Getting new lens for D700

Hey all,

I am currently shooting images with my D700 using a Nikon 14 mm f/2.8 AF-D.

This is a great lens for most of the ambient light stuff I am shooting, but I am looking at getting something with a little less distoration around the edges to all me to get better images of close ups on divers on wrecks etc.

At the moment, I am looking between the Nikon 14-24 f2.8 and the Sigma 24-70 f2.8?\

Any advice would be great!

chat soon,

Barry

My other option would be to change to something like the Nikon AF Fisheye-NIkkor 16mm f/2.8D?

Is anyone using this len?

Chat soon,

Barry

Barry, the 14-24mm is an even tougher lens to get behind a dome port, if I may ask, what extension lenght and what dome port size are you using at the moment with the Nikon 14mm f/2.8?

Here are two pictures I took at the weekend using the camera. The ambient light image is fine as you don't notice the distortion. But the close up of the diver and the brass lamp has a lot of distortion around the edge. I know I'll always have some, but I would like a lens with a little less to make these close up images look better.

Barry, the 14-24mm is an even tougher lens to get behind a dome port, if I may ask, what extension lenght and what dome port size are you using at the moment with the Nikon 14mm f/2.8?

Hi Jean,

I'm currently using 18405 - 8” dome port / 18456 - Extension ring on my AD700 aquatica housing.

I'd be open to any other suggestion of lens, which might suit the type of images I am trying to capture. All the wrecks I am photographing as deep and dark, as I are trying to stay with something in the f2.8 range of lens to reduce the amount of ISO level I need to crank up when getting these ambient light images.

Thanks for the advance /help.

Barry

All the wrecks I am photographing as deep and dark, as I are trying to stay with something in the f2.8 range of lens to reduce the amount of ISO level I need to crank up when getting these ambient light images.

 

Hi Barry,

One of the constraints of underwater photgraphy is the need to focus on the curved virtual image projected by a dome port. This means stopping your lens down to a small aperture to attempt to get peripherial parts of the image in focus; the wider the lens angle, the smaller the aperture that is needed (you may need f/11 or smaller). It helps to use a larger dome port as well (one with a larger radius of curvatue; an 8" hemisphere is not all that large when dealing with extreme wide angle lenses). To use a 14mm lens on full frame you may need to use a combination of high ISO and a powerful wide angle strobe. The exception is when you have little detail away from the center of the image such as mostly empty water. Your image showing the beam of the diver's light is an excellent example of this exception.

Tom

Barry, shooting at f/2.8 will have its limitation, you might want to consider using a fisheye such as the Nikon 16mm f/2.8, or the Sigma 15mm f/2.8 (which I preffer), these will yeild better conoer to corner performance at wide aperture, still shooting wide open behind a dome, no matter the lenses will be optically challenging.

Here is an example of shooting a fisheye lens wide open. In this case a 10.5mm on DX format. Note how the algae in the center foreground is in focus and on the left and right in the background but not the center. This is due to the curved field of the virtual image formed by the dome port.

Hi Thomas,

Thanks for posted that image.

Chat soon,

Barry

Here is an example of shooting a fisheye lens wide open. In this case a 10.5mm on DX format. Note how the algae in the center foreground is in focus and on the left and right in the background but not the center. This is due to the curved field of the virtual image formed by the dome port.

Barry, shooting at f/2.8 will have its limitation, you might want to consider using a fisheye such as the Nikon 16mm f/2.8, or the Sigma 15mm f/2.8 (which I preffer), these will yeild better conoer to corner performance at wide aperture, still shooting wide open behind a dome, no matter the lenses will be optically challenging.

Hi Jean,

Thanks for the help and advice as always... I will look into it and see what I can pull together.

Chat soon,

Barry

If you search the forums, this topic has been discussed extensively. The most popular options that can be made to work well and predictably on FX format will be the 15mm Sigma and 16mm Nikon Fisheyes, and the 16-35 and 17-35 Nikon rectilinear wide angle lenses. The 14-24 is a spectacular lens on land, but difficult to adapt for underwater use.