What are the best Nikon AF-D zoom lenses?

[ongakublue]

Hi all

Looking into getting a AF D zoom lens. Always eager to save money. Advice please

 

[k.hendrik]

ED AF Nikkor 80-200 1:2.8 D; not cheap!

 

[Leigh B]

One zoom that's often overlooked is the 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 D ED.
I have one, and use it frequently. It's light and compact for the FL, and very well built.

It's an excellent lens with macro capability, so it replaces several regular lenses.
Those include regular focal lengths of 85, 105, 135, and 180, plus macros in that range.

Here's Ken Rockwell's write-up on this lens: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/70180.htm
It's the lens he uses for all the photos in his lens reviews.

- Leigh

 

[darkosaric]

Cheap and good: 28-80mm f3.3-5.6 and 28-70mm f3.5-4.5
As usual: more money = you get f2.8 and better build quality...

 

[George Mann]

Cheap and good: 28-80mm f3.3-5.6 and 28-70mm f3.5-4.5
As usual: more money = you get f2.8 and better build quality...

Then the Nikon AF 28-105mm F/3.5-4.5D IF may suit you better.

 

[ac12]

What range?
I have and use 28-85, 70-210/4, 75-300.
I almost got the 80-200/2.8 but it was a bit too heavy for me.

 

[macfred]

I can recommend the Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8 AF D https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/AFNikkor/AF3570mm/index2.htm

 

[choiliefan]

I have the 80-200 2.8D and it is a terrific lens despite the lack of a tripod collar. The older push-pull version isn't terribly expensive.

 

[locutus]

The old 'Trinity set' is very good; 17-35/2.8 28-70/2.8 80-200/2.8.

Not cheap in absolute terms though, about 2000$ for the set, but its good value.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Hi all

Looking into getting a AF D zoom lens. Always eager to save money. Advice please

My Nikkor 35-70 was cheap but it isa lightweight dog of a plastic lens; stay away from it

 

[George Mann]

My Nikkor 35-70 was cheap but it isa lightweight dog of a plastic lens; stay away from it

It sounds like you have the Cosina-made model.

 

[macfred]

My Nikkor 35-70 was cheap but it isa lightweight dog of a plastic lens; stay away from it

My 35-70 f/2.8 AF D has about 700g -it's a well built lens with excellent image quality.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

One zoom that's often overlooked is the 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 D ED.
I have one, and use it frequently. It's light and compact for the FL, and very well built.

It's an excellent lens with macro capability, so it replaces several regular lenses.
Those include regular focal lengths of 85, 105, 135, and 180, plus macros in that range.

Here's Ken Rockwell's write-up on this lens: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/70180.htm
It's the lens he uses for all the photos in his lens reviews.

- Leigh

The24-&5mm is decent

 

[narsuitus]

My Nikkor 35-70 was cheap but it isa lightweight dog of a plastic lens; stay away from it

Please keep in mind that there are several different Nikkor 35-70 lenses.

Nikkor 35-70 f/2.8 AF (see lens on the left)

Nikkor 35-70 f/2.8D AF

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.5

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.5 Macro

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.3 - f/4.5 AIS

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.3 - f/4.5 AF

The "lightweight dog of a plastic lens" is probably one of the last two on this list.



Nikon Mid-Range Zooms by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[film_man]

The 17-35/2.8 AFS is amazing. Probably the sharpest zoom I've owned so far. The 20-35/2.8 is a great lens too, but just not as spectacular as the 17-35.

 

[carlostaiwan]

With a 24-120 f3.5-5/6D and a 50mm f1.8D I have all the AF needs covered, for the FM, the F100 and digital. I have a small collection of MF for when I want the best quality

I

 

[George Mann]

Please keep in mind that there are several different Nikkor 35-70 lenses.

Nikkor 35-70 f/2.8 AF (see lens on the left)

Nikkor 35-70 f/2.8D AF

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.5

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.5 Macro

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.3 - f/4.5 AIS

Nikkor 35-70 f/3.3 - f/4.5 AF

The "lightweight dog of a plastic lens" is probably one of the last two on this list.

You missed the Cosina-made f/3.5-f/4.5. I have the f/3.3 - f/4.5 AF. It is well made for a mass produced zoom, and about as sharp as my 28mm f/3.5 Ai, with no visible distortion.

It's good for manual focusing to boot.

 

[macfred]

While we are on the subject of Nikon zoom lenses -and for the sake of completeness- we have to mention the Nikkor 25-50mm f/4 Ai(-s). It's one of my all-time favorites by Nikon (though it's not an AF lens).

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/zoomsMF/2550mm.htm

 

[destroya]

35-70 2.8d for me

 

[cooltouch]

I picked up the 28-105 D and 75-300 D ED for cheap, and no complaints regarding performance.

 

[BMbikerider]

The 28/85 AFD is certainly a damn good lens and is very sharp, however there is significant distortion at the wide end (Horizons have a very definite barrel curve) I now have 28/105 AFD and that is almost as sharp but has a lot less distortion at the wide end and none at the 105 end. It is my current 'walk-about lens it is so versatile. Built quality is superb with a fair bit of metal in the construction.

Going wider, I found the 20/35 AFD is as good as it gets (not being able to afford a 14/24AFS or a 17/35 AFS) With a constant F2.8 apperture, minimal distortion and incredible build quality. from F4 right up to F11-16 it is sharp right into the corners.

 

[benveniste]

One zoom that's often overlooked is the 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 D ED.
I have one, and use it frequently. It's light and compact for the FL, and very well built.
- Leigh

By all accounts the 70-180mm is a fine lens optically. But at 1010 grams, I wouldn't call it light. By comparison, the 70-210mm f/4~5.6D is about 600 grams. And by the time you fit a 6T to reach 1:1, you have less working distance with the 70-180mm than you would with a macro prime in the 90-105mm range.

To each their own of course, but the 70-180mm always struck me as neither fish nor fowl. As a macro lens, it doesn't reach 1:1 and shifts focal length dramatically with focal length. As a travel tele-zoom, it's heavy and a bit slow.

 

[Leigh B]

[It] shifts focal length dramatically with focal length.

It's required to do so, lest it be accused of false advertising.

- Leigh

 

[benveniste]

It's required to do so, lest it be accused of false advertising. - Leigh

Sorry, that doesn't fly. The change in focal length was a deliberate engineering decision by Nikon in order to maintain a constant minimum effective aperture of f/5.6 at all distances. No other Micro-Nikkor does this whether they change focal length or focus by solely by extension. So by your assertion, Nikon should be accused of false advertising for all those other lenses.

 

[MattKing]

shifts focal length dramatically with focal length

It's required to do so, lest it be accused of false advertising.

I expect that benveniste means to say that the lens shifts its physical length dramatically as the focal length changes.
Otherwise, an observation to the effect that the focal length changes when you change the focal length doesn't really add a lot to the conversation.