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Stellar wide open performer?

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voider

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Hi,

many lenses do not really perform stellar when wide open. I really like to shoot wide open but finding the right lenses for this is sometimes difficult.

My 300 2.8 AF-S II is perfect wide open. With this lens I only close the aperture to increase DOF.

The 85 1.4 AF-D is pretty good wide open but the stellar performance starts at f/2.

My already sold 17-55 DX was also stellar wide open.

Which lens is in your opinion stellar wide open?

Timur
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The 14-24mm f/2.8G is almost at its optimal wide open.

And the 180mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-D is impressive wide open.
 
Typo, probably, but it might confuse some people, nikon never had a 104mm, 105 dc it is! Really nice lens though.
 
MY lenses that perform well wide open:

-10.5 fisheye (has a little CA wide open, but pretty sharp and usable DOF because of its focal length)
Nikon D200 ,Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX Fisheye
3s f/2.8 at 10.5mm iso800



-14-24 Impressive corner to corner sharpness wide open.
Nikon D3 ,Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
1/60s f/2.8 at 24.0mm iso800



-17-55 Pretty decent wide open--At f/2.8 it's better than the 17-35.

-85 1.4
Nikon D50 ,Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF AF
1/80s f/1.4 at 85.0mm



-200 VR Very usable wide open. Incredibly sharp stopped down a little.

-200-400VR Very usable wide open.
Nikon D2h ,Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR
1/1600s f/4.0 at 400.0mm iso200



28 1.4
Despite what others will tell you, this lens is very usable at f/1.4:
Nikon D70 ,Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D AF
1/40s f/1.4 at 28.0mm ISO 200



And, I like it's rendering of out of focus elements:
Nikon D200 ,Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D AF
1/60s f/1.4 at 28.0mm iso100



Not sharp enough at f/1.4?
Hah!:
Nikon D3 ,Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D AF
1/2500s f/1.4 at 28.0mm iso200



100% crop:



RB

http://www.pbase.com/rbfresno/profile
 
My 105/2.5 is very good wide open. Unfortunately all my other lenses that perform well wide open are only f/2.8 or slower, and many of them have too much falloff for my taste.
 
I can't wait for a new 28 1.4 :-) I have the 35 1.4 AIS but wide open the performance is not great. Especially when comparing it to your examples of the 28 1.4. The 35 is great at f2 though...
RBFresno said:
MY lenses that perform well wide open:

-10.5 fisheye (has a little CA wide open, but pretty sharp and usable
DOF because of its focal length)
Nikon D200 ,Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX Fisheye
3s f/2.8 at 10.5mm iso800



-14-24 Impressive corner to corner sharpness wide open.
Nikon D3 ,Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
1/60s f/2.8 at 24.0mm iso800



-17-55 Pretty decent wide open--At f/2.8 it's better than the 17-35.

-85 1.4
Nikon D50 ,Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF AF
1/80s f/1.4 at 85.0mm



-200 VR Very usable wide open. Incredibly sharp stopped down a little.

-200-400VR Very usable wide open.
Nikon D2h ,Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR
1/1600s f/4.0 at 400.0mm iso200



28 1.4
Despite what others will tell you, this lens is very usable at f/1.4:
Nikon D70 ,Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D AF
1/40s f/1.4 at 28.0mm ISO 200



And, I like it's rendering of out of focus elements:
Nikon D200 ,Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D AF
1/60s f/1.4 at 28.0mm iso100



Not sharp enough at f/1.4?
Hah!:
Nikon D3 ,Nikkor 28mm f/1.4D AF
1/2500s f/1.4 at 28.0mm iso200



100% crop:



RB

http://www.pbase.com/rbfresno/profile
Click to expand...
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Your 28mm f/1.4 posts really cut the heart out of any "soft wide open" arguments. I've used the lens at f/2 .. f/2.5 for indoor sports, but I never ventured to torture it with dollar bill tests. Given the rocks and angle, it seems as if you handheld the dollar bill picture at 1/2500 shutter speed. True?
 
Another vote for the Sigma 150 2.8 macro.

I always thought Nikon glass would trump third party, but this Sigma is superb.

Have Fun
Photo Pete
 
Wow! Another surprise. The 58 1.2 is truly magnificent. I understand now why the 58 1.2 and 28 1.4 are so famous and expensive. I also aquired the 55 1.2 but the wide open performance is not even close to the 58. Too bad they are so expensive.
CM_laptop said:
100% crop from Nikkor AFD 85mm f1.4 wide open:



AiS Nikkor 58mm f1.2 NOCT:



100% Crop from AFD 35-70mm f2.8 (wide open):



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Click to expand...
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Cute pic of a lovely child; must be the pride & joy of his parents/care givers (related to you, maybe?)

I find it a tad soft, maybe due to camera shake.....?

.....oops, I mean "child" shake :))
 
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