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04-07-2012, 07:36 PM - 1 Like   #1
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You guys jumping on Nikon's ship...here are some lens options for ya!

Nikon's 10 Best Lenses

04-07-2012, 07:45 PM   #2
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Nice!
To bad there's no prices. I that would be really useful given Pentax's recent price changes.
04-07-2012, 07:46 PM   #3
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The only problem is that when you talk about best lenses, usually you are not talking about something that helps the pocket the best. If jumping the ship is because of recent lens price I'm afraid it is not helping that much!
04-07-2012, 07:54 PM   #4
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I guess it's probably because I started out with Nikon that a bump in Pentax pricing doesn't get me all that bent out of shape. I feel like I stole the FA43 and the FA77, and I'd pay more if I had to. And if the Pentax analog to Nikon's 70-200 is even close to the same level of lens (I've never used it), then even the higher price is a bargain.

04-07-2012, 07:56 PM   #5
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But most of them don't even have VR - Vibration Reduction ? You would have to carry a tripod mostly everywhere to ensure perfectly stable pic
04-08-2012, 04:18 AM   #6
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It seems that only Nikon's cheap lenses are, well, cheap. Looking at the Amazon prices of the lenses on the list, it appears the list itself is an argument for sticking with Pentax (unless, of course, one wants to go FF).
04-08-2012, 04:34 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by causey Quote
It seems that only Nikon's cheap lenses are, well, cheap. Looking at the Amazon prices of the lenses on the list, it appears the list itself is an argument for sticking with Pentax (unless, of course, one wants to go FF).
Nikon has cheap lenses and then they have expensive lenses and very little in between. As to how good/bad a deal Pentax is depends on what you compare lenses to. If you compare the FA 77 to the Nikon 85 f1.4 it looks like a good deal. If you compare it to the 85 f1.8, not so much.

I assume with the slower primes (50f1.8 versus the 50 f1.4 and 85 f1.8 versus 85 f1.4) that biggest differences are in the rendering of out of focus areas and micro contrast, as the slower primes seem to have decent sharpness, even wide open.

04-08-2012, 04:50 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Nikon has cheap lenses and then they have expensive lenses and very little in between. As to how good/bad a deal Pentax is depends on what you compare lenses to. If you compare the FA 77 to the Nikon 85 f1.4 it looks like a good deal. If you compare it to the 85 f1.8, not so much.

I assume with the slower primes (50f1.8 versus the 50 f1.4 and 85 f1.8 versus 85 f1.4) that biggest differences are in the rendering of out of focus areas and micro contrast, as the slower primes seem to have decent sharpness, even wide open.
I'm a kind of micro-contrast addict, and in spite of what many say, I haven't found micro-contrast to be easily produced in PP programs. Pentax lenses (ltds., but also Takumars, and K's, and M's) have good to excellent micro-contrast. I haven't had a Nikon camera, but from the pics I've seen online it seems you have to pay a lot to get similar micro-contrast in Nikonia. (It is my subjective impression that the general Pentax rendering is quite a bit nicer than the rendering of Canikon, and that micro-contrast is what makes this difference.)
04-08-2012, 05:20 AM   #9
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Look up those Nikon prices and with the exception of the 50/1.8, you better have a pretty fat wallet.
04-09-2012, 06:07 AM - 1 Like   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by causey Quote
I'm a kind of micro-contrast addict, and in spite of what many say, I haven't found micro-contrast to be easily produced in PP programs. Pentax lenses (ltds., but also Takumars, and K's, and M's) have good to excellent micro-contrast. I haven't had a Nikon camera, but from the pics I've seen online it seems you have to pay a lot to get similar micro-contrast in Nikonia. (It is my subjective impression that the general Pentax rendering is quite a bit nicer than the rendering of Canikon, and that micro-contrast is what makes this difference.)
While I know that micro-contrast becomes a pretty objective thing, I'm in full agrement with you here. Nikon makes some great, great lenses, and I suppose Canon does, too (or some people tell me that...hehe). But to approach the level of, for example, the FA Limiteds, you'll pay at least twice the price. And Nikon doesn't have, and has never had, a lens that puts all the wonderful qualities of the FA77 into a single package. Pentax is still a freakin' bargain.
04-09-2012, 11:33 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by StDevious Quote
But most of them don't even have VR - Vibration Reduction ? You would have to carry a tripod mostly everywhere to ensure perfectly stable pic
That's a bit exaggerated, isn't it? Sure, VR/SR/IS is very helpful, but if you are unable to get sharp pictures without it you should probably work on your camera technique. I can usually get sharp results with say a 50 at 1/25 second, and at that point it is mostly subject movement that is the issue; no shake reduction system in the world will do anything about that.

Don't get me wrong, given the option I would take a lens with stabilization over an equivalent lens without, but at least for me it is far from a dealbreaker.
04-10-2012, 12:18 AM   #12
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Dont' forget this fundamental principle of VR per Thom:

Nikon VR explained

The first and most important rule of VR is this: never turn VR on unless it's actually needed.

Just like SR, VR has its own problems.

The both work well for some specific applications. In others, they can give random OOF.
04-10-2012, 06:59 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by pingflood Quote

QuoteOriginally posted by StDevious:
But most of them don't even have VR - Vibration Reduction ? You would have to carry a tripod mostly everywhere to ensure perfectly stable pic

That's a bit exaggerated, isn't it? Sure, VR/SR/IS is very helpful, but if you are unable to get sharp pictures without it you should probably work on your camera technique. I can usually get sharp results with say a 50 at 1/25 second, and at that point it is mostly subject movement that is the issue; no shake reduction system in the world will do anything about that.

Don't get me wrong, given the option I would take a lens with stabilization over an equivalent lens without, but at least for me it is far from a dealbreaker.

Yes, that's an exaggeration. SR/VR is not needed in most shooting situations, but it is useful with low-light & static subjects, when shutter speed is really restricted and you have no possibility of subject motion. It's nice to have in your bag, but not having it doesn't require 'carrying a tripod everywhere'

Every shot I've placed in the Full Frame shots & thoughts thread was taken without SR/VR.

Regarding the list of lenses in the original post here - I'd always take Ken Rockwell with a grain of salt, and can't agree with some of his choices.


.
04-10-2012, 12:08 PM   #14
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In his blog post a couple of years ago a Finnish pro photographer called Matti Sulanto suggested a cheap but good enough basic manual lens setup that could be bought according to him for some meager 400€ 2nd hand:

Nikkor Ai 28 mm f/2.8
Nikkor Ai 50 mm f/2
Nikkor Ai 105 mm f/2.5
Nikkor Ai 200 mm f/4

So I guess that if one is willing to manual focus, a decent FF lens setup does not ALWAYS cost an arm and a leg.





(For those who can and want to read his blog post in Finnish: sulantoblog: Kaikki tarpeelliset objektiivit 400 eurolla)
04-10-2012, 01:21 PM   #15
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Yes, that's entirely true (even if used manual lens prices have ticked upwards).
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