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#1
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you
might expect for its modest price. Here's a sample, and this page is a format I'm thinking of using for future real world examinations of amateur-price-range equipment. Not everyone needs or can afford five-grand cameras and two-grand optics. Rockwell and Hogan write reviews that are worth reading, but I also like to see walking-around grab shots made with natural light and no tripod, the way most of my photos are taken. In the interest of honest disclosure, I took several frames and this was the sharpest. I'm not as steady as I was a few decades ago (hand-held @ 1/40sec). http://web.mac.com/olddognewtrick/iW...r-at-last.html -- Cease then to grieve for your private afflictions, and address yourselves instead to the safety of the republic |
#2
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
"sheepdog 2007" wrote in message news:2007100916413316807%barking@mailmannet... The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. Here's a sample, and this page is a format I'm thinking of using for future real world examinations of amateur-price-range equipment. Not everyone needs or can afford five-grand cameras and two-grand optics. Rockwell and Hogan write reviews that are worth reading, but I also like to see walking-around grab shots made with natural light and no tripod, the way most of my photos are taken. In the interest of honest disclosure, I took several frames and this was the sharpest. I'm not as steady as I was a few decades ago (hand-held @ 1/40sec). http://web.mac.com/olddognewtrick/iW...r-at-last.html The Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 is even good to the corners on full-frame (film), and is one of the better zooms out there. I "raced" it on film against the Nikkor 24mm f2.8 AF, 35mm f2 AF, 50mm f1.4 AF, and 85mm f1.8 AF (all at the same stop, but I can't remember if f4 or f5.6 - but likely the latter). At the short end, the zoom held its own against the very good 24mm, was slightly behind the very fine 35mm, noticeably behind the excellent 50mm, and very noticeably behind the superb 85mm - BUT, the zoom was consistent in its level of performance from 24mm to 85mm, and also performed well at close focus.This is an unusually high level of performance from a fairly inexpensive zoom. Unfortunately, the zoom range is more interesting on film cameras than on digital ones, but it is still a usable range with digital. BTW, you may find my Nikkor evaluation list interesting, and it has URLs for other review sites - at www.donferrario.com/ruether/slemn.html. -- David Ruether http://www.donferrario.com/ruether |
#3
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
On 2007-10-10 07:08:53 -0700, "David Ruether" said:
"sheepdog 2007" wrote in message news:2007100916413316807%barking@mailmannet... The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. Here's a sample, and this page is a format I'm thinking of using for future real world examinations of amateur-price-range equipment. Not everyone needs or can afford five-grand cameras and two-grand optics. Rockwell and Hogan write reviews that are worth reading, but I also like to see walking-around grab shots made with natural light and no tripod, the way most of my photos are taken. In the interest of honest disclosure, I took several frames and this was the sharpest. I'm not as steady as I was a few decades ago (hand-held @ 1/40sec). http://web.mac.com/olddognewtrick/iW...r-at-last.html The Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 is even good to the corners on full-frame (film), and is one of the better zooms out there. I "raced" it on film against the Nikkor 24mm f2.8 AF, 35mm f2 AF, 50mm f1.4 AF, and 85mm f1.8 AF (all at the same stop, but I can't remember if f4 or f5.6 - but likely the latter). At the short end, the zoom held its own against the very good 24mm, was slightly behind the very fine 35mm, noticeably behind the excellent 50mm, and very noticeably behind the superb 85mm - BUT, the zoom was consistent in its level of performance from 24mm to 85mm, and also performed well at close focus.This is an unusually high level of performance from a fairly inexpensive zoom. Unfortunately, the zoom range is more interesting on film cameras than on digital ones, but it is still a usable range with digital. BTW, you may find my Nikkor evaluation list interesting, and it has URLs for other review sites - at www.donferrario.com/ruether/slemn.html. I have read many of your reviews and find all your technical writing to be enlightening and accessible. Your site is one of the more valuable resources I've learned about by reading rpd, rpdss, rpe35, and the other photo newsgroups. This education makes it worth my while to wade through the flames. Are you making any money from web pages? I do the iWeb thing strictly for diversion. -- Cease then to grieve for your private afflictions, and address yourselves instead to the safety of the republic |
#4
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
"sheepdog 2007" wrote in message news:2007101007313375249%barking@mailmannet... On 2007-10-10 07:08:53 -0700, "David Ruether" said: "sheepdog 2007" wrote in message news:2007100916413316807%barking@mailmannet... The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. [...] The Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 is even good to the corners on full-frame (film), and is one of the better zooms out there. [...] I have read many of your reviews and find all your technical writing to be enlightening and accessible. Your site is one of the more valuable resources I've learned about by reading rpd, rpdss, rpe35, and the other photo newsgroups. This education makes it worth my while to wade through the flames. Are you making any money from web pages? I do the iWeb thing strictly for diversion. Thanks for the comments. I make no money from my web page (except sometimes from the sale of my no longer needed items listed on the site), since there is no external advertising on it. The site used to be on server space offered free by other people, but in the last few years I've had to pay a fixed small yearly sum to keep it running. It started with "Subjective Lens Evaluations (Mostly Nikkors)", which first appeared on other websites in 1995, but on my own new site in 1996. Unfortunately, with the loss of server space, I've also lost my URL three times and have had to reestablish it (it is currently listed on google more with the wrong URL than with the right one). For me, the site is a place to show photographs, to offer photo and video gear reviews and comparisons, to place articles on anything I want to write about (there are articles on seeing and lens perspectives, etc.), and to have a location for copies of my 16,000 or so NG posts (there is also a "silly" restaurant menu on the site, and a just plain weird page - in addition to my MIDI/mp3s). I spend FAR too much time working on the site (and it just went through a major redo, which is unfortunately mostly invisible...;-). One of these days, it will be finished (NOT! 8^). -- David Ruether http://www.donferrario.com/ruether |
#5
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
On Oct 9, 7:41 pm, sheepdog 2007 wrote:
The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. No point in buying it. It isn't as good as the 18-70mm kit lens and it isn't wide enough. |
#6
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
"RichA" wrote in message ups.com... On Oct 9, 7:41 pm, sheepdog 2007 wrote: The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. No point in buying it. It isn't as good as the 18-70mm kit lens and it isn't wide enough. RichA: And your personal use experience enables you to give meaningful comparisons of these two Nikkors just how? Mentioned on the off chance someone might start to believe you. Bob |
#7
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
On Oct 11, 1:38 pm, "Robert Brace" wrote:
"RichA" wrote in message ups.com... On Oct 9, 7:41 pm, sheepdog 2007 wrote: The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. No point in buying it. It isn't as good as the 18-70mm kit lens and it isn't wide enough. RichA: And your personal use experience enables you to give meaningful comparisons of these two Nikkors just how? Mentioned on the off chance someone might start to believe you. Bob As a matter of fact, yes. I had the opportunity to use both lenses (and the 28-105) for a week. The old D lenses are not a good choice for a digital sensor. I sold both on Ebay for a friend once the test was done. The only reason people might want to stick with them is if they plan to get a FF sensor D3, and if they do that, it's likely they'll get better lenses anyway. |
#8
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
On 2007-10-11 12:26:10 -0700, RichA said:
On Oct 11, 1:38 pm, "Robert Brace" wrote: "RichA" wrote in message ups.com... On Oct 9, 7:41 pm, sheepdog 2007 wrote: The 24-85 "consumer" grade Nikkor is. IMHO, a better lens than you might expect for its modest price. No point in buying it. It isn't as good as the 18-70mm kit lens and it isn't wide enough. RichA: And your personal use experience enables you to give meaningful comparisons of these two Nikkors just how? Mentioned on the off chance someone might start to believe you. Bob As a matter of fact, yes. I had the opportunity to use both lenses (and the 28-105) for a week. The old D lenses are not a good choice for a digital sensor. So you're referring to the older f/2.8-4 then? This is the 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 IF-ED AF-S, which I find much better in every way except for maximum aperture. And even that is a wash, as the older lens wasn't very good wide open. I sold both on Ebay for a friend once the test was done. The only reason people might want to stick with them is if they plan to get a FF sensor D3, and if they do that, it's likely they'll get better lenses anyway. Yes, if you actually need a five grand body you would probably not consider a $250 lens. -- Cease then to grieve for your private afflictions, and address yourselves instead to the safety of the republic |
#9
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Nikon zoom lens looks good corner-to-corner
Ken Rockwell ? mouhahahaha
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