If you could only buy one lens, which one?

[Dominick Gheesling]

I am putting together a full-frame system with Ikelite and Nikon D800.
I can really only afford one lens at the moment and am torn between:


nikon af-s nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8g ed

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Lens 2163 B&H Photo Video

and

nikon nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 d ed if

Nikon AF-S Zoom-NIKKOR 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED Lens 1960 B&H Photo



Primary use of this setup will be in N. Florida Caverns/Caves.
Any experienced input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Dominick

 

[npole]

You should privilege the aperture and the widest lens. I think it is the 28mm f1.4 (fixed lens)... you may need something widest, but I don't find anything wider than 28mm and sub 2.8.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The 14-24 would be great for underwater if you can find a dome port large enough and don't mind cropping the edges off of every image. The lens is heavy and cannot take a filter. Corner sharpness underwater even with a large dome is reported to be very soft.
I have used the 16-35 for years and with a +2 diopter the edges are not bad.
I use a Nikon 16-35mm and Sigma 15mm for wide angle, and Nikon 105mm and 60mm for macro on a Nikon D3x.

 

[JackConnick]

The 14-24 requires a huge dome and long extension. With cave diving it's probably not your best choice. I shoot the 17-35 behind a 170mm dome and 70 extension in blue water. The corners are kind of weak, otherwise it's a nice fast lens, and not a bad setup if you shoot around it's weaknesses.

I think the wide angle lens of choice is the Sigma 15mm FE f2.8. It can be shot behind smaller domes like the 170mm very well, and requires no extension or gearing. It's super wide and can really capture caves and other large scenes well. You can "de-fish" it a bit in LR or PS quite easily. Best of all is that it's relatively inexpensive.

Siaes Tunnel by Jack Connick, on Flickr

 

[Dominick Gheesling]

The 14-24 requires a huge dome and long extension. With cave diving it's probably not your best choice. I shoot the 17-35 behind a 170mm dome and 70 extension in blue water. The corners are kind of weak, otherwise it's a nice fast lens, and not a bad setup if you shoot around it's weaknesses.

I think the wide angle lens of choice is the Sigma 15mm FE f2.8. It can be shot behind smaller domes like the 170mm very well, and requires no extension or gearing. It's super wide and can really capture caves and other large scenes well. You can "de-fish" it a bit in LR or PS quite easily. Best of all is that it's relatively inexpensive.

View attachment 431405Siaes Tunnel by Jack Connick, on Flickr

Thanks for the input and I will look into the Sigma 15mm as well.

 

[npole]

Why not the 14mm F1.8 or the 20mm F1.4 ?

 

[PatW]

I have 2 zoom lenses. I use the 16-35 f 2.8. It is quite sharp. It is good for landscape, large fish, turtles and divers. The zoom gives more flexibility. I have used the Sigma 15. It works nicely in certain situations but it is pretty specialized. The other zoom is the 24-85 some like 3.5-4.5. At 24, it is ok for divers. It is pretty good for larger fish, turtles and what not. Optically, it works ok. It is a full frame kit lens. I use two other lenses, both macros: 60 and 100.

 

[James R]

After talking to Jack at Optical Ocean a while back, I bought the Sigma 15mm FE and 170mm dome and used them with the D800 I shot previously, the D810 I have now, and will use them when I get the D850 next year too. Love the setup. Can be used with the Kenko 1.4 tc and 20mm extension ring (Nauticam - not sure what ikelite would need). It would be my 1st choice for caves/caverns for sure. It's sharp, focuses close, etc.

I use the 16-35 as well, and really love it, but it takes much bigger dome and extension ring, which wouldn't be ideal for your situation.

Macro is another conversation, but anyway, for me that is the Nikon 105 on any Nikon D8xx FX body for sure.

 

[kelemvor]

After talking to Jack at Optical Ocean a while back, I bought the Sigma 15mm FE and 170mm dome and used them with the D800 I shot previously, the D810 I have now, and will use them when I get the D850 next year too. Love the setup. Can be used with the Kenko 1.4 tc and 20mm extension ring (Nauticam - not sure what ikelite would need). It would be my 1st choice for caves/caverns for sure. It's sharp, focuses close, etc.

I use the 16-35 as well, and really love it, but it takes much bigger dome and extension ring, which wouldn't be ideal for your situation.

Macro is another conversation, but anyway, for me that is the Nikon 105 on any Nikon D8xx FX body for sure.

I've consistently heard that the 105 is the only lens to use for Macro on Nikon.

 

[James R]

I think the 60mm macro is great too, but on FX I never use it (many do). I had really good results with it when I had a DX body (D7000) in Lembeh a few years ago.