Jan 1, 2010 | Field Reports
02.15.10
The 85PC-E is a 2nd version of this lens, the firs being very sharp just not simple to use. No longer is that the case. It is a manual focusing lens with the ability to tilt and shift and while doing so permitting aperture control (that’s what the E stands for). You can use this lens as a standard 85mm manual focus lens but in these days, most are lost without AF. The purpose of the PC-E series is two fold: corrections for doing architecture, straight line photography and extended DOF control. This combination of quality and flexibility puts the price of the 85PC-E up there and out of the reach of most shooters (but you can rent it easily).
“Why do you have the 85PC-E?” That’s a really common question and the simple reason is, it’s part of my Ultra Wide Pano kit. The 24PC-E is a stunning lens for landscape photography. The 85PC-E is not so much a landscape lens as it is a macro lens. Most don’t pick up that the PC-E lenses are macros and the 85 is stunning so it’s how I use it a lot. With it’s tilt abilities, control over DOF is pretty simple. Having a 77mm front elements means it can utilize all the same filters you should carry for the 24-70AFS and 70-200VR2 which is real convenient for the landscape photographer. But don’t let the PC-E aspect of the lens scare you off. Here’s a 4pg PDF on using a PCE lens that makes it real easy to make the most of this gem!
Moose's UltraWide Pano Kit, 85, 24, 45PC-E w/D3x
Jan 1, 2010 | Field Reports
02.15.10
This is one amazing lens wrapped in a lot of perceived complication. It is a manual focusing lens with the ability to tilt and shift and while doing so permitting aperture control (that’s what the E stands for). You can use this lens as a standard 24mm manual focus lens but in these days, most are lost without AF. The purpose of the PC-E series is two fold: corrections for doing architecture, straight line photography and extended DOF control. This combination of quality and flexibility puts the price of the 24PC-E up there and out of the reach of most shooters (but you can rent it easily).
“Why do you have the 24PC-E?” That’s a really common question and the simple reason is, it’s the corner stone of my Ultra Wide Pano kit. The 24PC-E is a stunning lens for landscape photography. In this role, it’s manual focus and tilt capability give you complete control of the DOF and point of focus. Having a 77mm front elements means it can utilize all the same filters you should carry for the 24-70AFS and 70-200VR2 which is real convenient for the landscape photographer. But don’t let the PC-E aspect of the lens scare you off. Here’s a 4pg PDF on using a PCE lens that makes it real easy to make the most of this gem!
Moose's UltraWide Pano Kit 85, 24, 45PC-E w/D3x
Jan 1, 2010 | Field Reports
02.15.10
This is a lens you might not even be aware Nikon made (it’s now discontinued) though it was released in 1994. The 28f1.4 is an “older” AF lens, but because of its original price tag ($1700) and not being a zoom, it pretty much went unnoticed. Few photographers had a need for ultra fast wide angle, still don’t. I have to admit that while I thought it is a sexy lens (it’s a meaty sucker) the price scared me off as well. But then it went nuts on the used market. And now with the 24f1.4, what will happen to its price? It won’t change that fact the 28f1.4 is one freakin sharp lens!
I got mine when I started to explore techniques to do star trails with digital. In pursuing that end, the 28f1.4 came back on my radar screen but I was too late, the used price for the lens often is higher than the old, new price. I lucked out, first by having one loaned to me by my friend Joe McNally and than finding one for sale by a friend. And as so often happens with me and photography, I started on one journey and photography took me another.
When I get a “new” lens, I tend to wed myself to it, shoot with it continually until I know it inside and out. That’s what I did with the 28f1.4 and in that process, fell in love with its f1.4. I don’t know if I’ve ever shoot with it closed down, it just sings so at f1.4 that I can’t get past that f/stop. Yeah, I shoot with the 28f1.4 all the time, not just for star trails. Just search the site, you’ll find lots of examples shot with this gem.
Jan 1, 2010 | Field Reports
02.15.10
I have been very fortunate to shoot with the 14-24AFS since their announcement with the D3. While I’ve had the most time with the 24-70AFS, it’s the 14-24AFS I have fallen head over heels for. Yeah, that’s not really a technical review or any type of user report comment, but having a 14mm in the arsenal again is like having your cake and eating it too! This is one sweet, versatile lens! It feels so good in the hand, very well balanced and a barrel diameter that easily slips into the palm. The lens barrel is all metal with the scalloped lens shade sounding like the same dense material as the shade on the 24-70AFS. Both the zoom and focusing ring have that stiff, smooth feel Nikon lenses of old were known for.
The 14-24AFS is a IF lens, but the massive front element travels back and forth between 14-24mm. When zoomed to 14mm, the front element is extended out all the way to the front of the shade. The 14-24AFS has a new design feature, high-performance Nikon Super Integrated Coating in conjunction with Nano Crystal Coat which does reduce flare. I compared the flaring of the 14-24AFS to the 14AF and without a doubt, the flaring was less in the 14-24AFS and occurred later, at a slightly greater angle than in the old 14mm. But it is not “flareless.” The scalloped lens shade is maxed out on coverage at 14mm, it leaves no room for your hand to add any greater shading.
The front scalloped shade also does not accept any filtration (you can see I have it protected with a LensCoat and use their Hoodie for a lens cap). You can’t use a 4×6 split grad either. The shape of the shade which you can see below does not permit the filter to lay flat against the front element. The scalloped shade shape permits light to stray in from the rear of the filter. This in turn causes a ghosting or flare reflection to be seen by the lens. While you can’t compact the exposure using a split grad, there are other methods. Shooting with the D3 for example, you have the advantage of utilizing its Active D-Lighting (Shooting Menu) which does extend the range of exposure (but does take buffer space and may introduce noise) which only slightly helps not being able to use a split grad. Taking two images, one for shadow detail and one for highlight and merging them in Photoshop is a snap with this lens since registration is dead on (High-Low Merge).
The 14-24AFS is not, not a lightweight lens. Weighing in at 35oz (over 2lbs!), you’d best have you handholding technique down pat. I mention this because the 14-24AFS screams for precise placement for killer photographs. Excellent handholding technique along with using the Virtual Horizon in the viewfinder makes the 14-24AFS a great working tool.
What about sharpness? I pushed the 14-24AFS, shooting it from its minimum focusing distance of 9” to infinity and every point in between at every focal length. I can honestly say the edge to edge sharpness is what Nikon is legendary for producing. I remember seeing a portrait long ago taken with a Nikkor 55f3.5 where you could count every hair in the moustache and see every sun bitten pour on the cowboys face. You shoot with this lens, you’d better brush up on your Photoshop retouching skills because the 14-24AFS splits the hairs and shows all the grandeur in a subject just like that 55f3.5. The combination of the lens’ quality and the quality in the D3 file simply takes my breath away.
What about distortion? Shooting wide at 14mm, you might be worried about barrel or edge distortion. At its minimum focusing distance to infinity, I pushed photos with straight elements at the edge of the frame. It’s not perfect for folks real up close but with a small distance or at 20mm, the nose doesn’t grow. It was total fun seeing these images in the viewfinder with straight lines. After about two weeks of pushing the 14-24AFS to the extreme in this regard and it proving itself, I never hesitated to use the lens to its extreme. Compared to the older 14mm, the 14-24AFS has the same if not better performance in regards to distortion. Don’t confuse the leaning in of straight lines when you point the lens up or down as distortion. That’s just perspective.
You might have read in the 14-24AFS press release about “Engineered to Nikon professional D-SLR standards to effectively resist dust and moisture.” I can report that I put this statement to the test in Montana during a couple of rain and a snow storm (and a bunch of dust photographing bighorn sheep). The lens took a licking and permitted me to keep on clicking.
Jan 1, 2010 | Field Reports
“From the beginning of my freelance career 31 years ago, it has been my interest in science that has given my wildlife photography its direction. Science helps me to locate my subjects, to understand the trials and tribulations of their existence, to minimize, if not eliminate, my impact on their survival, and to capture a authentic visual record of their lives.
When I am working with a species, my goal is not to come away with a single stunning signature image but to tell a story using multiple images, a story that celebrates the many facets of a subject’s beauty, biology and behavior.
Humankind generally reacts strongly to a beautiful image, but we connect even more, on an emotional level, to multiple images that tell a story and challenge us to care. These are the stories I try to tell with my photography.”
Wayne Lynch Photography http://www.waynelynch.ca/
Jan 1, 2010 | Field Reports
02.15.10
The is one sharp, solid, workhorse of a lens!
I’ve shot with the 24-70AFS the longest and have to admit, it’s not a lens I thought I would end up going nuts over or buying. I was wrong. This is a fine lens delivering the image quality we’ve all come to expect from Nikon glass. The first thing I thought when I picked up the lens was, “it’s much smaller than I thought.” While it’s has a 77mm front element, the lens barrel itself is smaller in diameter than that. It feels really good in the hand; a powerful, stubby, bright, fast lens.
The first thing I noticed about the 24-70AFS is it has a much beefier lens shade. I mean, beefed up! You’ll notice that it is much thicker, the density of the shade itself is half again what we’ve been use to. It’s also one deep sucker. If you have a polarizer attached to the lens, you won’t be able to rotate it if the lens shade is attached. Next you’ll notice the front bell of the lens has a shape and design new to Nikon lenses, zooms in particular. It’s really built. The 24-70AFS is a solid lens, feels great in the hand and is nicely balanced. Its IF and big zoom ring makes working with the lens really fast and in combination with the SWM, it flies!
The 24-70 range on the FX format makes for a great combo. I can easily see many photographers, especially wildlife adoring this lens instantly, especially on a second body (D3 of course). The edge to edge performance at 24mm is quite sweet. And like the 14-24AFS, the 24-70AFS resolves amazing detail. Detail in flower pedals, grass stems and eyebrows is gorgeous, every pore in skin comes through. While it doesn’t state in the specs it’s a flat field lens, the 24-70AFS performs as if it were.
The 24-70AFS is not really a light weight lens coming in just under 2lbs (31oz) but is a heartbeat lighter than the 28-70. Even so, I find myself putting the 24-70 on the D3x when heading out the door. Its constant f/2.8 and focal length range make it a great “knock around’ lens. With its beefy shade and construction, knocking it around isn’t a real concern. While working with the IPs, I “abused” the lenses in that they don’t get special treatment, life’s knocks where blocked. This includes rain, snow and a dust storm. Not of it phased the lens. It’s a rock!
