Your thoughts? Pictures? Nikon D90 Lens (Sigma 10-20, or Sigma 18-50)

So I've yet to buy my lens, and im contemplate one of the following:
Sigma 10-20, or Sigma 18-50

Ikelites port chart, said the Sigma 10-20 will not be able to zoom, assumign you'll have to make it a fixed manual before you go underwater, is this correct? The 18-50, is it like a kit lens ???? It seems it would be able to zoom it, yet out if needed. Can these adjustments be made underwater?

Anyone use either or?

I dont want a fisheye lens... I also dont want a fixed lens (like a nikon 60mm)

any thoughts would help

Are you new to photography? Underwater photography? Reality is underwater there is no "One" lens that is great at everything. By not wanting fisheye or fixed lenses you are limiting your potential results. If you want to shoot Macro (small subjects) and do it well, you need a fixed lens, IMHO. For wide angle there are some very good non-fisheye zooms but again why limit yourself?

I will also mention that good underwater photography requires EXCELLENT buoyancy control and situational awareness. Your profile shows "0-24" dives. Before taking a camera down you should be able to hover on the spot, without kicking. Should be able to change your depth using just your lungs. Be able to back kick, helicopter kick, and frog kick without disturbing the bottom, etc.... You don't want to be the subject of threads like this: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/underwater-photography/366510-ok-heres-my-rant.html

Not familiar with Ikelite but some of the favorite lenses for Nikon DSLRs are:

Tokina 10-17mm. My personal favorite, can add a 1.4 tele converter for more fun.

Sigma 17-70mm HSM, good all around lens. Best feature being it will focus just about to the port glass, allowing you to get very close.

Nikon 60mm, 85mm, 105mm Macro lenses.

I am sure there are other lenses with their advocates to get a more complete list.

I'd take the Sigma 10-20mm and shoot it wide as possible, and perhaps add the 60mm micro for shooting macro. I wouldn't really consider the 18-50mm.

I go with MJH and recommend the Tokina 10-17mm. This lens is my personal favourite too. I simply love shooting big stuff with it at 10mm.

You can mount this lens behind the Ikelite 8 inch and 6 inch domes and the zoom gear works also.

Have a look at my flickr link and you will see ALOT of work with the Tokina 10-17mm.

Regards Mark

ameri180304:

I dont want a fisheye lens... I also dont want a fixed lens (like a nikon 60mm)

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My advice is to pick up a copy of something like "Wetpixel Quarterly" or an underwater photography book that lists what cameras or lenses were used. Pick out your favorite photos, and list the lenses.

Chances are, the photos from Nikon systems were taken with one of four lenses: Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye, Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom, Nikkor 60mm micro, or Nikkor 105mm micro. Those lenses are all either fisheye, single focal length, or both.

Got me a Tokina 12-24 off ebay for $330.. It's for my D90. The Sigma's had a fixed zoom and I didnt want that, also didnt want the fish eye look.

I am very surprised that you limited your lens choice to any but non Fisheye and fixed focal length.

Basically doing this you have ruled out all the best lenses for the Nikon D90.

This has rules out the Tokina 10-17 and the Nikon 10.5 FE which are the best wide angle lenses out there. You have also rules out the Nikon 60mm and 105mm Macro which are the best Macro lenses ever.

Regards Mark

ameri180304:

Got me a Tokina 12-24 off for $330.. It's for my D90. The Sigma's had a fixed zoom and I didnt want that, also didnt want the fish eye look.

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What do you mean by the fisheye look?

Check out some of AussieByron's photos on his flickr page. Based on the EXIF data, it looks like most of those were shot with a Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye. Here's the link: Flickr: AussieByron's Photostream

I have fewer photos taken with a fisheye lens than Aussiebyron, but here are a few links:
_5061279 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
_5061279 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
_5061291 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

So, what is it about fisheye photos that you don't like?

You should do fine with the 12-24, but you have to understand that for underwater pictures, your fisheye lens is taking pictures of a virtual image projected on the dome port, which is similar to the fisheye lens. The picture is also influenced by the refractive nature of the underwater environment, which is minimized somewhat by the dome. There are very few straight lines underwater, so other than shooting something like a shipwreck, you're not going to have the typical curvature of a fisheye lens that you'd get topside. If you do see some distortion, it can be corrected in any number of photo developing software programs. This picture was shot with the Tokina 10-17 in a Sea & Sea 8" fisheye dome, about 4' from the subjects. It is unaltered, except for RAW conversion. Can you see any fisheye effect?

Larry C:

You should do fine with the 12-24, but you have to understand that for underwater pictures, your fisheye lens is taking pictures of a virtual image projected on the dome port, which is similar to the fisheye lens. The picture is also influenced by the refractive nature of the underwater environment, which is minimized somewhat by the dome. There are very few straight lines underwater, so other than shooting something like a shipwreck, you're not going to have the typical curvature of a fisheye lens that you'd get topside. If you do see some distortion, it can be corrected in any number of photo developing software programs. This picture was shot with the Tokina 10-17 in a Sea & Sea 8" fisheye dome, about 4' from the subjects. It is unaltered, except for RAW conversion. Can you see any fisheye effect?

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Nice shot, no distortion, as you say.