Nikon 1 10mm f/2.8 Nikkor

This is a razor sharp lens for a brilliant camera system. I hope Nikon continues to make quality prime lenses like this for the Nikon 1 system. I have the 10-30 and 30-100 kit zooms, but since I put this lens on the camera it has not come off. Contrasty with no hint of chromatic aberration. I believe that Nikon is probably doing some in-camera custom correction; otherwise this level of performance would only be attainable with a lens 20x the cost. Yes, it's really that good. Bokeh is very nice. I just got done reviewing today's pictures on a 30" computer monitor and am completely blown away. Other than depth-of-field changes, the aperture makes no difference in image quality. I see no vignetting, aberrations or distortions wide open. The 2.8 is one to two stops faster than the kit zooms. The small size allows true pocket ability that the kit zooms j-u-s-t are a bit big to allow. Get yourself a V1 and this lens. It's all you need.

PIC :








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Nikon D90

I am far from a professional photographer, but I take it as seriously as possible while still referring to it as a hobby. I take mostly pictures of people at events and many of my baby son without flash in low light situations.

I had been using a Nikon D40x for 1 year and very early reached my limitation with that camera. The Nikon D40x has very nice image quality, but the camera's interface is not suited for a more serious shooter who wants quick single button or dial access to such shooting parameters such as white balance, shooting mode, metering mode, etc. I also felt very limited by the D40x not having an in-body focus motor that would allow me to use non AF-I/AF-S lenses (which are lenses without the focus motor built-in).

The Nikon D40x limitations were severe enough that I was about to consider purchasing a Canon 40D until the Nikon D90 appeared just in time.

PROS:

1. Fantastic set of separate buttons on the camera to control parameters like ISO, white balance, metering, autofocus, image quality, shooting mode, etc.
2. Two command dials
3. High resolution 920K pixel LCD screen (like the one on the Nikon D300)
4. 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor
5. Low noise high ISO capability (for low light shooting) I can shoot ISO 1600 with good image quality with this camera, while on my D40x I could only shoot with ISO 400 and obtain acceptable IQ. I will even use ISO 3200 frequently with very usable results!
6. Separate top-viewing LCD screen in addition to the rear high res screen, to show shooting parameters constantly
7. In-body focus motor which allows the use of Nikon's non AF-I/S lenses, including wonderful and CHEAP prime lenses such as the Nikkor 50mm 1.8 (~$100 lens!)
8. Continuous shooting of 4.5 frames per second
9. Small size, although larger than the D40/D40x/D60, it is still substantially smaller in the hand than the D300/D3
10. 720p 24fps MPEG video shooting capability with incredible ability to use depth of field that I cannot achieve with my Sony High-Def camcorder.
11. Eleven auto-focus points (not as nice as the 51 points on the D300, but substantially better than my D40x with its 3 points)
12. GPS option
13. HDMI output
14. Enormous number of options to customize camera and shooting settings to fit your style of shooting
15. Fantastic image quality right out-of-box if you don't want to do any post processing
16. Terrific build quality
17. Top notch camera ergonomics (but this will be a very personal opinion that differs for each shooter)

CONS:

1. "Rolling shutter" phenomenon while recording video: The D90 CMOS sensor has the same problem that other CMOS video recorders have when recording video. If you move the camera, especially horizontally, you get a "jelly" or "rubberbanding" effect where the image wobbles significantly. It is nice to have the video features, which looks very sharp at 720p, but it is NOT a substitute for a video camera. If you use a tripod, and do not do quick zooms/pans, the video quality is excellent. Without a tripod, however, you may get nauseous watching a wobbly video. The sound is also in monoaural.
2. 1/200 flash synch: Not a problem for me, but it might be for you.
3. No weather sealing: This is found on the Nikon D300/D3 and even on similarly priced models from other camera companies
4. The buffer will fill up after about 8 continuous RAW + JPG (FINE) shots. This number differs depending on the shooting parameters that you will choose. If you shoot primarily JPG, the buffer seems to allow a very large number of continuous shots, but I have not quantified this for JPG only.

TIPS:

1. Get the FREE Nikon ViewNX software from Nikon's site as your 1st step in your workflow. This will let you examine your RAW images that you can process for either Nikon CaptureNX2 to do further RAW processing or just export to JPG or TIFF for a JPG/TIFF editor such as PhotoShop.
2. Recommend buying the Nikon CaptureNX2. It is a RAW converter (if you shoot in RAW) that will read the camera settings properly for export to JPG or TIFF. Capture NX2, however, is not as slick as the Adobe products and Capture NX2 requires a fairly powerful computer, otherwise it can run pretty slowly on a PC > 3 years old.
3. If you use JPEGs out-of-camera, consider increasing the sharpness above the default 3 or 4. Nikon uses a very conservative sharpening default setting. Nikon has also decided to change the default JPEG images to match the higher end D3/D700/D300 cameras which produce more neutral images. Consequently, the D90 images that are less punchy than the D40/D40x/D60/D80, so you may also want to turn up the in-camera saturation and contrast.

The Nikon D90 has all of the interface features that serious and even professional photographers need with wonderful image quality.

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Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens

If you are wondering whether you should get a fast lens or a lens with VR (Vibration Reduction), here's my take: In overall, VR does help a lot (as it will reduce camera shake) and will produce better/sharper picture than equivalent lens without VR (especially if the object is static). If the object is moving (sports/action) then VR feature alone might not help (depending on how fast the object is moving and how much light is available), and a fast lens often end up being a far better solution, even without VR feature as it will allow much faster shutter speed to freeze motion. Using tripod (and a remote) will substitute for the need of VR feature. In general I would recommend getting a fast lens with VR feature (and usually it is expensive) such as the 70-200 f/2.8 VR, but if one can only get for one or the other, then find out what do you want to use the lens for and then use the guideline mentioned here.

If you are wondering whether you will get the benefit of buying f/1.4 lens over a f/1.8 lens, just remember that the f/1.4 lens is about 60% faster than f/1.8 at its widest aperture setting. With this information, you can decide if the additional speed will justify the additional cost. The bokeh is nicer as well in f/1.4 lens but I think speed is usually the main factor in deciding whether to get the more expensive f/1.4 lens.

Here are the summary of pros and cons for this Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF lens:

Pros:
1. Very fast (f/1.4)
2. Very sharp pictures (especially when stopped down to f/2 or more. very sharp at f/2.8)
3. Great for sport/action photography
4. Great for indoor and low light situation
5. Great for portrait
6. Bokeh is almost as good as many expensive Nikon tele-lens
7. Fast autofocus
8. Perfect for wedding photography (or no-flash event). However, or try the 17-35mm f/2.8 or 28-70mm f/2.8 lens)
9. 75mm equivalent which can be considered a short tele lens (I actually like the fact that it's 75mm equivalent vs 50mm in DSLR. if you need more zoom, you can get the Nikon 85mm f/1.8, or the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR). If you have full frame DSLR(like the D3 or D700), then this #9 pros is not applicable.
10. Sharper than its 50mm f/1.8 sibling (at equivalent aperture)

Cons:
1. Being prime lens, you need to move your feet a lot to adjust/compose
2. Some distortion at widest aperture
3. Plasticy build (though it has metal moount and internal part seems to be from metal)
4. Autofocus is not the most silent but very reasonable
5. 75mm equivalent with 1.5x multiplier on non full frame DSLR (many people find this is an odd range for normal lens. I actually like it). If you have full frame DSLR(like the D3 or D700), then this #5 cons is not applicable.
6. Autofocus does not work with D40, D40x and D60. The newer 50mm f/1.4G AF-S lens will autofocus with those cameras.

Bottom line: This lens is so versatile that I think everyone should own (either the 50mm f/1.4 or the 50mm f/1.8) in addition to all the lenses that they already have. Being a very fast lens, it enables me to take pictures in low light (sport/action photography) that I otherwise wouldn't be able to do.

Again, I would recommend everyone to get this lens (or the 50mm f/1.8). In some ways I can say that this lens will make you a better photographer.

Happy Photographing!

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Nikon 20mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor

When I originally purchased this lens I was using a DX camera body and was looking for something sharp, fast, and wide to replace my old kit zoom lens. While it was a competent performer, it didn't really set my world on fire. On a DX body it's just not wide enough to create wide-angle distorted close up photos where the wide aperture would come in handy. When shooting landscapes the wide aperture didn't present much use and even though it was very sharp, I didn't notice much difference from my kit lens as I was typically stopping down enough that both lenses produced sharp photos.
All this changed when I upgraded to a FX camera. With the full-frame sensor this lens comes alive producing amazingly wide-angled views with sharpness all the way to the corners. This is now my go-to lens for landscapes, architecture, panoramas, astrophotography, and abstract street photography. I really can't stress enough how great this lens is. I'm sure a lot of people looking at this lens are debating between this and the renowned 14-24 f/2.8 Nikkor. While that lens is undoubtedly better in most ways, I wouldn't discount getting the 20mm Nikkor if it's wide enough for your needs (which for most people I would say it is), especially at a third of the price. If you're a DX shooter and plan on staying that way, I would recommend getting one of Nikon's wider zooms (i.e. 12-24mm) instead as this probably won't be wide enough for your needs.
A big warning for FX shooters, you can pretty much forget about using a filter with this lens as even the thinnest filters will produce visible vignetting in almost any situation.
In summary here are the pros and cons:

Pros:
Amazingly sharp
Fast autofocus
Fast aperture
Very reasonable price for wide angle lens
Very wide angle on FX cameras
Built like a tank

Cons:
Not wide enough on DX camera
Can't use filters when shooting with FX camera
Won't autofocus on entry-level DSLRs (i.e. D3000, D5000, D40, D60, etc.)


This thread hopes to address the question, "If you could only take three lenses on your photo expedition, which lenses would you take?" Your mileage will definitely vary, but here's my take on it:

If I had to choose just three lenses, I would take one from each category:

1. A super-wide.
2. A super-fast "normal" lens.
3. A super-telephoto.

My personal selections are the following:

1. Nikkor 18mm f/2.8D AF (discontinued: $700-$1,300, used)
2. Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF-S G $439 (import)
3. Nikkor 300mm f/4.0D AF-S ED-IF $1,369 (import)


Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 lens on a DX-format Nikon D70.

For those less-inclined to go with all-fixed lenses, here's a more-affordable choice which keeps two, short fixed lenses (which I highly recommend):

1. Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D AF $539 (import)
2. Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF-S G $439 (import)
3. Then, for your long lens, you could select from a number of affordable (and one, not so affordable) Nikkor zooms:
     A. Nikkor 70mm-300mm f/4.0-f/5.6G $135
     B. Nikkor 70mm-300mm f/4.5-f/5.6D AF-S VR version $539 (import)
     C. Nikkor 55mm-200mm f/4-f/5.6G ED AF-S $155 (import)
     D. Nikkor 80mm-400mm f/4.5-f/5.6D AF VR ED $1,499.95 (import)
     E. Nikkor 200mm-400mm f/4.0G AF-S ED IF VR $5,899 (import)--top pick!

Sure, the slower zooms won't win any speed contests or be able to produce shallow depth-of-field effects at their short- and mid-lengths, but at their long ends, they should look pretty good (see sample shot below of Nikkor 70mm-300mm f/4.0-f/5.6, zoomed to 300mm, irised at f/5.6).

Notice that in the first list (my personal selections), these are all fixed-focal length lenses--no zoom lenses. After owning a pile of zooms over the years (including the much-favored, Nikkor 70mm-200mm f/2.8, which I still own), I've finally realized that I'm always either on the shortest end of my short zoom, or on the longest end of my long zoom. So, I think I'm done with zooms. Now, I want to spend the money on speed and focal length alone.

The rather spartan lens choice above represents what I use (and will use) the most. For general editorial shots, I plan to use my newly acquired, Nikkor 18mm f/2.8 almost exclusively. For people shots, I'll use my new 'S' version, 50mm f/1.4 AF-S. Lastly, my long lens selection . . . a fixed-focal length, Nikkor 300mm f/4.0 AF-S. It's long, pretty fast, sort of affordable, and has a Nikon 'S' internal-focus motor (but no vibration-reduction). Conversely, the Nikkor 80mm-400 f/4.5-f/5.6, my second-in-line, long-lens candidate, does have vibration-reduction, but no S-motor. I'm actually still on the fence between the two: the fast, 300mm f/4.0; or the 400mm f/5.6 zoom. What to choose--speed or length? Tough call.

[A note about "import" lenses. These are so-called "gray-market" lenses. The only difference between an import and a USA lens, is that Nikon doesn't warrant these in the US. They're exactly the same lens. I own mostly import lenses and have never had to send a single Nikon lens in for service. Caveat emptor, but in my experience, imports have been fine.]

1. The (almost) Super-Wide.


Nikon D70; Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 AF; w/Nikon polarizer.
ISO: 200; exposure: f/4.0 @ 1/1,000th; lighting: daylight.
Digital manipulation: none.

Personal Super-Wide Top Pick: The Nikkor 18mm f/2.8D AF wide-angle [27mm equivalent; $700-$1,200 used]: 

Sorry, no sample shots with the Nikkor 18mm f/2.8 yet! Although I also own a true super-wide, the Nikkor 14mm f/2.8 (photo below), but, it's just too darned big and heavy to want to bring anywhere. I typically have had the much lighter, far more compact, Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 on my body, 99% of the time (soon to be replaced with the Nikkor 18mm f/2.8). Not just for landscapes, both, the 18mm, and 20mm lenses are great for just about any subject you can get close enough to. They're great travelogue lenses--you see both the people, and their environment. Get close enough to an action sport, and you have an exaggerated-perspective shot that's full of dynamic form and scale.

Nikon D70; Nikkor 14mm f/2.8
ISO: 800; exposure: f/2.8 @ 1/13th (handheld); lighting: fluorescent, neon, daylight.
Digital manipulation: none.


2. The Super-Fast "Normal."


Nikon D70; Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8
ISO: 400; exposure: f/2.8 @ 1/250th; lighting: electronic flash (Nikon SB-800 + SC-29 remote TTL cable).
Digital manipulation: none.

Personal Super-Fast "Normal" Lens Top Pick: The Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF-S [75mm equivalent] $439:

On a Nikon DX-format DSLR, with a crop factor of x1.5 (x1.6 for Canon), a 50mm lens is equivalent to a 75mm lens on a full-frame camera, so it's not really a true "normal" [a true normal lens on a DX camera would be the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 AF-S ($195), which has a 52.5mm, full-frame equivalent focal length]. But, the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens on a DX camera is actually a short-telephoto, that's great for shooting people. Even better . . . the Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 macro lens (shown above). Capable of 1:1 magnification, with a 90mm-equivalent 35mm focal length, this exceptionally sharp, flat-field lens is also excellent at shooting people when on a DX-frame camera. But utility wins . . . and the near-unbeatable speed, ultra-fast focusing silent-wave motor, and versatility of the new Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AF-S enables it to shoot in situations where others just can't.

Nikon D70; Nikkor 50mm f/1.4
ISO: 800; exposure: f/1.4 @ 1/60th; lighting: incandescent.
Digital manipulation: none.

This image of fresh Ahi above, was taken under available light, where often, the existing light sources are the most interesting--and, a super-fast lens allows you to capture that without overcranking your ISO. At an exposure of 1/60th of a second, this is barely hand-holdable, plus, I'm all the way open to f/1.4. I try never to shoot above ISO800, whenever possible--I just think the image suffers too much above that. Keeping your ISO low helps to preserve image quality, maintain more-accurate colorimetry, and minimize noise.


3. The Long Lens.


Nikon D70; Nikkor 70mm-300mm f/4.0-f/5.6
ISO: 640; exposure: f/5.6 @ 1/250th; lighting: daylight; selected focal length: 300mm.
Digital manipulation: none.

Personal Long-Lens Top Pick: The Nikkor 300mm f/4.0 AF-S ED-IF [450mm equivalent] $1,369:

The photo above is not from a 300mm f/4.0 (since I don't own one yet), it's simply there for illustration. The 300mm f/4.0 would have even more pronounced "bokeh" (the out-of-focus effect of fore- and background objects at large apertures) being a full-stop wider than my present 70mm-300mm zoom. Note that a 300mm lens on a Nikon DX-format camera is equal to a 450mm lens on a 35mm SLR. And, f/4.0 is fairly fast for that length. Note, however, that buying into a fixed-length telephoto of this length means that you absolutely must be able to freely adjust your subject-to-camera distance, at-will, to fit your subject into the frame.

So, above, I've summarized the ultimate kit lens assortment for my particular needs. Again, your mileage will definitely vary, but I think these are the fewest number of lenses I would personally take on a photo expedition, which, in my view, would offer the most speed and creative possibility for my particular shooting style. Yours could be and probably will be different. In my next post, I'll detail additional essential accessories for the "minimalist" kit.

Next . . . carbon fiber monopods.



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Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S

This lens will attract any photographer, especially photo journalists and landscape photographers. Aside from the amazing image quality, which is deservingly praised here, what really bothered me was the exposed front element. I like to invest in high quality front clear filters (especially the Nikon NC filter), because sometimes Mother Nature is unforgiving.

I can recall times when I've shot at the beach on a seemingly "perfect" day with a very slight breeze. After each shoot, I realized how microscopic sand can get and I would always find dust specks on my NC filters! So I wouldn't dare think of taking this lens out. I don't know how everyone else here is so secure with it. And photo journalists, oh man.

When I shot Canon, I had the 16-35L with a similar design, except the lens hood was humongous and it accept a screw-on filter, even though it was a ridiculous 82mm (or whatever). It took a pretty good beating from door frames, cars, fences, etc. With the bulbous front element of the 14-24G, that's a scary environment.

So yep, I will end my complaints here. I wish Nikon would update this lens to have a more protective option for the front element. Until then, my 24mm f/1.4G ED is GRAND. Actually, more like two grands.

Needed intro
Chasing news stories requires a robust lens that can deliver the sharpest possible images, even at wide open apertures and that is exactly what this lens is designed for - Nikon made this lens for the photojournalist! Most photographers who need such a non-filterable, ultra- wide and fast lens have probably already purchased it without worrying about the level of its optical performance since most
know they can rely on Nikons excellent reputation. If you are reading this review, chances are you probably don’t need this awkward lens and can probably be better served by the AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 instead. Read on though to find out!


Even though this lens was designed for the PJ market, the landscaper who wants a wide focal length can still use this lens for scapes even though he wont be able to screw on filters.

Compared with the AFS 17-35mm
The AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom is the lens most “other” full frame photographers should have in their camera-bag. It is probably a better design since it doesn't include the "clunk" (look here), it’s more manageable since it’s lighter and much smaller, a little cheaper, easily accepts filters, offers a larger and more usable focal length range and offers the same class of optical excellence. I say same class, even though the AFS 14-24mm is the better performer, since it can extend its excellent center performance all the way out towards the edges of the frame. As you probably have figured out by now, the 14-24mm is not a replacement for the 17-35mm lens - they both serve two different needs. So unless you have a “need” for a very wide focal length I would suggest to most of you to invest in the “easier-to-use” AFS 17-35mm wide angle zoom.

My first contact
I first came across this lens at the D700 presentation. An impressive and very sexy looking lens, but not really suited to the “majority” of photographers as already explained! At the presentation, I used the lens on my D300. I took a number of shots and the first thing I noticed was the sharpness – the results on the LCD screen were impressively sharp! I went through the menu to check whether I had forgotten the sharpening activated in picture controls (since I usually shoot with sharpening set to 0) and amazingly, sharpening was off!


Quick specs
This is the first “ultra” wide angle zoom with a constant fast aperture of f/2.8. The lens offers ED and ASP elements, SIC and Nano crystal coatings, and other technologies such as SWM, IF, D and G - a pretty impressive feature list.

• Focal length: 14-24mm (21-36mm on the DX format)
• Lens Construction: 14 elements in 11 groups (2 ED, 3 ASP, 1 Nano Crystal Coating)
• Picture Angle: 114 - 84° (90 - 61° on the DX-format)
• MFD: 0.28m @ 18-24mm and 0.22m @14mm
• Filter Size: None
• Dimensions: 98 x 131.5 mm
• Weight: 1000g
• Diaphragm: 9 (rounded)

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Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX Nikkor

I do not know about anyone else but I love this lens. I love landscape photography and this lens is one of the best tools to assist you with taking breath-taking shots that are sharp and beautiful with magnificent distance and depth. This is one of the best tools available to get real wide angle and depth if you are using an DSLR camera.
I performed several days of research before purchasing this lens by surfing the net for reviews and reading articles written by professional photographers. 99% of them gave this lens a very high rating… and after using it myself I can see why. The results of my pictures are worth every hard-earned dollar I spent to buy this lens. I purchased the Nikon D-70 camera and set the intent after spending that much for a camera I deserved great lenses to produce pictures that are inspirational and joyful to view. I am not a professional photographer; I am a serious student of photography who appreciates the art form.
Not everyone will have a need for this lens; however, for those of you who want to expand your tools and you want the best and can afford it, “go for it!’
If you want to read some professional reviews visit Nikonlinks.com and kenrockwell.com
Nikonlinks.com has many professional reviews for lenses in all sizes, it is a great site. Kenrockwell.com has great reviews and much “how-to” guidance for both film and digital photography. Both sites are very, very helpful.
Thanks Amazon.com for another great purchase!




Example Picture

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