The bulk of my work is taken using prime lenses with bright maximum apertures. The kind of venues that suit these lenses include small dark venues, through to medium-sized ones.These lenses afford me great exposure flexibility at the expense of convenience, it took me a long while to get used to changing lenses quickly enough so that I didn't miss important shots. Keeping an eye on the performers and trying to guess what they do - before they do it is also part of the fun. That way I can make sure I have the correct lens on the camera at the right time. I still get it wrong though... more times than I'd like.
The following lenses are what I own, and use on a regular basis:
This is the widest lens I've seen anywhere with such a bright aperture, which makes this lens perfect for smaller, darker venues. The focusing ring has a built-in clutch mechanism, which prevents it from rotating when focusing. This makes the lens handle brilliantly in auto and manual focus. It would've been nice if engaging the focus ring would switch between AF and MF, but then you can't have everything. This lens is a rear-focusing design, which provides super quick AF... even for a wide-angle lens.
Optically, this lens is pretty dreadful wide open, everything looks as though it's been taken with a tacky 80's soft focus filter. Stop it down to f/2 and sharpness improves dramatically, and it's still twice as bright as an f/2.8 zoom.
Optically, this lens is pretty dreadful wide open, everything looks as though it's been taken with a tacky 80's soft focus filter. Stop it down to f/2 and sharpness improves dramatically, and it's still twice as bright as an f/2.8 zoom.
Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG
The design of this lens is exactly the same as my Sigma 20mm f/1.8. I leave the hood on this one so I can tell them apart easily by touch. This lens uses a standard helical-focusing design, which is quite slow when compared to the 20mm as there is a lot of glass to move around in there.
Optically, this lens is superb, only softening a little at f/1.8 and as sharp as my 50mm at f/2.8.
This and my Nikon 85mm f/1.8 are the lenses I tend to use the most of all. I've shot entire gigs with this lens alone, as the focal length on a DX sensor is very versatile.
The design of this lens is exactly the same as my Sigma 20mm f/1.8. I leave the hood on this one so I can tell them apart easily by touch. This lens uses a standard helical-focusing design, which is quite slow when compared to the 20mm as there is a lot of glass to move around in there.
Optically, this lens is superb, only softening a little at f/1.8 and as sharp as my 50mm at f/2.8.
This and my Nikon 85mm f/1.8 are the lenses I tend to use the most of all. I've shot entire gigs with this lens alone, as the focal length on a DX sensor is very versatile.
Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4D
It's the fastest lens I own and it has produced the goods under some pretty horrific lighting. If you can justify the cost of this lens - get it!
If not the f/1.8 version will serve you well, although the f/1.4 is better at brighter apertures (I've owned both).
It's a compact, lightweight lens. So even if you primarily use zooms, it's worth stowing one of these somewhere in your kit bag just in case the lighting goes pear-shaped.
Nikon AF 85mm f/1.8
This and the Sigma 24mm f/1.8 are the lenses I use most out of all my kit.
It is stunning at f/2, which is twice as bright as an f/2.8 zoom wide open. Images at f/1.8 are a little soft, but not unacceptably so.
This lens is quite prone to flare in contra-light situations, and even worse with strong light from the side. This makes the supplied hood essential.
Out of focus areas are creamy smooth at apertures of f/2 and brighter. Stopping down more makes blurred highlights take on a distinctive shape, which can be distracting.
The rear-focusing design is provides super-quick AF performance. It's probably the fastest focusing lens I own, which is ideal.
Nikon AF 135mm f/2 DC
It's the fastest lens I own and it has produced the goods under some pretty horrific lighting. If you can justify the cost of this lens - get it!
If not the f/1.8 version will serve you well, although the f/1.4 is better at brighter apertures (I've owned both).
It's a compact, lightweight lens. So even if you primarily use zooms, it's worth stowing one of these somewhere in your kit bag just in case the lighting goes pear-shaped.
Nikon AF 85mm f/1.8
This and the Sigma 24mm f/1.8 are the lenses I use most out of all my kit.
It is stunning at f/2, which is twice as bright as an f/2.8 zoom wide open. Images at f/1.8 are a little soft, but not unacceptably so.
This lens is quite prone to flare in contra-light situations, and even worse with strong light from the side. This makes the supplied hood essential.
Out of focus areas are creamy smooth at apertures of f/2 and brighter. Stopping down more makes blurred highlights take on a distinctive shape, which can be distracting.
The rear-focusing design is provides super-quick AF performance. It's probably the fastest focusing lens I own, which is ideal.
Nikon AF 135mm f/2 DC
Sharpness is good enough at f/2 to print large, so long as I'm careful with my focusing. At f/2.8 it is one among the sharpest lenses I own.
The built-in hood is a bit shallow to be truly useful, and many images I take with strong light from the side are obliterated by flare. Another annoying quirk is how easily the Defocus Control slider moves around in my bag. I keep meaning to duct-tape it fast, but haven't gotten round to it yet. I never use the Defocus feature as out of focus areas are plenty smooth enough without adjustment. I do notice a dramatic reduction in sharpness when the control is moved only a tiny bit at f/2, so I always double check it before shooting with it.
The lens is an internal-focusing design, which means AF is quick and accurate with no extension of the lens during operation.
I also own the following lenses, but they see the light of day much less often:
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Macro
I've been considering slinging this lens on ebay for a while now as I barely use it, except to photograph things for ebay.
Something must be making me keep hold of it though, probably the fear of having no dedicated macro optic after yearning for one for so long before I bought it.
Optically, this lens' reputation is well deserved, although focusing is slow and clunky (which is to be expected with macro lenses... apparently).
Nikon AF 300mm f/4 ED
I picked up this lens for a silly bargain price because of a reasonably deep mark on the front element, which doesn't appear to effect image quality at all.
It is the older AF version, rather than the more refined, faster focusing AF-S version.
I use this lens for large stages at festivals and stadium gigs, and wouldn't be without it.
It's incredibly sharp at f/4, and just gets better as it's stopped down.
Focusing is a little on the slow side, but when paired with my D200 it's certainly quick enough for me.
My only major niggle with this lens is that the aperture blades are exposed from the rear of the lens. This means it's likely that crud of some description could lodge itself in the blades, which could spell the end of the lens. Here's hoping that doesn't happen any time soon!
I've been considering slinging this lens on ebay for a while now as I barely use it, except to photograph things for ebay.Something must be making me keep hold of it though, probably the fear of having no dedicated macro optic after yearning for one for so long before I bought it.
Optically, this lens' reputation is well deserved, although focusing is slow and clunky (which is to be expected with macro lenses... apparently).
Nikon AF 300mm f/4 ED
I picked up this lens for a silly bargain price because of a reasonably deep mark on the front element, which doesn't appear to effect image quality at all.It is the older AF version, rather than the more refined, faster focusing AF-S version.
I use this lens for large stages at festivals and stadium gigs, and wouldn't be without it.
It's incredibly sharp at f/4, and just gets better as it's stopped down.
Focusing is a little on the slow side, but when paired with my D200 it's certainly quick enough for me.
My only major niggle with this lens is that the aperture blades are exposed from the rear of the lens. This means it's likely that crud of some description could lodge itself in the blades, which could spell the end of the lens. Here's hoping that doesn't happen any time soon!
- Back to - What equipment do you use to take your photos?
- What equipment? - Camera
- What equipment? - Introduction to lenses
- What equipment? - Zoom lenses
- What equipment? - Other stuff
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