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GL | DR | Comments by DR, unless otherwise indicated | |
| 17-35mm f2.8 AFS | -- | 4.8 | 1 sample; equals most of the best of the non-zoom AF Nikkors in its range; large, heavy, and expensive; constant aperture with zooming |
| 18-35mm f3.5-4.5 AF | -- | 4 | 1 sample; remarkably good (given its price and range) if used with understanding of its limitations; the corners are relatively soft toward the short end, particularly at wide stops |
| 20-35mm f2.8 AF | 4.8/5 | -- | arguably the best wide zoom on the market, crisp and competitive with primes for sharpness and contrast (GL); not much range; constant aperture when zooming (DR) |
| 24-50mm f3.3-4.5 AF | -- | -- | not much range |
| 24-85mm f2.8-4 AF | -- | -- | -- |
| 24-120mm f3.5-5.6 AF | 4.5/4.5 | 4~4.3 | zoom loose on early versions; great travel lens (GL); 5 samples; good over most of its range wide-open, very good performance by f5.6 everywhere but at 24mm (where corners and edges are not ideal), excellent performance nearly everywhere at f8-11; focuses closer than most wide range zooms |
| 24-120mm f3.5-5.6 EDIF AFS G VR | -- |
3.8 |
3 samples; an interesting wide-range stabilized AF zoom lens, though stabilization works only when the lens is used on the most recent generation of Nikon bodies; generally poor edge/corner performance unless well stopped down; framing appears to change slightly when the stabilizer engages; please note that AF G Nikkors do not work properly on older AF and MF bodies since there is no aperture ring |
| 25-50mm f4 | -- | 4.4 | several samples; vignettes slightly at closest focus at 25mm with a filter; not much range; very sharp at optimum stops (varies with FL); constant aperture with zooming |
| 28-45mm f4.5 | -- | 3.8 | 1 sample;slow; not much range; good but not exceptional sharpness; constant aperture with zooming |
| 28-50mm f3.5 | -- | 4 | 2 samples; sharp, but has field curvature especially noticeable at the short end of the zoom range; not much range; constant aperture with zooming |
| 28-70mm f3.5-4.5 AF | -- | 3.8~4.3 | 3 samples; some sample variation; aspheric element; small and light; best samples are very good when stopped down a bit |
| 28-70mm f2.8 EDF AFS | -- | -- | built-in linear-motor AF; built-in linear-motor AF; constant aperture with zooming; large, heavy, and expensive; by reputation a superb lens |
| 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 AF | -- | -- | there are two optical versions; too slow at the, not very long end |
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28-85mm f3.5-4.5 (AF) | -- | 3.8~4 | 4 samples; good sharpness throughout when stopped down a bit; AF optics are the same |
| 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 AF | -- | 4 | 1 sample; internal focus; unusually low linear distortion, exellent center to corner sharpness uniformity (especially at the short end); not wonderful at the widest stops longer than about 50mm; poor performance in macro mode at maximum magnification (1:2); see review article: http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/28-105mm.htm |
| 28-200mm f3.5-5.6 AF | -- | 3.5~4 | 1 sample; 4 35-105mm, 3.5 otherwise; extremely wide range in a compact package; not terrible anywhere, but not wonderful over much of its range - worst above 135mm |
| 35-70mm f3.5 (72 filter) | -- | -- | not much range ("foot-zooming" may be more useful much of the time than using a zoom with this range of FLs...); constant aperture with zooming |
| 35-70mm f3.5 (62 filter) | -- | -- | unusually low distortion; not much range; constant aperture with zooming |
| 35-70mm f3.3-4.5 | -- | 3.4~4.2 | many samples; easier to manually focus than most zooms; not much range; AF optics are the same though there seems to be more sample variation with the AF version; good to very good sharpness stopped down a bit (sharpest for distance-shooting at 35mm, for close-up at 70mm - where it can serve as an acceptable, low-distortion, low-magnification macro lens) |
| 35-70mm f2.8 AF D | -- | 4.2~4.6 | 2 samples; some sample variation; not much range; good wide-stop sharpness; constant aperture with zooming |
| 35-80mm f4-5.6 AF | -- | -- | not much range, and too slow for this range to be very useful |
| 35-105mm f3.5-4.5 | -- | 3~4.5 | many samples; this may be Nikon's most variable-quality lens (sample variation is generally not a problem with Nikkor lenses, except with some 35mm-to-X zooms) and with a good sample, sharpness is very good at all stops and FLs center to corners at normal focus distances (macro is excellent above about 50mm - there is an additional focus mount at the rear for close-focus, useable at all FLs); must be used with the short shade made for it; AF (non-D) optics are the same |
| 35-105mm f3.5-4.5 AF D | -- | 3.8~4 | 3 samples; different optics (and close-focus function) from above; good sample consistency, though the best are not as good as the best of the MF version; good sharpness at most stops short of the corners |
| 35-135mm f3.5-4.5 | -- | 3.6~4 | 4 samples, most not wonderful at wider stops but excellent by mid stops except near the corners; some sample variation; AF optics are the same |
| 35-200mm f3.5-4.5 | -- | 2~2.8 | 2 samples; considerable sample variation; the two samples I tried performed differently and both were poor (probably defective); there is an additional focusing ring at the rear for close focus, useable at all FLs; compact |
| 36-72mm f3.5 E | -- | 4~4.4 | 4 samples; slightly lower contrast than is usual for Nikkor lenses, but remarkably uniform and very good center to corner sharpness; not much range (the E zoom glass is multicoated and the barrels are mostly metal, unlike the E primes); constant aperture with zooming |
| 43-86mm f3.5 | 3/4.5 | 2~4 | 3 samples; latest version is much better than earlier versions, which are very poor (Yuck! Pah! Bleah!); very good sharpness stopped down though; not much range; constant aperture with zooming |
| 50-135mm f3.5 | -- | 4.6 | 4 samples; non-rotating front; very good wide open, useable with converters; constant aperture with zooming |
| 50-300mm f4.5 | -- | -- | constant aperture with zooming |
| 50-300mm f4.5 ED IF | 5/5 | -- | An African Classic; should be done in AF (GL). So I bought a used sample, and went to Africa. A classic experience; relatively large and heavy; not very easy to handle when on the move; excellent results though (LV). |
| 70-180mm f4.5-5.6 ED Micro AF | -- | 4.5 | 1 sample; 1:3.2 at 70mm, 1:1.32 at 180mm, with slightly greater magnification available by using the 6T achromat; has some unique characteristics; see review on this lens: http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/70-180mm-200mm.htm |
| 70-210mm f4-5.6 AF | -- | 3.5~4 | 4 samples; corners at short end are below average for Nikkor zooms in this range; a little sample variability; too slow at the long end (there is a need in the Nikkor line for a good current AF 70/80-200/210mm constant-aperture f3.5 or f4 zoom) |
| 70-210mm f4 E | -- | 4.2 | several samples; good sharpness wide open to the corners though contrast is lower than Nikkor average; works well on TC14A; AF optics are the same, AF focus ring at front is narrow (in common with other early-style AF Nikkor lenses); constant aperture with zooming |
| 70-300mm f4-5.6 ED AF | -- | 3.5~4 | 3 samples; very compact and light; first two samples tried were moderately defective, third was well-aligned, but not up to Nikon's usual standards for their better tele zooms; good to very good sharpness over most of the frame |
| 75-150mm f3.5 E | 5/4.5 | 4.8 | many samples; works well on converters, is very good wide open and excellent stopped down a bit throughout its focus and zoom ranges; constant aperture with zooming |
| 75-240mm f4.5-5.6 | -- | 3 | 1 sample; cheap, light, small, and not very good - I view Nikkors like this as evidence of the "Canonization" of Nikon (the trading on a good name with junk, to make more money now at the eventual expense of the company's good reputation als a lens-maker...); until a few years ago, "Nikkor" written on a lens in any price range indicated a very high probability that the lens was at least good - but with the advent of so-so plastic AF lenses aimed at the bottom end of the market, a growing proportion of Nikkor lenses is falling into the mediocre category, alas... |
| 75-300mm f4.5-5.6 AF | -- | 4~4.2 | 2 samples; good wide open (with good sample); very good sharpness overall |
| 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 AF | -- | -- | -- |
| 80-200mm f4.5 non-AI | -- | 4~4.2 | 3 samples; earlier version is larger than later version; all are very good, but weakest performance near the long end of the zoom range; constant aperture with zooming |
| 80-200mm f4.5 | 5/5 | 4.3 | several samples; both versions show lower overall image quality at long end than more modern Nikkor zooms in this range, but they are still very good overall, and excellent in the middle of the zoom range; constant aperture with zooming |
| 80-200mm f4 | -- | 4.4 | 1 sample; good wide open; very god overall sharpness iniformity; constant aperture with zooming |
| 80-200mm f2.8 ED | 5/5 | -- | larger and heavier than the AF versions; constant aperture with zooming |
| 80-200mm f2.8 ED AF | early 4.8/4 late 4.8/5 | 5 | 3 samples; performance under about 8' at 200mm declines and becomes poor minimum focus at wide stops - otherwise this lens is wonderful even wide open, performs very well on TC14C (and almost as well on TC14B, not on TC200/1, fairly well on a modified TC20E); the length and mass help me hand hold this lens down to 1/60 at 200mm - something impossible for me with the 200mm prime or the f4 zooms; a heavy lens with no tripod socket; late AF-D version adds tripod mount and has separate very well placed zoom and focus rings; manual focus is easier with this version (much to my surprise...); constant aperture with zooming |
| 80-200mm f2.8 AF S | -- | -- | built-in linear-motor AF; constant aperture with zooming |
| 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR AF | -- | -- | has image stabilization that works only when the lens is used on the most recent generation of Nikon bodies |
| 85-250mm f4-4.5 | -- | -- | very large and heavy early zoom |
| 85-250mm f4 | -- | 4? | good sharpness wide open to the corners though contrast is lower than Nikkor average; works well on TC14A; AF optics are the same, AF focus ring at front is narrow; constant aperture with zooming |
| 100-300mm f5.6 | -- | 4.2~4.4 | several samples; unusually low distortion (slight barrel to 135mm, then no distortion to 300mm); good wide open, not good with converters; constant aperture with zooming |
| 180-600mm f8 ED | -- | -- | constant aperture with zooming |
| 200-600mm f9.5-10.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 200-600mm f9.5 ED | -- | -- | constant aperture with zooming |
| 200-400mm f4 ED | 5/5 | -- | has an excellent reputation (DR); an African Classic; should be done in AF (GL) |
| 360-1200mm f11 ED | -- | -- | -- |
| 1200-1700mm f5.6-8 ED | -- | -- | large, heavy (16 Kg), very expensive (on special order only) |
THE R&L NIKKOR TABLES |
Zoom Lenses |