20mm lens options for Nikon FX?

Is the Nikon AF-S 20mm f1.8 a reasonable lens for doing nightscapes with light painting or are there other options. 

I really don't want to go wider than 18 -21 range. I would like auto focus to make it more useful as a day time lens handheld.

I have been learning light painting and milky way shots for the past two months using my D750 and the Nikon 24-70 f2.8.

The 20mm is a little faster and would let me get closer to my subjects, thus less walking in the dark[ I am in my seventies and not that steady on my feet].

I have been using the 24-70 at 2.8 and limiting it to 15 secs for the milkyway part of the shots, with a 20 f1.8 I could go to 20 secs to gather more light.

It's a good lens for the price.  If you need even faster there's the Sigma Art 20mm f/1.4.  While not a great astro lens due to astigmatism, it would be even faster for the type of photography you are proposing.

Thanks EJ. I will look into it more.

hi kim
i use the 20mm 1,8 a lot at night.
much better then the sigma for astrolandscapes. less coma.
very sharp.
produces very nice sunstar / light stars when closed down....
works perfectly with a 77mm intensifier filter.
i also use rokinon 24mm and nikon 14 - 24 lens.
the new rokinon 14mm 2.4 is also a very nice lens for 14mm range.

good luck.
andre

Thank Andre. I am saving up for the 20mm ATM.

What is the 77mm intensifier filter, does it give better colour in the stars?

Kim

Kim, see this link for an answer to your question. I have no knowledge about how effective they are for astro photography. I have not used one since my film days when I used one for some fall foilage shots in Colorado. 


https://hoyafilterusa.com/how-intensifier-filters-work/

Joe

photoman4343 wrote:Kim, see this link for an answer to your question. I have no knowledge about how effective they are for astro photography. I have not used one since my film days when I used one for some fall foilage shots in Colorado. 


https://hoyafilterusa.com/how-intensifier-filters-work/

Joe

quite nice for reducing light pollution ... it helps
https://www.lonelyspeck.com/hoya-intens ... otography/

Thank Andre and Joe. It looks an interesting filter so I will look into adding it to my kit.

I would recommend the Breakthrough Filters astro filter...