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Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses



 
 
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  #11  
Old February 20th 08, 11:25 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
dullpain
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Posts: 22
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

The worst Nikon lens is the 55-200, in any flavor, followed by the 18-200.


  #12  
Old February 20th 08, 11:45 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
Tony Polson[_2_]
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Posts: 170
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

TH O wrote:

In article 2008022010264416807-christophercampbell@hotmailcom,
C J Campbell wrote:

Extremely wide and extremely small apertures will cause softness. It is
no longer true that zoom lenses are softer than fixed lenses -- the
extremely sharp 70-200mm f/2.8 AF-D and AF-S VR lenses being proof of
that.


It's no longer true with the best, most expensive zooms. However, we
also haven't seen many of the primes updated during these years. If the
primes were updated using the latest optical designs, they would
probably still end up on top.



There is no real need to update them - they couldn't be any sharper,
and their resolution is way in excess of any digital sensor we have
seen from Nikon.

Lenses such as the 24mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8D, 50mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2.8
Micro, 85mm f/1.4, 105mm f/2.8 Micro and 180mm f/2.8 could not be
improved upon - for sharpness. All are AF models.

The 28mm f/2.8 non-D model is optically inferior to the D model.

  #13  
Old February 20th 08, 11:46 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
Tony Polson[_2_]
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Posts: 170
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

"dullpain" wrote:

The worst Nikon lens is the 55-200, in any flavor, followed by the 18-200.



That's true. The 18-55mm is also a very poor performer.

When coming up with lists of good lenses, it is also worth listing
those that should be avoided, and these three are best avoided.

  #14  
Old February 20th 08, 11:49 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
acl
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Posts: 1,389
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

On Feb 20, 11:38 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg
wrote:


Note: I am not saying Nikon lenses are bad, or that others do
much better. I am merely saying that they simply don't outresolve
the D200's sensor. And that many lenses do not even reach the
sensors resolution, especially when used wide open or looking at
the border performance.


That's true, but it depends on what you're measuring. I'm pretty sure
that any lens I've ever used can outresolve the d200 sensor if the
pattern has sufficient contrast, but that doesn't mean it's useful
there.

Anyway, resolution isn't the only thing to look at in a lens.
  #15  
Old February 21st 08, 03:03 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
tomm42
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Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

On Feb 20, 1:44 pm, Paul Furman wrote:
Bob G wrote:
I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
quality.


http://www.naturfotograf.com/bestof.html
eliminating the ancient ones from his list:

* Wide-angle lenses
o 35 mm f/1.4 Nikkor
o 28 mm f/2 Nikkor
* Normal lenses
o 50 mm f/1.8 Nikkor
o 50 mm f/1.4 Nikkor (latest versions, including AF D)
* Medium short ("portrait") lenses
o AF 85 mm f/1.4 Nikkor
o AF 105 mm f/2 DC Nikkor
* Short telephoto lenses
o AFS 200 mm f/2 ED IF VR G
o AF 180 mm f/2.8 ED-IF Nikkor
* Long telephoto lenses
o AFS 300 mm f/2.8 ED-IF Nikkor (Mk. I only)
o AFS 400 mm f/2.8 ED-IF G VR Nikkor
o AFS 500 mm f/4 ED-IF Nikkor
* Lenses for close-up photography
o AFS 60 mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor ED G N (well, sometimes
"newer" is in fact better!)
o AF 200 mm f/4 ED-IF Micro-Nikkor
o 85 mm f/2.8 PC-Micro-Nikkor
* Zoom lenses
o AFS 14-24 mm f/2.8 ED G N Nikkor
o AFS 200-400 mm f/4 ED-IF VR G Nikkor
o AFS 24-70 mm f/2.8 ED G FX Nikkor (the old king 28-70/2.8
has been overthrown by a new, state-of-the-art optic)
o AFS 70-200 mm f/2.8 G VR ED-IF Nikkor (a long march but
leading to revolution)
o AFS 17-35 mm f/2.8 ED-IF Nikkor
* Late-breaking entries, too good not to be mentioned here
o 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E ED N Nikkor (wide-angle tilt and shift)


Good list, also the Zeiss ZF lenses for Nikon especially the 25 f2.8
or the 100 f2 Makro, but no AF, could also include the 50 f2 Makro.

Tom

  #16  
Old February 21st 08, 04:27 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
Michael Benveniste
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Posts: 237
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

"dullpain" wrote:

The worst Nikon lens is the 55-200, in any flavor, followed by the
18-200.


Before dismissing the 55-200mm VR, I suggest taking a look at a
set of safari photos referenced he

http://snipurl.com/203a4 [www_nikonians_org]

The worst Nikon lenses I've ever used are the original 43-86mm
f/3.5 and the 120mm f/4.5 macro out of the "fun fun lens set."

The worst constructed Nikon lens I've ever seen is the 30-60mm
f/4~5.6 IX-Nikkor.

--
Michael Benveniste --
Spam and UCE professionally evaluated for $419. Use this email
address only to submit mail for evaluation.


  #17  
Old February 21st 08, 05:49 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
Wolfgang Weisselberg
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Posts: 5,285
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

acl wrote:
On Feb 20, 11:38 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg


Note: I am not saying Nikon lenses are bad, or that others do
much better. I am merely saying that they simply don't outresolve
the D200's sensor. And that many lenses do not even reach the
sensors resolution, especially when used wide open or looking at
the border performance.


That's true, but it depends on what you're measuring. I'm pretty sure
that any lens I've ever used can outresolve the d200 sensor if the
pattern has sufficient contrast,


MTF patterns have 100% contrast, black and white.

If you lower your standards enough, you may or may not get
there.
http://www.normankoren.com/Tutorials/mtf_100_0.gif
Look at how much you see at 10% and less.
Look how washed-out even 50% is compared to 100%.

-Wolfgang
  #18  
Old February 22nd 08, 12:47 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
frederick
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Posts: 1,525
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

Michael Benveniste wrote:
"dullpain" wrote:

The worst Nikon lens is the 55-200, in any flavor, followed by the
18-200.


Before dismissing the 55-200mm VR, I suggest taking a look at a
set of safari photos referenced he

http://snipurl.com/203a4 [www_nikonians_org]

The worst Nikon lenses I've ever used are the original 43-86mm
f/3.5 and the 120mm f/4.5 macro out of the "fun fun lens set."

The worst constructed Nikon lens I've ever seen is the 30-60mm
f/4~5.6 IX-Nikkor.

I had one of those 43-86 zooms. It would be the worst Nikkor lens that
I've ever used when it was in "original working order".
Soft, lots of CA, crazy distortion for a 2x zoom. Forgetting the optics
completely, it was pretty well made, except for zoom creep.

As far as the 55-200s go, the VR version is a gem. If it was to fall to
pieces in a few years, who cares? Optically it is quite good, and for
dx, there's nothing smaller and lighter that gives 200mm reach.
It is miles ahead optically of any of the 70-300 AF Nikkors - apart from
the new VR, and even that is not very good at the 300mm end, quite
expensive, and only a fraction of a stop less slow at 200mm than the
55-200 (F5.3 vs F5.6). I wish Nikon would make a 70-200 f4 VR, like the
excellent Canon lens. Half the weight of an f2.8, and 95% of the time
just as good.
  #19  
Old February 22nd 08, 02:21 AM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
acl
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Posts: 1,389
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

On Feb 21, 7:49 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg
wrote:
acl wrote:
On Feb 20, 11:38 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg
Note: I am not saying Nikon lenses are bad, or that others do
much better. I am merely saying that they simply don't outresolve
the D200's sensor. And that many lenses do not even reach the
sensors resolution, especially when used wide open or looking at
the border performance.

That's true, but it depends on what you're measuring. I'm pretty sure
that any lens I've ever used can outresolve the d200 sensor if the
pattern has sufficient contrast,


MTF patterns have 100% contrast, black and white.

If you lower your standards enough, you may or may not get
there.


In fact all I am saying is that all the lenses I've ever used do get
there eventually (in the sense, for example, that you can force a d200
to produce aliasing artifacts with any lens I've used). I've just
tried photographing a slanted slide rule, and all 7 of my lenses can
be made to produce aliasing quite easily.

http://www.normankoren.com/Tutorials/mtf_100_0.gif
Look at how much you see at 10% and less.
Look how washed-out even 50% is compared to 100%.



  #20  
Old February 22nd 08, 04:26 PM posted to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
Wolfgang Weisselberg
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Posts: 5,285
Default Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

acl wrote:

In fact all I am saying is that all the lenses I've ever used do get
there eventually (in the sense, for example, that you can force a d200
to produce aliasing artifacts with any lens I've used). I've just
tried photographing a slanted slide rule, and all 7 of my lenses can
be made to produce aliasing quite easily.


http://weissel.smugmug.com/photos/257459720_BWekA-O.jpg
*severely* misfocussed, f/1.4.

http://weissel.smugmug.com/photos/257459723_tXG4s-O.jpg
Same image.
Threshold tool -- default setting.
See the aliasing?

See how much "be made to produce aliasing" is worth?

-Wolfgang
 




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