Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G

Nikon AF-S 14-24mm

I absolutely love shooting with a wide angle lens, especially in situations were your first instinct wouldn't be to use a wide angle as you can get some of the most dramatic and memorable images this way. As soon as I saw this lens announced I was interested even though, strictly speaking I didn't need it. After the new D3 & D300 bodies were announced, I did give serious thought to getting a D3 and selling up and buying the 24-70mm & 14-24mm f/2.8. After they hit retail, I was allowed to take a D3 out for a spin with this lens, just for a day and I was kiddy. After a cold shower and coming to my senses, I just couldn't justify the D3 as it was an expense that didn't specifically allow me to get shots I couldn't with its little DX brother along with the S5 Pro (sorry Nikon) but after downloading the images from that wonderful day of shooting, this was ordered the very next.

I barely know where to begin here, as I'm still gushing and excited as I write this. Prime or zoom, I will begin by saying that I have no doubt in my mind that this is the finest wide angle lens I have ever used - and by a large margin. I have no idea what Nikon is doing over there in Japan, but they somehow managed to throw out the expected compromises for a wide angle lens and deliver something that just smashes the previous barriers.

The sharpness of the lens is stunning, especially when I took a few shots with both the 12-24mm DX which is a very good lens, and the new 14-24mm. The new glass just blows it out at 14mm, and what’s even more remarkable it has this stunning sharpness right from f/2.8. At 14mm, I'd say the DX doesn't really get as sharp as the new lens even at f/5.6, which when considering the one that is the better performer is wide open is quite an accomplishment.

When used on a cropped sensor camera such as the D300, the 14-24mm AF-S has remarkably little distortion at 14mm - a very compelling performance in fact. CA's are likewise not an issue as the lens deals with it in its stride and it never becomes much of an issue on the D300. Flare too is well controlled, although I have had some shots where I've had some, but as a general rule it handles this without breaking a sweat too.

The AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 is quite simply stunning, Nikon has managed to put out something really quite special here. If you are a D3 user, it is simply a no-brainer, this lens should be required to go with it as to me your missing half the magic of your camera if you deny yourself this beauty. On cropped sensor cameras it may not be quite so easy a decision if only because 14mm isn't nearly as wide obviously. Even taking that into account, I think this lens is such a standout that its easily worth having if you can find the money. Unsurprisingly, the price of admittance is quite high on this lens, but then that's hardly surprising given the spec's and regardless, with performance like this you don't even mind one little bit as you're just glad to have it. One of those rare lenses that you go out looking for reasons to use it, instead of choosing the lens that works best for the shot, you look for the shot the works best with this lens that you are just dying to use again when you first get it. The only issue is the fact you can't put a filter on this gem, which is certainly a shame but you know that before buying it. I will be keeping the 12-24mm DX for the this reason as well as it being a little wider, but that one small thing cannot detract from the 14-24mm which is simply a rare phenomenal lens.