What follows is a review of the AFS 14-24mm lens on the DX format (APS-C). I also used a Nikon F5, to utilize the full 14mm focal length, but no D3/D700. So my "full frame" findings are film based and not directly related to the digital full frame cameras.Needed intro
Chasing news stories requires a robust lens that can deliver the sharpest possible images, even at wide open apertures and that is exactly what this lens is designed for - Nikon made this lens for the photojournalist! Most photographers who need such a non-filterable, ultra- wide and fast lens have probably already purchased it without worrying about the level of its optical performance since most know they can rely on Nikons excellent reputation.
If you are reading this review, chances are you probably don’t need this awkward lens and can probably be better served by the AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 instead. Read on though to find out!
Even though this lens was designed for the PJ market, the landscaper who wants a wide focal length can still use this lens for scapes even though he wont be able to screw on filters.Compared with the AFS 17-35mm
The AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom is the lens most “other” full frame photographers should have in their camera-bag. It is probably a better design since it doesn't include the "clunk" (look here), it’s more manageable since it’s lighter and much smaller, a little cheaper, easily accepts filters, offers a larger and more usable focal length range and offers the same class of optical excellence. I say same class, even though the AFS 14-24mm is the better performer, since it can extend its excellent center performance all the way out towards the edges of the frame. As you probably have figured out by now, the 14-24mm is not a replacement for the 17-35mm lens - they both serve two different needs. So unless you have a “need” for a very wide focal length I would suggest to most of you to invest in the “easier-to-use” AFS 17-35mm wide angle zoom.
My first contact
I first came across this lens at the D700 presentation. An impressive and very sexy looking lens, but not really suited to the “majority” of photographers as already explained! At the presentation, I used the lens on my D300. I took a number of shots and the first thing I noticed was the sharpness – the results on the LCD screen were impressively sharp! I went through the menu to check whether I had forgotten the sharpening activated in picture controls (since I usually shoot with sharpening set to 0) and amazingly, sharpening was off!
Quick specs
This is the first “ultra” wide angle zoom with a constant fast aperture of f/2.8. The lens offers ED and ASP elements, SIC and Nano crystal coatings, and other technologies such as SWM, IF, D and G - a pretty impressive feature list.
OK, so here is the real difference between using a true 14mm focal length on a full frame camera and a cropped 14mm (21mm) on a DX format camera. The perspective is slightly different since in most cases you'll need to alter your shooting position.
Quirks
Two things missing are the filter thread (which means it doesn’t accept filters unless you go into a lot of trouble as described here) and an aperture ring. Some might point out the lack of VR technology but who needs VR in such a wide angle lens anyway? Unfortunately, the G technology limits the compatibility of this lens to the more recent camera bodies that offer aperture changes via the body, but this in no way degrades its ranking, which at the moment is at the very top! Also being a G lens, means it’s not compatible with the PK series rings. In other words extreme close-ups with nicely blurred backgrounds aren’t easy to achieve (such as with the 17-35mm).
Most landscapers usually wish for a wider lens when they come across a dramatic cloud that they cant capture within their frame. In these kind of situations, the 14-24mm will help to capture everything!
The AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom is the lens most “other” full frame photographers should have in their camera-bag. It is probably a better design since it doesn't include the "clunk" (look here), it’s more manageable since it’s lighter and much smaller, a little cheaper, easily accepts filters, offers a larger and more usable focal length range and offers the same class of optical excellence. I say same class, even though the AFS 14-24mm is the better performer, since it can extend its excellent center performance all the way out towards the edges of the frame. As you probably have figured out by now, the 14-24mm is not a replacement for the 17-35mm lens - they both serve two different needs. So unless you have a “need” for a very wide focal length I would suggest to most of you to invest in the “easier-to-use” AFS 17-35mm wide angle zoom.
My first contact
I first came across this lens at the D700 presentation. An impressive and very sexy looking lens, but not really suited to the “majority” of photographers as already explained! At the presentation, I used the lens on my D300. I took a number of shots and the first thing I noticed was the sharpness – the results on the LCD screen were impressively sharp! I went through the menu to check whether I had forgotten the sharpening activated in picture controls (since I usually shoot with sharpening set to 0) and amazingly, sharpening was off!
Quick specs
This is the first “ultra” wide angle zoom with a constant fast aperture of f/2.8. The lens offers ED and ASP elements, SIC and Nano crystal coatings, and other technologies such as SWM, IF, D and G - a pretty impressive feature list.
- Focal length: 14-24mm (21-36mm on the DX format)
- Lens Construction: 14 elements in 11 groups (2 ED, 3 ASP, 1 Nano Crystal Coating)
- Picture Angle: 114 - 84° (90 - 61° on the DX-format)
- MFD: 0.28m @ 18-24mm and 0.22m @14mm
- Filter Size: None
- Dimensions: 98 x 131.5 mm
- Weight: 1000g
- Diaphragm: 9 (rounded)
OK, so here is the real difference between using a true 14mm focal length on a full frame camera and a cropped 14mm (21mm) on a DX format camera. The perspective is slightly different since in most cases you'll need to alter your shooting position.Quirks
Two things missing are the filter thread (which means it doesn’t accept filters unless you go into a lot of trouble as described here) and an aperture ring. Some might point out the lack of VR technology but who needs VR in such a wide angle lens anyway? Unfortunately, the G technology limits the compatibility of this lens to the more recent camera bodies that offer aperture changes via the body, but this in no way degrades its ranking, which at the moment is at the very top! Also being a G lens, means it’s not compatible with the PK series rings. In other words extreme close-ups with nicely blurred backgrounds aren’t easy to achieve (such as with the 17-35mm).
Most landscapers usually wish for a wider lens when they come across a dramatic cloud that they cant capture within their frame. In these kind of situations, the 14-24mm will help to capture everything!The AFS 14-24mm f/2.8 is an internal focusing based design which means it doesn’t change its physical length when focusing, though the front and rear elements move in and out while zooming. The large front bulbous glass element projects within the hood region just like the old AF 80-200mm f/2.8 lens.
This is a good shot that indicates what you can do with a focal length of 14mm on a full frame camera. Though getting your subject this close to the lens is a different story.
Build quality and handling
The build quality is exceptional just as you would expect for a pro Nikkor. The internal structure holding all the glass together is made of a combination of a light metal alloy and brass as is the rest of the casing until you flick your finger on the built-in hood, which you then discover is plastic. Most users of this lens won’t notice, and this is probably a good choice by Nikon since it helps reduce the overall weight. Like most new Nikkor’s, it sports the new rubber weather seal on the back to help seal the vulnerable connection between lens and camera. It also has some seals inside for better dust and moisture protection.
The lens is very large but it balances well on a large pro body such as the D3 or the D300/D700 with MBD10. The ergonomics of the camera-lens combination is good since the lens fits in the left hand nicely when shooting. In particular, the focusing ring is nice to the touch and comfortable to use with a smooth operation while the wide zoom ring which is set nearest to the camera is also nice to the touch but has a lot more drag due to the heavy element group it needs to move back and forth.
The ergonomics suffer a bit when mounted on a smaller and lighter body where the front-heavy 1kg lens makes the whole combination to nose-dive. I wouldn’t recommend using this lens on a small camera since its size and weight would overtake the cameras mass and weight and would make handling difficult especially when the combination will be mounted on a ball head.
On the DX format, the 21mm is a great focal length for environmental portraits where you wish to connect the subject with the background. Unfortunately, the weight of the fast f/2.8 lens is something to consider before purchasing this lens.
Recommendation
So before you decide on this lens, I would advise that you consider carefully how much you really need a fast (f/2.8) focal length wider than 17mm. If your photography warrants a wider lens and you don’t have a need for filters then go for it! Otherwise the AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 lens may be the smarter investment.
Chromatic aberrations
Between 14mm-18mm CA’s are very well controlled and together with Nikons Capture NX software, I doubt anyone will have any problems, unless the scene incorporates very high contrast transitions near the border of the frame. Between 20mm-24mm CA’s aren’t noticeable at all. Again, thanks to those two ED elements, color fringing and other aberrations are nearly nonexistent
Flaring & Ghosting
As for flaring and ghosting, this lens can flare just like any bulbous wide angle, but thanks to the nano-crystal coating on the inside of the front element and the inclusion of two ED elements , it’s a lot less than expected. Thankfully, when you see ghosts through your viewfinder you only need to move ever so slightly to remove them. Let me remind some of you, that you actually need to be shooting into the sun to get any shiny dots, so this is very good performance. I remember back in my youth, my 16mm fisheye would sometimes produce ghosting together with some flaring even when the sun was outside the frame!
This scene initially showed colored balls of light (ghosts) running from the center all the way to the sun plus a flare in the lower left corner. I moved ever so slightly without altering my composition and the ghosting disappeared.
Vignetting
Thanks to the large elements used, vignetting is nonexistent even on a full frame film camera. Things may be different though on the D3/D700 due to the way the image sensor is designed (each photosite is like a deep well and the further away they are from the center of the frame, the harder it is for the light to travel down the well).
Distortion
On a full frame body, the amount of lens distortion is negligible. If you shoot a brick wall, you will see some barrel distortion at 14mm, a lot less at 18mm and no distortion by the time you zoom to 24mm. On the D300 there is no noticeable distortion unless you go searching for it! Let me remind you here, that there is a difference between lens distortion and perspective distortion so don’t confuse the two.
Sharpness
Anyone who shoots with this lens for the first time will be surprised with the results. The amount of detail, the sharpness and the overall performance of this lens are outstanding!
Overall the performance is excellent from wide open till f/8 at all focal lengths. Between 20mm-24mm the excellent performance continues on till f/16. Even f/22 produces very good results.
Nikon F5 and AFS 14-24mm f/2.8 @ 14mm and wide open. Bellow is a 100% screen capture of the detail and sharpness on normal Fuji negative film.
NOTES
With such a wide angle of view you need to get real close to your subject and when so close, the slightest of movements alters your composition and the importance of the subject within the frame. Unfortunately, a large number of new owners of this lens aren’t familiar with using such an extreme wide angle lens to its fullest potential so together with this review I'm passing on some tips which I have found very helpfull in the past.
Some tips for using the 14mm focal length
Photography is usually about deconstruction, about eliminating unwanted and distracting elements and simplifying the composition to just a few key ingredients. So swapping your standard 50mm lens for a longer telephoto may seem like a good idea, but the subject usually dictates the lens needed, so you can’t use a telephoto to shoot a group of people in a crowded room or the great pyramid when standing in front of it. In such cases you need a wide angle lens. Just like with long telephoto lenses, special techniques are required when composing, holding and shooting for best results. One of the characteristics of an ultra wide angle lens is that it exaggerates depth. This means interiors seem more spacious (that’s a plus), and mountain scapes disappear on the horizon (that’s a minus). Usually with an ultra wide angle lens, you would want to get as close to your subject as possible, so it does not disappear into the composition. And if you manage to get real close (such as in the Pigeon photo above), you will manage to emphasize its existence within the frame.
But trying to compose a lens that encapsulates 1/3 of the world “around” you within your viewfinder is not an easy task! With a picture angle of 114 degrees, you will be constantly checking the far edges of your frame for distracting elements (like your own feet!), forgetting to double check your main subject before pressing the shutter release.
You’ll need to control the spill of light across the image since the large picture angle dictates that you will often have to include a wide range of contrast (since the sky seems to always be included in your composition). Also when framing people, they should be kept away from the edges of the frame so perspective distortion (which has nothing to do with lens distortion) doesn’t stretch them making them look wider than they really are. It's also advisable to keep the camera-back upright and parallel to your standing subjects. To accomplish this, you may have to bend your knees slightly so you don't tilt the lens - but instead lower it.
Flaring and ghosting are another common problem with lenses that offer such a bulbous front element although not really a problem with the AFS 14-24mm . You will have to consciously be aware of the problem and be on a lookout so when it appears, you can alter the position of the lens just enough so you can avoid the ghosting. Loss of contrast though is something else that can be corrected to some degree in post processing.
If you liked this article, please leave a comment or post a link to this review at your favorite hang-out so others can get to read it as well. Donations through PayPal (at bottom of page) are also welcome - Thanks for the support.
The AFS 14-24mm f/2.8 Nikkor is so good that you can even find it mounted on Canons. I found this photo here
This is a good shot that indicates what you can do with a focal length of 14mm on a full frame camera. Though getting your subject this close to the lens is a different story.Build quality and handling
The build quality is exceptional just as you would expect for a pro Nikkor. The internal structure holding all the glass together is made of a combination of a light metal alloy and brass as is the rest of the casing until you flick your finger on the built-in hood, which you then discover is plastic. Most users of this lens won’t notice, and this is probably a good choice by Nikon since it helps reduce the overall weight. Like most new Nikkor’s, it sports the new rubber weather seal on the back to help seal the vulnerable connection between lens and camera. It also has some seals inside for better dust and moisture protection.
The lens is very large but it balances well on a large pro body such as the D3 or the D300/D700 with MBD10. The ergonomics of the camera-lens combination is good since the lens fits in the left hand nicely when shooting. In particular, the focusing ring is nice to the touch and comfortable to use with a smooth operation while the wide zoom ring which is set nearest to the camera is also nice to the touch but has a lot more drag due to the heavy element group it needs to move back and forth.
The ergonomics suffer a bit when mounted on a smaller and lighter body where the front-heavy 1kg lens makes the whole combination to nose-dive. I wouldn’t recommend using this lens on a small camera since its size and weight would overtake the cameras mass and weight and would make handling difficult especially when the combination will be mounted on a ball head.
On the DX format, the 21mm is a great focal length for environmental portraits where you wish to connect the subject with the background. Unfortunately, the weight of the fast f/2.8 lens is something to consider before purchasing this lens. So before you decide on this lens, I would advise that you consider carefully how much you really need a fast (f/2.8) focal length wider than 17mm. If your photography warrants a wider lens and you don’t have a need for filters then go for it! Otherwise the AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 lens may be the smarter investment.
Chromatic aberrations
Between 14mm-18mm CA’s are very well controlled and together with Nikons Capture NX software, I doubt anyone will have any problems, unless the scene incorporates very high contrast transitions near the border of the frame. Between 20mm-24mm CA’s aren’t noticeable at all. Again, thanks to those two ED elements, color fringing and other aberrations are nearly nonexistent
Flaring & Ghosting
As for flaring and ghosting, this lens can flare just like any bulbous wide angle, but thanks to the nano-crystal coating on the inside of the front element and the inclusion of two ED elements , it’s a lot less than expected. Thankfully, when you see ghosts through your viewfinder you only need to move ever so slightly to remove them. Let me remind some of you, that you actually need to be shooting into the sun to get any shiny dots, so this is very good performance. I remember back in my youth, my 16mm fisheye would sometimes produce ghosting together with some flaring even when the sun was outside the frame!
This scene initially showed colored balls of light (ghosts) running from the center all the way to the sun plus a flare in the lower left corner. I moved ever so slightly without altering my composition and the ghosting disappeared.Vignetting
Thanks to the large elements used, vignetting is nonexistent even on a full frame film camera. Things may be different though on the D3/D700 due to the way the image sensor is designed (each photosite is like a deep well and the further away they are from the center of the frame, the harder it is for the light to travel down the well).
Distortion
On a full frame body, the amount of lens distortion is negligible. If you shoot a brick wall, you will see some barrel distortion at 14mm, a lot less at 18mm and no distortion by the time you zoom to 24mm. On the D300 there is no noticeable distortion unless you go searching for it! Let me remind you here, that there is a difference between lens distortion and perspective distortion so don’t confuse the two.
Sharpness
Anyone who shoots with this lens for the first time will be surprised with the results. The amount of detail, the sharpness and the overall performance of this lens are outstanding!
Overall the performance is excellent from wide open till f/8 at all focal lengths. Between 20mm-24mm the excellent performance continues on till f/16. Even f/22 produces very good results.
Nikon F5 and AFS 14-24mm f/2.8 @ 14mm and wide open. Bellow is a 100% screen capture of the detail and sharpness on normal Fuji negative film. 
NOTES
With such a wide angle of view you need to get real close to your subject and when so close, the slightest of movements alters your composition and the importance of the subject within the frame. Unfortunately, a large number of new owners of this lens aren’t familiar with using such an extreme wide angle lens to its fullest potential so together with this review I'm passing on some tips which I have found very helpfull in the past.
Some tips for using the 14mm focal length
Photography is usually about deconstruction, about eliminating unwanted and distracting elements and simplifying the composition to just a few key ingredients. So swapping your standard 50mm lens for a longer telephoto may seem like a good idea, but the subject usually dictates the lens needed, so you can’t use a telephoto to shoot a group of people in a crowded room or the great pyramid when standing in front of it. In such cases you need a wide angle lens. Just like with long telephoto lenses, special techniques are required when composing, holding and shooting for best results. One of the characteristics of an ultra wide angle lens is that it exaggerates depth. This means interiors seem more spacious (that’s a plus), and mountain scapes disappear on the horizon (that’s a minus). Usually with an ultra wide angle lens, you would want to get as close to your subject as possible, so it does not disappear into the composition. And if you manage to get real close (such as in the Pigeon photo above), you will manage to emphasize its existence within the frame.
But trying to compose a lens that encapsulates 1/3 of the world “around” you within your viewfinder is not an easy task! With a picture angle of 114 degrees, you will be constantly checking the far edges of your frame for distracting elements (like your own feet!), forgetting to double check your main subject before pressing the shutter release.
You’ll need to control the spill of light across the image since the large picture angle dictates that you will often have to include a wide range of contrast (since the sky seems to always be included in your composition). Also when framing people, they should be kept away from the edges of the frame so perspective distortion (which has nothing to do with lens distortion) doesn’t stretch them making them look wider than they really are. It's also advisable to keep the camera-back upright and parallel to your standing subjects. To accomplish this, you may have to bend your knees slightly so you don't tilt the lens - but instead lower it.
Flaring and ghosting are another common problem with lenses that offer such a bulbous front element although not really a problem with the AFS 14-24mm . You will have to consciously be aware of the problem and be on a lookout so when it appears, you can alter the position of the lens just enough so you can avoid the ghosting. Loss of contrast though is something else that can be corrected to some degree in post processing.
If you liked this article, please leave a comment or post a link to this review at your favorite hang-out so others can get to read it as well. Donations through PayPal (at bottom of page) are also welcome - Thanks for the support.
The AFS 14-24mm f/2.8 Nikkor is so good that you can even find it mounted on Canons. I found this photo here
6 comments:
It's an absolutely stunning lens. I got mine yesterday and I'm already in love.
I used to have the Leica 19mm 2.8 (late version) which was considered one of the best wide angle lenses in existence. (Not to mention ultra-wides.
This lens is so good I really can't say the Leica has an edge over it. Nikon has outdone themselves with this lens!
I've read all the reviews on this lens and yours is the first one to point out the fact that the hood is plastic!! Plenty of good info, great site, will be visiting often.
Oh, nearly forgot, love the tip section, a real eye opener.
Even though i should probably buy the 17-35mm i think i will go for the 14-24mm, its just too sexy!!
I am trying to decide between the 17-35 and the 14-24 and somebody recomended I read this.
Great post, but you kind of are making me crazy. For every comment of type "general purpose shooters are probably better off with the 17-35", you have a balancing comment of "the 14-24 is so sharp it will blow you away". So I am still not sure what to do.
Do you have any pictures comparing the sharpness of these two lenses at 17mm?
Any last things you can say to push me one way or the other?
Either way, thanks again for some really useful information.
Michael, I can’t tell you what to invest in but I’ll try to pass on some advice that may help you with your decision making.
Now the 14-24mm is one sharp lens but sharpness is not everything (plus don't forget, the 17-35 was the previous legendary lens from Nikon). What this means, is that at the end of the day you can create nice images with either lens. So don’t sweat too much on the sharpness issue - just try to decide how you intend to use the lens and this will help in your decision making.
Ask yourself these questions:
1) Do you really need 14mm?
2) Are you comfortable with no filter?
3) What about 24mm, would that limit your framing choices?
4) Does 35mm sound more useful?
5) Is 17mm wide enough for what you shoot?
If you have no experience with those focal lengths then I highly advise you visit a store that at least has lenses with those focal lengths for you to try.
Hope this was of some help
John
The shot with the pigeons is one of the most amazing shots i've ever seen! Nice work! It's like stepping into giants' land! weren't you afraid that the pigeons could damage the unprotected front element of the lens?
Great write up John! If I shot with Nikon, I'll definitely would own the 14-24.
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