Zoom-NIKKOR 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S: is it worth the risk?

fdonadio · Sep 5, 2025

Hello, fellows!

I am in the process of replacing the set of lenses I use with my Nikon cameras with AF-S versions. The reason: I've added a Nikon mirrorless digital camera (Z6 II) to my analog ones (F2AS, FM2, F3 and F4) and, I want to be able to use auto-focus with the digital AND keep compatibility with the analog cameras.

The 80-200mm was already replaced with an AF-S version. Now I want to replace the 35-70mm AIs and the 20-35mm AF-D with their AF-S counterparts. In the case of the 20-35mm, the replacement would be the 17-35mm.

But... through my searches on the web — including here on Photrio — I see the 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S has a very prone-to-failure AF motor. You start getting squeaking noises from it and, eventually, the motor fails altogether. There are very cheap specimens of this lens in the market with defective motors.

Now the questions is:

1. Is it worth the risk buying a working one, only to maybe have it fail on you?

2. Does this problem affect only certain [earlier] batches (the problem was fixed at some point)?

3. Does anyone have a good specimen in the EU that they would be willing to sell me?

Thanks for the answers and have a great weekend!

George Mann · Sep 5, 2025

All AF-S lenses are prone to motor failure. I solved this issue by purchasing an early optically exceptional Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 that has no motor.

Paul Howell · Sep 5, 2025

George Mann said:
All AF-S lenses are prone to motor failure. I solved this issue by purchasing an early optically exceptional Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 that has no motor.

So, with your Tamrons, will they AF on a mirror-less body? What about G lens are they more rugged?

Chan Tran · Sep 5, 2025

George Mann said:
All AF-S lenses are prone to motor failure. I solved this issue by purchasing an early optically exceptional Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 that has no motor.

The OP has the Z6II and it can't focus a lens without motor. That's why the OP wanted to upgrade to AF-S.

fdonadio · Sep 5, 2025

George Mann said:
All AF-S lenses are prone to motor failure. I solved this issue by purchasing an early optically exceptional Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 that has no motor.

I didn’t know this was an issue with all AF-S lenses. Well, then I think I should just take the plunge.

fdonadio · Sep 5, 2025

Chan Tran said:
The OP has the Z6II and it can't focus a lens without motor. That's why the OP wanted to upgrade to AF-S.

Exactly!

fdonadio · Sep 5, 2025

Paul Howell said:
So, with your Tamrons, will they AF on a mirror-less body? What about G lens are they more rugged?

G lenses are out of question for me, as they are not compatible with the analog, mechanical bodies.

Chan Tran · Sep 5, 2025

The OP need lenses that are AF-S but not G lenses and Nikon doesn't make many of these.

George Mann · Sep 5, 2025

Paul Howell said:
So, with your Tamrons, will they AF on a mirror-less body?

They make versions with a motor.

Paul Howell said:
What about G lens are they more rugged?

All lenses with built-in motors will eventually fail.

Paul Howell · Sep 5, 2025

Might be true, I have 12 to 15 gear driven Minolta A mount lens, none have failed, buy only 2 motor driven lens for my Sigma SA and SD mount have both failed. My Sony and Minolta SSM G are still doing well.

neilt3 · Sep 6, 2025

Just a thought for the op , do all the lenses your looking at have aperture rings ?
If not you'll have no aperture control on some of your cameras , and limited options on the F4 .
I only have a handful of Nikon gear , so aren't familiar with the lenses your interested in .

fdonadio · Sep 6, 2025

neilt3 said:
Just a thought for the op , do all the lenses your looking at have aperture rings ?
If not you'll have no aperture control on some of your cameras , and limited options on the F4 .
I only have a handful of Nikon gear , so aren't familiar with the lenses your interested in .

Yes, I am only considering lenses with aperture rings, thus the need for AF-S non-G lenses (yes, Nikkor offers some lenses that are "AF-S G", go figure!).

It's even a personal preference. I don't like changing the aperture through dials on the camera. I find it really strange. I have always been used to changing aperture with my left hand, on the lens itself. I don't want to have to think when I change between my cameras.

fdonadio · Sep 6, 2025

So, according to @George Mann, lens motors will eventually fail, no matter what brand. I guess I'm gonna have to accept the risk.

Chan Tran · Sep 6, 2025

fdonadio said:
Yes, I am only considering lenses with aperture rings, thus the need for AF-S non-G lenses (yes, Nikkor offers some lenses that are "AF-S G", go figure!).

It's even a personal preference. I don't like changing the aperture through dials on the camera. I find it really strange. I have always been used to changing aperture with my left hand, on the lens itself. I don't want to have to think when I change between my cameras.

Yes and I was very disappointed when Nikon introduced the Z system and the lens doesn't have the aperture ring. However, if I were you I would buy AI, AI-S, AF or AF-D lenses for the film camera and Z lens for your digital. You only have the F4 that can AF and the manual focusing with AF lens isn't that great.

rulnacco · Sep 6, 2025

I'm ambivalent about it. I have that lens, and optically it's quite good. I had to replace the motor back in 2016, and I'm a bit suspicious of its health at this point. This time if if dies, it's probably unrepairable.

In my case, at least I've used it so much and gotten so many images with it that even if it does die, it's been worth it. If you're going to use the lens regularly, you might look at it that way--buy it, shoot the hell out of it, and when it dies sell or use it as a manual focus lens. (Because it has the aperture ring, it really does make a great wide-angle zoom for an F3 or something.)

pluton · Sep 7, 2025

A history:
2006-Bought a new 17-35/2.8. Light use, not pro PJ.
2013-AF motor went dead. $460 repair at Nikon L.A.
2014- ≈7 months after motor replacement, new motor/electronics in lens "freeze", can't manually focus, can't AF, lens "shorts out" or disables any camera it is mounted on.
Nikon repairs their previous repair at no charge.
2025-motor/electronics freeze again. Disables any camera the lens is attached to, including the Z7II through the FTZ adapter.
First failure: 7 years. Second failure: 11 years.
Solution: Since I figure the repair is probably now ≈$600 (if they still have the parts), I elect to remove the contact strip on the lens mount and neatly cut the flex. It is now a manual focus lens. Manual focusing is easy, I still use it.
Time for Nikon to update this 30-year-old design. If they did, I'd seriously consider dumping both the Z 14-24 and the Z 24-70/2.8 since this range of focal lengths covers about 80% of what I want to shoot.
At this point in history, I wouldn't buy one if AF was a requirement.
Canon makes a nice EF 16-35/2.8 III that can be used with an adapter. I've thought about it.

fdonadio · Sep 7, 2025

Chan Tran said:
However, if I were you I would buy AI, AI-S, AF or AF-D lenses for the film camera and Z lens for your digital.

Right now, my set is:

Nikon 20-35mm f/2.8 AF-D
Nikon 35-70mm f/3.5 AI
Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-S

I find it very difficult to focus with the Z6 II because of the lack of a split prism — obviously, as it's not a true optical viewfinder. At 48 years old, having keratoconus since my teens, I can't trust my eyes anymore without any kind of focusing aid. But I would like to get back into commercial photography, so focus accuracy is a must, especially for events.

Small focusing mistakes with the 20-35mm at f/5.6 or f/8 are probably not that visible, but with the 35-70mm they will definitely show up. I also have a 50mm f/1.4 and, at its maximum aperture, even not-so-small mistakes will be visible.

If I go with your recommendation, I only need to buy one lens for the Z... The only viable/affordable candidate is the Nikkor Z 28-75mm f/2.8. It's a little more expensive than what I could spend, though. Or I could just rent it when I have an event.

I think you've just helped keep my GAS in check. Thanks!

fdonadio · Sep 7, 2025

pluton said:
Time for Nikon to update this 30-year-old design. If they did, I'd seriously consider dumping both the Z 14-24 and the Z 24-70/2.8 since this range of focal lengths covers about 80% of what I want to shoot.

Yes, my 35-70mm 3.5 AI-S is my most used lens, by far. When I take my camera on the streets, it's often the only lens I carry with me.

Chan Tran · Sep 7, 2025

fdonadio said:
Right now, my set is:

Nikon 20-35mm f/2.8 AF-D

Nikon 35-70mm f/3.5 AI

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-S

I find it very difficult to focus with the Z6 II because of the lack of a split prism — obviously, as it's not a true optical viewfinder. At 48 years old, having keratoconus since my teens, I can't trust my eyes anymore without any kind of focusing aid. But I would like to get back into commercial photography, so focus accuracy is a must, especially for events.

Small focusing mistakes with the 20-35mm at f/5.6 or f/8 are probably not that visible, but with the 35-70mm they will definitely show up. I also have a 50mm f/1.4 and, at its maximum aperture, even not-so-small mistakes will be visible.

If I go with your recommendation, I only need to buy one lens for the Z... The only viable/affordable candidate is the Nikkor Z 28-75mm f/2.8. It's a little more expensive than what I could spend, though. Or I could just rent it when I have an event.

I think you've just helped keep my GAS in check. Thanks!

I would buy Z lenses for the Z6iii. The Z lenses are supposed to be better than F lenses. I focus my SLR without the split image nor microprism without any problem and that is the reason I don't want the mirrorless because I can't do the same I either have to use peaking or magnify a portion of the frame which is against my way of doing thing. When I bought my Nikon F2AS back in 1977 the first accessory I bougt was the type D focusing screen to get rid of the split image and microprism. I later used the F3HP the same way. I am 70 and I am manually focus my Nikon Df and D850 fine. That is the one reason I don't go for mirrorless.

fdonadio · Sep 7, 2025

Chan Tran said:
I would buy Z lenses for the Z6iii. The Z lenses are supposed to be better than F lenses. I focus my SLR without the split image nor microprism without any problem and that is the reason I don't want the mirrorless because I can't do the same I either have to use peaking or magnify a portion of the frame which is against my way of doing thing. When I bought my Nikon F2AS back in 1977 the first accessory I bougt was the type D focusing screen to get rid of the split image and microprism. I later used the F3HP the same way. I am 70 and I am manually focus my Nikon Df and D850 fine. That is the one reason I don't go for mirrorless.

I feel happy that you can trust your eyes at 70. The doctors say not even surgery can fix mine (it's a long story)... AFAIK, it's hard contact lenses 'til I go under.

Anyway, I have found out that AF-D and AF-S lenses can use the MF assistance in the Z-series cameras (the focus rectangle on screen turns green when the area is in focus). There's also the "<o>" indicator, just like on the F4 and up. You see, I have serious problems with new technology, so I had to go on YouTube to find about it.

In the end, this thread has drifted into the Z series and its lenses, which is off-topic for this forum. Anyway, my question is properly answered: the AF-S lenses' motor is not 100% reliable and repairs get harder to find every day.

I can use AF-D and AF-S lenses on manual focus and get the assistance I need, which all but eliminates the need for autofocus for me.

Thanks, everyone!

fdonadio · Sep 29, 2025

A follow-up to this subject...

I didn't go for the 17-35 mm, but found a great deal on a 28-70 mm AF-S from Japan.

Anyway, it didn't arrive on time, so I rented a Nikkor-Z 24-70mm f/4 to shoot a friend's wedding party this weekend and, although I got really good results, I had a really hard time getting the auto-focus to work satisfactorily. The camera didn't focus quickly enough and the shutter wouldn't fire until it did, so I had people waiting on me to "click". It didn't feel good at all.

I tested the AF-S today with my cats, in my poor lit apartment, and the AF was "teh snappy"! Lens looks great, glass is pristine. Not even a hint of fog, but there's a speck or two of dust inside, as expected for a lens this age.

Works incredibly better than the Z lens. Motor is silent, but there's a light screeching noise when zoomed between 28 and 35 mm, like something is rubbing on something else. Everything else works great, so I'm keeping it and taking it to be serviced.

I'm keeping my 35-70 mm f/3.5 for when I'm using my F2 or FM2, as it's significantly lighter.

Again, I thank you all for the help and opinions.

Sirius Glass · Sep 29, 2025

While I have multiple zoom lenses for my film Nikons and the Nikon Z7ii, 28mm to 200mm and 150mm to 600mm, I have fixed focal length lenses for the wide angle range, 15mm, 16mm, 20mm and 24mm that I had previously brought for the film Nikons.

reddesert · Sep 29, 2025

fdonadio said:
A follow-up to this subject...

I didn't go for the 17-35 mm, but found a great deal on a 28-70 mm AF-S from Japan.

Anyway, it didn't arrive on time, so I rented a Nikkor-Z 24-70mm f/4 to shoot a friend's wedding party this weekend and, although I got really good results, I had a really hard time getting the auto-focus to work satisfactorily. The camera didn't focus quickly enough and the shutter wouldn't fire until it did, so I had people waiting on me to "click". It didn't feel good at all.

I tested the AF-S today with my cats, in my poor lit apartment, and the AF was "teh snappy"! Lens looks great, glass is pristine. Not even a hint of fog, but there's a speck or two of dust inside, as expected for a lens this age.

I despise shutter lag, so I sympathize. FWIW, I'm not familiar with the Nikon Z system, but I think it behaves like the DSLRs and AF film SLRs - there is a way to set it for shutter release priority rather than focus priority. (This is distinct from shutter priority exposure S mode.) In release priority mode, the camera fires when you press the button without waiting for focus. Of course no one wants out-of-focus pictures, but if the camera+lens is close enough and just taking too long to confirm, then release priority is helpful.

On some DSLRs and probably on the Z-series, you can set the priority in a menu; on the film AF SLRs and at least some DSLRs, the M/S/C switch on the lens mount allows controlling the release/focus priority. I also know that people who are more adept than me with AF, get a lot of mileage out of the back-button focus area control on the film AF and digital SLRs - not sure if the Z series has that.

Zoom-NIKKOR 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S: is it worth the risk?

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