As a Nikon shooter (Z7II and other bodies), I've long been using a Nikkor 14-24 f/2.8 G lens for night-sky photography. A favorite subject is the Milky Way against Western US terrestrial foregrounds/backgrounds. Most often I shoot at 14mm, f/2.8, 20 second exposure. Results have been quite good.
But Sigma has introduced a lens optimized for night sky photography: The Sigma 14mm F1.4 DG DN | Art. This lens claims to be optimized for infinity shooting, and minimizes aberrations that bedevil night-sky photographers. Also, it is two stops faster than my zoom.
So I'm interested in buying this lens, in Sony mount, and using it on a Nikon Z full-frame body, with a MEGADAP Sony E to Nikon Z Autofocus Adapter (ETZ21 Pro).
Looking for feedback from anyone who has tried, researched, or thought much about this combo. I've found nothing substantive online.
Thanks. I had seen those reviews, and a few others.
What I haven't seen is anybody using this lens on a Nikon body. I think it should work with an appropriate adapter, but would like to hear feedback from anyone who has done it. I would expect to need a little manual correction for distortion.
I fully agree with this portion of the Cameralabs review: "Come on Canon and Nikon, your systems would really benefit from opening fully to third party lenses like these." Yes.
Trackers have their place, but I'm mostly interested in night skies tied to Earth with foreground objects. Without compositing, that limits the usefulness of a star tracker.
I bought the lens as soon as it was released. Worth every penny imo.
Just returned from a 10 day trip to Iceland and it was phenomenal for the aurora
For me, the real gamechanger is that MF focus lock. I lost a great shot last year (must've hit the focus ring while adjusting a lens warmer or moving the tripod) with the Sigma 14mm f1.8 (Canon EF on R5), and now hopefully I will greatly reduce that chance in the future.
One thing to keep in mind - the f1.4 vs f1.8 makes a much bigger difference than I gave credence to. I blew out a lot of highlights this year because I kept my ISO at f1.8 levels while shooting at f1.4.
I time lapse 3 different cameras at a time (2x Z6 + 1x Z8) one with the Sigma 14mm f1.4, and 2x with the Sony 14mm f1.8
I will admit I don't do much Milkyway though. I would maintain that it's probably the best wide angle astro out there, but that effect is reduced if you can use a star tracker and do stacks/tracks/blends/etc.
Happy to answer any questions you may have
Canon EOS R514mmf/1.82s6400 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 614mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.44s6400 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 614mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.42s6400 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 614mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.42s6400 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 614mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.41/2s5000 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 814mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.44s6400 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 814mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.44s6400 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 814mm F1.4 DG DN | Art 023 lens14mmf/1.41s6400 ISO0.0 EV
Nick, thanks so much—very helpful post. Clearly, this lens functions just fine on Nikon Z bodies—and your work with it is outstanding.
I will definitely order myself a specimen of this lens. Yes, looking forward to that focus lock. I’ve either bumped, or wondered if I bumped, the focus ring in the dark more times than I could count. Your observation about the impact of f/1.4 vs. f/1.8 is notable—perhaps there is a greater T-stop difference than the F-stops imply. (More light-efficient design?) I’ll make it a point to do some test shooting before anything important, and double-check histograms later on.
Two Questions:
1) Does your Sigma 14mm f/1.4 have the Sony E mount or the L mount?
2) Which adapter did you use to mount this lens on your Nikon Z bodies?
I think of my use of this lens not as astrophotography per se, but as landscape shooting done after the sun goes go down. Some the aurora images you shared could be described this way. Yes, I often include the Milky Way in my images.
I haven’t shot the aurora since I did it in Alaska on Kodachrome, 35 years ago. Would like to return to the aurora with digital.
i have the megadap adapter and i do not recommend it. its electronics is so brittle and company would not honor warranty unless you buy directly from them...and if you're from the US like me that's shipping your defective adapter to HK on your dime if it breaks.
FYI Fotodiox has a similar product but idk if the product or warranty service is any better. but at least they do have presence in US.
Chris S. wrote:
Nick, thanks so much—very helpful post. Clearly, this lens functions just fine on Nikon Z bodies—and your work with it is outstanding.
I will definitely order myself a specimen of this lens. Yes, looking forward to that focus lock. I’ve either bumped, or wondered if I bumped, the focus ring in the dark more times than I could count. Your observation about the impact of f/1.4 vs. f/1.8 is notable—perhaps there is a greater T-stop difference than the F-stops imply. (More light-efficient design?) I’ll make it a point to do some test shooting before anything important, and double-check histograms later on.
Two Questions:
1) Does your Sigma 14mm f/1.4 have the Sony E mount or the L mount?
2) Which adapter did you use to mount this lens on your Nikon Z bodies?
I think of my use of this lens not as astrophotography per se, but as landscape shooting done after the sun goes go down. Some the aurora images you shared could be described this way. Yes, I often include the Milky Way in my images.
I haven’t shot the aurora since I did it in Alaska on Kodachrome, 35 years ago. Would like to return to the aurora with digital.
I went with Sony E Mount. Funnily enough, although I shoot mainly Nikon bodies - the majority of my lenses are Sony E.
I use the Megadap ETZ21. I purchased them new on eBay from China for like $160/ea because I couldn't find any used ones on the forums prior to my trip.
I think you will be very pleased with the lens! I don't find it to be heavy, even when hiking around chasing waterfalls. But I do mainly shoot wildlife, so am used to 5lb - 10lb lenses.
nmerc_photos wrote:
I think you will be very pleased with the lens! I don't find it to be heavy, even when hiking around chasing waterfalls. But I do mainly shoot wildlife, so am used to 5lb - 10lb lenses.
I've actually been trying to lighten up my kit--recently sold my 600mm f/4. But this 14mm f/1.4 will let me switch from 14-24 f/2.8 to 14-30mm f/4--which is a lens I'll hike with a lot more than the 14mm f/1.4. I seem to do all after-dark work at 14mm, and do most of that close to my pickup truck.
Dalegaspi, thanks for your feedback on the the Megadap adapter. I'll make it a point to look at the Photodiox version as well, even though I've repeatedly heard good things about the Megadap. When Photodiox first came out with their Wonderpana system, I was an early adopter and wanted to write a review for this forum. While I liked the product, I did have some minor nits to pick with it. Having once been a journalist, I wanted to give someone from Photodiox a chance to comment on the nits before posting the review. I contacted Photodiox with my request, and within an hour the founder of the company called me. We had a long and productive talk. Most of the details I had objected to were not design mistakes. They were problems that this fellow had tried mightily to solve, in multiple ways. What showed up in the product I bought was the best approach he had found in each case. My review was better for this information, and I came away impressed that Photodiox was run by a photographer/engineer who tried hard to design really good products.
Thanks much, to Nick and everyone else who contributed to this thread.
Just a word on the one or two comments about the merits of a tracker instead of a fast lens: I shoot deep sky with an 8" RC and EQ6-R Pro tracker/mount, so know what you can - and can't - do with it.
A tracker/mount is of little to no use for astroscapes (if you don't want to add the landscape afterwards) and not at all for auroras. The only thing that helps here is a large aperture, i.e. the shortest possible shutter speeds (and the lowest possible ISO in order to retain as much dynamic range as possible, which is particularly necessary for night shots due to the strong contrasts).
