Nikon 24-85 F:2.8 user comments

I am interested in buying this lens. But I would like to hear some user comments as I have read on the net that there are good and bad examples of this lens. Did Nikon have an up and down production of this lens? The newer 3.5-4.5 AFS version is too slow for my use.

It is soft and distored wide open at both ends - it is ok at F8 though still distorted. If you want a good quality fast lens, then get primes.

You get what you pay for. Trying to span multiple focal lengths and

keep speed fast while keeping costs down leads to compromises that you

may not appreciate. Unless you are only processing 4X6s at the local

drug store.

I should mention that the new AFS 24-85 is the best cheap normal lens nikon has ever made (in the whole spectrum of 28-105 24-120 35-80 28-80 28-100 etc...) If you want a good quailty fast zoom you are going to have to pay the bucks for it - Look at the tokina 28-80 F2.8 ATX Pro if you need speed/price performance - it really is a great lens.

Note that the AF-S 24-85 is a totally different lens than the faster 24-85 2.8-4D (There isn't a fixed aperture 24-85 from Nikon). The AF-S is an f3.5-4.5G, so no aperture ring. Question becomes do you want fast AF or big aperture.