Nikon Wide Angle Lens

Nikon Wide Angle Lens DX Digital Format

Crop factor of a Nikon Wide Angle Lens.

First it is best to deal with basics. If you are upgrading from a film SLR to digital SLR you need to bear in mind when choosing a Nikon Wide Angle Lens the difference in angle of view of the lens. A Digital SLR has a smaller sensor than 35 mm film. The difference is called the Crop Factor.

For a Nikon Camera the conversion from Digital to SLR is 1.5. For example if you have a 20mm lens it will produce an angle of view equivalent to a 30mm lens for film. For a very wide angle lens you would need a 12mm lens to get an equivalent of an 18mm lens in film.

Built in features of a Nikon Wide Angle Lens

When making your choice of Nikon Wide Angle Lens bear in mind that some features of a Nikon DSLR system are built into the lens. An older lens or a compatible lens from an independent lens maker may not have some of these features. The most important is that autofocus is carried out by a motor in the lens. When you see a description of a Nikon Wide Angle Lens you will note a number of letters at the end. Auto Focus is fairly obvious as AF.

Another lens only feature is Anti Shake also known as Image Stabilisation. Nikon call it Vibration Reduction. It is quite useful if you have to take a hand held shot in low lighting conditions. Bear in mind that a Nikon Wide Angle Lens with this feature will usually be dearer. In the Lens description you should look out for the abbreviation VR.

Fixed Focal or Zoom

The next issue to consider in choosing a Nikon Wide Angle Lens is whether you want a fixed focal length lens or a zoom lens. The fixed focal lenses are much higher in quality and are usually used by professionals and serious photographers. Most purchasers of a Nikon Wide Angle Lens will go for a zoom lens. It is best to avoid a zoom lens which covers too great a range. This will result in a heavier lens and poorer image quality because of the compromises required to make the lens.

A good starter set of lenses would be a medium to long zoom and a Nikon Wide Angle Zoom Lens.

Some suggestions for a Nikon Wide Angle Lens.

THE NIKON 12-24mm f/4G IF ED AF-S DX NIKKOR "Super Wide Angle" ZOOM LENS

The Nikon 12-24mm is the original Nikon ultrawide DX zoom lens, having been introduced back in 2003. This is a zoom lens with the equivalent range of an 18-36mm in 35mm. The lens is fairly heavy at over one pound (485g) Autofocus with the 12-24mm  Nikon Wide Angle Lens is accurate and precise. Images have good contrast and come out very sharp.

AF-S Nikon 10-24 f/3.5-4.5G DX ED (77mm filters, 16.3 oz/463g). Super Wide Angle ZOOM LENS

This is the newest Nikon Wide Angle Lens in the wide angle zoom range, available since May 2009.

It offers excellent performance with moderate weight. The extra 2 mm compared with the 12 - 24 zoom can make a big difference in getting really special shots

Buying a Nikon Wide Angle Lens

To be sure of getting a genuine Nikon Wide Angle Lens with warranty go to a Nikon Authorised Dealer. To find one go to nikonusa.com. Here you can find a complete list or search for the nearest by zip code. Note that to buy online Amazon.com is an authorised dealer.