New Nikon 10-20VR Anyone?

[B-9]

I am sure most of you have gotten at least one email about Nikons new trio of glass.

8-18 (oh look a fisheye)
28/1.4 (Oooh ahh)
10-20VR (cheap fun)

Has anyone put thought into possibly pre-ordering one of these lenses?

The 10-20 is tempting, as I have been looking at used 12-24's which seem to catch about the same as the projected price of this new lens. VR seems like a nice addition to a slow variable aperture zoom especially with my older D300s.

Any thoughts?

 

[Archlich]

AF-P is basically Nikon's version of Canon's STM. Should be an excellent value, just like the equivalent Canon 10-18 IS STM (which blows the old & expensive 10-22 away). Unfortunately like the other two AF-P lenses the 10-20 would only work on cameras released after 2013 (check the product page for details). Which means, just forget about it on the D300...

 

[madNbad]

Get the 12-24. Recently, I stumbled into the digital world with the purchase of a lightly used D2x for three hundred USD. I got it for a macro project but decided to add a lens and have some fun. Being a crop sensor, I wanted something fairly wide. A local shop had a 12-24 still in the box for a fair price. The lens shows some barrel distortion but overall it performs quite well.


_1MD0070 by Michael DeLuca, on Flickr

 

[kxl]

The 10-20 is tempting, as I have been looking at used 12-24's...

IMHO, the new lens is a good value at $300 but I would wait for the inevitable build and IQ comparisons with the older but more expensive ($1100 new; obviously cheaper if buying used) 12-24mm. The build quality is likely a big difference, and I would think that IQ would be as well. Whether those build and IQ differences are enough justification to spring the extra cash is another matter entirely.

 

[farlymac]

I just did a quick look at the Nikon Product Page for the 10-20mm, and yes, there are a lot of incompatible cameras (mine included). What struck me though is the list of semi-compatible cameras. Looks like nothing is completely good with the P series lenses unless it was built in 2016 or newer.

I think Nikon is finally starting to weed out the older systems for something new coming in the future. Or they want to make sure we keep buying new cameras along with the lenses. Look at it this way. If you want to buy the new $309.00 10-20mm zoom, you need to get the D7500 or D500 in order to use it at its full potential, which incurs a $1000 to $2000 penalty to the buyer of the lens.

So for me, that would mean forking over the big bucks for a D7500 or D500 if I don't want to give up on my DX lenses.

I could just switch to Tamron or Tokina.

Or chuck all my Nikon gear for Fuji. They make a nice rangefinder style camera that Nikon refuses to do, and it uses the same lenses as the DSLR camera.

Never thought I'd ever write a line like that. But I'm sure the head bartender likes the sound of it.

PF

 

[css9450]

It must be the "P" (pulse motor) that makes it incompatible with older cameras?

I considered getting the lens for my night photography, where AF is usually useless anyway. The price is certainly reasonable.... I already have the 12-24 but once in a blue moon (which reminds me, I should grab the camera and go out - tonight's the full moon!), I need something wider.

 

[B-9]

The 8-18 looks super interesting,

Bummer it's incompatible with my older body.

The weird part, the Nikon 10-20 is actually cheaper than or equal to the equivalent Sigma.

The price is definitely right.

 

[Oren Grad]

Not only is it incompatible with most existing bodies, but there's no switch on the lens body for the VR - you need to go menu-diving. This is nuts, as you want to be able to switch VR on the fly - it can make things worse, unpredictably, at faster shutter speeds.

Nikon is clearly taking after the Canon 10-18 with this lens. But the Canon is cheaper, fully compatible with all bodies that accept EF-S lenses, and has the switch. I have one, and it's a delightful lens - good enough optically, very compact and lightweight, a really nice companion especially to my SL1.

I've enjoyed the Canon 10-18 and so was hoping to get the Nikkor 10-20 for some inexpensive fun with my D3200, but AF-P killed that idea. I realize why Nikon wants to go to AF-P - it improves AF in live view, and will no doubt be important if and when they go mirrorless with their DX bodies. But Nikon is in this nasty groove where so many of their product and marketing decisions seem to have a major downside, in this case cutting off their huge installed base at a time when new body sales are declining rapidly. The switch thing just compounds the insult - removing an important usability feature to save a piddling amount in manufacturing cost, when their main DSLR competitor has kept it despite having an even lower selling price.

< sigh >

 

[NIKON KIU]

Both zooms are interesting, the zoom fish-eye more so.

I tend to disagree with OP on the price of 12-24 compared to 10-20
Used 12-24 sell about $400-$500

This lens is advertised at $309 list price, so most probably it'll sell for under 3 bills in real world.

Quite a bargain but slower than the constant f4 of 12-24

I have to admit, I am interested in both zooms, this one looks super interesting to me.

Kiu

 

[Archlich]

Handled one today. Despite the plastic mount it's surprisingly well built...no wobbles whatsoever. Just like its 18-55 sibling.

The "huge installed base" of the Nikon system is exactly what's behind the compatibility issue of the AF-P lenses: The F mount is not as advanced as the fully electronic EF mount since day one...