I have noticed a serious trend here on the use of Primes, with folks asking what should be their first prime, and which prime for which purpose.
It comes down to photographers wanting to extract the last 99% from their equipment, and until Nikkor lens can make a 1.8 Zoom from 15-300 that is small, distortion free, etc,,
but.... in camera processing power keeps getting better, so,, why doesn't Nikon fix the flaws of a lens real time while taking the shot..
Fix the Vignetting, straighten the distorion, remove chormatic(spelling) conditions,,
Then Just work on making the sharpest lens possible, fix the flaws in the camera, and make super duper zooms.
I suspect, that mirrorless SLRs are just around the corner, Just to get rid of mirror shake might make that worth it.. but,,, I will miss seeing the actual image, not a fan of in camera video viewer, but that is a different topic.
I suspect that primes are going to be around for a long time. Look how Nikon keeps designing and improving newer versions. So you know they are selling well.
The Primes I use ALL THE TIME
15 MM 3.5
20 MM 3.5
28 MM 2.8
50 MM 1.4,1,2,1.8, 2.0 (laughs,, no favorite).
60 MM macro
85 mm 1.8 (I have the 1.4 but the 1.8 is sweet)
105 micro (have the 105 DC,, need to use it more, I have the 105 Gausian,, but micro more)
200 mm F4 (love this lens)
300 mm F4 (not much, because I like the 80-400 zoom more)
28 mm PC (hardly ever)
8 mm fisheye (sometimes when I want to play)
primes I use less often
20 mm 2.8 AF
24
55 Micro (used to be my favorite, but lately been using the 60 mm more)
180 ED (I should this lens is sharp sharp sharp)
85 1.8, 1.4 (yes,, I know its in the list above, but barely, this focal length collects dust)
135 2.8 (this is a sharp lens, but, hardly ever reach for it)
For some reason, I don't own a 35 mm,, its just too close to my 28 mm which I have been always happy with. Due to the length of my photography years, I have both the
AI manual and the AF D versions of most of my primes,, No favorite there, sometimes I am in the manual mode, sometimes in the auto focus mode.
Overall, I think it is a tie between using the manual vs the auto versions, I think I prefer the old AI, or AIs versions.
I don't yet have any of the newer G versions of the Primes. Many have grown too large, and too expensive for my taste. I mean the 35 1.4 G,,, 1700 .. Gee Whiz!
I would be willing to pay say 800 dollars NEW for an updated
Nikkor 35 1.4 D version,, I would rather have Nikon update the old D line with the better optics and keep the price and form factor down,, then filling my kit with these oversize bloated monsters.
Of course,, If I had one in my Kit,, I would be declaring it the best lens since slice bread... why, it can even walk your dog.... oh wait,, I better go walk my dog..
It comes down to photographers wanting to extract the last 99% from their equipment, and until Nikkor lens can make a 1.8 Zoom from 15-300 that is small, distortion free, etc,,
but.... in camera processing power keeps getting better, so,, why doesn't Nikon fix the flaws of a lens real time while taking the shot..
Fix the Vignetting, straighten the distorion, remove chormatic(spelling) conditions,,
Then Just work on making the sharpest lens possible, fix the flaws in the camera, and make super duper zooms.
I suspect, that mirrorless SLRs are just around the corner, Just to get rid of mirror shake might make that worth it.. but,,, I will miss seeing the actual image, not a fan of in camera video viewer, but that is a different topic.
I suspect that primes are going to be around for a long time. Look how Nikon keeps designing and improving newer versions. So you know they are selling well.
The Primes I use ALL THE TIME
15 MM 3.5
20 MM 3.5
28 MM 2.8
50 MM 1.4,1,2,1.8, 2.0 (laughs,, no favorite).
60 MM macro
85 mm 1.8 (I have the 1.4 but the 1.8 is sweet)
105 micro (have the 105 DC,, need to use it more, I have the 105 Gausian,, but micro more)
200 mm F4 (love this lens)
300 mm F4 (not much, because I like the 80-400 zoom more)
28 mm PC (hardly ever)
8 mm fisheye (sometimes when I want to play)
primes I use less often
20 mm 2.8 AF
24
55 Micro (used to be my favorite, but lately been using the 60 mm more)
180 ED (I should this lens is sharp sharp sharp)
85 1.8, 1.4 (yes,, I know its in the list above, but barely, this focal length collects dust)
135 2.8 (this is a sharp lens, but, hardly ever reach for it)
For some reason, I don't own a 35 mm,, its just too close to my 28 mm which I have been always happy with. Due to the length of my photography years, I have both the
AI manual and the AF D versions of most of my primes,, No favorite there, sometimes I am in the manual mode, sometimes in the auto focus mode.
Overall, I think it is a tie between using the manual vs the auto versions, I think I prefer the old AI, or AIs versions.
I don't yet have any of the newer G versions of the Primes. Many have grown too large, and too expensive for my taste. I mean the 35 1.4 G,,, 1700 .. Gee Whiz!
I would be willing to pay say 800 dollars NEW for an updated
Nikkor 35 1.4 D version,, I would rather have Nikon update the old D line with the better optics and keep the price and form factor down,, then filling my kit with these oversize bloated monsters.
Of course,, If I had one in my Kit,, I would be declaring it the best lens since slice bread... why, it can even walk your dog.... oh wait,, I better go walk my dog..