Affordable fast wide-angle options for low-light dance photos on Nikon DX
Asked 9/10/2016
2 views
2 answers
0
I shoot mostly macro on a Nikon DX camera, but I also sometimes photograph people dancing in very dim venues where flash isn’t practical. My 18-55mm kit lens is wide enough at 18mm, but its f/3.5 aperture forces shutter speeds around 1/40s, which isn’t enough to freeze motion.
I’m looking for a lens around 20mm or a bit wider that is noticeably faster for low-light shooting, ideally without spending pro-level money. Nikon’s own wide fast primes and zooms seem very expensive, so I’m wondering:
- Why are affordable fast wide-angle lenses so rare?
- Are there good third-party Nikon F-mount options?
- Would an f/2.8 lens be enough, or should I be looking for f/2 or faster?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
7
Because "wide", "fast" and "low-priced" don't ever go together. The Canon lenses are low-priced because they're pancake lenses and not particularly wide on the format it was designed for, nor particularly fast (for primes). Similar to the (very old) Nikkor 45/2.8 P.
I would suggest looking at 3rd-party f/2.8 17-50ish lenses. Or the Sigma 28/1.8. Or, if you're willing to pay for zoom, then the Sigma 18-35/1.8.
But the thing is. dSLR lenses are expensive and every lineup has holes. Best to make your peace with that and deal. Arguing that another system has something you need in your lineup is more likely to get people to tell you to just switch systems, instead of having the lens you want to magically pop up in your system. It's not like Canon ever made a cheap f/1.8 normal prime for crop (e.g., like the Nikkor 35/1.8G).
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Fast, wide, and cheap is a difficult combination on DSLR systems. That’s why Nikon’s own wide, bright lenses are expensive, and why there’s a noticeable gap in the first-party lineup here. Canon’s cheaper examples aren’t really equivalent in all cases, especially on crop formats.
For Nikon F-mount, the practical answer is usually third-party lenses. Based on the suggestions given, good options to look at are:
- Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8
- Tokina 14-20mm f/2
- Sigma 28mm f/1.8
- Third-party 17-50mm f/2.8 zooms
If your kit lens is f/3.5 at the wide end, moving to f/2.8 is only a modest improvement. For dark dance floors, f/2 or f/1.8 will help much more. A fast zoom like the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 is especially attractive because it gives both width and speed.
More generally, wide-angle lenses are harder and costlier to design well, especially when they’re also fast. So this isn’t just a Nikon issue—many systems rely on third-party makers to fill this niche.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What resources and practical tips help with low-light social dance photography?
Are 35mm and 50mm prime lenses too soft wide open for low-light indoor shooting?
Why are very fast ultra-wide lenses rare, and are there Canon-compatible options faster than f/2.8?
What should I look for in a wide-angle lens for Nikon DX, and is a 24mm prime worth it over the kit lens?
What wide-angle lens options are best for a Nikon D90 (DX) in the 12–18mm range?