Help me find the perfect FX lens

[IronMaskDuval]

My favorite DX lens is the Nikkor 17-55 f.2.8. It's nicely weighted without being too big, and it is an excellent performer is sharpness and color. Well, I am using the D610 now, and I'm at a lost with what I can do about a walk around, normal ranged zoom. I have a 50mm 1.8 D for it now. Anyway, I love the 24-70, but it is too, physically, long of a lens for me to use as an everyday lens, so I wanted to look at the next best thing. I'm not too sure on the 28-70 either, as I haven't had the chance to use or hold one of these. So, I've been reconsidering the 35-70 2.8, but I suspect that there are some modern, variable lenses that are sharper. I've had the 35-70 before, but my copy wasn't stellar. I've read that the 24-85 3.5/4.5 is sharper than the 35-70 and is as sharp as the 24-120 f/4 and a lot less expensive. I know it's a kit lens, but is it sharp?

 

[fjrabon]

Sharpness isn't a problem at all with the 24-85. The reason it's not more popular is simply the variable aperture and not being f/2.8.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Sharpness isn't a problem at all with the 24-85. The reason it's not more popular is simply the variable aperture and not being f/2.8.

Thanks! I think I may pick that one up and use my 50 if I need something faster and then pick up a used 80-200 2.8 for tele. I've never owned a VR lens before. Does it really allow me to shoot at lower shutter speeds and get good results?

 

[fjrabon]

Sharpness isn't a problem at all with the 24-85. The reason it's not more popular is simply the variable aperture and not being f/2.8.

Thanks! I think I may pick that one up and use my 50 if I need something faster and then pick up a used 80-200 2.8 for tele. I've never owned a VR lens before. Does it really allow me to shoot at lower shutter speeds and get good results?

Yes. Usually it's worth an extra 1-2 stops with non-moving subjects.

With otherwise good technique I found I could get good results at 50mm as slow as 1/16. And it's extremely useful if you're doing video.

Which 80-200 are you thinking about?

 

[ruifo]

If you just want sharpness, the fantastic plastic is always a good option.
Nikkor AF 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G

It's a $30-50 plastic lens, as sharp as hell even with the demanding D810. Mine came with a Nikon F75/N75 film SLR.

My samples with the D810:
Nikkor AF 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G - an album on Flickr

The newer 24-85mm will be sharp too, of course.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Sharpness isn't a problem at all with the 24-85. The reason it's not more popular is simply the variable aperture and not being f/2.8.

Thanks! I think I may pick that one up and use my 50 if I need something faster and then pick up a used 80-200 2.8 for tele. I've never owned a VR lens before. Does it really allow me to shoot at lower shutter speeds and get good results?

Yes. Usually it's worth an extra 1-2 stops with non-moving subjects.

With otherwise good technique I found I could get good results at 50mm as slow as 1/16. And it's extremely useful if you're doing video.

Which 80-200 are you thinking about?

The nikkor two ringed version, which I can get about $650 used. I know the push pull is cheaper, but I can't stand the push pull zoom. I just never got used to it.

 

[fjrabon]

Sharpness isn't a problem at all with the 24-85. The reason it's not more popular is simply the variable aperture and not being f/2.8.

Thanks! I think I may pick that one up and use my 50 if I need something faster and then pick up a used 80-200 2.8 for tele. I've never owned a VR lens before. Does it really allow me to shoot at lower shutter speeds and get good results?

Yes. Usually it's worth an extra 1-2 stops with non-moving subjects.

With otherwise good technique I found I could get good results at 50mm as slow as 1/16. And it's extremely useful if you're doing video.

Which 80-200 are you thinking about?

The nikkor two ringed version, which I can get about $650 used. I know the push pull is cheaper, but I can't stand the push pull zoom. I just never got used to it.

I have the two ring 80-200 if you want to try it out first.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

If you just want sharpness, the fantastic plastic is always a good option.
Nikkor AF 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G

It's a $30-50 plastic lens, as sharp as hell even with the demanding D810. Mine came with a Nikon F75/N75 film SLR.

My samples with the D810:
Nikkor AF 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G - an album on Flickr

The newer 24-85mm will be sharp too, of course.

Hey! That looks great. It I can get one for that cheap, I'll pick it up just to give it a shot. Doing a quick search on it, it appears it is quite fantastic.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Sharpness isn't a problem at all with the 24-85. The reason it's not more popular is simply the variable aperture and not being f/2.8.

Thanks! I think I may pick that one up and use my 50 if I need something faster and then pick up a used 80-200 2.8 for tele. I've never owned a VR lens before. Does it really allow me to shoot at lower shutter speeds and get good results?

Yes. Usually it's worth an extra 1-2 stops with non-moving subjects.

With otherwise good technique I found I could get good results at 50mm as slow as 1/16. And it's extremely useful if you're doing video.

Which 80-200 are you thinking about?

The nikkor two ringed version, which I can get about $650 used. I know the push pull is cheaper, but I can't stand the push pull zoom. I just never got used to it.

I have the two ring 80-200 if you want to try it out first.

That would be great! I am in Savannah this weekend, but I'll be home next week if you want to shoot on the weekend.

 

[ruifo]

Hey! That looks great. It I can get one for that cheap, I'll pick it up just to give it a shot. Doing a quick search on it, it appears it is quite fantastic.

Many options out there:

• 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6g Buy or Learn at Adorama
  
• Nikkor AF 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G eBay
• NIKON 28-80MM F 3.3-5.6 G SILVER AUTOFOCUS LENS 58 - KEH Camera
• NIKON 28-80MM F 3.3-5.6 G BLACK AUTOFOCUS LENS 58 - KEH Camera
• Amazon.com Buying Choices Nikon 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G Autofocus Nikkor Zoom Lens Silver

Some reviews:

• Testing Cheap Glass 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G Nikon SLR Lens Talk Forum Digital Photography Review
  
• Nikon 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G
• Nikon AF NIKKOR 28-80mm f 3.3-5.6G
• LensTip.com - lens review lenses reviews lens specification - Lenstip.com
  
• NIkon Autofocus AF Zoom Nikkor 28-80mm f 3.5 5.6D lens group - Index Page
  
• Nikon AF 28-80 f 3.3-5.6G Zoom-Nikkor Reviews - PhotographyREVIEW.com
  
• Old AF lenses - You convinced me ... - Nikon Lenses Discussions on Nikon Rumors Forum
  
• among others...

 

[Derrel]

I have one of those 28-80 f/3.5~5.6 D lenses...surprisingly decent on 24MP FX. I shot it yesterday, in fact. I have shot some paying gigs with it, all flash, at f/7.1, and it's pretty good there. One thing I actually LIKE about AF-D lenses is the audible focusing...there's some comfort to me about hearing and feeling the focusing "Dzzt!" when re-acquiring focus before each frame. Call me old-fashioned if you must, but I actually like that little reminder. The little 28-80-D doesn't freak people out the way a monstrously-sized 24-70/2.8 or 28-70/2.8 AF-S does...those coffee can-sized lenses bother some people at normal distances. "Photography people", or people used to being photographed are not identical to "regular people", people on the street...big lenses with 77mm filter diameters and gaudy scalloped lens hoods give people the wrong impression sometimes. This is where the tiny-sized lenses can help somewhat. Another lens is the 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 AF-D, one of which we have on Lens Across America 4. I was genuinely impressed by that thing on 24 MP FX Nikon, and the low,low level of distortion in the wide angle range was shocking; perhaps the least distortion of any wide zoom I've ever used. The macro range magnification was also pretty high. Best bang-for-buck lens value available right now.

 

[goodguy]

HAd the Nikon 24-85mm 3.5-4.5 VR and other then the fact thats its much slower then my 24-70mm 2.8 which replaced it this lens is excellent, very sharp, small and cheap to get used.
Highly recommend it!!!
Well as long as you understand its a rather slow lens

 

[nerwin]

I really like my copy of the 24-85 VR, it is an excellent lens. Very sharp and excellent bokeh at that! Sure it isn't a fixed 2.8 lens, but it is one of the faster variable lens 3.5-4.5 rather than 3.5-5.6. The VR is actually very handy, especially for video. I think its an underdog lens honestly.

 

[fjrabon]

Another lens is the 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 AF-D, one of which we have on Lens Across America 4. I was genuinely impressed by that thing on 24 MP FX Nikon, and the low,low level of distortion in the wide angle range was shocking; perhaps the least distortion of any wide zoom I've ever used. The macro range magnification was also pretty high. Best bang-for-buck lens value available right now.

I think that's jay maisel's walk around lens that he took a large portion of the images from color, light, gesture with.

 

[astroNikon]

I know few people mention this, but on the DxO lens tests for Standard Zoom for the Nikon d600 has in #3 spot the 24-85/2.8-4.0 AF-D lens ==> Standard zooms and primes - DxOMark

==> Nikkor AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f 3.5-4.5G ED VR on Nikon D610 versus Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f 2.8G ED on Nikon D610 versus Nikkor AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f 2.8-4D IF on Nikon D610 - Side by side lens comparison - DxOMark

The neat thing is this 24-85/2.8-4 has a Macro mode, which comes in handy if you do that. And it's usually fairly cheap in the used market.

I have one of these and I love it. This is my "go to" general use lens.
Light & Compact compared to a 24-70/2.8 and seems to give me excellent results. It is a screw focus thus it uses the camera in-body focus motor (not AF-S in lens motor).

I had a 35-70/2.8 - push-pull lens which you state you don't like "push pull". I liked the lens in a studio setting but once you got outside and if the Sun was NOT at your back then the color saturation suffered much more as the sun was behind your subject. Mine was in Mint condition and I recently sold it. I rarely used it as I grabbed the 24-85 instead. The 28-70/2.8 AF-S is very heavy so you might not like it for a walk around lens.