49 replies to this topic

[james]

Today is the day that Nikon is to release their Pre-PMA announcements. Historically, they release consumer digicam info before the show and then their pro stuff AT the show.

They have reconfirmed the release of the 12-24DX f4 lens:

http://www.dpreview....nikon1224dx.asp

Not much new in the announcement, but it's good to see them sticking with it.

No pricing info or date has been released yet - they are still saying "spring" 2003 so who knows. One UK retailer has listed the lens for sale on their site for UK ~750 pounds - following current trends would mean ~$750 US. I'm sure this is subject to change as it's obviously just a shot in the dark.

Cheers
James

[james]

Ouch, just read this on the DPreview forum (so unconfirmed):

Nikon Japan just released the price of DX 12-24. It's \162,000-. which is about US$1,350

Ouch!

Cheers
James

[james]

Can anyone pick up the magazine and check this out:

The March 2003 edition of Popular Photography, on page 10 of their Snap Shots column, has a brief preview of the AFS Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G ED lens. Apparently this lens and possibly the entire future DX line won't work with the Fuji S2 Pro or Kodak's 14N cameras.
"(Unfortunately, they won't work with other Nikkor-compatible cameras such as FujiFilm's S2 Pro or Kodak's 14N...)"

Ah, it looks like the writer was confused. It won't work with full-frame cameras like the Kodak (duh!) but the S2 has the same sensor size as the D100.

James

[scorpio_fish]

Don't worry, the Yen price can't be translated to U.S. price. It will probably only be $1200

[Cybergoldfish]

May be able to produce some great voyeur type shots onto 35mm

[scottyb]

I had a feeling that baby would cost some dough. They haven't built an AFS lens for less than or anywhere near $1K yet. I will still have to have one. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work on the S2. The 17-35 works beautifully and I would already own one if I could get a port for it.

[davephdv]

Lot of diff prices listed for the 12 -24. When I bought my D100, some months after it was on the streets the list price was 2999$. Yet my local camera store and just about every one else was selling it for 1995$. My gut feeling is the street price is under 1000$. Probably more like 800$ . If you don't have to buy it the first month or 2.

[Birdman]

I can't imagine that they would price it over $1K. Most of the people out there holding out on buying a digital SLR are waiting for the full size sensors to drop in price so their large collection of lenses will work as intended. If Nikon is going to go the route of trying to convince the public to buy a smaller sensor camera AND new wide lenses, they better make the lenses affordable or they won't sell any.

I read something about Nikon changing the mount slightly on the lens so it won't fit on a film camera by accident. It could be that the D100 mount was designed in advance for this purpose and the lens truly WON'T fit on a Fuji S2 since it uses a standard Nikon AF mount. That would blow.

I don;t have a DSLR yet but I'm leaning towards the Fuji. Seems to be getting better reviews in terms of image quality than the D100 and it also works with "old style" TTL such as all my strobes have! I guess I have to wait and see what happens with this lens. Sure would be easier if we could just get a full frame sensor.

-JB

[Evil Bill]

This is all speculation, not the lens, but the future plans of the companies. It makes me ask the question that if Nikon was on the verge of releasing a full frame D-SLR why would they go through the trouble of making this DX "digital optimized lens" a big story? The DX name seems to indicate a "line."

Obviously there are a bunch of D100's out there along with the Fujis. To eliminate the Fujis and depend on just the D100's, D1x, D1h, etc. seems short-sighted if you were on the verge of breaking it open with full frame D-SLRs. Since there are still a bunch of people on the fence with moving to D-SLRs it would seem that if they were to announce the availability of a earthshattering full frame 14 MP camera that can even drain pasta without removing the lid, it would result in further constipation of the migration to D-SLRs.

I personally don't think they've perfected it, and they are going to expand the opportunities for D100, professional D1 series and the Fujis. Sell Sell Sell. Get a good installed base with a bunch of glass and then do the Mega-MP, then people with the glass would obviously upgrade rather than jump ship to another manufacturer. The upgrade path may have slowed for a bit due to some unforseen problems (see Kodak) and maybe Cannon's suffering from the same thing and Nikon is biding it's time.

Then again, I may have just escaped from a mental institution, and something totally different will happen. (Ssshhh don't tell anybody! ) We may know in a couple of weeks at PMA, then again, there's also a chance that someone just may find an actual important difference between the D100 and the S2 to help people make an easy choice between them.

Anyways, this looks like a great lens with flexibility for WA.

[james]

People get confused about this.

The lens is designed for cameras with the 1/1.5 sized sensor (D1, D1_, D100) The lens WILL Fit on a film camera, but it will not "fill the frame." Instead, using a film camera, a photo taken w/ the 12-24DX lens will look like the round photo that Bob posted above.

The mount on the S2, D100, D1_, and the Nikon film cameras is the same.

HTH
James

[Birdman]

Hi James,
I understand what you're saying about the AF mount. I understand that in theory they are all the same lens mount, but it is quite possible to introduce a lens using the same mount with a tab or pin that prevents it from going onto a standard AF mount--if in fact they have made the mount on the digital series of cameras have a small cutout to accept the tab or pin. This might not be immediately obvious without close examination. I agree that they should all theoretically fit and they are all technically the same AF mount... BUT I would not rush to the assumption that they haven't done a little something to prevent the DX lenses from going onto a film camera to "idiot proof" it. Have you actually CLOSELY compared the mount of the D100 with that of a film camera? I have not, so I am totally speculating. If someone released a press statement saying that the lens won't fit on a film camera or an S2, they very well may not be confused and may know something we don't. That's all I'm saying. I could be wrong and I hope I am!!

Incidentally, I have spoken to a couple people who have tried the Canon full-frame sensor SLR and they have reported that it exhibits strange color-shifting effects at the edges of the frame when using wide angle lenses, presumably caused by the oblique angle at which light strikes the sensor towards the edge. One professional photographer I know assessed the results with wide angle lenses as "completely unacceptable" and returned the camera. This may be the reason why Nikon has chosen to embrace the smaller sensor.

-Jonathan

[Cybergoldfish]

Incidentally, I have spoken to a couple people who have tried the Canon full-frame sensor SLR and they have reported that it exhibits strange color-shifting effects at the edges of the frame when using wide angle lenses, presumably caused by the oblique angle at which light strikes the sensor towards the edge.  One professional photographer I know assessed the results with wide angle lenses as "completely unacceptable" and returned the camera.  This may be the reason why Nikon has chosen to embrace the smaller sensor.

-Jonathan

I did the same thing myself as I had found the same results with the D1s. It may be Canon are using the same analytical software as on the D60 for processing the collected image data which cannot account for nonlinearity at the edges of a much bigger footprint. As it is the unit is a very overpriced piece of crap. The Contax 6 Mp FFC is getting better results.

[james]

I hear you Jonothan. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

When comparing the S2 mount to the Nikon film cameras, it's the same. I haven't checked out the D100 in detail yet.

Cheers
James

[Cybergoldfish]

James,

Does it have the same amount of contacts on the body as those on the lenses?

[james]

I'll check tonight.

Cheers
James

[james]

Here's a quote from Thom Hogan, a Nikon expert:

> "Unfortunately, they (DX lenses) won't work with other
> Nikkor-compatible cameras such as FujiFilm's S2 Pro or Kodak's 14N".
Won't be the first time they've had to print a correction.


My understanding is that it will work on both! It should work just like it does on a D100 on an S2 Pro. On the 14n, it should cover full frame from 18-24mm. (Yes, that last part is right, I think. Nikon has quietly stated that the lens will cover the full 35mm frame at some focal lengths.)

Cheers
James

[Cybergoldfish]

My understanding is that it will work on both! It should work just like it does on a D100 on an S2 Pro. On the 14n, it should cover full frame from 18-24mm. (Yes, that last part is right, I think. Nikon has quietly stated that the lens will cover the full 35mm frame at some focal lengths.)

Pointless buying the lens then really, other than for the 1.5 correction unless you are looking for special effects.

[james]

I think the idea here is that if you have an S2 or a D100, the lens will behave like an 18-35

If you have a film camera, or a FF digital, it will behave like an 18-24.

The latter is a "bonus" in my book, because the lens is a DX - designed for digital. But if your digital body craps out on you and you want to use an Nikon F80 or F100 as a backup - you still have an 18-24 lens - which is a decent zoom range for UW use.

Cheers
James

[Cybergoldfish]

If you have a 100% viewfinder maybe, otherwise you would get vigneting for sure, I'm sure f. stops below f8 would add to this.

If your camera craps out you should have an identical spare, an F100 is no good to an S2 or a D100 housing.

If you flood the housing the lens is porked anyway.

[james]

But an F80 will fit...;-)

Cheers
James