best wide angle lens nikon d810/ikelite (full frame)

my head is spinning w confusion on this. everyone says sigma 15mm for full frame. nikon 16mm i hear bad reviews and expensive, there are a few reviews that say tokina 10-17 (without lens shade version ) works fine from 14.5-17mm

my thinking is i can use the upper end of range only. or i can also shoot in dx if i want or crop to dx? or i can use a tc if i want the whole range. i realize i would lose mp with dx or crop and sharpness w tc- not sure how signif either is under water especially.

i have special ordered the shade free tokina but can probably still cancel it. if anyone has thoughts or personal experience please advise

thanks

ian

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use the Sigma 15mm on my D800 inside a Hugyfot housing and the Hugyfot glass minidome.
I have no issues with it, nor under water, nor above and is is a very good quality affordable lens.

The only problem is that the Sigma 15mm is a very short lens and this can lead to problems wit vignetting as the Lens "sees" the borders or shades.

If there is just a bit of vigneting you can shoot FF and crop the borders away what makes more sense to me as using a FF camera in DX mode because of vignetting.

Keep also in mind that most likely 2 strobes are not enough to illuminate the 180° and turning them inwards you can archieve some kind of WA snoot effect.

Doublecheck what dome will work with your Housing and the lens you choose!

Chris

Unfortunately, the D810 will out resolve the 10-17mm. The lens simply isn't designed to work adequately with 36MP cameras!

In your position, I would cancel the order.

The Sigma 15mm focuses closer than the Nikon 16mm, but I find the Nikon lens produces better quality images.

There is a huge amount of information on Wetpixel about the 10-17mm on full frame Nikon cameras. I would have a search!

All the best

Adam

I agree with Adam. The 10-17 is brilliant for a DX camera but I wouldn't use it by choice with a FX. Like Adam, if you can cancel the order, I would.....

I've moved from the 10-17 on my Nikon D300 to the Sigma 15mm for my D800. Love it!

i changed my order thanka again

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

they say it has some vignetting when used w ikelite and 8 in dome. i guess i will just have to crop that out.?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

the sigma that is ? the lens is so short but i gather it is camera dependent and minor?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hmmm, don't know about the vignetting with the Ikelite 8" dome. Have you checked what Ike recommends as a dome with the Sigma 15mm? You shouldn't really get vignetting if you have the right dome but, yes, you could crop it out. Bit of a pity though.....

I think you've made a good call changing from the 10-17. It's a great lens but not, by my view and that of many others, for an FX camera.

I was recently in Maldives with my D810 and shot the Sig 15mm FE, Nikon 16-35, and Nikon 20/2.8D with my D810, the Sigma and 16-35 being my preference.

Here are a few samples....

15mm FE, 170mm dome

Maldives Manta at Cleaning Station - 6541 by James Reynolds, on Flickr

16-35 200mm dome

Maldives - Reef - 5834 by James Reynolds, on Flickr

20mm & 170mm Zen Dome
Maldives Reef - 6860 by James Reynolds, on Flickr

awesome

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was recently in Maldives with my D810 and shot the Sig 15mm FE, Nikon 16-35, and Nikon 20/2.8D with my D810, the Sigma and 16-35 being my preference.

 

Here are a few samples....

 

15mm FE, 170mm dome

Maldives Manta at Cleaning Station - 6541 by James Reynolds, on Flickr

 

16-35 200mm dome

Maldives - Reef - 5834 by James Reynolds, on Flickr

 

20mm & 170mm Zen Dome

Maldives Reef - 6860 by James Reynolds, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

Did you use a diopter, James? You've got really good edge sharpness and although mine (D800, 16-35 and Subal DP230 with +2 diopter) are good, I'm not sure they are as edge sharp as you have there.

No diopters, Tim...don't even have any for the WA lenses.

Thanks for the nice comments, you guys.

No diopters, Tim...don't even have any for the WA lenses.

 

Thanks for the nice comments, you guys.

Oh right - thanks for that. Interesting.