D90 Wide Angle

alexlyons

What is the best value (not necessarily the cheapest) widest wide angle lens for a Nikon D90? The DX sensor multiplies by about 1.52 so I know its somewhat limited if I want to go really wide. Not fisheye preferably. Thanks for any help.

Slidinginfinity

I have a D90 too and this is the one I want, when the money-fairy allows.

LENS

Zillah

The sensor magnification only applies to lenses designed for film cameras. If you buy a lens that is designed for a digital sensor then the listed focal length is true.

I have one of these for my D70s: http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3315&navigator=6

17mm is nice and wide for landscapes, 2.8 pretty damn fast (though I would like it a little faster) and as a nice bonus it has a pretty good macro functionality. Very inexpensive too. I'd get something fancier if I could afford it but for now it is a lens that has served me very well.

melekalikimaka

check that out for some info

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/dx-lenses.htm

note - yes its ken, yes he's a tard, but the info is pretty sound

DaireQuinlan

Zillah wrote: »

The sensor magnification only applies to lenses designed for film cameras. If you buy a lens that is designed for a digital sensor then the listed focal length is true.

If I understand what you're saying here then you're wrong I'm afraid. The focal length of a lens is ALWAYS true, irrespective of what format the lens is designed for. However, if you mount a 50mm lens on a cropped digital body then it will result in a field of view that is equivalent to a longer lens mounted on a full frame body. The normal short hand way of referring to all this is to talk of crop factors. So on a nikon DX body a 50mm lens will result in a field of view that would be the same as a 75mm mounted on a FX body. Mounting that same 50mm on the FX body will result in a normal 50mm FOV.

alexlyons

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

If I understand what you're saying here then you're wrong I'm afraid. The focal length of a lens is ALWAYS true, irrespective of what format the lens is designed for. However, if you mount a 50mm lens on a cropped digital body then it will result in a field of view that is equivalent to a longer lens mounted on a full frame body. The normal short hand way of referring to all this is to talk of crop factors. So on a nikon DX body a 50mm lens will result in a field of view that would be the same as a 75mm mounted on a FX body. Mounting that same 50mm on the FX body will result in a normal 50mm FOV.

Bang on the button there. I have an 18mm at the minute but that 11-16 looks very sweet, however its stretching a practically non existent budget! I might look at second hand ones.. Going to san fran, getting an iPad and a new iphone hopefully... maybe this lens is a dream...!

Agreed on the whole ken aspect though...

CabanSail

I use the Sigma 10-20mm a lot & find it a very useful lens. Really good value for money too.

Kbeg3

I also have the Sigma 10-20 and it is a good lens for the price

ike

+1 on Sigma 10-20 lens as well

alexlyons

that sigma looks pretty good, slightly wider with the 10mm and a bit cheaper too! I'll have to test them, thanks for the info!

PopeBuckfastXVI

If I ever have money I'll be going for the tokina 11-16mm

alexlyons

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

If I ever have money I'll be going for the tokina 11-16mm

why?

PopeBuckfastXVI

alexlyons wrote: »

why?

From what I've read it's 'best in class' for DX - the range is perfect as it will stop exactly before my 17-55 starts, f/2.8 for the low light, when it comes to cost v performance I don't think it can be beaten by even a nikkor.

rowanh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxiFxui0W-M

I saw this a while ago, that guy switched from the sigma to the tokina, ken rockwell shows the tokina being better than the much more expensive nikon wide angle lens in his review.

sunny2004

Sigma 10-20
You cant go wrong.............

Adriatic

What filters do you all use for the Sigma 10-20mm?

Stephen

+1 for the Sigma 10-20. Don't use any filters on it at the moment.

Here's a sample image from it:


I love what it does to cloudy skies.