Wide angle with Z body

[Scubalens]

Hi, I am returning to UW photography after an absence for the past several years. Much has changed with Mirrorless and Full Frame. My last camera was D300 using a 10.5 DX lens primarily for wreck photography. Now that I am retired I am thinking more of my dives will be reef locations. I think I have decided on purchasing Z8 but cannot decide on lens. Thinking the Nikon Z 14-22 S lens, but fear I will miss the Fisheye I had with the 10.5. If the Z8 has a DX mode, then if I used my previous 10.5 DX lens wouldn't it behave exactly like it did on my D300? If my assumption is correct, then those two lens combination should fit most wide-angle needs. If not, then I think I need to ditch the idea of z 14-22 and consider the Nikon AF-S 8-15 mm with converter.

 

[davehicks]

Consider the WWL-C with the 24-50z lens. It may be all the wide angle you need. That said, the 8-15mm FE is also a good choice.

And yes, you can use the DX mode. I often use it when birding and ocasionally under water.

 

[Barmaglot]

If the Z8 has a DX mode, then if I used my previous 10.5 DX lens wouldn't it behave exactly like it did on my D300?

Nope. The 10.5mm uses screw-drive autofocus (i.e. it relies on an autofocus motor in the camera body to drive it via a coupling), and the FTZ adapter doesn't have it, so you'd be stuck with manual focus. AFAIK the 8-15mm is the only fisheye choice (discounting FCP) for Z-mount bodies. On the upside, the new Kenko Teleplus HD PRO 2x teleconverter can give the 8-15mm a full useful zoom range (16-30mm; something like 175-60 degrees AoV?) with barely any image quality degradation (unlike the old 2x TCs).

 

[missionmtb]

Just get the 8-15 and don't look back The 10.5 is interesting because if you shave the hood off and partially mount it to your ftz you can keep it from automatically switching to DX and do full rounds. Having a fish and being stuck at DX crop would be a real bummer though, especially with the crazy amount of pixels of the Z8 that you would lose in the process. Some people tape their 8-15 to 15mm and have no interest in the 180s, but I think they're really cool.

As far as the tele, if you're gonna do that just get the rectilinear IMHO...

Coming from a Z7ii guy with both the 10.5 and the 8-15, the former is just collecting dust.

 

[Barmaglot]

As far as the tele, if you're gonna do that just get the rectilinear IMHO...

With a 2x TC, your AoV at 8mm is almost the same as 15mm without TC, but you also have the option of zooming in. Can't switch to a rectilinear lens during a dive.