blazingly sharp, well worth the price considering the focal range. A Leica lens in this range would be expensive enough to give me a heart attack

Size, this lens is huge in comparison to it's prime counterparts(18, 20, 24, 28, 35)

While I find the lens to be quite large and heavy in comparison to the rangefinders lenses that I am used to, the image quality is something that I marvel at. The images are very crisp and more difficult to tell apart from leitz glass than my other nikkor lenses. The autofocus is almost silent and is extremely quick. The lens is also more easily focused manually than I thought it to be. As a tool of a photojournalist it is indespensible, permitting one to shoot in very tight conditions relatively easily. The lens is built like a tank, still not up to the indestructible rock that is the leica lens though. Overall, the lens was worth every penny spent, anyone who likes shooting wide or shooting people should own this thing. I dont know how I ever lived without it.

Customer Service

Never needed, but I dont think it could ever live up to Leica's service department

Similar Products Used:

Contax 21
Leica M 21,24,28,35
Nikkor 28, 20

Oooh-yeaa!!!

Features take, yes on this money it is possible to purchase so much ;-)

Certainly on quality lens slightly loses to a set primes lens, but the convenience and weight make selection unequivocal … though to part with aged "old fellows" it is very a pity, but many from them already have found the new hosts. Speed of a focusing improbable - if Nikon something has made, it is really good! The truth the price causes to wrench pouchs, but the orgasm from quality of snapshots causes to forget all doubts concerning costs Even in frosts up to - 45 all is twisted and is focalized … mine F100 congeals for 40 minutes, and I am more and did not experiment ;-)

Customer Service

;-)))

Similar Products Used:

AF 80-200/2.8D IF-ED
AF 28-105/3.5-4.5D IF
and more primes...

Fine optics
Excellent construction quality
Speedy autofocus
Easy to switch to manual focus
Fast (f/2.8)

Weight & size

This is an excellent lens, but it should be at its price level. The lens holds well optically even when shot directly into front-lighted settings and doesn't show very much flare or ghosting. I sense that it probably resolves better when shot at apertures of f/5.6 or slower, but it is very nice to have the f/2.8 speed for marginal light situations. Obviously there is distortion on the sides at 17-20mm.

I keep a 77mm skylight filter on the lens to protect the pricey front element, but I remove that filter when I'm shooting front lighted scenes, time exposures, or using a polarizer filter.

I have shot mostly on Kodak Portra films; however I would think this lens would do nicely for artistic black & white when shot with Plus-X, TMax-100 or comparable films. That's my next project.

I suspect this lens will take you to the limits of 35mm, although Leica owners might dispute this. If this lens doesn't satisfy you and you're looking for enlargements to 16X20 and up, then medium format is probably the next step, although the choices of lenses is less and their weight & prices are the same or more.

Customer Service

Haven't needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 20/2.8
Tokina 19-35/3.5-4.5
Nikkor 25/2.5 "E"
Tamron 28-300/3.5-6.3
Nikkor 35-70/2.8
Nikkor 300/4 AF-S

Excellent build quality
Superb optics

None

What a lens! Very good resolution, contrast, flare control and minimal distortion. Build quality is second to none. AF-S is silent and fast, but not really faster than the non-AFS 20-35 which is already very fast.

Similar Products Used:

20-35 f/2.8 AF Nikkor

-Well build
-usefull close Focus
- Good Distortion Control (for an ultra-Wide Zoom)

Sharpness at 2.8 - 4.0:
2 Model tested, both have shifting focus problems.

I'm Disappointed:

The first 17-35 that i got, has serious focus shifting problem on the right side of the frame at 28 & 35 mmm, You can even see it in the ViewFinder.
Vertical lines are blurred (with an echo) but horizontal are Sharp (Astigmatism ?)
Stopping down to F8 improve the image quality but the 1/4 right of the frame isn't as clear as the left Part.

First I suppose that it can be a Plan Focusing plan problem, but I try 4 rolls on two N90s an one F5..Same..results.

So i take it back to my reseller... he told me that he won't change it, the only think he can do is to send it back To Nikon's headoffice in paris

After 3 weeks, I've got a new sample :)

Unfortunatelly, I can't say that Nikon give me satisfaction...

The new sample is pretty good at 28 & 35 mm but at 24 it becames worst than the original sample and at 17 it is hawmfull !

At 17mm F2.8 you can, without a magnifier !!!, on a slide !!! easyly that only the center on the frame (15 mm) are ok, arround it's blur !!!

-------

What to do ?

I call to nikon technical services in Paris:

They tell me:

-Ok we agree, we can't say that your first sample is good, it has a problem.

-But we try 4 samples what we have in our stock, and we send your the best.

-But to be honnest, they told me, your second sample isn't a great performer, and we know that we have lot's of problem with the 17-35's.

-They suggest to swith to prime (I allready have 20 @ 24)

Finnaly, they accept to exchange this second 17-35 for an 28-70 AFS.


CONCLUSION:

I'm happy with my 28-70 + primes

But i have regrets, the 17-35 is a wonderfull tool, if only one day they can give me one who is optically OK (with no centerring problems)

PS: sorry for typo's i'm French

Customer Service

Nikon France

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 20mm 2.8 AFD
Nikon 24mm 2.8 AFD
Nikon 35mm 2.0 AF
Nikon 85mm 1.8 AFD
Nikon 24-50 AF & AFD
Nikon 24-120 AFD
Nikon 28-70 2.8 AFD

etc...etc...

Razor sharp images
Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture (9 bladed)
Beautiful Silent wavemotor
Manual overide in auto mode
Built to last (extremely rugged)
Attractive lens hood

Price

This has got to be my favorite lens in the bag by far. This thing is beautiful! The images come out razor sharp. It's built like a tank. Features the silk smooth silent wave motor as well as IF (Internal Focus) coupled with a few ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens elements. Focusing is really smooth and fast (not to mention that it can focus at a distance of 0.28 meters!). A nice touch is the M/A overide switch where I can focus manually while the camera is still on automatic focusing mode. The only drawback to all of this beautiful craftmanship is the price. But over all, I have no regrets with this puppy. If you are looking for a zoom wide angle lens.. this is the one I highly recommend!!! Once again, Nikon comes through.

Customer Service

not needed so far.

Similar Products Used:

N/A

THE IDEAL ZOOM RANGE FOR PHOTO JOURNALISM, WEDDINGS AND GENERAL STREET AND TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY. THE OPTICS ON THIS LENS ARE UNSURPASSED BY THE FIXED FOCAL LENGTH NIKKORS IN THE SAME RANGE. EXTREMELY SHARP, GREAT CONTRAST AND DEFINITION. THIS IS WITH OUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE FINEST LENSES NIKON HAS EVER PRODUCED AND CERTAIN TO BECOME A CLASSIC THAT WILL BE SOUGHT AFTER LONG AFTER IT IS NO LONGER PRODUCED.

A BIT HEAVY AND LARGE IF YOUR ATTEMPTING TO DO CANDID STREER PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT ITS SPEED AND AND ZOOM RANGE MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR THESE DRAW BACKS.

A BIT PRICEY, BUT WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT. AS I SAID EARLIER, THIS IS TRUELY ONE OF THE GREAT NIKON LENSES OF ALL TIME.

Customer Service

NO EXPERIENCE

Similar Products Used:

NIKON 20MM, 28MM, 60MM, 35MM AND 105MM AF D LENSES.

Amazing optics
Fast and accurate autofocus
Built quality

Price

It's a really sharp lens, the best wide angle I've ever used. The autofocus is fast and accurate. It's well balanced on a Nikon F100 with MB15 vertical grip.
No vignetting with ND/UV/polarizer filters.
Buy it if you make big enlargments of your pictures, if you need f2.8 and if you feel comfortable to carry an expensive lens like this one.
Otherwise, you can try the Nikkor 18-35mm that it's a very good lens.

Customer Service

No experience

Similar Products Used:

Canon 17-35mm f2.8L
Nikkor 20-35mm f2.8
Nikkor 18-35mm f3.5-4.5

Sharp as razor blades
fast and quiet af
solid build
versatile zoom range

none

what can I say. Being a wedding photographer I wanted a lens that would give wide coverage, be able to shoot in low light ie dark churches and had top of the shelf optics.

I narrowed my choice down to the 28mm af 1.4 and this one. I choose the 17-35mm 2.8 afs.

The reasons are as follows: they both have superb optics. one all. The 28mm 1.4 could be shot in lower light because of the two extra stops. Then I thought to myself, (before I made it Two-one to the 28mm) being a wide angle lens, you really don't need fast shutter speeds, because the wider the angle, the less camera shake there will be. Thats why I have an 85mm 1.4 af. Being a short telephoto you that extra speed when shooting in low light. Otherwise there would be camera shake.

So the score is still one all. The knockout blow in deciding the zoom over the fixed was just that. The 17-35mm is so much more versatile than the 28mm.

I hadn't shot anything wider than 24mm until I got this lens. It opened a whole new world to me. Its like a new lease of life in my world of photography. I love it,and you will too

Customer Service

nothing to right home about

Similar Products Used:

28-70mm 2.8 afs
85mm 1.4 af
80-200mm 2.8 af
50mm 1.4 af

Very sharp, very fast, real quiet, and solidly made.

Zoom range is very versatile, offering limitless possibilities for creative image making.

NONE

The Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor is an excellent lens for all types of photography. As a professional tool, it will provide a return on investment in record time.

Just attach this lens to your camera and shoot, your creative juices will flow!

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

Most Nikon lens