1001 Nights #68

[chambeshi]

 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED DX Zoom-Nikkor

https://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/0068/index.htm

[CS]

I have enjoyed this lens on my D200, but now Thom Hogan says that it isn't really up to 24 mp bodies. I have yet to mount mine on my D7200, so I'm not sure that I'd agree with Hogan. Since I got the D7200 the faster Sigma 16-50/2.8 or Nikkor 35/1.8 ae the only lenses that I've used, but I am interested in what others have to say about the 12-24 on 24mp bodies.

[Øivind Tøien]

Thanks for the pointer to this tale. The 12-24mm is one of my most used lenses and usually mounted on my D7100 - no fear for the 24MP sensor. Unless I go for star bursts I use it at f/9 for landscapes, but it is performing quite well at f/4.5 for night sky/aurora images. Note that when I acquired this lens, I found a lot of sample variation (decentering), and it took some samples, and finally an adjustment by Nikon before I got results that I was satisfied with. Also AF can be temperamental near infinity - I usually set it manually to where I know by experience that good infinity focus is achieved (this is critical due to field curvature). As long as the front element is kept clean it performs quite well with the sun in the frame. At 20mm the edges are better than my AF 20mm f/2.8, although the latter has a slight edge in the dead center of the frame.

[CS]

Thanks for the pointer to this tale. The 12-24mm is one of my most used lenses and usually mounted on my D7100 - no fear for the 24MP sensor. Unless I go for star bursts I use it at f/9 for landscapes, but it is performing quite well at f/4.5 for night sky/aurora images. Note that when I acquired this lens, I found a lot of sample variation (decentering), and it took some samples, and finally an adjustment by Nikon before I got results that I was satisfied with. Also AF can be temperamental near infinity - I usually set it manually to where I know by experience that good infinity focus is achieved (this is critical due to field curvature). As long as the front element is kept clean it performs quite well with the sun in the frame. At 20mm the edges are better than my AF 20mm f/2.8, although the latter has a slight edge in the dead center of the frame.

Thanks for that bit. It sounds as though it performs on the 24mp bodies much like it does on my D200 10mp body. I have done some sunset work with it on my D200, where the sun was in the frame, and no problems to report.

[pluton]

The most interesting part (for me) was the brief history of Nikon's first decisions to make digital cameras.
My copy of the 12-24 seemed fine on the D200 and D2 cams I had during my 1.5 years of DX.

[richardHaw]

https://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/0068/index.htm
 


Admin: This thread initially was mislabelled #69, thus another thread recently was opened for Tale #68.  Time to correct and merge threads so as to make information easier accessible.

[CS]

I've always enjoyed my copy. 

[Roland Vink]

it was already posted here: http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=8286.0 but the thread title is mis-labelled #69, maybe one of the Moderators could correct it?

[Øivind Tøien]

I've always enjoyed my copy. 

Same here, for me the 12-24mm is still one of my main workhorse lenses. It works quite well even on a 24MP sensor, although it can be a bit temperamental and requires attention to get the focus right at infirmity. The tale revealed some interesting details, particularly with respect to thinking about night sky use of the lens.

[Birna Rørslett]

it was already posted here: http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php?topic=8286.0 but the thread title is mis-labelled #69, maybe one of the Moderators could correct it?

It is corrected now. Maybe the two threads should be merged?

[Øivind Tøien]

Sounds like a good idea, as long as a comment is entered at the end of the old thread where the new thread is attached, so that it does not look like some of us are showing signs of Alzheimer with repeated comments.