Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Choosing a lens - a nerdy approach.

  • 19-06-2008 08:09PM
    #1
    RodHaan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15 ✭


    I know there is an existing thread called “How do I choose a lens” but it hasn’t been added to since January. Besides, I’m going to approach this from a statistical point of view.

    Lens choice by statistical analysis. Just a bit of fun? - or maybe it reveals something helpful.
    I bought a Nikon D80 plus an 18-200 DX VR Nikkor lens in May 2008.
    I wanted to buy an extra lens but didn't know what would be suitable. I want them all but that's just not practical. With all the EXIF data from my first 500 photos, surely there's something there. So I exported all the EXIF data to an Excel spreadsheet and removed all columns except for 'focal length'. Then I graphed it (the number of shots are on the Y-axis).

    I]click on the attachment below[/I


    What jumped out immediately was that I had taken 157 shots at 18mm. With nothing wider on the lens, it seemed that a lot of the time I must have been crying out for a wider view. I don't remember thinking this at the time. Ok, I kind of know that I prefer a wider shot but I was nevertheless astonished by the results. To make sense of the results: the 500 shots came from a varied array of photographic situations – from a holiday in France to veterinary photography (the mutt has some weird skin disorder).

    So... I'm off to buy a 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX Nikkor.
    p.s. The results for aperture would also reveal whether a faster lens is required. I’m aware that other factors would influence the interpretation of the results – as I said, it could just be a bit of fun.


Comments

  • #2
    leohoju
    Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭leohoju


    There's a program called Exposure Plot which would have saved you a lot of time and bother.

    Seems like you've got money to burn though if you're considering the Nikkor 12-24mm. Would you not think about the Sigma 10-20mm, Tokina 12-24mm, Tokina 11-16mm or Tamron 11-18mm instead? They're all about half the price and very close to the same optical quality.


  • #3
    RodHaan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15 ✭RodHaan


    There's very little choice in the Nikkor wide zoom department. Thanks very much leohoju for the advice.


  • #4
    RoryW
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,048 ✭✭✭RoryW


    + 1 for Tokina 12-24mm


  • #5
    Arciphel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭Arciphel


    Leohoju, thats a great little program right there, cheers for posting that link ;)

    RodHaan, I have the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 and I love it, I recommend it over the Sigma 10-20mm which I sold to buy the Tokina.


  • #6
    soccerc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭soccerc


    RodHaan wrote: »
    There's very little choice in the Nikkor wide zoom department. Thanks very much leohoju for the advice.

    There's always the wonderful new 14-24mm 2.8:D


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Stephen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,484 ✭✭✭✭Stephen


    <3 Sigma 10-20


  • #8
    RodHaan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15 ✭RodHaan


    Arciphel wrote: »
    Leohoju, thats a great little program right there, cheers for posting that link ;)

    RodHaan, I have the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 and I love it, I recommend it over the Sigma 10-20mm which I sold to buy the Tokina.

    Oh yes, the Tokina 11-16 looks like a brilliant choice. I'd be very happy with it. (http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/11-16mm.htm).

    The 'Exposure Plot' software has a downside though. It seems to only analyse JPGs and not NEFs. Also my JPGs are usually edited NEFs and also usually cropped. When 'Exposure Plot' extracts the data, it displays the cropped focal lengths, not the focal length of the original photos.

    That aside, it does work quickly and without fuss.


  • #9
    leohoju
    Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭leohoju


    RodHaan wrote: »
    When 'Exposure Plot' extracts the data, it displays the cropped focal lengths, not the focal length of the original photos.

    Yeah, it's a bit silly that. According to their own website this is down to the software you use to edit your images altering the EXIF data of your photo.


Advertisement