My first thought when testing the Nikon D1 coupled with the 20mm lens back in 2001 was: “When and with what will Nikon fill the wide-angle gap created by the DX format?” For a wildlife photographer, moving from film to digital and having a 300mm lens turn into a 450mm lens is a nice bonus, but going from a wide 20mm to a longish 30mm is a major drawback. Thankfully Nikon finally came to the rescue with the AFS 12-24mm lens, even though it took a while. The AFS12-24mm f/4 is the first lens by Nikon specifically designed for the demanding and smaller DX format.Some people describe this as a large lens (since the DX format was to produce smaller and lighter lenses), but I feel it’s a good size if you take into consideration the fact that this is a 12mm lens, even though slightly “crippled”. But even a “crippled” 12mm (look below) can be used on a full frame D3 in a limited and creative way.
This is probably the best zoom lens in this range for the DX user. The landscaper especially will be well served by this lens. Description
It feels good and light when mounted on the D300 and is a touch thinner compared to the 17-35mm when in the palm of your hand. It measures 82,5x90mm when the specs for the 17-35mm f/2.8 lens are 82,5x106mm. On paper they seem the same apart from the length but the width is deceiving since the 12-24mm is for the most part a much thinner lens. On paper the maximum width is the same only because Nikon seemed to have cut some corners by using the same bayonet hood mount, the same 77mm filter thread and the same scalloped HB-23 hood.
The weight is 465g compared to the 745g for the 17-35mm. Its lighter not only because its physically smaller but because it has more plastic and carries a smaller volume of glass. There are 11 elements in 7 groups, three elements of which are of the aspherical type and two ED. Thanks to these special elements CA’s are kept well under control. The front of the lens does not rotate while focusing or zooming and the minimum focusing distance of 0.3m is very good for such a zoom. Also being an internal focus design means its total length does not alternate while focusing.
Quick specs
This is the first DX lens produced by Nikon. The lens offers ED and ASP elements, SIC and other technologies such as SWM, IF, D and G - a pretty impressive feature list.
* Focal length: 12-24mm (18-36mm on the DX format)
* Lens Construction: 11 elements in 7 groups (2 ED, 3 Aspheric)
* Picture Angle: 99-61°
* MFD: 0.28m @ manual focus and 0.30m @ AF
* Filter Size: 77mm
* Dimensions: 82.5mm x 90mm
* Weight: 465g
* Diaphragm: 7 (rounded)
“crippled” 12mm
This is a DX design so it’s really intended for the smaller Nikon format and not to be used on a full frame camera such as the D700, D3 or D3x. On such a camera the limited image circle projected from the DX lens would not be large enough to cover the whole frame of the FX sensor (as seen here) creating round images on a dark frame or rectangle images with severe vigneting (take your pic). This effect is limited to the short focal length range between 12mm and 17mm. At 17mm there is evidence of light fall off and by 18mm the whole frame is more evenly lit. So you can use this lens on a full frame camera from 18mm to 24mm - not bad!
On the DX format, the 12mm (18mm on 35mm) is a great focal length for environmental portraits where you wish to connect the subject with the background.Focusing
It’s an AFS lens so it focuses "relatively fast" and silently but I personally prefer lenses that also offer a good manual focusing feel, something this lens lacks. Focusing manually with this lens is not pleasant and I feel such a lens should offer good manual focusing since many photographers will be mounting this lens on a tripod. The focusing ring is thin and feels rough in use and not very precise but thankfully autofocusing precision is OK. PJ’s won’t care much about the rough manual focus performance since they usually work with AF but nature photographers will see this as a minus point. But that’s not the only bad point - Unfortunately this is another lens design by Nikon that has the focus and zoom rings reversed, making it a pain when switching from/to another lens. It’s not nice when you decide to frame your image and instead of zooming you blur the viewfinder. The zoom ring is towards the front of the lens and the focusing ring towards the body.
Bellow is a 100% screen capture of the detail and sharpness. (If you would like to see more photos from the above story that were taken with the AFS 12-24mm lens follow this link - all non-wide angle shots were taken with the AF 50mm f/1.4 lens)
Flare
Even though the 12-24mm doesn’t use the nano coating of more recent designs, the older SIC coating in combination with a good optical design seem to be doing a good job since flaring and ghosting are hard to produce. I have mentioned this before but I’ll repeat it here as well. If you desire the maximum performance from your lens try to avoid using filters and keep the front element clean, especially when shooting into the sun.
Chromatic aberrations
Quite a few nikkors (old and new) can produce traces of purple fringing when including transitions with strong contrast, especially towards the edges of the frame. Digital sensors are a lot more demanding in this area compared to film and CA’s are also dependent on the type and size of the sensor in the camera. This is why the CA performance of this lens on the D70 is way different to that when mounted on the D300. So does this lens have CA's? Yes, but in most cases you wont notice them.
Distortion
Wide angle lenses are used a lot for those low and wide type of images making it easier to add drama to a sweeping scape, though finding the right subject to use is the hard part. Distortion is not a problem with most scapes since its hard for the human eye to distinguish it amongst an unknown landscape, but with known subjects such as people and buildings, the distortion can really hurt if you are not careful. Unfortunately if you intend to use this lens for architecture, the distortion can get ugly with straight lines rendered in a wave form. This is what most people refer to as the "mustache" type of distortion. Its evident mostly when you place lines towards the far edges of the frame. You also don’t want to place people along the edges otherwise they will get stretched out of proportion especially if they are really close. So care is needed when framing people or straight lines.
When not placing people at the edges of the frame you avoid making them look fat. If you place them in the center you usually avoid distortion unless you get real close - then you get the thinning effect such as in the above example. Performance
Wide open and at wide zoom settings (12-14mm) the performance is very good but not great. There is some softness as you travel towards the edges (not really noticeable) and CA’s are more evident in this region especially with dark subjects over strong lit areas. Contrast and sharpness is very good and improves by closing down one stop and is excellent by f/8 –f/11. From 16mm to 24mm the lens performance is fantastic all the way from wide open to f/16 with the best performance between 18-20mm and from wide open to f/11. Overall a sharp and contrasty lens that can produce stunning images as long as you are aware of some of its weakness and how to avoid them.
Nikon D300 and AFS 12-24mm f/4 shot at 14mm @ f/16. Sample variation and an easy way to get more out of your lens
I tend to believe that chances are higher for sample variation to show up on a wide angle zoom than a long prime. So, all those reports on the net about sample variation don’t really surprise me, though I couldn’t come to such a conclusion, unless I had access to a large number of copies to test for myself.
I believe a lot of the bad reports on this lens are exaggerated bad experiences from inexperienced users who expect too much – such as G.B who bought the lens and expected to get good clean shots of scapes (in slightly windy conditions) with the aperture closed right down and focusing at infinity while expecting the front plane to be in perfect focus. Please, we need to be sensible of our expectations!
But if your technique is good and you honestly think that you have one of those “bad” copies, don’t despair. Some zoom lenses perform better at different zooming positions. For example try the following: frame your scene, take the shot and then zoom ever so slightly back, take another shot and then do the same zooming slightly forward and take another shot. You don’t need to move it a lot, just enough to move the glass inside the lens without changing “much” from the original framing. Later when reviewing the shots on your computer you may find that one is sharper than the others.
Build quality
A lot of reports suggest that this is not a pro built lens and when I first held my copy, I felt the same way. But after using it for so many years and after what I have put this lens through, I have to confess, this is one well built and tough little plastic lens. I have dropped it, drenched it, covered it with sand and dirt and even smashed it up against a stone wall, and it performs just as it did when I first got it – though it doesn’t look the same – it has some nasty scars in a couple of places. This is why I try to always stick with Nikon products since they always come through for me.
Too expensive!
So being a little on the large side and limited to a max speed of f/4 you would think that it would at least be reasonably priced. Unfortunately, like a lot of Nikon products, it’s a bit overpriced - OK well this lens may be more than a bit overpriced. So why pay nearly 1000€ for a “plastic” lens when similar lenses are available for a lot less. If you want the best, get the Nikkor. If your on a budget the Tokina is optically 90% just as good. I have used third party lenses in the past, but I prefer to avoid them if possible. The Tokina 12-24mm f/4 is a nice bargain and probably the only lens I would buy if I was on a budget, but it doesn’t offer silent wave technology (AFS), so it’s noisier and on the D40 series cameras offers no AF whatsoever. It also has more pronounced CA issues and can produce flaring and ghosting easier. But at 407€ it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than the 949€ price tag of the Nikkor.
Last words
The 12-24mm may not feel as tough as the pro 17-35mm but it sure is a rugged lens as proven by the heavy use I have put it through. Its optical performance is very good to excellent though you have to be careful when framing people – keep them centered for the least distortion.
IN SUMMARY
Chromatic aberrations
The weakest point for this lens is open apertures and wide zoom settings – as expected. Some chromatic aberrations (usually purple fringing) are present in this limited range but can be removed by software. The newer DSLR's combined with Capture NX help to remove most traces automatically. Overall though quite an excellent performer.
Vignetting
On the DX format cameras (that it was designed for) there is no noticeable light fall off.
Distortion
Distortion is noticeable at the 12mm setting and at times can be ugly. Care is needed when using this lens – it doesn’t behave like the 17-35 (distortion wise) but more like a 14mm lens. It’s of the wavy barrel type (moustache) and is not easy to correct in post.
Sharpness
@12mm – 14mm: Some softness along the edges but a good sharp center. The whole frame improves by f/5.6 with more contrast and better overall sharpness. Distortion evident and some traces of CA’s. Best performance at f/11
@14mm – 18mm: Soft edges have gone and overall sharpness has improved. CA’s at edges of frame can be reduced a lot by Capture NX. Very good to excellent performance from f/5.6 but best performance between f/8 and f/11.
@ 18mm-20mm: Excellent performance from wide open onwards with astonishing results in all areas (sharpness, contrast, color etc) between f/5.6 and f/11
@20mm – 24mm: Excellent results from f.5.6 to f/11.
Even though I use f/16 a lot in my photography I avoided mentioning this aperture above, since there is some small deterioration due to diffraction. Some lenses are affected more than others and of course the camera body (pixel density) also plays a major role. I don’t mind it since a touch more sharpening and contrast can help it, but be warned, if diffraction is strong and you use too much sharpening, then things get ugly.
Overall, a nice lens for the nature photographer. Bellow is a 100% screen capture of the detail and sharpness.
NOTES
This is a “wide” lens that performs exceptionally well though it does have some issues as explained above. Is it worth 1000 €? I don’t think so, and lets not forget that this was a monopoly in the Nikon line up when it first came out. If you weren’t willing to go second best with a third party lens, then the only way to go wide on the DX format was with the AFS 12-24mm f/4 lens. Today things are much different since you have more choices.
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