Your favourite wide angle prime lens for Nikon

[amarkin]

I have been looking for a wide angle fast prime lens that can fit my D50. There are quite a few available but most have received below average reviews. There’s one that everyone likes, it’s Nikkor 28mm F/1.4D AF. As I understand, this lens has been discontinued, it’s rare and few dealers have them in stock. The problem with this lens is the cost, $2KUSD.
I couldn’t find wide angle fast prime lenses with good reviews from the respected sources and I started looking at older models. One which everyone talks about is Nikkor 28mm F/2.0 AI-S.

My question is: what is your favourite wide angle fast prime lens, preferably with AF and fully compatible with the D50?

Thanks!

[Yi-P]

On the wide side of the digital sensor, why go prime? You have many DX WA zoom lenses at your disposal such as the 12-24, 10-20. Which cost way less than the 28/1.4.

Even a 20mm on a DX sensor, you cant get wide enough. You need something below 18mm to fit in the super wide angles of the digital sensors.

As per choice between quality and price, I'd first go with the 20/2.8 and then the 24/2.8 which is cheaper but still good as primes.

I dont own any of those, but Im very happy with the 10-20 as for WA lens on a digital body, and the 28/2.8 which is widest of my primes. Tho the 28/2.8 is only left for the past full frame wide angles. The 35mm is now my widest prime for digital.


Fast, prime, and super wide angle for digital body, only have one at the moment, the 10.5mm f/2.8 FE. With now an upcoming new Sigma 8mm f/3.5 FE (announced in photokina).

[PiroStitch]

While the 20mm on a dslr isn't really considered wide angle anymore, it's one of my favourite lenses.

[amarkin]

While the 20mm on a dslr isn't really considered wide angle anymore, it's one of my favourite lenses.

I like street photography. I find prime lenses are most suited for this type of photography. If I was going to buy wide angle zoom lens that would have been 17-35mm. This is unlikely to happen for at least next 3 years.

I read technical reviews on 20mm lens.

[url=http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_20_28/index.htm]Verdict
The Nikkor AF 20mm f/2.8 D had a very good reputation during the film era but the D200 didn't really like the lens. The resolution is fine for most of the APS-C image frame but the extreme corners never really reach impressive results even at medium aperture settings. Vignetting is fairly high at f/2.8 and CAs are pretty bad. All-in-all you may prefer to look elsewhere to cover this focal length on an APS-C DSLR.[/url]

And others:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/20af.htm
http://www.bythom.com/20lens.htm

[johnd]

Since buying the 28-70/2.8 I haven't used my Nikor 20/2.8.
I bought it from a forum member about 6 months ago and I'd be happy to let it go for what it cost me less a bit for my use.
If you're interested in it, please PM me. I can't remember what I paid for it, but I'll check up when I get home.
Cheers
John

[Glen]

Alex, I have a 12-24, 20mm & 28mm. The 20mm is 30mm FOV on a dslr, it doesn't really feel wide anymore. If you just want a fast wider lens (but not wide angle) the AF 35mm f2 fits the bill and is well priced, well suited to street photography

[Antsl]

One lens that you might like to at least try is the Tokina 17mm f3.5 ATX lens... it is AF and so it will work ok with the D50. You should get an equalivent field of you of a 25mm lens.

The lens that I have been using a lot on my D200 is the Nikkor 24mm f2 and this gives you about the same field of view as a 35mm lens... this is still good for street work.

[Matt. K]

Antsl
The 35mm Nikkor was my favourite lens on the F2. It was just Oh so sweet!

[Aussie Dave]

Perhaps you should have gone with a Canon 5D (with full-frame sensor) instead of the Nikon D50 ?!?

Would certainly have kept the wide in wide-angle...

[amarkin]

Alex, I have a 12-24, 20mm & 28mm. The 20mm is 30mm FOV on a dslr, it doesn't really feel wide anymore. If you just want a fast wider lens (but not wide angle) the AF 35mm f2 fits the bill and is well priced, well suited to street photography

Glen, I am aware of FOV on DSLRs. The widest fast prime I have at the moment is 50mm or (75mm in 35 equiv.) Any quality fast prime lens between 15-30mm (or 22.5-45mm in 35mm equiv.) will be considered.

35mm f2 may not be wide enough but I will look into it.

[Glen]

Ants, Alex, the 17mm Tokina sounds like a very interesting choice not often considered

[Justin]

I think Johnd was offering a 20 2.8 as a possibility for you

I have a 28 f2.8 I recently purchased that I really don't get much use out of, you could probably convince me to part with it...

[amarkin]

After reading tons of reviews, asking questions and reading people’s opinions, even looking at older AI-S lenses, I decided not buy a prime wide angle lens after all. There’s no fast prime wide angle lens offered by Nikon. There are two or three lenses offered by third parties but those are budget lenses which performed below average in the review tests. I have 18-70mm zoom lens which I will be using for the time being till a better lens becomes available. If it will become absolutely necessary to use fast wide angle prime lens, I will use film Nikon FM3a and 28mm/35mm ai-s lens. It will be cheaper and it will give better results.

Just a note on fast wide angle prime lenses for Nikon DSLRs. At this Photokina, Carl Zeiss introduced Distagons DZ 2/35 and 2/25mm for Nikons. These are manual focus lenses. I suspect Nikon has decided to address the problem of a little number of wide angle prime lenses available for Nikon DSLRs by striking a deal with Carl Zeiss.


Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

[Justin]

I suspect Nikon has decided to address the problem of a little number of wide angle prime lenses available for Nikon DSLRs by striking a deal with Carl Zeiss.

Really? Where did you see this?

[Glen]

Alex, I agree with Justin. Nikon do a very good 35mm f2 lens and also have a 20mm f2.8 which would be similar with the 35mm being very competitive against the Cosina product. I think they realise the market likes zooms so they offer it. I personally pine for a wide, say 12mm prime dx lens which would be light and less compromised, though anything that wide will be compromised.

[Justin]

I'd follow the money - it's more like Carl Zeiss would have to pay Nikon not to produce these lenses (look at Canon vs. Nikon if you don't think Nikon react competitively)

But why would Zeiss do this? Nikon only make a couple of MF specialty lenses currently, I suspect Zeiss are going for a different niche, perhaps folks who also shoot medium-format or even the "snob / drool" factor.

[amarkin]

I suspect Nikon has decided to address the problem of a little number of wide angle prime lenses available for Nikon DSLRs by striking a deal with Carl Zeiss.

Really? Where did you see this?

I didn’t see it anywhere, it was only a guess. Whether or not it was a correct guess – that’s another story.

[amarkin]

Alex, I agree with Justin. Nikon do a very good 35mm f2 lens and also have a 20mm f2.8 which would be similar with the 35mm being very competitive against the Cosina product. I think they realise the market likes zooms so they offer it. I personally pine for a wide, say 12mm prime dx lens which would be light and less compromised, though anything that wide will be compromised.

35mm is a good lens but, as I stated in my earlier post, it’s not wide enough on DSLRs.
20mm f2.8, however, is not. Not according to several respected sources. It is overpriced and optically no better than less expensive alternative 18mm.

[Justin]

Hey Alex, what focal length are you looking for?

I just got my tokina 12-24 and it's absolutely crisp - and the distortion ain't so bad if you keep the plane parallel to the subject.

I agree the 18-70 zoom is a fantastic lens and was my 95% lens for about 15 months - it's hard to get tired of it.

[Glen]

Alex, my comment was meant to imply that Nikon have their own lenses in close to those sizes, 25 & 35mm, so wouldn't get Cosina to build them for them as a way of addressing the wide angle problem as you implied

[amarkin]

Justin,

I was looking for a fast prime wide angle. For low light street photography, anything between 20mm-30mm. 30mm is absolute maximum. I've decided to use zoom 18-70mm for wide angle shots, if a faster prime lens will be needed, I may use film camera with my new 50mm f1.4 AF or get a 35mm f/1.4 AI-S.

[Glen]

I just got my tokina 12-24 and it's absolutely crisp - and the distortion ain't so bad if you keep the plane parallel to the subject.

So you are the bugger who ran Poon out of stock!!

[Justin]

Nope someone before me I got mine from digitalrev and it certainly wasn't quite the price it would have been here.

[amarkin]

Alex, my comment was meant to imply that Nikon have their own lenses in close to those sizes, 25 & 35mm, so wouldn't get Cosina to build them for them as a way of addressing the wide angle problem as you implied

I see. It was just a guess, I read in the news Zeiss and Sony decided to build a DSLR together. I thought it could be the case with Nikon. There’s no logic as it seems since Nikon already has AF lenses in that range.

[Glen]

No logic there and Nikon quality is usually better than Cosina