ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA

Does anyone have any personal experience with this lens for Milky Way photography, particularly as relates to coma in the corners? I have read all the reviews I can find and it is generally highly rated but coma is rarely, specifically mentioned in any great detail in the reviews. I would prefer to hear from actual, non endorsed users. Currently I use the Sigma Art 14 -24 2.8 (and other Sigma Art lenses) on a D 850 and it shows very little coma, but I have recently acquired a Nikon Z7 ii and am looking to further reduce weight as Milky Way photography pretty much dictates carrying your gear for a ways and it seems like my current gear keeps putting on weight :). Thanks for any insight that you can provide.

Walkabout08

I suggest you also inquire about the S20mm f/1.8 lens.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I did read and note who you are seeking answers from, so don't beat me up too badly. I do Milky Way photography, but I use the D850 and have used the D810, both with the F mount Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8. It is accused of having coma distortion, which I have never seen in my night sky images. It does have some corner vignetting, which is immediately correctable either in the camera or in LightRoom.

Even if the S lens does have a minor corner coma problem, it would not matter most of the time, since the corners are not used when you stitch your images into a panorama.

I'm saying all this to say that your best bet is to rent the lens and try it. I realize that it will be several months before the Milky Way becomes visible, but there is good night sky available now to try it out if you are in a part of Washington where chronic cloudiness is not a problem. I hope that you get some more applicable replies.

Good luck with your decision.

jeff1234 Loc: Kirkland, WA

I have not run into that problem with my D850 and Nikkor 14-24. I would note that it is not a light lens; it weighs about 2 pounds.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Vignetting is, I think, the most correct word to use, but maybe not the best to describe the slight reduction in corner brightness. The effect isn't serious, and many times doesn't even require correction. But in critical circumstances does benefit from correction.

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

The F mount 14-24 F2.8 has coma, but I don't have any experience with the Z mount.

It is documentd here:

https://www.lenstip.com/295.7-Lens_review-Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_14-24_mm_f_2.8G_ED_Coma_and_astigmatism.html

For night sky photography, it can be a problem, but the solution can be as simple as cropping out the extreme edges and corners where coma is worse. The Rokinon/Samyang/Bower etc 14mm F2.8 has no perceptible coma, but it has some really ugly complex (moustache) distortion, which is likely less of an issue with night sky shots.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Gene--I bought my 14-24 f/2.8 Nikkor about 4 years ago and have used it fairly extensively for night sky photography without noticeable coma. I bought it because my 18-35mm variable aperture Nikkor was awful. I don't want to hijack this discussion, but would like to know more about your experience. Could you PM an example to me if you don't feel free to continue here?