Nikkor AF-P DX 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR

£259/$279 Compact, capable and affordable

Remarkably similar to the Canon EF-S lens on test, this compact zoom weighs just 230g. Unlike Nikon’s older and heavier AF-S DX 10-24mm lenses, it adds 3.5-stop Vibration Reduction, potentially avoiding the need to lug a tripod around.

Autofocus is based on a stepping motor that gives quick performance for stills and smooth, near-silent transitions while shooting movies. Manual override and manual focusing are available via an electronically coupled focus ring. Three aspherical elements are included in the optical path, which features 14 elements.

Performance

Sharpness is very good at the centre of the frame, but drops off noticeably towards the edges and corners. Colour fringing and distortion are reasonably restrained, but not quite as well as in the Canon 10-18mm lens.

Ultra-wide prime lenses for crop-sensor cameras are very thin on the ground. This 10mm manual-focus lens from Samyang is a good option, combining a short 10mm focal length with a wide f/2.8 aperture rating. It’s available in a wide variety of mount options, but only the Nikon-fit version includes built-in electronics. This enables aperture control from the camera, and therefore unrestricted use of all shooting modes.

Quality glass includes two aspherical elements and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element. Build quality feels solid, although the lens lacks any weather seals.

Performance

Centre sharpness is good rather than great, with a sweet spot at f/5.6. Levels of sharpness are consistent across the whole image frame, with fairly little drop-off, even in the extreme corners.

The Irix 15mm f/2.4 manualfocus prime is available in Firefly and Blackstone editions. The optical path is identical in both, but the pricier Blackstone has better build quality, with a metal rather than plastic barrel and an extra weather seal.

Built-in electronics enable full communication with the host camera body. Quality optics include three aspherical elements, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and four HR (High Refractive) elements, along with neutrino coatings. There’s a large 95mm filter thread at the front, plus a gel filter slot at the rear.

Performance

It’s the sharpest lens in the whole group at the centre of the frame, although sharpness is mediocre in the extreme corners. Colour fringing and distortion are minimal, and there’s good resistance to ghosting and flare.