Wide angle lens converter

lodgepole

I just bought a Nikon D40 and wanted to pick up a wide angle lens converter. It comes with an 18-55mm zoom lens and I was hoping to be able to pop something on the end of the lens (i've done that with video cameras before) for the purpose of saving money.

Something i've found online is (I won't post the link, I don't know the policy for ebay links...)...52mm 0.45X Wide-Angle Lens For Nikon D40X D40 BLACK =23

I realise it says Nikon D40 on it, but it's from Asia so I want to be sure before buying it. The page says is requires "Compatible models: all lens or lens adapter with 52mm filter screw thread", and I have no idea if the lens I have fits that criteria. Help? Alternatively recomend me a shop, online retailer etc that can sell me something for cheap.

Thirdfox

be aware that the quality of the converter may be quite poor (images may become vignetted, soft, distorted).

There's a reason why wide angle lenses cost a lot of money...

But if it's cheap and semi-disposable then give it a go - just don't expect miracles.

Shipping from non-EU countries can incurr duty and VAT (if it passes a very low limit).

Congrats with your D40 purchase, you'll love it

TJM

I've tried using what appears to be the exact same converter (seems identical in eBay link, 52mm thread also) but rapidly gave up. Image quality is appalling and the extra width you get on aps sensors is negligible. I'd save your money towards a proper wide angle lens or look at image stitching as an option.

lodgepole

Cheers lads, i'll dump the money into the bag/tripod/extra battery fund and keep my eyes open for new lenses in the future.

pete4130

I've sued wide angled lenses and fisheyes for about 7 years now. Started off with the cheap apadter ring and wide converter and thought it was great back in the day. In reality it sucked. You are adding more layers of glass for the light to travel through (as the cheapo converters are not top quality glass and don't have nice coating to reduec the amount of light lost that passes through them. You'll get vignetting too more than likely and your pop up flash wouldn't be designed to cover such a wide area that the lens can show so you'll get a dark/black semi circle at the bottom of each photo you shoot when using flash.
If you want to go fisheye/wide for cheap, check ebay for Peleng fisheye lenses (former eastern block, possibly made from old tanks?). They are about $100 I think, manual focus (but your depth of field is big with fisheye it doesnt matter and the Nikon 10.5 fisheye doesn't have a motor built in so would be manual focus on the D40 anyway) and are reasonably good quality. The lens coating wouldn't be up to the same quality as Nikon or Sigma but then they are 1/6th the price!
Its a rectangular fisheye you'd be after, these are full frame images whereas circular fisheyes give the vignetting all round the image (horrible black circle around the image).

Your other options are wide lenses (10-20mm or 12-24mm DX lenses made by nikon and sigma i think?) that are wide with less distortion than fisheyes and cheaper than the nikon 10.5mm fisheye) but these will cost more than the Peleng lens will.

I've got a 15-30mm sigma lens I don't use if your interested, although it might see some more use when I get my D3?

snellers

I'm currently in the process of purchasing a wide angle lens and after tons and tons of research have opted for the Tokina 12 - 24mm f4 pro (price approx 340 euros). Nikon version is double the price and in terms of image quality is no better than the Tokina. (excellent glass). Very, very, very slight barrel distortion when wide open but nothing CS3 can't fix in seconds (I could of gone for the Nikon as funds available but I feel this is a waste of hard earned cash)- steer clear of the Sigma 10 - 20mm (fairly poor at both 10 and 20mm ends) Tamron equivalent has had poor reviews too.

If you are looking for cheaper solutions then why not consider creating panoramas with multiple photos stitched to get that look you are after.

Best of luck!

quilmore

pete4130 wrote: »

If you want to go fisheye/wide for cheap, check ebay for Peleng fisheye lenses (former eastern block, possibly made from old tanks?). They are about $100 I think

a quick check on ebay couldn't find any cheaper than 250 euro
do you remember where did you see them at 100 dollars?

Snellers, I've opted for the tokina too
but tokina has just announced a rectilinear 11-16 to be released in Febrary
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0711/07111601tokina116.asp

I might wait a bit

Stephen

I have the Sigma 10-20 on my D50 and its fantastic. It will autofocus on the D40 too, which is nice. It did cost about €400 from a UK based ebay seller though. I'm sure its available a bit cheaper from the Hong Kongers.

pete4130

It was possibly 3 years ago when I saw them on ebay for about $100 (could have been £100 though?) If you really want to push the boat out go for the new Nikon 14-24 2.8 lens. It costs a whopping €1800 or there abouts but its amazing. Scroll down to the ice hockey image here http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/14-24mm.htm

I think its going to be my summer investment. Pretty much as wide if not wider than Nikon or Sigma's 16mm & 15mm fisheyes respectively on the horizontal without the fisheye distortion. It's my dream lens!

gerk86

there's also the oh so beautiful 10.5mm f2.8 nikkor for about 400 euro.

saving for it myself.

snellers

Wish I hadn't read the post regarding new Tokina lens......I have spent ages thinking over my choice and now you spoil it lol !! I dont think I have the patience to wait for it....if as it says Japan will get stock in December it probably means we will have to wait a few months more for the HK wholesalers to have free stocks...think I will go for the 12-24mm and wait for long term ownership reviews before considering the 11-16mm. As Landscape photography is my thang I have no genuine requirement for the extra stops....at the moment :-)

As for the Nikon f2.8 it looks amazing.......if only I had 1800 dollars burning a hole in my pocket!

pete4130

gerk86 wrote: »

there's also the oh so beautiful 10.5mm f2.8 nikkor for about 400 euro.

saving for it myself.

Only sold my one about 3 weeks ago! Really good lens. Super sharp, good in low light, small and very light. Stillgot my Sigma 15mm fisheye for the D3 when I get it. It's a bit bigger, bit heavier but still a fantastic lens!

quilmore

snellers wrote: »

Wish I hadn't read the post regarding new Tokina lens......I have spent ages thinking over my choice and now you spoil it lol !! I dont think I have the patience to wait for it....if as it says Japan will get stock in December it probably means we will have to wait a few months more for the HK wholesalers to have free stocks...think I will go for the 12-24mm and wait for long term ownership reviews before considering the 11-16mm. As Landscape photography is my thang I have no genuine requirement for the extra stops....at the moment :-)

I'm in the same boat
not sure if a 11 f/2.8 will make any difference to the 12 f/4 for most pictures
that probably explain why the HK sellers are offering the 12-24 at such a low price (it wasn't possible to get one for under 450 up to a few months ago)

snellers

you have a point....really the extra stops are only beneficial if hand-holding or indoors....guess it all depends on your personal need......I have decided gonna get the 12 - 24mm and take it from there. Regarding only the small difference when wide open dont forget that it is almost a 10% actual difference which I guess is fairly large when you think about it.....but not large enough for me to wait!

pete4130

I'd always go for the faster glass if I can afford it. When lenses are that wide you should be easily able to handhold for 1 second shutter speed if your good enough. If you think you're more than likely going to be putting a UV or CPL filter in front to protect the glass if it won't cause vignetting (obviously not the fisheye) then you'r going to be losing 1 stop of light again.
All expensive decision!

snellers

pete4130 if you can take 'tack sharp' ...and I mean 'tack sharp' landscape photos hand holding for 1 second then I kneel before your rock steady arms/legs/shoulders...etc...are you sure about that statement ? .....faster glass wont improve the quality of a one second handheld exposure...faster glass will increase shutter speed ...only VR (or equiv might help.) With wide angle landscape photography shooting typically the camera is mounted on a sturdy tripod with cable release of some type, and mirror lock up.....most of the wide angle lenses tend to have their absolute best performance around f5.6 - f11 - this negates the need for faster glass (although I agree if money is no object then I would get it anyway)

pete4130

I wasn't talking about 1 sec handheld landscapes! I meant in general for street photogrpahy in lowlight when you don't have a tripod handy, you can get away with handheld 1 sec exposures. Faster glass wont improve the qualit of a 1 sec handheld exposure but 2.8 does mean that it isn't a 4.0 2 second or 5.6 4 second handheld exposure which is more likely not to work out at all.

templeathea

I think the Sigma 10-20 is a terrific lens. Would be great with the D40

quilmore

pete4130 wrote: »

If you think you're more than likely going to be putting a UV or CPL filter in front to protect the glass if it won't cause vignetting (obviously not the fisheye) then you'r going to be losing 1 stop of light again.

CPL filter in these ultra wide angles... hmmm, they tend to mess up and only work on half your picture

and only UV filters like the Hoya HMC color 4.97mm thick will save you from vignetting