Nikon 35-70 f2.8d question ( d7100)

[jaomul]

Hi all,

Ignoring the rather odd focal length coverage, would the 35-70 f2.8 be a good lens on the D7100? I know from reading a little that the newer high res sensors are working better with some newer lens designs but maybe not all. Thanks

 

[pixmedic]

I still have an old nikon 35-70 f/2.8 AF lens (not even the D) and it works great on my D7100.

 

[jaomul]

Thanks Pixmedic

 

[Patrice]

I had that lens and used it on a D200 then on a D700 - sold it when I got a 28-70/2.8. The lens has a solid build, excellent optics, close focussing at 35mm, nice rendering, especially of skin tones: makes an excellent indoor portrait lens on a DX body. The lens flares more than modern ones with the miracle coatings but is still very useable outdoors - just be careful of Sun in the frame or of sunlight raking across the front element. Usually available at a very affordable price for a pro grade midrange zoom lens.

 

[Mach0]

I like it. Just got another and so far it's the best copy I've had. As mentioned just watch for light sources in the frame.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[astroNikon]

I have one 35-70/2.8 AF-D. And I just used it outdoors yesterday for the first time (been an indoor studio 100%). I made sure the above statements about light angles. Worked great. But ... probably due to my inexperience ... I don't see the "crispness" in the image as I was expecting on my d600 24mp. I'm going to run tests vs my d7000 16mp. I say inexperience as when in LightRoom I slide Clarity to +25 THEN the images matched my expectations.

I am thinking of moving up to the 28-70/2.8 though. But I need alot more practice with this lens to reach *my* potential with it.
Skin tone colors were really good too.
I have a couple pics up in my flickr account from it (working on editing the entire series, but these were examples for the mom). https://www.flickr.com/photos/100677477@N08/sets/72157645008935812/

 

[Derrel]

Since the lens is used on a DX sensor, the "proper" lens hood for it is going to be significantly smaller in diameter, and also longer, or a mix of both. One of the things I have found on lenses that tend to flare when shot toward strong light is that without a lens shade, the lens performs poorly, but with it, there can be a huge boost to overall IQ. So...start thinking about something like a lens hood that's off of something more like the 62mm screw-in filter for the 50-135mm f/3.5 Ai-S Zoom~Nikkor lens.

On 1.5x it's "not" a 35-70 in terms of what is imaged on the sensor, so the lens hood can easily be allowed to vignette quite a bit, and that will not even be recorded by the smaller sensor; you could probably use a hood designed for an older 85mm lens from one of the generic lens hood marketers, like Goldstar or made-in-China whoever. As with all zooms, a hood that will show vignetting at 35mm might well NOT show it set to 45 or 50mm.

My effort here is to let you know that if you can find a NARROW-diameter lens hood that is significantly longer than the stock hood, you'll really be able to keep the lens from flaring when pointed toward the sun. "Junk bins" that were filled with screw-in rubber and plastic and metal lens hoods USED TO BE common back when camera stores existed everywhere, like phone booths used to. But now hoods are harder to find in-person and to cull through with a lens in one hand and a box of junker #3 hoods in the other hand.

By basic rule of thumb: 35x 1.5 = 52.5, so a hood for a 50mm lens is going to be okay at 35mm on the lens, but that is "conservative". You might be able to find something for a 70-200 or old 85mm that will actually give more anti-flare protection and yet still NOT vignette at the 35mm setting.

 

[jaomul]

Thanks all for input. I have a tamron 17-50 f2.8 and a 35mm f1.8 along with kit lens and a 50mm. My thinking was to sell the Tammy and 35mm, buy the sigma 18-35mm f1.8 with the Nikon 35-70 I asked about and eventually a 70-200mm f2.8.

I knocked the idea on the head and ordered a sigma 50-150 f2.8 instead. I think this is a more usable set, the original idea being a bit overkill for my needs (and wallet)

 

[shadowlands]

I have the Nikon AF-S 28-70mm f2.8d and I love it.

 

[odagled]

Since the lens is used on a DX sensor, the "proper" lens hood for it is going to be significantly smaller in diameter, and also longer, or a mix of both. One of the things I have found on lenses that tend to flare when shot toward strong light is that without a lens shade, the lens performs poorly, but with it, there can be a huge boost to overall IQ. So...start thinking about something like a lens hood that's off of something more like the 62mm screw-in filter for the 50-135mm f/3.5 Ai-S Zoom~Nikkor lens. On 1.5x it's "not" a 35-70 in terms of what is imaged on the sensor, so the lens hood can easily be allowed to vignette quite a bit, and that will not even be recorded by the smaller sensor; you could probably use a hood designed for an older 85mm lens from one of the generic lens hood marketers, like Goldstar or made-in-China whoever. As with all zooms, a hood that will show vignetting at 35mm might well NOT show it set to 45 or 50mm. My effort here is to let you know that if you can find a NARROW-diameter lens hood that is significantly longer than the stock hood, you'll really be able to keep the lens from flaring when pointed toward the sun. "Junk bins" that were filled with screw-in rubber and plastic and metal lens hoods USED TO BE common back when camera stores existed everywhere, like phone booths used to. But now hoods are harder to find in-person and to cull through with a lens in one hand and a box of junker #3 hoods in the other hand. By basic rule of thumb: 35x 1.5 = 52.5, so a hood for a 50mm lens is going to be okay at 35mm on the lens, but that is "conservative". You might be able to find something for a 70-200 or old 85mm that will actually give more anti-flare protection and yet still NOT vignette at the 35mm setting.

I love this lens for portraits on my D7000 and now even more on my D600. When I used it on the D7000, I used the hood from the older 70-300mm G, the HB-26. Worked great and even fit in reverse. Now when I use the lens on the D600 I use the lens hood that made for it, the HB-1.

 

[djacobox372]

Good lens, but prone to flaring/haze when shooting into light sources. I'd suggest a tamron 28-75mm 2.8 as an alternative--better IQ IMO.