Nikon 17mm PC-E Lens

[spotmeter]

I was so shocked by the poor corner performance of the 24 PC (considering that I wasn't really looking at the corners of the lens since it was unshifted) that I returned it without ordering another sample. Other reviewers were not happy with their copy either. And what good is a PC lens when the corners on presumably a good sample are poor when it is shifted, as noted by the reviewer above.

If only we could adapt Canon TS lenses to the Nikon D800E!

[kers]

Still using this 24PCE for a long time.. i would suggest to use it with liveview - control the whole image for sharpness at d8 ( reflecting you have to choose sharpness more around the corners than in the centre) and shoot at d9-10..
I admit it is not the most quick procedure getting a shot, but the results will be a lot better. The lens has a problem with field curvature but can be very sharp.
From tests i see that the Canon is more straightforward with less Ca shifted but for sure they did not put the focus on the edges...ergo follow the procedure i just mentioned.
Yes it is a difficult lens to use and could be updated in my opinion with a better (more expensive) lens.

[archman]

Is this lens EVER going to be released?

[Rob C]

"It had the worst corners of any 24 or 25mm lens I have ever tested.  Full of CA, smeary, distorted--just pathetic.

And this was unshifted!  Lord knows what the corners would look like once it is shifted."

Did you try more than one example or are you blasting all 24mm PCE lenses to Perdition based on a single sample?

Just come across this thread.

I think that would be a justified stance.

I don’t now what sort of city some of you folks live in, but I’ve never been in one where a dealer would be perfectly happy to accept back from the purchaser lens after lens. Especially specialist, hgh value lenses such as these. Apart from it looking as if the purchaser is just renting for the occasion, who carries such stock? Almost everyone appears unable to stock much of anything at all, and waiting times are the apparent norm.

The problem doesn’t lie with the buyer or the dealer: the problem is the responsibility of the manufacturer.

It is totally unacceptable that a lens leaves the factory without a final quality inspection. Period. That photographers accept this, even think it normal, does little to push manufacturers to resolve problems.

It certainly does the makers no good at all. I bought a 24mm-70mm G Nikkor, designed for FF, and returned it very soon because tested on a D200 (cut-frame) it was hopeless. I shall never buy another zoom. Now, who loses? Both of us. Reports suggest one of two things: my copy was a lemon; other photographers have lower expectational standards. Either way, Nikon has lost another ‘perhaps’ purchaser of a zoom of any range.

Rob C

[archman]

Still no 17mm T/S.  Is this lens EVER going to be released?

[stevesanacore]

I've rented the Nikon 24 PCE many times recently on architectural jobs and found the performance acceptable on the D800E. It's not as good as Canon's version but the final images are at least equal probably because of the superior sensor in the Nikon. Nikon certainly needs to upgrade this lens and release a super 17mm version. Until they do, I'll continue to carry my Canon 5D3 with it's 17mm along also. What will come first - a 17mm Nikon PCE? Or a 40+MP Canon with no AA filter? These are exciting times!

[Kirk Gittings]

Did you try more than one example or are you blasting all 24mm PCE lenses to Perdition based on a single sample?

Not picking on you as I am guilty of this too.

I have to say that I HATE the fact that quality control is so bad that hunting for a good sample of a lens that costs a pretty penny is even necessary! WTF! What suckers we are to accept this as NORMAL and berate someone for not doing it! Ridiculous!

[RomanN.]

My experiances with the Nikon 24 mm are as the most people: it is simply poor lens, for what it is made and when it is made.
The unsharp corners for a shift lens even without movements  it is simply no go! The center is sharp, but it is not a portrait lens.
I use no a second copy, it is not good, but I can use it. I still wait for the new schneider 28 mm-it should be available soon.
The optik quality similar to sigma 1,4-35 mm ( not the poor and not working AF), but as a wider shift lens would be a real dream.
Nikon and 17 mm shift lens- this is really funny imagination, maybe first make a usable 24 mm.

[archman]

It pains me to realise that this is what I posted nearly one year ago!
Is this lens EVER going to be released?

[rainer_v]

i just sold all my nikon stuff including the 45 and 24PC-e lenses.
the 24pc-e is acceptable, but no comparison with the canon 24tse. now, after the sony a7r finally i can use the canon shifts again on a good sensor. time to leave the nikon boat which i just entered for the great 36mp sensor of the d800e.

[rethmeier]

Rainer,
good to see you're still around at the forums.
All this brings me back to the first days of trying non Canon lenses on the Canon 1Ds, Mk2Mk3 5D 1-2-3.
Main reason is for this, Nikon didn't have a good full frame digital.
Then Nikon had the D3x, which I'm still using and does the job.
Now the Sony is the king of the hill.

What will happen next

Nikon 4DX  with a new Sony sensor that will kill the rest.
New Nikkors  PC lenses 17 - 24 - 35-45-85 ( Now that would be nice!)
Actually, the PC-E 85 is stellar anyway. I use it for all my product shoots.
Even the 45 PC-E is very usable,once you remove the CA.
The current 24 PC-E is certainly good enough, however the lens I use the most is the 14-24 Nikkor.
Love!
Happy shooting!
W

[JohnBrew]

While there are those who argue for a 17 in F-mount, I'm on record as wishing for a total re-design of the existing PC-E line-up. They don't offer much for the money, imo. I've shot the 24, 45 (two separate times) and the 90 Schneider. The Nikon's knobs are too small, don't work well and in a well-used example will not hold a setting and they have much sample variation. The Schneider which certainly resembles the Leica 120 TS for S series, was extremely difficult to work with and impossible to use with gloves, also my example back-focused. The shift worked well, but the tilt was reluctant to work in concert with the shift. You have to try it to see what I mean. Therefore I don't have any great expectations for the new 28.
For me the old Ai and Ais Nikon shift lenses work the best.

[archman]

Two years since the patent news and no lens. Comments anyone?

[jwstl]

Two years since the patent news and no lens. Comments anyone?

It's a Photokina year.

[rainer_v]

just bought two hartblei-zeiss lenses, the 80 and the 120 pc ts .
they have a great handling and image quality.
zero ca, very good bokeh, sharp at f11 till the shifted corners.

[David Eichler]

From what I have read about the 24mm PCE Nikor, I think Nikon and its customers would be better served if Nikon improved this lens before attempting a 17mm pc lens.

Also, I think I would find a 20mm pc much more useful than a 17mm pc lens. Then, the next step up in focal length should be 28mm, which I think I would find a little more practical as a "standard" wideangle lens for architectural or landscape photography. Naturally, tastes will differ.

[nik]

I'm considering doing the same thing.

Nikon simply are not thinking correctly regarding lenses. They have done themselves damage by releasing a good sensor camera (d800e) which makes the 24 and the rest of the PC-e lenses look average (performance wise) and not refreshing the PC-e range by now. For me, the existing focal lengths are more useful than the 17mm, but it would be good to be able to rent the 17 for when needed. The newer canon's simply are better lenses when coupled with a good sensor and the 17mm exists today.

I did consider the 3 Hartblei T/S lenses for a while but wanted to try them before I paid 10k+ euro but could not do so being on the USA west coast. I think a high MP non-AA filter Canon will be released before Nikon releases a 17 PC-e. Even if Nikon do, they still need to refresh the rest of the PC-e line - which will take them years. I hope, for the benefit of all, they prove me wrong.

I think you did the right thing.

i just sold all my nikon stuff including the 45 and 24PC-e lenses.
the 24pc-e is acceptable, but no comparison with the canon 24tse. now, after the sony a7r finally i can use the canon shifts again on a good sensor. time to leave the nikon boat which i just entered for the great 36mp sensor of the d800e.

[David Anderson]

"It had the worst corners of any 24 or 25mm lens I have ever tested.  Full of CA, smeary, distorted--just pathetic.

And this was unshifted!  Lord knows what the corners would look like once it is shifted."

Did you try more than one example or are you blasting all 24mm PCE lenses to Perdition based on a single sample?

To be fair, all example of lenses in this price range should be good right out of the box IMHO.
Is it our job or Nikons to test the build quality of there products ?

[stevesanacore]

i just sold all my nikon stuff including the 45 and 24PC-e lenses.
the 24pc-e is acceptable, but no comparison with the canon 24tse. now, after the sony a7r finally i can use the canon shifts again on a good sensor. time to leave the nikon boat which i just entered for the great 36mp sensor of the d800e.

I think it's our only choice at the moment. I hope Nikon doesn't miss us because it's their fault for not building the few lenses we needed when they had all us Canon users back again. I shot Nikon for many years before Canon introduced the 1Ds which changed everything. The D800 was a game changer but they needed to follow it up with new shift lenses. The Sony is the best option for sure as it can use almost any lens ever made with adapters. I just hope C1 will get their software to work tethered with it and offer live view!

[John MacLean]

To be fair, all example of lenses in this price range should be good right out of the box IMHO.
Is it our job or Nikons to test the build quality of there products ?

I just sent back a TS-E 24mm MkII because it had soft sides. I've owned the TS-E 17mm since it came out, and it's beautiful. From the tests I've seen, I was expecting this 24 to be even better. And now I wait, because it's on back-order, again…

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=486&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=3&LensComp=487&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=3