Thanks, Alan
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