On 24 Aug 1998 04:18:16 GMT, "Drew Chaplin"
>I have a Nikon F5 and have been wanting a FAST wide angle zoom lens.
>I really don't want a Nikon because it is so expensive. I currently have a
>brand new Nikon 80-200 f2.8 and I use it constantly. I can't see spending
>almost twice as much on a lens I don't think I'll use twice as much.
>I looked at the Tamron 20-40 f2.8-3.5 at the local camera store. I liked
>it, but I've never talked to anyone who has used it. The store doesn't
>sell Tokina, but I currently own a 28-70 f2.6-2.8. I like it a lot, a
>little noisy and slow focusing, but I still like it. The camera store
>doesn't care too much for Tokina. Personally I like the feel of my Tokina
>lens better than that of Tamron.
>As for the Tokina, I've never seen it. I just found out that another
>camera store I sometimes shop at does sell Tokina. I will probably go look
>at the lens there. I've read from Moose Peterson's home page that he
>really likes his and wouldn't spend the extra money for the Nikon.
>
>Anybody else every used either of these two lens. I would really
>appreciate any comments at all. If you post to the newsgroup, please email
>me direct also. I don't always get all posted messages.
Read Stan Chang's excellent post first, THEN this...;-)
(Though I must agree with others that money is best spent on
good glass first...;-) I question the need for a fast super-wide
for two reasons: super-wides can be used in low light at f5.6 or
so, due to the practicality of using them at very slow shutter
speeds even hand-held; and, even the best non-zoom super-wides
are relatively poor at wide stops ("cheaper" zooms, like the ones
you mentioned, may not be all that great even well stopped down).
The best super-wides that I have seen for (relatively...)
wide-aperture use (in color, for the 18) were the 16mm *f3.5*
and 18mm f3.5 Nikkors, with the 20mm *f2.8* being really excellent
from about f5.6. The best compromise, given your other lenses,
between price, quality, and width may be the Nikkor 20mm f2.8...
BTW, the Nikkor evaluation list (on my web page, under "I babble")
may be interesting...
Nikkors