Hi,

I am about buying a WA lens and still hasitating if nikon 12-24 is the right choice.
How much do you use an aperture between f4-8 when shooting WA. I mean, the picture quality suffers much at f4 and improoves much by f8, so if the 80% of the possible wide angle shots are at f8+, I will get it. But if it is a half, I will get the 15mm prime first.
I shoot WA with my kit lens and use mainly f8-16, but I have poor experience with sharks and wrecks, so I would apreciate an advice.
I would need some examples of exposure data with the 12-24/f4 - wrecks, sharks...
Thinking of the Tokina 12-24, sigma 10-20 I have to cosider this percetage even more. From what I saw the quality of theese two is not acceptable by f4.

many thanks

Martin

I find most of my WA work to be between 5.6-11 and 14-18 for close focus stuff.

I have had some problems with the fuzzy corners on shots all the way up to f22 on close focus stuff. In fact you don't notice it at all on photos where the subject is more than about 50cm or so away from you. It is only the close focus work where it shows up. Admittedly not a great close focus lens. But...i do love a zoom when dealing with sharks, rays etc that don't necesarily rub up against you.

If you find any fuzziness in the corners absolutely unbearable then go with the prime. But i don't think its all that bad and i have had a fair few shots published from that lens.
Have a look at my Rays gallery on my website, lots of those with the 12-24.


M

Mike:

Your pictures are exactly what i'm buying a WA lens for. Nice.. The corner softeness is not a big deal here... f5.6-f11 should be fine too. I think I will start with the 12-24 and then later buy a 15mm or 10.5mm FE. It is hard to say what quality i can get rid of... have never tryied the WA prime/zoom. But generally i want to use the lens for surface shots too, so 12-24 would be good choice.

thank you for advice

Martin

Sample pics, all at f8 - f11.

12mm

http://www.splashdowndivers.com/photo_gall...ry_j/frames.htm


24mm

http://www.splashdowndivers.com/photo_gall...ry_k/frames.htm

That said, my favorite lens is the 10.5mm.

http://www.splashdowndivers.com/photo_gall...ry_l/index.html

Good samples Peter,
What dome you uses with the 12-24?
Do you see impressive changes in the corners sharpness regarding the F stop?

Thanks,
I like the 10.5mm shots a lot. But as I heard you have to get pretty close to the subject to frame it. From your samples and words you only use f8+, so it should work for me too. I am definitely going to buy 10.5 on the way down, for now I will go with the 12-24 and use it for landscape too. Practical question: Do you think the 10.5mm might be good choise for reef shark pics (5 feet) from distance 3-7 feet?
BTW do you use the 15mm FE. How is your opinion. This lens might meet both requests (sharks, wrecks, scenery), but only in theory - have not tried yet. Not the widest one, will not beat the 10.5mm for scenery shots...

cheers

Martin

I sow you uses Ike's housing (like me)
Be aware that there where reports here that the Nikon 12-24 don't behave very well behind the regular 6'' ports and there is no data until now if the Tokina 12-24 can be used at all with Ike's ports since it's diameter is on the limit.

Arnon_Ayal:

I use now both the 10.5mm & 16mm lenses for the first time in my life.
In the last 5 dives I have use only one time the 16mm
The 10.5mm is great for scenery shots. The only think with the 10.5mm is the learning curve. Its a lens that need carefull frameing. I just try to learn to use it and its not easy. But the results are exelent (for Me)
The 10.5mm give me the dramatic and the Moment that I was searching when I take photos off Freedivers & spearfishers.

The other thing that i have found is that the 10.5mm must be in line (horisontal) with the subject to avoid mutch distosion. My english are not exelent to explain this (I hope Alex and the others know what I whant to say and help)
The Grid in the viewfinder is a big help for this.

On the End.. Great lens. My absolut favotit and the only one that I need.
But the lens need a carful hand and great sceanarios. Not easy for my becauce I freedive :-)
In one week I am back from Crete and I will post some examples.

10.5mm and Alexs Kick Ass magic filter is the way to go.

Lambis - drinking Frape in a small intenet cafe in a Crete village.

Hi Lambis,
Good to ear you enjoyed the camera & lens (and also seems you have a great time there in Crete )
No doubt the 10.5 is a great lens, and I'll probably buy it in the first time I'll have an option to buy it in the states, here it’s too expensive
After I opened a thread asking why not to buy this lens and got more then 30 replays why yes to buy it I don't have many options, doesn't it ?
The 12-24 looks like a better WA lens for out of the water photography (yes I know, its strange, why does someone would want to do a thing like this ?) but it cost 900$ + 400$ for a 8'' dome port.

Arnon, preparing the flight to Mauritius.

Some of my 12-24 pictures were taken with the standard Ike port and some with the 8" Ike port. You can tell which ones were taken with which port by looking at the file names.

Also, I did a fair amount of pool testing on both ports and concluded that the 8" port was sharper in the corners, but not by much. However there is no noticeable difference in my ocean pictures as there is seldom anything in the corners that matters e.g. sky, sand, etc.

As for the 15mm you can see samples here.

http://www.splashdowndivers.com/photo_gall...ry_q/frames.htm

That said, my current favorite i.e. the only lens I am using is the 10.5mm because I can shoot big subjects like people, turtles and sharks close up and personal, because it focuses really close so I can shoot while a Moray Eel is looking in the port, and because I can shoot it in the dark, in engine rooms etc. in manual focus mode and be guaranteed that I will get the picture.