I know that Mark Roberts made a post a couple of weeks back about this, but I wanted to explore futher. It seems that - on the whole - Nikon have most focal lengths and options covered when it comes to the glass you can buy. Everyone will find holes they want filled. For me, and I think it's a big one, its a really top quality wide lens for DX, say at 13-16mm focal length or so.
All I want is a prime lens with pretty much non-existent barrel distortion and chromatic aberation, and pin sharp edge to edge. I don't mind if it's not fast.
At present I expect the 12-24mm DX is the best compromise, but I also expect Nikon could do better with a prime. Is it the size of the perceved market that prevents them from making one?
I have the existing 14mm f2.8 , which is pretty good but requires CA correction and some barrel distortion correction.
I also have Sigmas' 10-20mm which is very good for the money and sharp especially at 10mm, but needs fixing for distortion. I bought it, thinking I would wait until Nikon filled the hole.
These fixes are fine, and can be well managed in Photoshop CS2, but however good they are, it takes time to do and is never going to be as good as a top prime lens.
At longer lengths, I am very happy. My 50f1.4 and 85PC f2.8 allow almost flawless images which I need as, like many professionals, I've moved away from medium and large format. The chip is willing, the glass is wanting.
Has anyone any solutions or any idea what Nikon may or may not do? Is the 12-24 really good at particular focal lengths and can anyone allow me to download a full res' architectural example, preferably a RAW file?
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Ha, the endless question. By rights, and at the price charged, the 14/2.8 ought to fill the bill. But like you I'm waiting for something even better if I have to spend that kind of money to get a good wide angle. Until then, stitching images together seems like the highest quality option.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
In search of the same quest as mentioned above, I recently purchased a Sigma 10-20 for my D2x. While I have mostly used it on interiors (and used it mostly at 10mm), I have been very pleased with it's performace and have had to do little distortion correction. The distortion that is present would not be noticed by "most" individuals, but it is not a perfect lens by any means.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
I've used the 12-24mm on countless interior shoots. If you stay 13-14mm (f8-11) and above you'll not notice any barrel distortion and CA is almost nonexistent. Correcting perspective/parallax in photoshop is a breeze. A new 14mm prime that performs better than the present one would be great.
Nothing beats using a view camera, though. Every architectural shoot I do using the D2X confirms that further. Lately, Ive really been thinking about a digital back for my 4x5.
If you really don't want to compromise that would be the way to go. Bank account devastation aside, of course.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
The next time I get a "good" architectural project -- like an ad campaign, not AIA entries -- I'm going to go back to 4x5 and a 90/4.5 to start with. For most projects the D2X does just fine but the clean, crisp, straight lines I get from 4x5 is very hard to duplicate with a DSLR. But most architects in smaller markets are too cheap to pay to do large format properly.
With that attitude in mind, the 12-24/4 looks like the most practical option. I just find it a clumsy, cheaply built and slow lens. I like doing landscapes and low light hand held shooting, and the wide angle angle options are lousy.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
I read here cause I had seen your title architecture and DX, I switched over a year from nikon to canon full format.
The main reason was the bad quality of nikon wa-lenses for DX Format, I like to spend a lot of money for a lens if the quality is superb, but allI I get for my nikon was average. In the fullformat I get better results with my canon, but sorry it could be better.
I asked often the nikon professional service for better optics, but got no really good answers, I think for nikon this will not happen in the next future.
In the past I loved my Hasselblad SWC and his Biogon.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
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The next time I get a "good" architectural project -- like an ad campaign, not AIA entries -- I'm going to go back to 4x5 and a 90/4.5 to start with. For most projects the D2X does just fine but the clean, crisp, straight lines I get from 4x5 is very hard to duplicate with a DSLR.
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I have to agree. From talking with Nikon execs about the need for an 18 or 20 mm shift only or Tilt/shift Nikkor, the feedback I've gotten is that it is a very difficult design problem - -which implies that they have at least looked into making one.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
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