Suddenly the world looks different
Got me a Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8 lens for Christmas. As a die-hard telephoto junkie, I’m finding this lens feels very strange and still working out how to make it sing like a canary.
Ken Rockwell says, these ultra-wide angle lenses are emphatically not about “getting it all in” - unless of course you like boring photos with your subject lost in an expanse of nothingness. The trick seems to be to use the foreground to background distortion to create weird and wonderful effects, And to get in close, check the viewfinder, then get in even closer. Watch the edges of the photo for extraneous detail - you’ll get used to shouting at your family and friends to get out of the frame and you’d better warn them right now it’s nothing personal.
You’d also better get used to being very, very careful with handling if (like me) you were born with the clumsy gene. The curvature of the front element means you cannot mount a filter. The lens comes with a tough, built in lens hood and you are going to need it. Keep the lens cover on all the time you’re not shooting.
As all the reviews say, this is a real corker of a lens, sharp way out into the corners. You need a full frame lens to get the best out of the lens, and it feels balanced and right on my D700. We’ve been together for just over a month now and I know I’m going to love and learn so much from this lens.
Check out Ken Rockwell for some great tips on using this lens and similar ultrawides, and for some inspirational examples of their use.
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For Christmas? Apparently santa didn’t check his list let alone twice.