Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED Aperture Series: Pine Lake Peak, Last Kiss of Sunlight
Related: dynamic range, Eastern Sierra, HDR, Nikon, Nikon 20mm, Nikon AF-S 20mm f/1.8G, Nikon D810, Nikon DSLR, Nikon Lenses, peak bagging, Pine Creek
Get Nikon 20mm f/1.8G at B&H Photo.
In my review of the Nikon 20/1.8G in DAP, this aperture series complements the others, but is particularly good at showing the field curvature characteristics of the Nikon AF-S 20mm f/1.8G. Understanding this behavior can help greatly in optimizing the focus position for a subject.
Nikon 20/1.8G Aperture Series: Pine Lake Peak, Last Kiss of Sunlight
Includes the f/1.8 - f/16 aperture range in HD and UltraHD sizes in up to 6048 pixels wide (24 megapixels).
At about $797, the Nikon 20mm f/1.8G is perhaps Nikon’s best wide angle at a very reasonable price.
This scene is a testament to the stunning dynamic range of the Nikon D810; major contrast control “yanks” were used here to render the very dark shaded areas to the sunlit peaks. A gradient neutral density filter would have yielded a rather fake looking image seen all too commonly. The D810 all but dispenses with the need for HDR for any semi reasonable scene.
It’s a solid hike up to this area and hopefully the photo communicates to some degree just how spectacular the area is. With iced-over puddles in the shadows, spawning trout in the shallows of the lake, and about 4 (total) hikers gone by over the afternoon, how can this late autumn experience be bettered? I like this stuff. Starting down starting at dusk (who wants to leave while the sun is up?), my trusty Lupine headlamp lit the way a few thousand vertical feet back down to “home” (sleeping in my SUV).
NIKON D810 + Nikon AF-S 20mm f/1.8G
[low-res image for bot]
