Nikon AF-S Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 G ED IF DX

Best DX non-variable aperture wide angle lens for Nikon bodies in my opinion. Had one of these a few years ago. Sold it. Regretted it. Also owned both versions of the Tokina equivalent lens. They are good, but I prefer the Nikkor. Not worth the “new” price, but a good lens at a used price. Also good for the 18-24 mm range on FX bodies.

Crazy sharp. If you are looking for a fixed aperture for your Nikon DX camera, this is the one. Yes, there is the newer 10-24 that goes 2mm wider, but it also comes at the price of (mostly correctable) unnatural distortion on the wide end. Just released by Nikon is the new 10-24 with VR, but do you really need VR for an ultra wide lens? The 12mm is surprisingly wide with very little distortion. Unlike other lens that only zoom to 16 or 20, 24mm gives you flexibility so that there is no need to swap lenses so often. In the end, I want fixed aperture. Nikon has seemed to move away from fixed f/ for their DX lineup. Fortunately, even though this and the few other fixed f/ lenses are 10+ years old, they still sell them. There must be a reason. I imagine the thought is only the more demanding users will want fixed aperture and those users are (mostly) FX users. If you're still reading this review, you're probably the few like me who prefer pro level lenses on your DX body. This lens pairs nicely with the 17-55 f/2.8 and the 70-200 f/2.8 lenses. I just wish Nikon made this lens in a 2.8 version for DX. Happy trails.Read full review

Great Ultra Wide Angle Performance For those who enjoy Ultra Wide Angle DX photography, such as for landscapes and architecture, or even for a job like real estate, there is a question that may pop up: is this lens worth the money? And there is a quick one-word response: Yes! The 12-24mm is a very compact, yet solidly built (yes, plastic with a metal mount), piece of glass. It feels good in your hands. And it performs! As many have said before me, cameras and lenses do not make a photographer, but, just as importantly, the right gear certainly assists the photographer do his/her job better. The focus on the 12-24mm is smooth throughout the short zoom range that it offers. And, even more important, it is sharp and provides excellent color contrast, even in many low-light situations. Architectural shots captured during moonlight are particularly nice. I have not experienced any hunting issues during focusing except on those few occasions where there is virtually no contrast in subjects and very low light. For wide-angle landscape images, the 12-24mm really delivers exceptional detail and clarity providing great depth. And after all, capturing shots that take your breath away, along with those others who view your work, is what it is all about. At 12mm there are times of distortion or soft edges but not always, so some of that, particularly the distortion, may be my fault. I can live with that as I can improve my skills. As this lens uses 77mm filters I was lucky, in that my 18-300mm is also that size so I did not have to shell out more cash for those little critters. The fact that it is an f/4 fixed-aperture when one might want f/2.8 or f/3.5 might be a deal breaker for some. Not for me. I have no complaints with this feature. Yes, I toyed with the idea of the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 but, in the end I choose this baby and have no regrets. A word of caution…you cannot use your camera body’s built-in flash or the dreaded dark shadow will appear in your image. Make sure you attach your Speedlight (or equivalent) during those times you need extra light. For landscape, architecture, and tight interior shots, this is the lens to get.Read full review