D3300 Wide angle lens suggestions

[rfensty245]

Hello everyone, Im new here so sorry if this topic is covered often! 2 years ago I got my girlfriend a d3300 that came with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses since she was interested in photography. We are traveling to Iceland in October so she obviously wants to try her hand at photographing the northern lights. I was doing some research and hoping to surprise her with a wide angle lens as it seems this is the best bet for good attempts at the northern lights. From what I read you want an f/2.8 minimum, now since this is just a hobby for her I didnt want to break the bank with a lens. I was recommended to sigma by a friend, but also found some cheaper options and just wanted to get some feedback on a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 IF ED EMC lens. I found it on bh camera for 379.00 i believe and it also has the chip needed for certain camera functions. Is this is decent brand? And should we expect decent results from it? I know nothing about dslr's or photography in general so sorry if this is a stupid question. Thanks for your help!

 

[benhasajeep]

Hello everyone, Im new here so sorry if this topic is covered often! 2 years ago I got my girlfriend a d3300 that came with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses since she was interested in photography. We are traveling to Iceland in October so she obviously wants to try her hand at photographing the northern lights. I was doing some research and hoping to surprise her with a wide angle lens as it seems this is the best bet for good attempts at the northern lights. From what I read you want an f/2.8 minimum, now since this is just a hobby for her I didnt want to break the bank with a lens. I was recommended to sigma by a friend, but also found some cheaper options and just wanted to get some feedback on a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 IF ED EMC lens. I found it on bh camera for 379.00 i believe and it also has the chip needed for certain camera functions. Is this is decent brand? And should we expect decent results from it? I know nothing about dslr's or photography in general so sorry if this is a stupid question. Thanks for your help!

The Rokinon is a manual focus lens! There has been good copies and bad copies of those lenses. Seems on who assembled the lens on the line.

It's more money than the manual focus lenses, but I suggest the Tokina 11-20 F/2.8 AT-X pro. It has a lens focusing motor so will work on Nikon bodies without one like the D3300 (which I also own). I have a slightly older version of this lens. The Tokina 11-16 f/2.8. It does not have the focusing motor. But I used it with Nikon bodies with a body focus drive D300. The lens is built very well, and is a very good lens. Reviews I have read about the 11-20 all say the same thing. They just improved on the older, making it an even better value.

Also Samyang, Rokinon and several others market that same 14mm f/2.8 manualfocus lens. Same factory makes them for different sellers who have their own name and colors put on them.

 

[dunfly]

The newer Tokina 11-16 mm Pro II does have a focusing motor and will work with the
D3300. I have been looking at one for my D5200. The price has dropped since the 11-20 came out.

 

[benhasajeep]

The newer Tokina 11-16 mm Pro II does have a focusing motor and will work with the
D3300. I have been looking at one for my D5200. The price has dropped since the 11-20 came out.

Yea, mine is first generation and needs the body motor. Great lens though. I still have mine even though gone full frame on main bodies. I kept 1 of my 2 D300's for it. Not tried MF with it on D3300. But it's a large / heavy enough lens I probably not take it with me for work travels with the D3300.

I now have a 14-24 so no need for it on full frame in dx mode.

 

[SquarePeg]

The newer Tokina 11-16 mm Pro II does have a focusing motor and will work with the
D3300. I have been looking at one for my D5200. The price has dropped since the 11-20 came out.

My Tokina 11-16 pro Ii is for sale. if you're interested check the buy and sell forum.

 

[astroNikon]

Whichever lens you choose make sure you understand how to focus in manual and how to focus to infinity, thus an AutoFocus lens isn't that important for this type of photography.

So putting the camera into Manual Focus, and setting it to Infinity is very handy in photographing the northern lights and in astrophotography in general. So make sure the lens has an Infinity setting/mark, otherwise you'll have to do distance setup during the day (see links below). You may also find that you need to use a sturdy tripod and a longer exposure than normal.

I did a quick search, but there's many descriptions of how to photography the northern lights.
A simple guide ==> Northern Lights Photography settings in 7 easy steps

a bit more information ==> https://www.davemorrowphotography.com/2014/10/how-to-photograph-northern-lights.html

 

[rfensty245]

Whichever lens you choose make sure you understand how to focus in manual and how to focus to infinity, thus an AutoFocus lens isn't that important for this type of photography.

So putting the camera into Manual Focus, and setting it to Infinity is very handy in photographing the northern lights and in astrophotography in general. So make sure the lens has an Infinity setting/mark, otherwise you'll have to do distance setup during the day (see links below). You may also find that you need to use a sturdy tripod and a longer exposure than normal.

I did a quick search, but there's many descriptions of how to photography the northern lights.
A simple guide ==> Northern Lights Photography settings in 7 easy steps

a bit more information ==> https://www.davemorrowphotography.com/2014/10/how-to-photograph-northern-lights.html

Thank you for those links! Also I think I may get a lens that has an autofocus motor just to make things a little easier for us, but would definitely like to try it out on manual as well if we have some time to mess with it before we leave.

 

[astroNikon]

Whichever lens you choose make sure you understand how to focus in manual and how to focus to infinity, thus an AutoFocus lens isn't that important for this type of photography.

So putting the camera into Manual Focus, and setting it to Infinity is very handy in photographing the northern lights and in astrophotography in general. So make sure the lens has an Infinity setting/mark, otherwise you'll have to do distance setup during the day (see links below). You may also find that you need to use a sturdy tripod and a longer exposure than normal.

I did a quick search, but there's many descriptions of how to photography the northern lights.
A simple guide ==> Northern Lights Photography settings in 7 easy steps

a bit more information ==> https://www.davemorrowphotography.com/2014/10/how-to-photograph-northern-lights.html

Thank you for those links! Also I think I may get a lens that has an autofocus motor just to make things a little easier for us, but would definitely like to try it out on manual as well if we have some time to mess with it before we leave.

You may want to mess with it before you leave. As when you are in the dark trying to learn something new is hard enough, except with no lights (take a red or blue flashlight too).

Experiment with taking pictures of night time skies and getting the stars in focus.

 

[rfensty245]

Whichever lens you choose make sure you understand how to focus in manual and how to focus to infinity, thus an AutoFocus lens isn't that important for this type of photography.

So putting the camera into Manual Focus, and setting it to Infinity is very handy in photographing the northern lights and in astrophotography in general. So make sure the lens has an Infinity setting/mark, otherwise you'll have to do distance setup during the day (see links below). You may also find that you need to use a sturdy tripod and a longer exposure than normal.

I did a quick search, but there's many descriptions of how to photography the northern lights.
A simple guide ==> Northern Lights Photography settings in 7 easy steps

a bit more information ==> https://www.davemorrowphotography.com/2014/10/how-to-photograph-northern-lights.html

Thank you for those links! Also I think I may get a lens that has an autofocus motor just to make things a little easier for us, but would definitely like to try it out on manual as well if we have some time to mess with it before we leave.

You may want to mess with it before you leave. As when you are in the dark trying to learn something new is hard enough, except with no lights (take a red or blue flashlight too).

Experiment with taking pictures of night time skies and getting the stars in focus.

Yeah, we will definitely try and experiment at home before going, why do you recommend a colored light instead of just a standard white light?

 

[astroNikon]

Whichever lens you choose make sure you understand how to focus in manual and how to focus to infinity, thus an AutoFocus lens isn't that important for this type of photography.

So putting the camera into Manual Focus, and setting it to Infinity is very handy in photographing the northern lights and in astrophotography in general. So make sure the lens has an Infinity setting/mark, otherwise you'll have to do distance setup during the day (see links below). You may also find that you need to use a sturdy tripod and a longer exposure than normal.

I did a quick search, but there's many descriptions of how to photography the northern lights.
A simple guide ==> Northern Lights Photography settings in 7 easy steps

a bit more information ==> https://www.davemorrowphotography.com/2014/10/how-to-photograph-northern-lights.html

Thank you for those links! Also I think I may get a lens that has an autofocus motor just to make things a little easier for us, but would definitely like to try it out on manual as well if we have some time to mess with it before we leave.

You may want to mess with it before you leave. As when you are in the dark trying to learn something new is hard enough, except with no lights (take a red or blue flashlight too).

Experiment with taking pictures of night time skies and getting the stars in focus.

Yeah, we will definitely try and experiment at home before going, why do you recommend a colored light instead of just a standard white light?

a bright white light will make you go blind in the dark.
and it's common to use non-white lights at night to not affect your own eyes but other things other people are doing.
==> https://briankoberlein.com/2015/04/08/blinded-by-the-light/

I use a flashlight that has red, Green, blue, and a really soft white light