Sharpness, Color, Built, etc

Heavy Weight.
Foggy ver often, so, hard to reserve.
Weak for Flare... etc.

very good lense but hard to handle.
i wish more light and convinient one.
mmmm... when it's rain or snow, i wonder if carry this lense... wet and cold weather very often cause bad fog in lense drum... i used to have a/s for this problem, but it'll be continue.

Customer Service

expensive... in korea.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 28-80 1:3.5-4.5D, Nikkor 50 1:1.4

Sharp, Well made, Professional Quality

Push-pull mechanism
Dust tends to build up

Very sharp and a workhorse. Had wanted to change to a 28-70f/2.6 ATX but couldn't bring myself to let go of this excellent lense.

Customer Service

No need

Similar Products Used:

28-70f/3.5-4.5 AF Nikkor
28-70f/3.8 Tokina ATX

Takes very sharp pictures. Fast

can't use circular polarizer.

auto focusing is bit loud and makes tapping sound when focusing ring reaches either end. but then my other AF does the same.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 50mm 1.4 manual, Nikkor 24mm 2.8 AF, Sigma 70-250mm 3.5 to 4.5.

- Excellent Colour, contrast & sharpness
- Well built
- f/2.8 constant
- Very good wide open
- true 'Pro-class' lens results

- limited range for a zoom
- rotating front element
- prone to flare
- push/pull zoom (I hate it personally)

Without a doubt one of the best pieces of glass out there for the zoom range it covers. Results achieved with this zoom are arguably comparable to 'primes' I have used within the same focal range and apertures.

Images I have taken with this lens are tack sharp, and the colour/contrast is great. This is without a doubt one of the true 'legends' of the Nikkor line-up.

If you can find one snap it up, the optics of this lens are fantastic to say the least. Truly a 'Pro class' lens in every respect.

Customer Service

Not needed to date !

Similar Products Used:

- Tokina 28-80 f/2.8 ATX Pro
- Nikkor 28-70 AFD f/3.5-4.5
- Nikkor 28-80 AFD f/3.5-5.6

-not pricey
-solid construction
-overall good optical performance
-i like push/pull zooms

-a bit limited focal range
-rotating front element makes unconfortable using polarizer
-heavier then it seems

This is usually an underrated lens. It has not major flaws and if you own already a wide-angle is a good choice (especially used) vs "hyperexpensive" 28-70 AFS.

Customer Service

-never needed

Similar Products Used:

-Nikon primes
-Canon 28-70 f2.8

Solidly built.
Reasonably sharp,
Constant aperture through the entire range.

heavy,
clumsy,
rotating front lens element
flare

Too heavy and old fashioned construction.
Slow AF, rotating front element.
I did not find it's sharpeness worth the obsolete zoom concept. Hence, switch back to prime Nikkor lenses.
My rating is based on comparison with other Nikkor lenses (particularly primes) and does not reflect rating comparison with so called 3 party lenses.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor AF & MF primes (20,24,35,50,85mm)
Sigma 28-70/2.8

*Fast 2.8 aperture throughout zoom range
*Lovely out-of-focus area when shooting people up close at f2.8
*Pretty rugged construction (dropped it multiple times)

*Very limited zoom range (why can't Nikon make a 28-80mm f/2.8?)
*Heavy
*Now-obsolete push- pull zoom function
*Noisy, slow autofocus
*Rotating front element

While this lens ought to be retired from the Nikon line, the manufacturer has yet to come up with a suitable replacement at an approximate cost. I'm consistently pleased with the results I get from my 35-70mm f/2.8 in terms of sharpness and contrast. However, the push-pull zoom is not an appropriate feature for a professional lens, the rotating front element is irritating when using filters and leaves the focus mechanism open to grinding while not in use, and focusing is slow and noisy, even to the point of being distracting to subjects. At $1,400, Nikon's 28-70mm f/2.8 AF-S is pretty expensive for a mid-range lens. Right now, I'm at a loss for an alternative.
That said, I really like the impressionistic results I get shooting kids up close at f/2.8, and this lens gives pretty good results when coupled with extension tubes for macro shots.

Customer Service

Not used

Similar Products Used:

Various experience with zooms in this range belonging to friends

- Optical Quality
- Sharpness
- Soft out of focus at 2.8/beautiful
- Strong and reliable

- Front element rotation to use w/ filter
- Old design

- Very handy and excellent performance. Lighter compared to Tokina. I like to use it in general close-ups. Good range for my work area... The auto focus is slow and noise.

Customer Service

Not necessary to use yet

Similar Products Used:

- Tokina similar range and speed. Nikon is far better.

Sharp, fast lens. One of best zooms for copy work because of lack of barrel and pinhole distortion.

Heavy--best used on tripod. Relatively expensive.

When you shoot as much student artwork--of widely varying sizes and proportions--as I do you eventually supplement the macro with a zoom. This zoom offered the best resolution and least distortion, albeit at a heft price. My only complaint is that I could use an even wider zoom spread for my puposes (like 28-70).

Similar Products Used:

None

Very sharp, great minimum focusing distance.

Nikon should had made it a 28-70f2.8 because 35-70 its not a very wide range, specialy if you are a pro.
Also the two touch zoom operation is kind of ackward, since you push or pull to zoom, and rotate the top end ring to focus, but you push out to get to 35mm and pull in to 70mm?! wierd... but one gets used to it.

Great lens for its price, I also own Nikon´s 24-120 because I wanted a larger zoom range, but I found my self still using my 35-70 because a constant f2.8 aperture has no substitute, now with the introduction of the new 28-70 f2.8 AF-S I am going to get it, after I sell my 35-70 and 24-120.

Customer Service

poor in Mexico City, never used it with this lens though.

Similar Products Used:

Canon´s EF 28-70f2.8 L USM