1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

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Archive 2008 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

David Clapp
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p.1 #1 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

http://www.davidclapp.co.uk/nikon1424.php

Here's a full review of the 14-24 on my 1DsIII. Many people have a lot of questions regarding the 16-9.net adapter, the way it works, how versatile it is in the field etc so I have written an in depth article about how to use this lens, not a comparisons article, but one with considerations and questions answered that may or may not be relevant to you. No graphs and charts, there are many of these already on other sites.

Any comments about the review and these pictures are always gratefully received.

The shots below - 1DsIII, 14-24 f2.8 at 21mm f11 for 2secs and 3/4secs respectivily, combined in CS3. The shots were processed in Lab mode to keep the colours as they were. There is no saturation boosting, my hands were glowing. The landscape format one was at the beak of intensity which lasted only a few minutes.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Nov 26, 2008 at 12:14 PM

foxbat
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p.1 #2 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Beautiful images as usual David. May I ask where abouts on the coast they are taken?

Nov 26, 2008 at 12:32 PM

David Clapp
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p.1 #3 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Bantham Beach in South Devon, glad you like them.

Nov 26, 2008 at 12:34 PM

Anden
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p.1 #4 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Very very nice photos! I will read the review later. You have certainly mastered the nikkor!

A

Nov 26, 2008 at 12:38 PM

David Clapp
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p.1 #5 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Here's some black and whites just to show sometimes a colourful shot can still hold its own even without the colour.

I wouldnt say I have mastered yet, I am just getting much more confident with it

Nov 26, 2008 at 01:06 PM

Conner999
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p.1 #6 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Read article - nicely done. Thanks.

Nov 26, 2008 at 01:45 PM

jjlphoto
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p.1 #7 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Thanks for the excellent review David. Beautiful shots as well!
Perhaps Mark will add a link to your review on his site.
You'll be taking PayPal donations for your DOF chart?

Nov 26, 2008 at 02:20 PM

David Clapp
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p.1 #8 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Yes I think this is happening, the link this is, not the donations! Many thanks I am glad you found it informative.

Nov 26, 2008 at 02:25 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #9 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

David,
Nice images and good field report.
I was lucky to get one of the first batches of mark's adapter and have loved using this lens on my 1ds3.Before,this lens I had a 16-35mk1 which I had to use always at f11 on my 5d to get good enough overall sharpness and then still see quite a drop off in the corners.
I use my nikon 14-24 mainly at f8 on my 1ds3 as mark and lloyd chambers(digilloyd) have shown the drop off in resolution due to diffraction. So if I am shooting a landscape scene like yours above with both close and far detail, then I take two shots for focus bracketing.To get the far subject detail the sharpest it can be then I need to focus close to infinity with this lens rather than hyperfocal pt.
Obviously, this reduces the dof and causes loss of sharpness in the foreground and so I just take another shot after rotating the focus ring a little away from infinity.
Sometimes I have to do both exposure bracketing and focus bracketing.
I like you mention as mark has that this lens has remarkable performance at f4 and f5.6. I have seen it used a lot now for sports like horse racing, motorcycle, car racing where they show both the horse and the large grandstand crowds in the background. I have shot wide open closeup of a sunflower and got great detail in the flower and was able to blur out the surrounding ones in the field.

The two negatives against this lens are it's large size and weight and the lack of ability to use normal filters. You might want to add information that people mentioned here mentioned about being able to special order a special large filter holder from sing-ray to work with this lens.
I don't use nd filters anymore and jusr blend multiple exposures in post but I still may look into for a polarizing filter for those times when I want to reduce the amount of light reflecting off of surfaces.
The weight is not a factor for me since it is only 8 ounces more than other wide angles and it is also a zoom and saves me from carrying multiple primes.
I would also not rule out getting the cz21 ze in the future as it looks to be better than the old one from the mtf's circulating here and the fact the nikon 14-24 is sharpest at the wide end.The amount of distortion will be the big deciding factor for me.

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:10 PM

David Clapp
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p.1 #10 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

I didnt know about the Singh Ray filter holder, I must have a look at that.

The biggest problem I have with a prime at the wide end is that I am constantly twitchy with the composition so I cant see myself getting a 21mm. what I love about this lens is the that it is consistantly sharp across the frame from f3.5 to f16 and useable at all these apertures subject dependant, whereas my Canon gear was only ever useable between f11-16 or I had to suffer the wrath of soft corners.

The biggest problem I have with focus bracketing is movement of water which i have to consider in all my coastal work. The blends are usually sky for one and the rest in the other. After moving the focus ring I have found on other lenses that nothing matches up when you blend shots?

Anyway thanks for the comments, I will add the Singh Ray bit.

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:40 PM

dcmiller
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p.1 #11 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

With downward tilt of wide lenses, especially ultrawides, getting near/far focus in one shot should seldom be a problem. Hyperfocal is just a guide, especially when the sensor plane is not vertical (plumb).

Great shots again David. I know what you mean about wanting a zoom with wide lenses for landscape. Primes just mean big crops, which make the prime less sharp.

I worry more about bracketing for exposure than focus. It's hard to not blow the red channel in these shots.

Nov 26, 2008 at 04:43 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #12 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

sorry, it is lee filters with the special holder mentioned by fellow fm'er anon moss(scott) in this thread:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/660637/2
Not sure if anyone has tried one out yet.

dcmiller, doesn't tilting lens cause vertical objects like trees to become tilted and need perspective distortion correction in post?

david,
you don't see less resolution at f11 due to diffraction than at f8?

Nov 26, 2008 at 05:02 PM

pdmphoto
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p.1 #13 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Nice review and ocean shot. And a couple nit's:

No mention of the vignetting at 14mm with the adapter. To stop down, the adapter must be rotated, which also rotates the hood. This causes the hood to get into the picture (vignetting) at 14-1?mm.

"As with Zeiss lenses this lens will delivering staggering edge to edge sharpness..", I think you meant "deliver"? I completely agree on the assesmnet though. Mine is amazingly sharp across the frame at 14mm and f/2.8!

Nov 26, 2008 at 05:28 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #14 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Pdm,
The vignetting caused by the slightly rotatated lens and shade is only seen at f22 if I recall correctly.Definitely not there from f11 on down.

Nov 26, 2008 at 06:03 PM

montespluga
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p.1 #15 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

David

good review!
I took pretty the same conclusions while on a 1 Ds-2.

The small amount of distortion is quite astonishing.
When calbrating its distortions for Lenscorrector, there's some at 14 & 15 mm, really not that bad; and just slightly a bit at 16 - 22 mm.

Nov 26, 2008 at 09:38 PM

David Clapp
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p.1 #16 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

pdmphoto wrote:
Nice review and ocean shot. And a couple nit's:

No mention of the vignetting at 14mm with the adapter. To stop down, the adapter must be rotated, which also rotates the hood. This causes the hood to get into the picture (vignetting) at 14-1?mm.

"As with Zeiss lenses this lens will delivering staggering edge to edge sharpness..", I think you meant "deliver"? I completely agree on the assesmnet though. Mine is amazingly sharp across the frame at 14mm and f/2.8!

yes you are right I have read this, but I havent ever seen it so I must update the site and look into the hood getting into the shot. As soon as I realised the drop in qaulity I never went there again. Thanks for the tiping eror, aisle ficks zat inaminit.

Wayne, I have to say I am probably not got into "phase 2" of understanding this lens's quality as pronounced as you. I havent noticed anything huge, like the drop towards f22, but I did an initial load of tests which echo your post, and then thought oh to hell with all this I need to get out there and use it.

I am more interested in working method, speed and composition with such a wide lens for now. I know its the best wide angle I own, way better than anything else I have shot on this camera. I want to stretch my photography much further with this setup. Exciting stuff.

Thanks for all the comments so far, appreciated. Thanks for taking the time and showin ght interest.

Nov 26, 2008 at 11:04 PM

akclimber
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p.1 #17 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Nice review David. I reached pretty much the same conclusions during my time with a rental 14-24 on my 5D with the 16-9 adapter. Thanks! (And nice tip for finding f/11!).

Cheers!

Nov 26, 2008 at 11:08 PM

Andi Dietrich
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p.1 #18 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Great landscape pics, David

Nov 26, 2008 at 11:26 PM

dcmiller
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p.1 #19 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Anyone get their 16-9 adapter order lately? I haven't seen any news since the flurry of activity a month or two ago.

Nov 27, 2008 at 12:06 AM

David Clapp
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p.1 #20 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Mark is shipping another 50 this week apparently. Its all systems go as far as I know...

Thanks for the comments Andi, appreciated. There are going to be a few more in the next few weeks on the14-24 lens and other applications. Also how to create your own DOF charts and more real world useage including a 14-24 architecture feature.

Nov 27, 2008 at 11:55 PM

Vern Dewit
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p.1 #21 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Great review and AWESOME pictures.

V.

Nov 28, 2008 at 12:08 AM

hubsand
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p.1 #22 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Nothing more to add beyond what's already been said: really helpful write up and great illustration.

Speaking purely selfishly, I hope it dispels some of the unwarranted skepticism among Canon users about 16:9's championing of this lens - as though we're hyping it to sell adaptors. Actually, the reverse is true: we've gone very quiet about the adaptor and the lens while we try to make them in sufficient quantities. But, honestly, there was no way I could let a lens that good go unadapted!

The 'vignetting' mentioned is a non-issue: the hood only creeps into view top-left and bottom-right if you shoot at f22 AND at less than 1m AND wider than 16mm. If you can think of a valid reason to do that, you get an adaptor for free.

Actually I'm still surprised that so many people are keeping quiet about the lens: we've now shipped more than 100 adaptors (40 in the last week).

I'll certainly link to the site from 16:9 in the next update.

Nov 28, 2008 at 12:29 AM

David Clapp
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p.1 #23 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

Yes an I would like to echo that, a quality product is a quality product, both lens and adapter. I am just a happy user realising the potential of this great combo and feel it would be of great benefit to show what can be done with it, keen to run my findings along with Marks tests and put them in a landscape context. Much much more to come guaranteed.

It has certainly ended my search for a killer wide angle zoom. I reach for it 90% of the time at the coast.

Nov 28, 2008 at 12:39 AM

dcmiller
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p.1 #24 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

hubsand wrote:
Nothing more to add beyond what's already been said: really helpful write up and great illustration.

Speaking purely selfishly, I hope it dispels some of the unwarranted skepticism among Canon users about 16:9's championing of this lens - as though we're hyping it to sell adaptors. Actually, the reverse is true: we've gone very quiet about the adaptor and the lens while we try to make them in sufficient quantities. But, honestly, there was no way I could let a lens that good go unadapted!

The 'vignetting' mentioned is a non-issue: the hood only creeps into view top-left and bottom-right if you shoot at f22 AND at less than 1m AND wider than 16mm. If you can think of a valid reason to do that, you get an adaptor for free.

Actually I'm still surprised that so many people are keeping quiet about the lens: we've now shipped more than 100 adaptors (40 in the last week).

I'll certainly link to the site from 16:9 in the next update.

Mark, what date are you up to?

I ordered Aug. 2

Nov 28, 2008 at 03:02 AM

dcmiller
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p.1 #25 · 1Ds3 14-24 Review + Images

wayne seltzer wrote:

dcmiller, doesn't tilting lens cause vertical objects like trees to become tilted and need perspective distortion correction in post?

david,
you don't see less resolution at f11 due to diffraction than at f8?

Tilting - the near needs to be low, like it is when using tilt on a view camera. The far probably is changed a little, but not a big deal.

Diffraction - f11 definitely resolves less, but it doesn't get real noticeable until closer to f16. Optimal resolution at 21mp is probably closer to f5.6 than f8. But diffraction is always better than OOF.

Nov 28, 2008 at 03:13 AM


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