Nikon DX wide lenses; do they cover?

[Pieter de Vries]

Until a an inexpensive short wide angle zoom comes along, I may try to make do with my Nikkor 12-24mm DX G ED zoom. Will this lens work with the MTF F3 to Nikon adaptor (no aperture ring), will it cover the sensor without vignetting (DX format) and will it cut the mustard as an HD lens?_______________________________
Pieter de Vries ACS Cinematographer & Camera Craft Educator | Sydney Australia | www.pieterdevries.com.au

[Jim Tittle]

I haven't used that particular DX lens, but I've used a number of others. They all cover. Camera sensor size approximates DX sensor size. Have a look at the Abel Cinetech FOV calculator to compare.

The MTF adapter should work fine with that lens. I have one, and it's been very useful. A little clumsy to operate--read the other posts here and you'll see people talking about that.

[Alister Chapman]

DX lenses will cover the sensor, no problem there and the MTF adapter will allow you to control the iris. However as the iris stop-down blade on the back of the lens only moves through a few millimeters it only takes tiny movements of the MTF adapter to go from open to closed. In addition you will never know what the iris is actually set at.

This is not a criticism of the adapter, which is excellent, but you need to know the limitations of not having an iris ring.

[Leonard Levy]

That lens should be very good and both cover and be high quality optically. However be aware that it is an F4 which kind of counters the whole low DOF idea. I got both the Tokina 11-16 and the Nikkor 17-35 which are 2.8 for that reason.

[Brian Lai]

Or one can get the more expensive version Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S. The Focus Optics Ruby 14-24mm T2.8 is a beautifully rehoused Nikon with the same glass at 10X the price. So the original is really cheap by comparison.

[Jerry Matese]

DX definitely covers. The truth is Super35 is quite a bit smaller than full-frame 35mm, almost the same exact size as the Nikon DX format, therefore you need to think Nikon DX not FX in terms of FOV. Somewhere between 1.3x and 1.5x if you're accustomed to traditional still 35mm photography. Consequently super-wide angle can still be a challenge.

The scary part is film guys have been paying a huge premium for essentially DX format lenses with smaller image circles for years which have been considered inferior to full image circle FX lens in the recent past. Let's be honest, the optics are the most costly part and they are already being produced for far less for the much larger 35mm still market. I think the lens community at large needs to re-evaluate their value proposition and make these products more affordable to the masses. In the end they will sell more and improve their bottom line.

[Chuck Fishbein]

This image was shot with a Tokina 12-24 4.0 DX lens 12mm @ F 4.5 and it is sharp edge to edge full screen.
Once again, the biggest issue is setting the stop as it is a G style lens