p.5 #1 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Mark,
Very impressive architectural photography. How did you achieve the perspective corrections with your Sigma 12-24mm? Did you post edit it with PS? I just bought a Nikon D70 but I'm not able to use my Nikkor 28mm PC lens on it. Is there a way to? say with an adapter or converter. Any suggestions?
Thanks
p.5 #2 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inspirational photos from the 12-24s, I took delivery of a Sigma this weekend. I was a little surprised to find the off-centre sharpness inferior to the 28-70 mm kit lens with my D70.
I would greatly appreciate anyone with 12-24 Sigma experience looking over my test pics to see if this is indeed normal or as good as it gets with the 12-24.
p.5 #3 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
satfj wrote:
Mark,
Very impressive architectural photography. How did you achieve the perspective corrections with your Sigma 12-24mm? Did you post edit it with PS? I just bought a Nikon D70 but I'm not able to use my Nikkor 28mm PC lens on it. Is there a way to? say with an adapter or converter. Any suggestions?
Thanks
For perspective correction I use the free transform tool in Photoshop. Sometimes it helps to display grid lines in order to get the verticals parallel.
Why doesn't the 28mm PC work? I haven't heard of this issue.
p.5 #4 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
davexl wrote:
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inspirational photos from the 12-24s, I took delivery of a Sigma this weekend. I was a little surprised to find the off-centre sharpness inferior to the 28-70 mm kit lens with my D70.
I would greatly appreciate anyone with 12-24 Sigma experience looking over my test pics to see if this is indeed normal or as good as it gets with the 12-24.
All pictures have been taken in NEF, with sharpening turned off, then a 75% USM applied in Nikon Capture.
I think your results are typical, and I doubt the 12-24mm Nikkor would do much better. 12mm is an extremely wide angle lens...the widest rectilinear 35mm lens ever, in fact. Wides are harder to build and usualy softer in the corners...it's a fact of life. 28-70mm is a piece of cake in comparison. Even Nikon's 20mm f/2.8 prime is (relatively) soft.
p.5 #5 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Thanks for taking the time sectarian,
Do you know if the 15-30 is much better? I ask because if the sharpness of the whole range is compromised to get that 12mm, I am wondering if I really need it that much, and might not be better off with the 15-30... but unless the difference is significant it will not be worth exchanging...
p.5 #6 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Do you know if the 15-30 is much better? I ask because if the sharpness of the whole range is compromised to get that 12mm, I am wondering if I really need it that much, and might not be better off with the 15-30... but unless the difference is significant it will not be worth exchanging...
I believe that the 12-24mm is the superior lens, but only through research, not personal experience. Here are some more shots from the Sigma 12-24mm...it really delivers the goods even in tight spaces with tricky lighting that caused tons of flare when I used to shoot with a 14mm f/2.8. I have no complaints about edge softness.
Here are some interiors that demonstrate the Sigma's potential for architectural shots.
p.5 #7 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
I thought it over a little more and I think I will stay with it. I do not need more at the 24mm end - I have heaps of other lenses at that point, and you never know when you will need the 12mm - will always come in handy. And the likely sharpness increase in going to the 15-30 is just a guess, probably not significant, and would lose as much as I might gain. Playing more at F11 and lower, and introducing a radial sharpening to my workflow seems to have done the trick. And the low CA, flare and distortion are first rate.
Thanks again for taking the time. Love those shots - your blending workflow is really first rate. You don't have a link to a full size jpg somewhere do you? Or 100% crops of finals? I would love to see the best you could eke out of the camera. Sometimes just knowing the art of the possible is all the help you need to keep trying.
p.5 #8 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Although I do not have either the 15-30 or the 12-24, I have tried the 15-30 in the store and the AF was way slow. Hopefully the HSM in the 12-24 addresses that issue. Otherwise, the 15-30 is a gem of a glass!
Thanks.
A
p.5 #9 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Glad I reminded you Mark about the Astro stuff that is .
I love the Architectural Images. It just shows just how far these lenses have come in the last 20 years, I have an old ( 1981 ) 28 mm that has barrel distortion that would make the cupboards in the images you've shown look round.
I know the topic question refers to the 12-24 Sigma but I do honestly believe there is very little difference between it and it's bigger brother the 15-30.
"Nikonart" reacons the 15-30 is slow I haven't experienced that BUT the cold on the ski slopes makes her grunt ( presumably due to close tolerances and the lubricant within the lens. and I like you have heard of funny things with the HSM in the 12-24 but I personally have never experienced it.
To be perfectly frank and forgive me if I step on toes here, but I think that the lens playing field is rather level these days, both in quality and competitive pricing.
p.5 #11 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
satfj wrote:
Why am I getting so much noise on pictures taken with my Sigma 12-24mm lens?
Is there a way to improve it? Pictures taken with Nikon D70.
Thanks
Need more information to help you...can you post some samples for us to look at - maybe on pbase.com?
Noise is almost certainly caused by the camera, not the lens.
What ISO? JPG or RAW? Are you saying you get unacceptable noise with the 12-24 but not with other lenses?
p.5 #12 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
I used ISO 200 RAW High Quality.Tried on two lenses Sigma 12-24 and Nikon 18-70. The Sigma looks a lot worst. It is very noticeable specially on clear blue skys. If you have Photoshop create a new File 200x200 px 300p/i then fill with paint bucket with a sky blue color then go to Select all....Filter/Noise/AddNoise Select uniform and 5.0% for amount. Thats about how the sky or uniform surfaces look on my pictures when seen in PS at Actual pixels zoom.
Thanks
p.5 #13 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
satfj wrote:
I used ISO 200 RAW High Quality.Tried on two lenses Sigma 12-24 and Nikon 18-70. The Sigma looks a lot worst. It is very noticeable specially on clear blue skys. If you have Photoshop create a new File 200x200 px 300p/i then fill with paint bucket with a sky blue color then go to Select all....Filter/Noise/AddNoise Select uniform and 5.0% for amount. Thats about how the sky or uniform surfaces look on my pictures when seen in PS at Actual pixels zoom.
Thanks
Okay, without seeing what you have I still can't give you any useful help.
One thing I can suggest is that noise is worse the darker the subject or exposure, so adding a custom curve that boosts midtones will help noise a bit.
Alos, higher sharpening settings or using an USM will show up noise too. I own both lenses, and you can see comparisons at.
p.5 #14 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Its probably the D70 camera menu settings. What is the best for image quality? ISO? White Balance? Optimize image? Is there much difference between ISO200 and 400?
p.5 #15 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
satfj wrote:
Its probably the D70 camera menu settings. What is the best for image quality? ISO? White Balance? Optimize image? Is there much difference between ISO200 and 400?
Shooting RAW helps. Also the type of sharpening you use can make a significant difference. The sky will tend to be noisier because blue is the noisiest channel to beging with.
I didn't really shoot the D70 in ISO 400, but overall I found the camera's images to be rather noisy.
p.5 #16 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Hi David
I just read your post and viewed the 12-24 / 18-70 comparisons. I very much enjoyed reading the D70 reviews on your site.
I'm about to buy a D70 kit including a 12-24 and I'm unsure whether to go for the Nikon or Sigma. If the Nikon were fully full-frame there'd be no contest as I'm not about to stop shooting film altogether, but it ain't.
So I was wondering what your conclusion to the soft-cornered Sigma problem was. Have you stuck with it or upgraded?
p.5 #17 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
davexl wrote:
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inspirational photos from the 12-24s, I took delivery of a Sigma this weekend. I was a little surprised to find the off-centre sharpness inferior to the 28-70 mm kit lens with my D70.
Ooops! & apologies - just sent my first post which I thought would quote the above. Now where's that Send button again ...
p.5 #18 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
Hi Michael,
I have stuck with it, as I don't see a better alternative. For the dollars it is not a big risk. I just regard F11 as the maximum aperture! I have yet to get a chance to really test it, been too busy on other things. And the weather has turned to **** here.
I have updated the gallery with some IR shots using the 12-24. Although not a great showcase for the lens, as it was pretty windy that day, and everything living was moving during the 30 second exposures..
p.5 #19 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
davexl wrote:
Hi Michael,
I have stuck with it, as I don't see a better alternative. For the dollars it is not a big risk. I just regard F11 as the maximum aperture! http://www.pbase.com/davexl/d70_images
Cheers for that Dave.
The Sigma sounds great for nature/landscape but as I need it for PR, f11 is not an option. Reviews elsewhere suggest the Nikon is good at f5.6 to f8 depending on focal length. The near-double price tag stings but if you need to hammer nails there's no point buying a screwdriver (!).
p.5 #20 · Nikon 12-24mm vs. Sigma 12-24mm - Updated
How would you use a polarizing filter for the sigma 12-24? The specs say it needs a Rear (gelatin filter insert type), I phoned adorama and they said sigma doesnt make a filter for this yet, I am reluctant to buy this lens if I cant use a filter in it.. Anyone have any solutions?
