14-24mm f2.8 - Yay or Nay?

[TheFantasticG]

The "not" was a typo left over from typing on my phone. Don't get excited.

 

[kundalini]

As JTPhotography demonstrated in post #2, the 14-24mm can be quite versatile.

I like the fact that you can get nearly an entire room in the frame.

I also like the perspective distortion you can get for a different feel. Nearly fisheye, but without going over the top.

And the sharpness stays throughout the focal and aperture range. The bokeh / background blur is quite pleasant. At 100% crop of the above...

Of course, if you want to use it for a wide landscape, it rates a 10 out of 10. This is not the best shot, but the only one I'm sure was with the 14-24mm.

I also have the Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 which ain't too shabby either.

I'm happy to have the 14-24mm, but it doesn't get as much use as I thought it might. When I want to travel light, but still have a wide angle option, I will carry the 20mm f/2.8 with me.

 

[astroNikon]

FWIW, I'm glad I'm not the only one that uses stuffed animals from the kids for test shots

 

[Braineack]

they are yours, don't lie.

 

[runnah]

Skip the 2.8 and save yourself some major bucks. Go with the 10-24mm the extra stops down isn't with the major price difference.

 

[480sparky]

You do realize that 14mm is nearly half of 24mm right?

It's also almost twice as much a 8. What's your point?

 

[kundalini]

FWIW, I'm glad I'm not the only one that uses stuffed animals from the kids for test shots

My kids are grown men now, but without a willing victim, you gotta improvise. The Dollar Tree store comes in handy every now and then.

First there was Winston.
Then there was Bruce.
And then Noname

Here's a group shot.

 

[pixmedic]

I would just go with whatever you feel is right.
some people actually prefer wide over long.

 

[kundalini]

some people actually prefer wide over long.

that's what she said!

 

[Derrel]

I got to play with a 14-24mm f2.8 today. I like how this lens feels. I am strongly considering getting one, but I am unsure as to what I would use it for? Besides landscapes, what are common uses for a 14-24mm f2.8? What are the pros and cons to this lens? My current camera bodies are D3100, D7000, and D800.

Thanks

It's a massive lens that draws a huge amount of notice and attention. It has somewhat limited usefulness for "people work", since the focal lengths it has are mostly very short, distortion-inducing ones. It's heavy. It's expensive. It is optically at least,the BEST wide-angle zoom lens made. Period. But, for "people work" or what's often called "social photography", the better-suited, wider focal length range of the 16-35 f/4 VR Nikkor would make much more sense. 24mm is wide enough that on the D800, anything that is at the edges of the frame will be distorted...people, trees, room features, whatever. So...yes, it's a good lens for an ultra-wide zoom. But that's basically all it is...it's not very versatile..it does not span any ranges really. It all depends on what you need the lens to do. It's a great tool--for what it actually "is". What it is "not" is just as important, and that's the other side of the coin. Only you can decide if it's right for what YOU need to have.

 

[vipgraphx]

OP - other uses for the lens would be indoor pictures such as real estate. There is a huge market for that type of work. Group photo indoors in tight areas....I had that lens and sold I sold my D700. It is just an awesome lens to have especially on a full frame body. I also had the tokina 12-24 on my D7000 and that also performs super good, do not underestimate tokina lenses they are very very good glass and build quality. I probably would not spend that much money on the Nikon 14-24 for your DX body but rather would spend $300-$500 on the tokina either 12-24 or 11-16. Especially give the crop factor but thats just me.

Here some pictures using a D7000 with Tokina 12-24


Chile truck by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


sunset_in_paradise copy by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


ricos by VIPGraphX, on Flickr

Now Some with the Nikon 14-24




forest_sun by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


broken string by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


St_Phillips_Church by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


They both are very sharp, I like HDR so these shots are all HDR with different processing. By the time I got the D700 my processing got much better. I posted these because I wanted to show you what the Tokina paired with a DX body could also do.

 

[PaulWog]

Here some pictures using a D7000 with Tokina 12-24

Holy HDR batman... how much editing went into each of those?

 

[astroNikon]

I missed in my d7000 instruction manual the button to do those photos. nice :thumbup:

 

[jsecordphoto]

I have a friend who liked this lens so much that he bought an adapter so he can use it on his new canon 6D

 

[vipgraphx]

Here some pictures using a D7000 with Tokina 12-24

Holy HDR batman... how much editing went into each of those?

About 30 min each.