nikkor 17-55 f2.8 new 2 me, first impressions

[Bevel Heaven]

Greetings,

I recently got Nikkor 17-55 f2.8 lens and have been using it a bit, thought I would share some various scenario photos. Note; I didn;t use a tripod for any, and didn;t use a flash but for the car shot..... I gotta say I am going to really love this lens once I get used to it

My wife and child taken outside our door on the way out for sunday brunch. Overcast, kinda gloomy day. The original photo shows incredible detail in Efthalia's hair etc and skin tones are nice and warm.

car show in san francisco mascone center - crappy lighting 40+ feet up. I used a flash pointed straight up bumped 1 stop on the flash. I am digging the clarity, lack of the typical flash hotspot and the fact that the background shows well, even way back.

the little one playing - no setup, just grab the camera and shoot, aperture priority f2.8 - a backward bounced flash would have really made this one but again, impressed with color, brightness etc.

As I was walking back to BART after the car show I literally took off the lens cap, aperture priority 2.8 again, and shot as I walked.

I think once I really have some time to play around with this, and test different settings of the same subjects etc, and get a handle on how FAST this lens is............ I am going to like it even more. I also shot a party we had at the house, indoor daytime gloomy outside..... Impressed with it again....... both w/out a flash in rooms with skylights, and with a flash once it started getting dark outside.

If any of you guys that have lived with this lens for awhile have some useful tips ro techniques to try with it, I am all ears.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

mine is soft at 55mm f/2.8, can you put up or pm me a 100% crop of a shot at 55mm f/2.8?

Just for comparisons sake.

 

[Garbz]

AJ that's not just your lens. http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_1755_28/index.htm It's pretty average lens sharpness wise. But speed and buildquality is what this lens is all about and especially the latter of them Nikon has down pat.

Personally I am not a fan of this lens because it won't work on my Nikon FE

 

[Bevel Heaven]

I read this review, but before I bought, I quizzed many on this forum and others, as well as a few other professional photogs [THAT ACTUALLY OWN THIS LENS AND HAVE USED IT] as to how they liked the lens. Everyone I spoke to loved it and HIGHLY recommended it. The review you point to is not all gloom and doom my friend......... Anyways, it seems to be an excellent lens in many ways and, there are no 100% across the board LOVED lens out there.......... Especially by those who have not used it such as yourself.......... So why bother posting your negative 'review' when it isn;t based on anything 'real'? Puleaze.......:er:

 

[emogirl]

that is a freaking hot superbly sharp lens! i couldnt live without it! its my primary lens for weddings and landscapes

 

[Sw1tchFX]

AJ that's not just your lens. http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_1755_28/index.htm It's pretty average lens sharpness wise. But speed and buildquality is what this lens is all about and especially the latter of them Nikon has down pat.

Personally I am not a fan of this lens because it won't work on my Nikon FE

Well, mine used to be as sharp as my 80-200 (17mm at f/2.8 is still about as sharp as my 80-200 at f/4ish), but I busted the AF motor one day and since i've gotten it back from being fixed, it's never really been the same on the long end. It's sharp, but nowhere near as contrasty when used wide open at 55mm. I think it's still front focusing. When I screwed up the motor, it wouldn't focus past 10 feet, and now It's just less contrasty when anything beyond 10 feet is shot. I'm not as confident with it at 55mm f/2.8 as I used to be, and that's critical for portraits when my 80-200 is too long.

17mm is ok, but that's becuase it's so wide, f/2.8 can carry the DOF alot further than at 55mm.

I dunno, i'm also probably seeing things. I'll post a 100% crop later today when I get the time to illustrate what used to be and what is now.

 

[XJBaylor]

I read this review, but before I bought, I quizzed many on this forum and others, as well as a few other professional photogs [THAT ACTUALLY OWN THIS LENS AND HAVE USED IT] as to how they liked the lens. Everyone I spoke to loved it and HIGHLY recommended it. The review you point to is not all gloom and doom my friend......... Anyways, it seems to be an excellent lens in many ways and, there are no 100% across the board LOVED lens out there.......... Especially by those who have not used it such as yourself.......... So why bother posting your negative 'review' when it isn;t based on anything 'real'? Puleaze.......:er:

Wow. Don't get so defensive. All he said was that it isn't known as the sharpest lens out there. Sharpness is not the only important factor in determining the quality of a lens. Contrast, color, flare resistance, build quality, overall IQ, AF speed, OOF rendering, etc. Garbz is a useful contributor here and nothing he said justified that juvenille response.

I see people badmouthing the Tokina 12-24 all the time and even though I don't agree with their responses I try to avoid berating them on the internet.