Next Lens, Next Body

I have finally decided that my next lens will be the 105mm f/2.8 macro lens by Nikon. I would forgo the necessary "kit" range and stick to my guns of the 30mm and a 105mm, both primes, and both very fancy.

The problem is, I don't know if I'll have a camera for the lenses to accommodate. Haha. While the D90 is nice, I am not completely satisfied with it. Plus, seeing the direction of video in DSLRs and what good implementation could be(a la the 5D Mark II) and what bad implementation is (the D90), it would be a smarter decision to wait for Nikon's second generation video DSLR.

Plus, another excuse is that money is tight (which it undoubtedly is), and it would be unwise to splurge on something that is not critical and essential.

Narrowing Down the Lenses

I've been doing some research on the higher-tier system I want to use with the D90 (should I get it in the future).

Currently, I'm using a Nikon D40 with a NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, a NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6, and a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. I've been looking for a more rugged and better build system (maybe faster and better image quality too). I have narrowed it down to these few, having considered essential features, reviews, build quality and their cost bracket.

AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
AF NIKKOR 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF
AF-S NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED VR

For the more fancy stuff:

AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR (likely to be my next lens)
AF DX Fisheye-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED

I just wish Nikon would come out with more updated lenses, namely the wide and normal primes. Any recommendations?

Clarity Test

Click for larger version of the photos, taken with the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 on a Nikon D40. Please leave comments below.

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

Yesterday was a momentous day for me and my photography hobby (or perhaps, misplaced addiction). After work, and directly to Penn Station via the LIRR, my friend and I went to B&H to purchase my first real lens (albeit, not a genuine Nikon lens; how sad!).

I came prepared with research and consideration for the Nikon 35 mm f/2, Nikon 50mm f/1.4, and Sigma 30mm f/1.4, in that order of preference. Some how, I left the store (having paid $200 more than I wanted to) with my third choice--the Sigma. Thanks a lot, Ricky.

I went in skeptical of the Sigma, and I still am. I had never liked Sigma's rough focus and zoom rings, and its top quality still didn't feel as good as Nikon or Canon's own lens. But compared to the two Nikon lenses (which do not autofocus on my D40, a fault of having a cheap camera body), the Sigma was nicer overall.

The Nikon lenses was designed for film cameras nearly 20 years ago. They had an extremely smooth focus ring and were much smaller than the Sigma. The Sigma, as I had expected, had a nasty focus ring. Then I thought, since it has the benefit of autofocus, I wouldn't really need to be touching the focus ring anyway! Or at least, for the most part. The Sigma had other problems of its own, but I did not notice them and wouldn't have noticed them if not for the reviews I read online.

I immediately dismissed the 50mm because that wasn't the focal length I really wanted. The final decision came after I made a few test shots with the Nikon 35mm and the Sigma 30mm. The Sigma was faster and had noticeably better bokeh. See below for a rough comparison. This is Alan in the blue, and I thank him.

NIKON 35mm: A little dark.

SIGMA 30mm: Brighter than previous using about the same settings.

NIKON 35mm: Decent Bokeh. Poor Focus (I'm not used to manual focusing).

SIGMA 30mm: Much Nicer Bokeh.
To me, this purchase is significant in a number of ways: 1. Dedication now to the Nikon brand, even though I didn't buy a true Nikon as my first lens. 2. Exceeding the beginner-level braket of lens quality and cost. 3. Finally getting a feel of what sharpness and aperture really mean. 4. Understanding how a crop-body camera affects lenses and lens choice. 5. Tying Adrian in lens-count and leading Ricky by one. :-)

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It felt as if I can shoot anything and the lens can make the shot magical. I took some test shots at home. I shot my sister first. Pictures came out nice, and the lens worked quite well in the dark. It's definitely not what I'm used to in a lens, although I notice I now need a flash (or two, or three). The lack of sharpness is likely my fault. Heh.


Note: For editing my sister's photos, I only cropped; nothing more. Alan's photos were straight from the D40.