Good wide angle for Nikon?

neostyles · 09-30-2014, 01:39 PM

Looking to do some astro photography. Lens should be pretty cheap, sharp, and pretty fast. Preferably f2.8 or lower. I dont mind manual focus. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Adam · 09-30-2014, 01:55 PM

I guess it depends on your definition of "pretty cheap"...Nikon has a line of fast yet affordable primes, including the 20 F1.8 (just launched), 28 F1.8, and 35 F1.8 which are priced way lower than F1.4 lenses and are still plenty fast for astrophotography.

Are you shooting FX or DX though?

tuco · 09-30-2014, 02:04 PM

You WANT a good manual focus lens for astro landscapes and what-not. Some Nikon auto focus lenses really don't manually focus well by just looking at the infinity mark. The have play and turn past infinity. And you are not going to see your scene very well looking at the LCD at night with starlight.

The Zeiss 21/2.8 makes for a pretty good astro landscape and astro wide field lens on a FF camera. I haven't tried a lot of WA lenses for this task but that 21 did a fine job on the few shots I've done so far.

ElJamoquio · 09-30-2014, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by neostyles

Looking to do some astro photography. Lens should be pretty cheap, sharp, and pretty fast. Preferably f2.8 or lower. I dont mind manual focus. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Samyang 14mm F/2.8
Samyang 24mm or 35mm F/1.4 if you want faster

**wtlwdwgn** · 09-30-2014, 03:56 PM

How about an S-M-C Takumar 24, 28, or 35 f/3.5 with a Kood M42 Adapter. f/3.5 doesn't sound sexy but it's sufficient for most newer DSLRs, even a Nikon!

neostyles · 09-30-2014, 05:13 PM

Originally posted by Adam

I guess it depends on your definition of "pretty cheap"...Nikon has a line of fast yet affordable primes, including the 20 F1.8 (just launched), 28 F1.8, and 35 F1.8 which are priced way lower than F1.4 lenses and are still plenty fast for astrophotography.

Are you shooting FX or DX though?

Oh my bad. Im shooting FX

Stavri · 09-30-2014, 05:33 PM

Drop the Nikon and get the Sigma Art 18-35mm f1.8 for Pentax. It has virtually zero coma and is wicked sharp wide open, a great lens for astrophotography.

ps. The 18-35mm can be had on Nikon too, but I'm told by some sources is not as happy with that arrangement. Make a 18-35mm f1.8 Happy, buy a K-3 won't you?

**Digitalis** · 09-30-2014, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by neostyles

cheap, sharp, and pretty fast. Preferably f2.8 or lower.

Good luck with that. The best wideangle for the nikon FX format is the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G there are some primes that are cheaper than that, but they are around the 800-1200 dollar mark.

tuco · 09-30-2014, 07:40 PM

You can get a 20/2.8D lens pretty cheap. How well it works as a astro landscape I don't know. I have one but never used it in that capacity yet.

Andi Lo · 10-03-2014, 09:38 AM

Other than the Samyang and the Nikon 20mm, there's also the Tokina 16-28. Not sure if that still fits your definition of cheap, and I have no experience with astrophotography, but worth a look.

tuco · 10-03-2014, 01:16 PM

Coma and good wide open performance are key attributes to an astrolandscape lens if you are shooting single exposures, I'd think. But if you are taking one picture for the sky with some kind of tracking and one for the land then you can get away with stopping the lens down as well as lowering your ISO.

09-30-2014, 01:39 PM	#1
neostyles Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 445	Good wide angle for Nikon? Looking to do some astro photography. Lens should be pretty cheap, sharp, and pretty fast. Preferably f2.8 or lower. I dont mind manual focus. Any ideas would be appreciated.

09-30-2014, 01:55 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	I guess it depends on your definition of "pretty cheap"...Nikon has a line of fast yet affordable primes, including the 20 F1.8 (just launched), 28 F1.8, and 35 F1.8 which are priced way lower than F1.4 lenses and are still plenty fast for astrophotography. Are you shooting FX or DX though? Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Good inexpensive super wide angle lens for landscapes	augusthoreth	Pentax K-30 & K-50	12	02-26-2014 06:22 PM
What is a good wide angle lens for night photography?	MatBloodaxe	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	28	07-11-2013 08:36 AM
good wide angle for dslr <200$	natus	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	12	06-29-2013 12:09 PM
Which zoom lens are good for wide angle?	fr3nzy	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	14	12-21-2012 09:47 AM
Looking for a good cheap wide angle	Finn	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	27	06-16-2007 08:03 AM

09-30-2014, 02:04 PM	#3
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,025	You WANT a good manual focus lens for astro landscapes and what-not. Some Nikon auto focus lenses really don't manually focus well by just looking at the infinity mark. The have play and turn past infinity. And you are not going to see your scene very well looking at the LCD at night with starlight. The Zeiss 21/2.8 makes for a pretty good astro landscape and astro wide field lens on a FF camera. I haven't tried a lot of WA lenses for this task but that 21 did a fine job on the few shots I've done so far.

09-30-2014, 03:35 PM	#4
ElJamoquio Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 4,873	Originally posted by neostyles Looking to do some astro photography. Lens should be pretty cheap, sharp, and pretty fast. Preferably f2.8 or lower. I dont mind manual focus. Any ideas would be appreciated. Samyang 14mm F/2.8 Samyang 24mm or 35mm F/1.4 if you want faster

09-30-2014, 03:56 PM	#5
wtlwdwgn Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings, MT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,838	How about an S-M-C Takumar 24, 28, or 35 f/3.5 with a Kood M42 Adapter. f/3.5 doesn't sound sexy but it's sufficient for most newer DSLRs, even a Nikon!

09-30-2014, 05:13 PM	#6
neostyles Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 445 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam I guess it depends on your definition of "pretty cheap"...Nikon has a line of fast yet affordable primes, including the 20 F1.8 (just launched), 28 F1.8, and 35 F1.8 which are priced way lower than F1.4 lenses and are still plenty fast for astrophotography. Are you shooting FX or DX though? Oh my bad. Im shooting FX

09-30-2014, 05:33 PM	#7
Stavri Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: at a Bean & Leaf Photos: Albums Posts: 1,832	Drop the Nikon and get the Sigma Art 18-35mm f1.8 for Pentax. It has virtually zero coma and is wicked sharp wide open, a great lens for astrophotography. ps. The 18-35mm can be had on Nikon too, but I'm told by some sources is not as happy with that arrangement. Make a 18-35mm f1.8 Happy, buy a K-3 won't you?

09-30-2014, 07:35 PM	#8
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by neostyles cheap, sharp, and pretty fast. Preferably f2.8 or lower. Good luck with that. The best wideangle for the nikon FX format is the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G there are some primes that are cheaper than that, but they are around the 800-1200 dollar mark.

09-30-2014, 07:40 PM	#9
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,025	You can get a 20/2.8D lens pretty cheap. How well it works as a astro landscape I don't know. I have one but never used it in that capacity yet.

10-03-2014, 09:38 AM	#10
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	Other than the Samyang and the Nikon 20mm, there's also the Tokina 16-28. Not sure if that still fits your definition of cheap, and I have no experience with astrophotography, but worth a look.

10-03-2014, 01:16 PM	#11
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,025	Coma and good wide open performance are key attributes to an astrolandscape lens if you are shooting single exposures, I'd think. But if you are taking one picture for the sky with some kind of tracking and one for the land then you can get away with stopping the lens down as well as lowering your ISO.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search