Photographing Architecture with the Nikon 14-24 mm

For 20 years, I photographed architecture, panoramas, or people in their surroundings with the Nikon AF Nikkor 20 mm F 2.8 D and was always satisfied with its imaging performance. Since then, however, optics have improved, and the new full-frame sensors highlight the limitations of older lenses regarding sharpness, chromatic aberration, or vignetting. After recently getting a good deal on the Nikon AF-S 14-24 mm F 2.8 – undoubtedly one of the best current wide-angle lenses – I simply couldn’t resist.

Since then, I’ve been getting to grips with this amazing lens, and the first excursions have been great fun. Yes, the lens is heavy, and I still need to save up for the special filter holder and the new large filters (Big Stopper, polarising filter). But contrast and sharpness are, as expected, excellent, and the shorter focal length allows for new perspectives. Everything that needs to be said about the pros and cons or alternatives like prime lenses has already been said for years, by Stefan Wiesner, G.Wenger, Ken Rockwell, dxomark.com or in the detailed report by Norbert Windecker.

After my first shots at Lake Iseo or at the Hallbergmoos Fire Brigade’s Summer Solstice Fire, I recently drove to Munich one evening and photographed the panorama with the Olympic Tower and the architecture of BMW Welt in evening and night shots in the Olympic Park. It is precisely in this discipline that the lens should play to its strengths on a full-frame camera – low sensor noise, short exposure times thanks to the f/2.8 aperture (if needed), high dynamic range, and sufficient detail rendition. The lens profile is stored in Lightroom or Photoshop, and colour fringes, vignetting, and distortion are corrected with a single click.

Now I have a few more degrees of panorama or can get even closer to the subject. I’m already looking forward to using it further, for example, for nature photography or starry skies. The photographer still makes the picture, but over the years I’ve learned to appreciate reliable and high-quality tools – any craftsman will surely confirm that.

So get out there, explore the world, and have fun photographing.