Description
This super wide-angle, FX-compatible lens is considered by many to be the best wide-angle lens -- ever -- from any manufacturer. Ever. If you're shooting on a full-frame sensor and want a wide angle, this is the lens for you; end of discussion. It's sharp edge-to-edge, has fast and silent auto focus, and features every Nikon acronym in the book including ED low dispersion glass, AF-S Silent Wave auto-focus, Nano Crystal coating and it's a G-type lens too, so there is no aperture ring. It's also part of the Nikon Holy Trinity that includes the 24-70mm f/2.8G and the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. Are there any downsides? Well, its front element is approximately the size of a small mammal and it does not accept filters due to the curvature of the glass. And....um... It's big and heavy? We're at a loss here. In fact, this lens is so good Canon shooters are mounting it on their bodies via a third-party adapter!
In terms of alternatives to this lens, there is the new 16-35mm f/4 ED VR which is not quite as wide or as fast, but has Vibration Reduction and accepts filters too (it comes with a UV filter installed for protection), which the 14-24mm does not. Nikon also makes a 17-35mm f/2.8 wide angle lens that is very good as well and is compatible with FX sensors. A 17-55 f/2.8 exists as well but it's a DX lens, so it should not be used on an FX camera body.
