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Nikon is a precision optical company with worldwide manufacturing, research and marketing capabilities. The Nikon name is equated with extraordinary photographic performance, innovation, precision and optical quality.PRODUCT FEATURES:The world's first constant f/2.8 3.2x zoom lens developed exclusively for use with Nikon DX Format;3.2x zoom covers from a wide angle of 79? to a narrow angle of 28? 50' (equivalent to 25.5mm to 85.5mm for 35mm format) and is ideal for architecture, landscape, groups shots and portraits;DX design enables a combination of wider angle-of-view with optical characteristics that are optimized for Nikon digital SLR camera sensors;Nikon DX design produces a smaller image circle (the size of the image that is projected by the lens on to the sensor) enabling smaller lens diameter, lighter weight and optimal image quality from center-to edge-to-corner on the image;3 Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements for minimized chromatic aberration and provide higher resolution and superior contrast;3 Aspherical lens elements for minimized distortion;Lightweight and compact design: similar to 17-35mm f/2.8 lens;Exclusive Silent Wave Motor enables ultra-high-speed autofocusing with exceptional accuracy and powerful super-quiet operation;[M/A] and [M] modes allow rapid switching between AF and MF operation;Internal Focusing (IF) design for smoother focusing and great body balance;Nikon D-type design provides precise distance information for flash and ambient light exposure processes;Rounded diaphragm to make out-of-focus elements appear more natural;G Type DX Nikkor is designed exclusively for use with Nikon Digital SLR models;Fully Compatible with D1, D1X, D1H, D2H and D100.
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Technical Details
- Constant f2.8 3.2x zoom lens developed exclusively for use with Nikon DX Format, optimized for Nikon digital SLRs- Dust and waterproof rubber sealing mount
- High optical performance by aspherical lenses and ED glass elements
- Silent Wave Motor enables ultra-high-speed autofocusing with exceptional accuracy and powerful super-quiet operation
- M/A mode for quick switching between autofocus and manual operation
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By Edward S. Schanz
Awesome lens. Fast. Shoots well in low light situations. It is quite large and somewhat heavy, but it is worth it.
By T. Stewart
I was in need of some faster glass and after a lot of research and reading reviews I took the plunge. Well sort of, I rented this lens first because of price I wanted to be sure. I'm an amateur photographer and by no means as experienced as most of the reviewers of this lens but here are my thoughts. The first thing that struck me was the size and weight of the lens, it's hefty but it felt nicely balanced on my D300. I had read some reviews that contained complaints about the zoom ring being too close to the body, feeling awkward, and issues with the zoom not being smooth. Honestly the position of the ring was initially and issue for me. However the eureka moment came when I was actually out shooting and realized that due to the increased heft I was holding my camera slightly different that I did with lighter lenses. This position actually put the zoom and focus ring into a very natural position. The zoom was very smooth with a bit of increased resistance at either end of the range; it was a bit of an adjustment because the throw is much shorter than my kit lens of nearly the same focal range (18mm-55mm). When using a tripod the position of the zoom was a bit annoying, however it's not a deal breaker because I just don't change the composition that often while shooting landscapes. In regards to results, I was blown away. I can't even begin to imagine shooting with a lesser piece of glass. Nikon's VR is an excellent option on my slower lenses but no substitute for faster glass. Bottom line is, if you can afford it, buy it. Now I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I don't get a bad sample because I'm taking the plunge for real today, I'm sold.
By S. Fang (Ohio, USA)
Let me start out by saying that this wasn't the first choice for my D90. The first one I chose to buy was the 16-85mm VR since that's a great range for a DX camera. I got it off of ebay, which was described as being in "perfect condition," but once I received it I found that the VR was not working at all. Took a whole month, including sending the lens to a Nikon authorized service center to have the problem verified, before I got all my money back from the seller (who won't stop calling me a liar and claiming that I was trying to extort him). Even after the claim was closed, I got my money back, and he got his broken lens back, he wouldn't stop e-mailing me and pestering me on ebay. So I finally got him kicked off of there.
Next, I began to look for a f/2.8 lens and wanted to get the Tamron 17-50mm since it had great reviews and many people have said that it's just as good as this Nikkor one. My first Tamron, bought from a local store, had severe front focus problem. So I took it back hoping my second copy would be better. After testing it for a week, I realized the front focus problem was still there. By now I was quite discouraged, but I figured my luck couldn't be THAT bad, so I went back to the store and exchanged for a third one. This third one focused correctly most of the time, but it was quite soft. I figured that's not too bad, so I wanted to register the lens online to get the 6-year warranty, but found out that this lens had already been registered! I came to the realization that it wasn't because my bad luck that I kept getting a bad copy of the lens, but it was because the store must have been recirculating the bad copies to each other instead of sending it to Tamron to recalibrate. I was pretty upset and decided to return the lens altogether and never shop there again. At the same time, I didn't want to buy the lens online either since I didn't want to end up getting another bad copy. So I decided to bite the bullet and bought the Nikon 17-55mm off of eBay since I trust Nikon's quality control.
WHAT A GREAT DECISION I MADE! At first I had some buyer's remorse due to the cost (it only cost me $800, but it's still a lot to me), but once I received it and opened up the package, I knew why it cost so much. This lens is HUGE and is felt indestructable! As far as height and circumference go, I think it's pretty much the same as my Nikkor 105mm VR macro lens, but this lens uses a 77mm filter, whereas the macro uses a 62mm, so the front is much wider, and I believe this lens is heavier than the macro as well. The build makes me feel confident that if anyone tried to steal my gear, I could knock them out with one swing using this lens!
I wanted to go to a local nature reserve park to take some photos, and I was a little iffy about carrying this big thing with me since I'll be there all day long. To my surprise, this lens with the D90 felt great to me, I didn't feel burdened at all. I think i was more ready to throw my tripod down the waterfall though. While there, I proceeded to test out the lens at all ranges from 17mm @ f/2.8 up to 55mm @ f/22. All of my images turned out great, the color saturation was pretty darn close to my 105mm macro, and just as good as my 50mm f/1.8. Around 55mm, I may have had some spherical aberration though while taking a photo of a waterfall...at least I think that's what it is. Basically the waterfall was in the middle of the frame and it was tack sharp, but the rocks and and moss around it appeared to be blurry. But that day it WAS a little foggy around the waters, so it may have been the fog, since this phoenomenon was only apparent in one of my 200 photos. I also had the opportunity to take some photos of food at Red Lobster's, where there was very low lighting and I did not use flash, yet the lens focused correctly and produced tack sharp images at f/2.8. These were the only opportunities I had to test this lens though, but I am confident that it will hold up to its great reputation.
I'm almost happy that I had wasted 2 months on bad copies of lenses, because if none of that had happened to me, I probably would never even given this lens a thought. If I had "settled" for any of the other lenses mentioned, I don't think I would have had the confidence to use them to take photos without thinking, "oh I better check the picture before I tell my subjects to move, or before I eat my food." With this lens, I know that I can capture anything I want at any given time, and be able to go home with the confidence that the image was not ruined by motion blur or misfocus.
If you have the money to spend, BUY THIS LENS! If you don't have enough money...save up and BUY THIS LENS! If you are iffy due to the lack of VR since this is a heavy lens, trust me, this lens is fast enough that you really wouldn't get any blur at all. I have shaky hands, but am still able to capture sharp photos even at 1/30. GET THIS LENS, you won't regret it :)
By V. Kuznetsov
I've had this lens for a few months now. I use it with my D200, and the PQ is simply amazing. I try to stay away from 2.8 aperture though - I much prefer the sharpness and clarity at aperture 4 (or less). When the light is low - I use SB-600.
Overall, I think this is the best lens there is in this zoom range - I'm sure 24-70 might be better (I've never tried it) - but is it worth the extra $700 or so? To me - it isn't. I just can't see how the picture quality can increase much from what I get with this lens.
I also have D700 and a couple of other lenses (50mm 1.8 and 70-200 VR), so every once in a while I do compare them. D700 is REALLY good in low light. In the daylight D200 can hold its ground. The quality of photos I get with my D200 + 17-55 combo is so good - I don't even think about getting 24-70 for my D700 - and instead I will continue using D200 with 17-55. Highly recommend this lens for DX bodies.
By clicker (san diego)
I bought this lens with nikon 70-200 2.8, sb 900, with a D300 body, it took sharp picture cristal clear, good walkaround lens with my D300-MB D-10 grip, Love it, looking forward to the next legend the 24-70 2.8 soon
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Buy Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens Now
