NOTE: This article was first published over at nikonglass (https://goo.gl/mYnvdR) on the 17th September 2008

Intro

Chasing news stories requires a robust lens that can deliver the sharpest possible images, even at wide open apertures and that is exactly what this lens was designed for. Nikon made this lens for the photojournalist who needs speed and a very wide view! So by eliminating the landscapers needs during the design process, Nikon built a superb lens that unfortunately has a huge bulbous front element and no filter thread! When first released, it was a problem and a lot of landscapers resorted to HDR and blending techniques but thankfully the market responded and we now have a couple of filter adapters available (eg: Fotodiox, Lee etc) though quite costly.

Compared with the AFS 17-35mm

The AFS 17-35mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom is the lens most “other” full frame photographers should have in their camera-bag. It is a little cheaper, more manageable, lighter and smaller, easily accepts filters (that are smaller & cheaper), offers a larger and more usable focal length range and offers very similar optical excellence. I say similar but not the same. The AFS 14-24mm is the better performer, since it can extend its excellent center performance all the way out towards the edges of the frame unlike the 17-35mm.

Description

I first came across this lens at the D700 presentation. An impressive and very sexy looking lens, but not really suited to the “majority” of photographers as already explained! My first test images were an eye opener. The first thing one notices is clarity and sharpness! Its so sharp, that you are willing to live with its size and filter shortcoming just to be able to produce such sharp results.

This is the first “ultra” wide angle zoom with a constant fast aperture of f/2.8. It offers ED and ASP elements, SIC and Nano crystal coatings and other technologies such as SWM, IF, D and G - a pretty impressive feature list. The AFS 14-24mm f/2.8 is an internal focusing based design which means it doesn’t change its physical length when focusing, though the front and rear elements move in and out while zooming. The large front bulbous glass element projects within the hood region just like the old AF 80-200mm f/2.8 lens.

Quick specs

• Focal length: 14-24mm (21-36mm / DX)
• Construction: 14E / 11G (2 ED, 3 ASP, 1 NCC)
• Angle: 114 - 84° (90 - 61° / DX)
• MFD: 0.28m @ 18-24mm and 0.22m @14mm
• Filter Size: None
• Dimensions: 98mm x 131.5mm
• Weight: 1000g
• Diaphragm: 9 (rounded)

In the 2 examples above, I have used the 14mm on both a DX and FX camera from the same shooting position so that the the anchor and chain are composed in a similar fashion. The difference between 14mm (FX) and 21mm (DX) in perspective, even though shot from the same spot, is pretty large.

Quirks

Two things missing are the filter thread (which means a big investment in a specialized filter holder and very large filters) and an aperture ring. Some might point out the lack of VR technology but who needs VR in such a wide angle lens anyway? Unfortunately, the G technology limits the compatibility of this lens to the newer camera bodies that offer aperture changes via the body. Which means it’s not compatible with the PK series rings, so no more extreme close-ups with nicely blurred backgrounds (like was possible on the AFS 17-35mm).

This is a good example of what you can accomplish with a focal length of 14mm on a full frame camera. Though getting your subject this close to the lens is a different story. (This is shot on film)

Build quality and handling

The build quality is exceptional just as you would expect for a pro Nikkor. The internal structure holding all the glass together is made of a combination of a light metal alloy and brass as is the rest of the casing until you flick your finger on the built-in hood, which you then discover is plastic. Most users of this lens won’t notice, and this is probably a good choice by Nikon since it helps reduce the overall weight. Like most new Nikkor’s, it sports the new rubber weather seal on the back to help seal the vulnerable connection between lens and camera. It also has some seals inside for better dust and moisture protection.

The lens is very large but it balances well on a large pro body such as the D3 or the D700 with MBD10. The ergonomics of the camera-lens combination is good since the lens fits in the left hand nicely when shooting. In particular, the focusing ring is nice to the touch and comfortable to use with a smooth operation while the wide zoom ring which is set nearest to the camera is also nice to the touch but has a lot more drag due to the heavy element group it needs to move back and forth.

The ergonomics suffer a bit when mounted on a smaller and lighter body where the front-heavy 1kg lens makes the whole combination to nose-dive. I wouldn’t recommend using this lens on a small camera since its size and weight would overtake the cameras mass and weight and would make handling difficult especially when the combination will be mounted on a ball head.

FX @ 14mm and wide open

100% screen capture

Optical performance

Chromatic aberrations: Between 14mm-18mm CA’s are very well controlled and together with modern software I doubt anyone will have any problems, unless the scene incorporates very high contrast transitions near the border of the frame. Between 20mm-24mm CA’s aren’t noticeable at all. Again, thanks to those two ED elements, color fringing and other aberrations are nearly nonexistent

Flaring and ghosting: As for flaring and ghosting, this lens can flare just like any bulbous wide angle, but thanks to the nano-crystal coating on the inside of the front element and the inclusion of two ED elements , it’s a lot less than expected. Thankfully, when you see ghosts through your viewfinder you only need to move ever so slightly to remove them. Let me remind some of you, that you actually need to be shooting into the sun to get any shiny dots, so this is very good performance. I remember back in my youth, my 16mm fisheye would sometimes produce ghosting together with some flaring even when the sun was outside the frame!

Vignetting: Thanks to the large elements used, vignetting is very well controlled.

Distortion: On a full frame body, the amount of lens distortion is negligible. If you shoot a brick wall, you will see some barrel distortion at 14mm, a lot less at 18mm and no distortion by the time you zoom to 24mm. On a DX body there is no noticeable distortion unless you go searching for it! Let me remind you here, that there is a difference between lens distortion and perspective distortion so don’t confuse the two.

Sharpness: Anyone who shoots with this lens for the first time will be surprised with the results. The amount of detail, micro contrast and overall sharpness are simply outstanding! The overall performance is excellent from wide open till f/8 at all focal lengths. Between 20mm-24mm the excellent performance continues on till f/16.

This scene initially showed ghosting running from the center all the way to the sun plus a flare in the lower left corner. I moved ever so slightly without altering my composition and they both disappeared.

Last words

So before you decide on this lens, I would advise that you consider carefully how much you really need a fast super wide angle zoom. If your photography warrants a wider angle than that offered by the older AFS 17-35mm then go for it! But I honestly believe that most photographers will be better served by the 17-35mm lens.

Pictures taken with the AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED

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