If you can find one, I have an older Tokina 17mm F/3.5 ATX (crackle finish) and the thing performs superbly on my D800. I think I got mine for about $150 used but usually they go for $200-$300 on ebay. They are not up there often but few know what they are, and you can usually get some really good deals.

The other one I have considered is the old 20mm-35mm f/2.8. Anyone ever used that?

While I do not have a D800, yet, I have used this 20 mm on the D3 for 4 years. It is really a fine lens. Plan you picture around the distortion of a super wide and you will love the lens. A lot of bang for the buck.

I finally got my 20mm f/2.8 AIS (circa 1985 or so) from Adorama as a project lens since it had issues. Cleaned the aperture blades and for the most part got the focus system on the lens re-calibrated. I think it is still a little soft at infinity but it is a lot better than it was to start with. Whomever owned the lens before had apparently taken it apart (to clean it I am assuming) and reassembled it wrong in a lot of ways. So after much messing with it there is no longer tunnel vision of being scary out of focus and it is consistent across the whole frame. Need to shoot with it some more to see if I need to try adjusting it more but at least it is now usable. Now to figure out if I want to dork around with getting infinity right or to see if there is a place that will calibrate that for me for a reasonable rate.

Well I ordered from Hong King earlier this week following this thread and it just got delivered, total surprise I wasn't even thinking it might be here before weekend. Checked the tracking and it left HK less than 24 hours ago and arrived via Germany - that means I get to use it at a wedding this weekend - here we go!

Don't forget the 20mm D and non D are the same design exactly. Only should be concerned if you are going to use one or the other with a flash. The 24mm 2.8 D is outstanding on the D800e by the way. Serioulsy one of the best straight aperature blade designed Nikkor lens ever made too so sunstars galore! :)

Great shots Witty~

Post, we will look forward to seeing some images with this lens on PAD.

Well, I'm sold. Hopefully it'll be here next weekend, thank you all for your input.

Cheers.

I also have this leans and really enjoy it. Small, light and crisp.

Here are a couple more wide open at 1/125 sec , ISO 2000 on a D90.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7848264202/in/set-72157631216472282/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7848284948/in/set-72157631216472282/lightbox/

You might figure, I shoot in horrid lighting conditions....

Been looking at this lens myself. Thanks all for the samples.

I picked it up for my D800 and it's great. I like how much smaller, lighter and just a fraction of the price of the 14-24mm beast.

Couple sample pics.

I am hoping to get either this lens for the non AF version for lightning photography. I have a Tokina 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 which is decent at it but I keep having to deal with zoom creep (generally caused by air vibrations created by thunder). I'd rather just have a 20mm prime to handle it for me. If I am in a wide open space I just use my Sigma 15mm f/2.8 MF fisheye but when I am shooting off of my front porch it tends to catch the porch on the sides of the frame. Fantastic photos with the lens as well.

First 2 responses, fantastic, thanks folks.

I have had a 20mm f2.8 for over two years, mainly to provide some extra width in landscapes. Works well for me, principally for landscapes for me. Here is a link to it on a d800:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yetibuddha/8039758356/in/photostream.

Handheld, D4, 1/20 sec, wide open, ISO 17,959 (20mm f/2.8 Nikkor)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7029473223/sizes/o/in/set-72157631170271000/

Hi folks

I've done the round-robin of the existing threads on the subject, but there's nothing recent, and specifically relating to the D800, so I haven't pinned this on the end of an existing subject only for responses to inadvertently be added addressing the original poster once I'd exhumed the thread with this post.

I want a fast and pocket-able wide to ultra-wide prime for my D800 (which arrived at the weekend and I still feel like a 5 year old on Christmas morning).

I've found very mixed reviews about this lens in particular, but on balance, this seems to be the better performer amongst the other lenses around it, taking a very unscientific average of general internet opinion. I'll want to be using it for low light indoor stuff, parties, dances after weddings etc. where I can get right in amongst a tight group of people on dancefloor for example. I will have it cranked close to if not slap bang wide open most of the time I would have thought.

I suppose it may also serve as a landscape lens where size, space and weight is an issue, but that's kind of way out the window anyway with a D800, plus I'm still young(ish). The 16-35mm is very much on the cards for me before new year anyway, so I'm not too worried about covering that aspect or its stopped down performance versus wide open.

So, I'm after some feedback from the good folks of NR on this lens, alternatives that don't cost say upwards of £400/$600-$700 and in particular, any experience of it on the monster sensor inside the D800.

Cheers

El_Pickerel said:
If so many lenses are showing their limits on the D800's pixels....

The answer to that is None. I have 40-50 year old lenses that I have used on my D800 and another 16 that range in price from $150 to $2,000 and 2 to 20 years old. None of them are any worse, or show anything more, than they do with film, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, and yes, even 36mp sensors. Dull lenses are dull, mediocre lenses are mediocre and razor sharp are razor sharp.

Many for some reason have been beating the drum of "outresolve" lenses since 10mp sensors were released and for some reason, have doubled down now - and they will continue to be proven wrong. It reminds me of the "climate change is a hoax" crowd.

WaterEngineer said:
I really don't understand comparing a high density (high pixel count) 35mm DSLR format camera to MF. IMHO that is just wishful thinking. MF is so much more than being able to "print big."

I couldn't agree more. Color depth is another reason MF outshines FX any day. 35mm sensors will have to hit the 16bit color depth before they should be considered contenders with MF.

I'm just waiting for the day people realize a camera, is more than a sensor.

Oh, I agree with you, Tommie. I was referring to the debate on another thread about whether the D800 was a studio camera or not. It's not just a studio camera, but it does a great job as one. As you say, D400 before D4x (and hopefully before D7100).

@ jonnyapple My apologies... but, with a camera with "only" 16 MP which does this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8010775815/sizes/o/in/photostream/

I seem to not see the need for more MP in the field. Of course, having said this, I may end up getting a D800 if Nikon does not get busy and announce a D400 before the end of the year.

I cannot imagine the benefit in an overall sense of a D4X. If I am not mistaken the high resolution camera is the D800 and it can work in all areas as has been so ably demonstrated by the posts to PAD. Thus, I would be very very shocked if Nikon were to bring out a D4X, and especially at a time when a lot of us are waiting for the D400. First things first!

If so many lenses are showing their limits on the D800's pixels, how much more advantage will you gain from moving to an even denser sensor? Sure your resolution will still increase with 54mp over 36mp, but you're also showing the imperfections even more clearly. If you really need the pixel density, go for one of the 24mp crop sensors (assuming the D7100, D400, and others will use the sensor of the D3200 or something similar). If you need the pixels, go for the D800 and one of the lenses that will resolve well on the corners of that sensor.

msmoto said:
D800.....for studio,...

Don't let's start that again! ;-)

Gosh, i may be missing the point, but I think the D800 filled the lotsa pixels thing. The DOF and ultimate resolution with the DOF is what MF is about, I think. For all the other Hi ISO, portability, long telephotos, etc. this is the 35mm format's advantage.

And, yes, the cost of medium format is high, so much so that only a very few amateurs can afford to go the route. But, for 95% of all photographs... 35mm will do as well. D800.....for studio, D4 for the paparazzi.

I think you missed the point Water Engineer, I was comparing the cost factor between a Nikon High Megapixel cameras and a Digital MF cameras. It will interesting to see what new technology in sensor development will arrive. If I was a MF manufacture I would be very concerned, When you look at the big names in MF, none of them have the resources compared to Nikon/Canon.
Professional photographers are always looking for that extra edge, and perhaps in the future MF?LF may not be King

I really don't understand comparing a high density (high pixel count) 35mm DSLR format camera to MF. IMHO that is just wishful thinking. MF is so much more than being able to "print big." Also, the pixel resolution of 35mm based DSLRs does not match the quality of MF at the pixel level. Yes, I know what DxO says but go make two prints - big prints - compare them - and then get back to me.

MF is about DOF, the "look", having big files coming from great pixels and not having to increase the dimensions as much to get to a print size as compared to 35mm format.

My frustration is on the other side. Why does MF cost as much as it does" Why is a digital back $20K, why isn't the sync speed and shutter speed higher on MF systems?

Yes, I know there are not as many digital backs made/sold as 35mm based DSLRs but in this age the prices are stupid.

Oh, and in the MF community as reported and commonly quoted on two of that communities forums, 35mm based format will not compete with MF until 35mm format based sensors are at 80Mpix.

Shame about the Hoax , I am sure some D3x owners would love such a camera, needless to say, i am sure the price would be more than stated, but compared to medium format cameras it could stand an increase
Hope somebody at Nikon is watching your Forum