3rd party Wide Angle Options for AF-S (CPU lenses)

[blw777]

I can look this up, but if I did get a D80 or D200 or something, how do those cameras deal with internal drive lenses? Does the internal lens drive get automatically deactivated or are they just incompatible. This might influence how much I invest in internal drive lenses.

PS. I think I want to buy a 50mm f/1.8. I think this is an AF (non-internal drive lens), which means I focus manually, but can still meter. Right? I don't mind manually focusing (I never had AF on my film SLR), and I could use a sharp, fast lens.

There aren't any lenses that are both screwdriver and AFS, so whichever mechanism works is the one that gets used on a non-D40. If you're shooting one of the bodies that has both types of AF, you pretty much don't think about it. You just pick the lens you want, mount it and go shooting.

The 50/f1.8 is a screwdriver AF lens. It meters but does not auto focus on the D40. You can focus it manually, of course. Just be aware that manually focusing a DSLR with a modern AF focusing screen and a smaller-than-film viewfinder means that it just isn't like focusing the same lens on an old manual focus film body. On AF bodies (including the D40), you do get the "green dot" focus assist indicator in the lower left corner of the finder, though.

 

[blw777]

It will be very interesting to see how the development of new lenses goes, and whether more have internal af motors. If the bodies that use these lenses are all consumer models, then you may have the volume of bodies out there to drive some demand, but not necessarily the highest lens quality...I hope I'm wrong.

In three years, all of the AF lenses for DSLRs will have internal motors. The entire industry is moving to this scheme. I expect that things will look like the current Nikon AFS lineup: some like the 18-55 that are built to a price point and not so quick or featured (you can't just twist the focusing ring on the low-end AFS lenses), and others like the 70-200VR that are...

 

[chinesestunna]

some like the 18-55 that are built to a price point and not so quick or featured (you can't just twist the focusing ring on the low-end AFS lenses)

Really? I've never used one so I'm curious. All the AF-S, HSM lenses I've used has full manual override of the AF (although the Sigma will override you again if the camera is in AF-C, whereas the Nikons will stay until you let go and press the shutter half way again).

 

[fyrbolt]

Here is another vote for the Sigma 10-20.

My thinking was that I have the Tamron 17-50. There would be a small overlap between 17mm and 20mm and a difference of 7mm between 10mm and 17mm. If I got the 12-24, the overlap would be greater and the difference smaller. If I had the Tamron 28-75, I would have chosen the Tokina 12-24. I wouldn't want to spend the money on a Nikon at this point, since it's just a hobbie.:smile:

My head was spinning around reading all the different reviews and tests on the wide angle lenses. Most reviews had the Nikon on top and the Tokina and Sigma at about the same level. Between the last two, most everybody said flip a coin and pick one..... I'm happy with the sigma.

 

[Schnauzermom]

PS. I think I want to buy a 50mm f/1.8. I think this is an AF (non-internal drive lens), which means I focus manually, but can still meter. Right? I don't mind manually focusing (I never had AF on my film SLR), and I could use a sharp, fast lens.

It will still meter, and with a bit of practice, focusing isn't that tough.....

 

[craig.martell]

Here's a vote for the Tamron 11-18. VERY SHARP! Although, you can't go wrong with any of them. I would:

1) Decide what focal range you want. For me, 18 on the long end was enough, and I wanted wider than 12mm. So it came down to Tamron or Sigma.

2) Then vote with your wallet. I got the Tamron for a great price, and there were no Sigmas on Craig's List. That did it for me.

Craig

Forgive me if this has been addressed, but after 20 min of searching, I thought I'd post.


Does anyone know if there any 3rd party wide angle fixed or zoom (e.g. 12-24) lenses compatible with the Nikkor AF-S type lenses? I am just beginning to realize how limited the options are for us D40x owners.... I read good things about the Tamron 12-24, but it seems like it is incompatible with my camera body.

 

[blw777]

The problem with the Tamron is that it won't AF on the D40. Ditto the Tokina. But then that was mentioned a couple of times up at the top of this thread...

 

[craig.martell]

Yup. My bad. For some reason I read "D80" and not "D40x." The Tamron will not AF with the D40/40x.

Craig

The problem with the Tamron is that it won't AF on the D40. Ditto the Tokina. But then that was mentioned a couple of times up at the top of this thread...

 

[KAEPhoto]

Here's a follow-up question regarding third party lenses and the nikon DX format CCD.

The sigma digital lenses with the HSM (internal drive motor in the lens) are specially designed for the more common APS-C format CCDs (22x15m). The Nikon DX format CCD is slightly bigger (23.7x15.7mm).

Does anyone know if using a lens optimized for the smaller CCD will present any problems when used with the larger Nikon DX format CCD? If so, it may be a reason to stick with Nikon only lenses...

 

[bozola]

I thought all DX CCD's were the same size.

 

[blw777]

As an independent supplier, Sigma design to be applicable to all of the common DSLR sensors. The Sigma SD-xx designs are a little smaller than Nikon's and most of Canon's.

Nikon's sensors are all slightly different in size, although not much.

In practice there's not much difference between the 1.5x (Nikon), 1.6x (Canon) and 1.7x (Sigma) sensors as far as the lens design is concerned.