The best lens for nightshots?

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Archive 2008 · The best lens for nightshots?

Alf Beharie
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p.1 #1 · The best lens for nightshots?

I think I have discovered a real gem of a lens for nighshots...The Nikon 35mm f1.4 AI-S. The following were all taken at f2:

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Oct 20, 2008 at 05:14 AM

convert
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p.1 #2 · The best lens for nightshots?

Alf Beharie wrote:I think I have discovered a real gem of a lens for nighshots...The Nikon 35mm f1.4 AI-S.

nice snap shots !,
this lens shows less CA and well corrected, one of my favourite beside EF 1,4/35 L.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/convert1/
Kind regards

Oct 20, 2008 at 05:54 AM

Anden
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p.1 #3 · The best lens for nightshots?

I really liked my copy on the 5D. Compared to the 35L the 35 AI-S is less sharp wide open and has uglier bokeh. But for the price it is a real gem. It is small and very well built.

A

Oct 20, 2008 at 06:56 AM

JohnJ
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p.1 #4 · The best lens for nightshots?

I find the 24-70/2.8 L to be quite good, not perfect, but I'd suggest better than the images you've posted which seem to have more flare than I think I've seen with the 24-70.

JJ

Oct 20, 2008 at 06:59 AM

Alf Beharie
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p.1 #5 · The best lens for nightshots?

JohnJ wrote:
I find the 24-70/2.8 L to be quite good, not perfect, but I'd suggest better than the images you've posted which seem to have more flare than I think I've seen with the 24-70.

JJ

What flare?...The thing that impressed me the most with this lens was the total lack of star shaped flares from the bright lights.

Oct 20, 2008 at 06:35 PM

Alf Beharie
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p.1 #6 · The best lens for nightshots?

Anden wrote:
I really liked my copy on the 5D. Compared to the 35L the 35 AI-S is less sharp wide open and has uglier bokeh. But for the price it is a real gem. It is small and very well built.

A

I have yet to see ugly bokeh from this lens:

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Oct 20, 2008 at 06:41 PM

BenV
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p.1 #7 · The best lens for nightshots?

the shots are alright, IMO they aren't really impressive, and the images look soft. And on top of all that, there seems to be a good amount of flare where ever lights are present. I dont mean to rain on your parade, but im not that impressed :-/

Oct 20, 2008 at 07:25 PM

JohnJ
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p.1 #8 · The best lens for nightshots?

Alf Beharie wrote:
JohnJ wrote:
I find the 24-70/2.8 L to be quite good, not perfect, but I'd suggest better than the images you've posted which seem to have more flare than I think I've seen with the 24-70.

JJ

What flare?...The thing that impressed me the most with this lens was the total lack of star shaped flares from the bright lights.

Uhm, I think you don't know what flare is. Most of the images with light sources in them have quite noticeable flare, especially the first one. The dynamic range seems to be quite low because of flare.

JJ

Oct 20, 2008 at 08:11 PM

Makten
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p.1 #9 · The best lens for nightshots?

Alf Beharie wrote:
I have yet to see ugly bokeh from this lens:

There is no way to determine the quality of the bokeh from shots like that, since they're all closeups with "too short" DOF. Any lens will do fine bokeh-wise when used like that. Step back a bit and you'll see what ugly bokeh is about. I posted this in an other thread, but here we go again. Nikkor 35/1.4 @ f/1.4 on D700.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Edit: I still love the lens, but it is not very good until stopped down. At f/2.8 - f/5.6 it is sharp as hell in the middle, but the corners never get sharp. Not even at f/11.

Oct 20, 2008 at 08:15 PM

Alf Beharie
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p.1 #10 · The best lens for nightshots?

JohnJ wrote:
Alf Beharie wrote:
JohnJ wrote:
I find the 24-70/2.8 L to be quite good, not perfect, but I'd suggest better than the images you've posted which seem to have more flare than I think I've seen with the 24-70.

JJ

What flare?...The thing that impressed me the most with this lens was the total lack of star shaped flares from the bright lights.

Uhm, I think you don't know what flare is. Most of the images with light sources in them have quite noticeable flare, especially the first one. The dynamic range seems to be quite low because of flare.

JJ

Actually I dont think you know what flare is...This is flare:

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(Tokina 17mm f3.5)

Now note the total lack of it with my pics above.

Oct 20, 2008 at 08:51 PM

JohnJ
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p.1 #11 · The best lens for nightshots?

Alf, Google veiling flare (or glare)...

JJ

Oct 20, 2008 at 09:19 PM

Lotusm50
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p.1 #12 · The best lens for nightshots?

JohnJ wrote:
Most of the images with light sources in them have quite noticeable flare, especially the first one. The dynamic range seems to be quite low because of flare.

+1

Oct 20, 2008 at 11:39 PM

m_appeal
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p.1 #13 · The best lens for nightshots?

Hm, well I like these quite a bit... the first one especially.

Oct 22, 2008 at 12:43 AM

ISO1600
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p.1 #14 · The best lens for nightshots?

i have a 35/1.4 AIS, and i love it dearly, but i agree it is not that great for night shots. Wide open, it is not a star performer with harsh contrast/lighting. I mostly use mine as a daytime fast walkaround lens, and dim light snapshots.

Oct 22, 2008 at 01:20 AM

Anden
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p.1 #15 · The best lens for nightshots?

Makten wrote:
Alf Beharie wrote:
I have yet to see ugly bokeh from this lens:

There is no way to determine the quality of the bokeh from shots like that, since they're all closeups with "too short" DOF. Any lens will do fine bokeh-wise when used like that. Step back a bit and you'll see what ugly bokeh is about. I posted this in an other thread, but here we go again. Nikkor 35/1.4 @ f/1.4 on D700.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Edit: I still love the lens, but it is not very good until stopped down. At f/2.8 - f/5.6 it is sharp as hell in the middle, but the corners never get sharp. Not even at f/11.

What makten just said about bokeh... His example is exactly what I experienced too.

A

Oct 22, 2008 at 05:00 AM

Anden
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p.1 #16 · The best lens for nightshots?

As for flare. Look at the first photo in your first post for example. The red blob on the right side. Is that not flare then what is?

A

Oct 22, 2008 at 05:02 AM

Anden
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p.1 #17 · The best lens for nightshots?

Here is one with the 35 1.4 AI-S on a Canon 5D. Note the really ugly bokeh.
The main subject and the background are really far apart but still this lens is not producing a good looking bokeh...

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Oct 22, 2008 at 05:10 AM

genoph
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p.1 #18 · The best lens for nightshots?

I like the warm characteristics of these MF lenses.

Sure, they're not the latest and greatest, but they're like your best friend from childhood, you love, know them and everything about them and what's wrong with them, but love em still.

The OP pictures feel filmesque.

Oct 22, 2008 at 05:28 AM

Anden
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p.1 #19 · The best lens for nightshots?

Good bokeh from a wide angle is really hard. This is a shot from the 35L wide open on the 5D. This is the best I have seen from a wide angle based on my own shooting. It is not pretty but better than the AI-S. Framed about the same as the shot above. Is it worth the price though?

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Oct 22, 2008 at 05:36 AM

Anden
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p.1 #20 · The best lens for nightshots?

The AI-S is not that bad when shot close up. This is stopped down to f/2 on 5D. Any lens would do pretty good here though...

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Oct 22, 2008 at 05:53 AM

convert
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p.1 #21 · The best lens for nightshots?

Anden wrote: Good bokeh from a wide angle is really hard.....
Is it worth the price though?

Yes, it is worth !, I use it very often and comparable with Leica M summicron 2/35mm.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/convert1/
Kind regards

Oct 22, 2008 at 05:55 AM

ISO1600
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p.1 #22 · The best lens for nightshots?

Anden, i love that turtle shot- you've posted it before, haven't you?

I agree with you that the 35AIS is not the greatest, but it is still a wonderful little lens that is lovely to shoot with. The 35L has much better glass, but i don't think it is worth the price.

Oct 22, 2008 at 06:28 AM

Anden
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p.1 #23 · The best lens for nightshots?

convert wrote:
Anden wrote: Good bokeh from a wide angle is really hard.....
Is it worth the price though?

Yes, it is worth !, I use it very often and comparable with Leica M summicron 2/35mm.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/convert1/
Kind regards

I was refering to the 35L and whether it is worth the extra money over the 35 1.4 AI-S. Just to clearify.

A

Oct 22, 2008 at 07:23 AM

Anden
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p.1 #24 · The best lens for nightshots?

ISO1600 wrote:
Anden, i love that turtle shot- you've posted it before, haven't you?

I agree with you that the 35AIS is not the greatest, but it is still a wonderful little lens that is lovely to shoot with. The 35L has much better glass, but i don't think it is worth the price.

Yes it has been posted before. I forgot, the nikon 4T close up lens was added for that shot. The extra glass affects the bokeh.

I think we all can agree then that for the price the 35 AI-S is a great lens with some drawbacks that are mainly because it is a wide lens...

A

Oct 22, 2008 at 07:25 AM

Anden
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p.1 #25 · The best lens for nightshots?

It is not a turtle. It is a tortoise. Testudo horsfieldii. :-) His name is Helmer and he hates to be called turtle :-)

Oct 22, 2008 at 07:28 AM


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