Wide angle prime lens choice (?)

macvisual

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Peter
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Hi all, looking advice please for a wide angle prime lens for landscape and outside building photography. Shooting with a D810, think I've it narrowed down to three contenders which are;

Nikkor 20mm f1.8G. -- Zeiss 21mm f2.8. -- Zeiss 25mm f2.8. The Zeiss lenses would need to be bought used as I don't have money for a new purchase.

Any advice/knowledge/experience really appreciated. I've also looked at the Voigtlander 21mm and Samyang 21mm but not sure about them...(?).

Thanks;
Peter
 
Another contender is the Sigma 20mm F/1.8 EX DG.......I have that lens and it is very good imo ....take note, in my opinion!

It's ceratinly worth consideration.

Not sure of the value of them 2nd hand tbh , could do to take a look as i might just happen to choose to depart with mine..........
 
I have the Sigma 20mm f1.8 and also Nikon AFD 14mm f2.8 primes to name but Two both cracking quality pieces of glass.
Don't rule out the a Samyang either they are turning out some stunning optics :)
 
I'd buy the nikkor mf even on a wide angle is overrated in my opinion!
 
Another contender is the Sigma 20mm F/1.8 EX DG.......I have that lens and it is very good imo ....take note, in my opinion!

It's ceratinly worth consideration.

Not sure of the value of them 2nd hand tbh , could do to take a look as i might just happen to choose to depart with mine..........

Isn't this the one with hood fitted?
 
Of those, the 20mm f1.8 nikkor is probably the best value. I wanted a distagon 21 for a long time, back when they made them for contax and the ZF series didn't exist. The nikkor did a good enough job that it's virtually killed off the lust for the zeiss.
 
Of those, the 20mm f1.8 nikkor is probably the best value. I wanted a distagon 21 for a long time, back when they made them for contax and the ZF series didn't exist. The nikkor did a good enough job that it's virtually killed off the lust for the zeiss.

Nikkor penses are very good usually but to be fair some 3rd party glass is equally as good, sometimes even better.
 
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Nikkor penses are very good usually but to be fair some 3rd party glass is equally as good, sometimes even better.
Whilst that is true, the nikkor is almost unbelievably good. It's the only wideangle I've ever used wide open and been speechless at the sharpness all the way out to the edges. It''s also very, very resistant to flare.

DXO comparison of the three 20/21 lenses on the D810. Go into measurements, sharpness and look at the field maps. (The nikkor at f1.8 is sharper than the sigma at f4) Photozone must have tested a dud sigma as their test results are terrible.
 
The Nikon 20mm f1.8G is a stellar lens, very sharp and a cracking build, obviously has AF over the Zeiss as well!

Agree with Chris. Can't really fault this lens in any major way. If you're doing buildings have you considered a Tilt Shift?

Edit - sorry you want it for landscapes too. I'd be minded to go with the Nikon 20 or 24mm
 
Appreciate the replies, thanks.

I'm getting a little swayed towards the Nikkor 20mm f1.8G, the images that 'Greggster' has posted with his 20mm f1.8G are simply stellar.

Keep em replies coming guys n' girls.
 
Appreciate the replies, thanks.

I'm getting a little swayed towards the Nikkor 20mm f1.8G, the images that 'Greggster' has posted with his 20mm f1.8G are simply stellar.

Keep em replies coming guys n' girls.


I thought you bought one before now!
 
The only one I've owned and so can recommend is the Zeiss 25mm for Nikon. This is a truly beautiful lens to use and renders images packed with micro-contrast and natural sharpness and colour. It is very wide on a FF body of course and so it's worth considering the distortion of anything even wider. I would definitely check out images shot with a FF of whatever lens you choose and the corners especially.
 
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