Great range. Quite fast for a zoom lens. Excellent half life size macro. Comes with lens hood. Superb sharpness and contrast.

Mild barrel distortion at 24mm setting.

This lens is an amazing deal. Fast aperture, great macro, and sharp, contrasty photos.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 24-120mm

Focal range very useful, f/2.8-4 speed, brightness in viewfinder, fast AF speed, 1:2 macro capability, good fit and finish, excellent optical quality, reasonable price vs. 28-70 AF-S, hood included, balances very well with larger AF bodies, nice heft and feel.

Extends when zoomed and consequently feels a bit fragile and exposed, 72mm filter size--should have been 77mm, fussy macro switch can only be activated when at closest focus position, obvious distortion at 24-28mm at close focus distances with rectilinear subjects, needs to be stopped down one or two stops for best sharpness, edge sharpness at macro settings could be better.

The new 24-85 Nikkor is everything the old 24-120 should have been: faster, brighter, much sharper, more reasonable and useful focal range, better build, better MF focus feel, true macro capability, no zoom creep when tilted up or down, hood included, only need to be stopped down one or two stops for maximum image quality. This is the perfect lens for one zoom travel outfit. Paired with my 80-200 2.8 AF-D, and my F4 and SB26, it can handle just about anything I could possibly encounter. A real nice package, highly recommended.

Customer Service

None needed so far, 5 year USA warranty provides confidence

Similar Products Used:

Zooms: Nikkor 24-120 3.5-5.6, Nikkor 35-70 3.5 (72mm) AIS, (plus many other Nikkor AF and MF primes from 18mm to 400mm ).

Sharp
Focal range
Speed
AF Speed
1:2 Macro

Attachement size

Previously I had a Nikkor 28-105 lens, which wasn't bad at all, but I wanted to get a bit shorter focal lenght, so I bought this lens. I can recommend this nice lens to everyone, who cannot afford/don't need an all range f/2.8 zoom lens.

Customer Service

Not used

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 28-105
Nikkor 35-80

Good range and speed. Center sharp at mostf stops. Seems to be sharp at wide +2 stops down.

Edges seem to be the down fall of this lens- low contrast and sharpness wide and some at wide+1.

I really tried to like this lens. But for the price and quality, I returned this lens and kept my Nikon 28-105. Maybe later, but I fear that this lens may be like the 24-120 lens. First it get good reviews and is in demand, then people find out it tradeoffs and sell it- like I did. Also, the price may come down. I would buy at $350-$400, but at $600, I get pretty demanding and their are many options to consider at this price point.

Customer Service

None yet. Just call for info.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 24-120, 28-105, 35-80(Japan metal mount), 28-80 (2nd version) 28-70, some 3rd party

Bright viewfinder, compact and light, macro

Can't use hood with Nikon polarizer, questionable macro

The perfect lens for traveling! Light and compact. Combined with my N80 and a 70-300, the whole bag weighs just 7 lbs. and I can cover any focal length from 24 to 300mm, plus macro.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Lots of fixed focus Nikkors

Very useful zoom range. Smooth zoom action.

Lots of plastic

I had high hopes for this lens as I thought it would fill a gap in my available focal lenghts. I returned this lens after a short trial as the images were just not sharp. If picture quality is your MAIN concern save your money.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 70-210, 80-200 IF ED, 17 -35 AFS

Very useful zoom range. Very sharp when +2 stops down. Contrast. Fast!

Lots of plastic! Mild barrel distortion at 24 mm (wich is not very uncommen with this zoom range). Not that sharp wide open.

I find this a very nice lens because of the contrast and sharpness, much better then the AF 24-50mm f/3.3-4.5. O.K. you must stop down this lens 2 stops to reach it's maximum sharpness but this is the problem with a lot of zoom lenses. If you can't accept this use prime lenses. But even with prime lenses you can have this problem. Look at the 50mm 1.4, a great sharp and contrasty lens but not at 1.4, at 2.8 it becomes a lot better and at 4 it's great.
The AF 80-200mm f/2.8D ED is sharp wide open but is sharper and has more contrast stopped down 1 or 2. So I think this lens isn't a bad preformer at all but you have to have in mind that this is a zoom lens. Don't compare 24 mm wide open with the 24 mm prime lens wide open. But this zoom has a lot to offer, I use it for street photography (people and city)
landscapes etc. It's fast and has a very useful zoom range. If you are not using it for architecture (barrel distortion) and you can live with the fact that it's not the sharpest lens wide open, this is a great handy lens. The only real minor, in my opinion, is the use of too much plastic.

MB - Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F5, Nikon F4s, AF 24-50mm f/3.3-4.5, AF 35-70mm f/2.8,
AF 80-200mm f/2.8D ED, AF 50mm f/1.4D

bright viewfinder image
good contrast
nice zoom range
usefull macro

barrel distortion

good lens with excellent image quality.it is not
suitable if you need to take pictures with out
barrel distortion,but makes a great landscape,
outdoor or photjournalism style photos.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

28-105,24-120 nikkor zooms

Focal length meets SB-28
Fast AF
Ligther than Tokina 28-70
Better FL than 35-70 2.8
Price(versus AF-S 28-70)

Plastic feel
Sharpness
No AF/MA switch

I bought this lens because I have seen some reviews claiming this is a sharp lens, but until now (3 rolls) I could not find this sharpness.
I went back to my 60mm 2.8D Micro (THE BEST AF "normal" lens).
I only shot indoor flash pictures until now, but if the pictures don't get better I will only use this lens when I don't need quality better than point and shoot camera.

Customer Service

In Brazil it is nice.

Similar Products Used:

60mm 2.8D Micro Nikkor
50mm 1.8 Nikkor
80-200 2.8 ED-IF
80-400 4.5-5.6D VR
N80
F100

F2.8 makes AF fast and gives a bright image in the viewfinder.
Range match perfectly with the SB28 without the use of diffuser.
Light weight.

Plastic.
Average macro performance.

It is a versatile and capable zoom with room for improvement. Althought it is not as strong as I would like it to be, it is light enough to haul around. Balanced nicely with my F100.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

No