YvonneWiggers 0 #1 January 28, 2013 So, I sold my Nikon D300 and bought a nice and lightweight D3100, cause the D300 is just too heavy for me to even think about jumping it. Now the next step for getting myself a nice camera to jump with is finding the right lens for the job. I know that there are some really good ones and also some really cheap ones out there, but I can't afford the really expensive ones and don't want a crappy ass lens either. So my question is, how bad is the zenitar 16mm fisheye for skydiving? And is there anything in between that one and the Nikon 16mm fisheye price- and qualitywise? Any other lenses I should seriously consider?"So I jump out, look up, and think 'Oh SHIT!... It's PINK!!!'" - army guy after his first staticline jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #2 January 29, 2013 LOL your dad wouldn't recommend a zenitar i'm sure The issue with the zenitar on a Nikon 3100 is that is is full manual, so you need to set the f-stop, the shutter speed and ofcourse the focus all by hand. So, as long as you don't do any paid or real special jumps, going full manual might work in your case. However, I'd seriously look into getting a nikon 16mm or sigma 15mm (which would still be MF on your nikon, should've kept the D300 ). ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YvonneWiggers 0 #3 January 29, 2013 Well, I know I would have to set the aperture and focus manually, but would I also not be able to use the aperture-priority-mode anymore with the zenitar? I don't regret selling the D300, I wasn't gonna jump that one anyway, I like my neck the way it is, not broken and such :P. I like the sigma 15mm but I just hate the fact that the price of a new one has gone up more than 100 euros since two years ago, and the nikon is even more expensive than that. I don't think I'd really need the autofocus on that one, I'd need to get really close to not have everything in focus on 'infinity', right?"So I jump out, look up, and think 'Oh SHIT!... It's PINK!!!'" - army guy after his first staticline jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #4 January 29, 2013 AFAIK full manual only with zenitars with a Nikon below the D200... MF isn't that bad you're right, but complete manual lighting is another thing... You could look for a 2nd hand fisheye but they don't show up often and aren't that cheap usually... Another option: I've got a 10-20 sigma here you could buy off me, same lens as Laurent uses. I don't use it much, or ever really; got too many other lenses that I like better Feel free to try the lens for a jump or 2, but you break it you bought it ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YvonneWiggers 0 #5 January 30, 2013 Hmmn, that doesn't even sound like too bad a lens. Is it the f/3.5 or the f/4-5.6? Why don't you like/use yours?"So I jump out, look up, and think 'Oh SHIT!... It's PINK!!!'" - army guy after his first staticline jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #6 January 30, 2013 QuoteHmmn, that doesn't even sound like too bad a lens. Is it the f/3.5 or the f/4-5.6? Why don't you like/use yours? It's the f4-5.6 version. I don't use it because it is too big to frontmount for me, combined with the D300 it just catches too much wind. Laurent has it topmounted so no issue there. I use my 10.5 and 16mm, happy with those. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,249 #7 February 1, 2013 I own a new D600 (Nikon full frame) It's smaller and lighter than a D300, but I don't want to strap it to my head either. I use a D5000 for that. I almost always use the kit 18-55, and I usually have it set at about 22mm. It's cheap and light and works great. If I wanted an ultra wide I would definitely pick up a used 10.5 fisheye from ebay and use software to stretch out the image if needed. But an 18mm lens is pretty wide even on the DX size sensor. How close do you need to get to your subject? And who cares how fast it is? We are shooting outside in the daylight with wide lenses. The DOF is going to be huge no matter, and you are always going to be stopped down anyway. Fast lenses are for slow film indoors. Don't let the marketers sell you yesterday's equipment. The 10-20 Sigma would probably work pretty well. They sell for 300-350 used on ebay. I used to have the Nikon 10-24, it was a very good lens, but I sold it because it was also bigger and heavier than I wanted for jumping. KenAlways remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,249 #8 February 1, 2013 I just noticed that the lenses you are considering are all designed for full sized sensors. They will work on your D3100, but are larger than you need. You should look at lenses designed for DX sensors. Also a D3100 will not meter at all with manual lenses, or auto focus with non AF-s type lenses. KenAlways remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YvonneWiggers 0 #9 February 1, 2013 Thanks for the replies! I guess I´d want a wideangle cause I like to get pretty close. I also don´t wanna have to worry too much about framing for now, I use a GP2 on wide normally for video, and I actually like the wideangle a lot. The 10.5mm fisheye leaves me with no option to give me a smaller angle when I want it (also, it's almost impossible to find one second hand at a reasonable price), that's why I'm quite interested in the 10-20. I guess I'll just try some different ones once I have a good setup for it. I think my dad sold his 10.5mm a while ago (because he's now jumping his D800), but I can still try his 16mm and Saskia's 10-20mm. Oh how I (most of the time) love the fact that I have these photo-geeks at my dz ready to let me try/buy their stuff, thanks guys :D."So I jump out, look up, and think 'Oh SHIT!... It's PINK!!!'" - army guy after his first staticline jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
