Lens Test Glossary     About these reviews

get it here or here

get it here or here

Introduction

This lens was introduced in 2000 and obsolesced in 2003 by the less expensive and superior 24-85mm AFS.

Oddly, as of 2008,the newer and better 24-85mm AFS seems to have been discontinued already, while this older, crummier, more primitive and more expensive lens seems to have survived. Weird.

I was intrigued by the f/2.8 speed at 24mm, unfortunately I find the lens less sharp than I need at f/2.8. I much prefer the newest 24-85 AFS instead, which is also smaller, easier to use and costs less, too!

Specifications

It's 3.1" (78mm) around and 3.2" (82mm) long and weighs 19 oz (545g).

It has 15 elements in 11 groups. Two of these are some sort of aspherical elements.

It has a 72mm plastic filter thread, which is a real blunder. You can use a 72->77mm step up ring to get it to accept the standard 77mm filters, but it will vignette a little at the wide end. Otherwise, this lens is not compatible with the standard 77mm filters used by professional Nikon and Canon lenses.

It can get to 1/2 life-size in the bothersome macro mode.

The filter attachment stays put during focusing and zooming. That's good.

It has a nice nine-bladed diaphragm stopping down to f/22

Nikon Product Number: 1929.

Performance

I've tried two different samples. Both were soft in the corners wide open at 24mm. This is worse than the 28-85AF and 24-85 AFS either of which I suggest over this lens. Of course most people don't care about sharpness in the corners wide open, but this is where and how you'll see any difference if you can between these lenses.

Distortion is as bad as the 24-85 AFS , which is strong barrel at 24mm and pincushion at 85mm.

Falloff happens at full aperture and is much better stopped down one stop.

The macro mode switch is a pain. You have to preset the lens to one focal length range in order to move the switch to the macro mode. You have to move the switch out of macro mode to get to shorter focal lengths than 50mm, but you can't do that until you have prefocussed the lens to beyond about 2 feet.

AF speed is pretty good. One turn of the AF screw brings the lens from infinity to 6 feet.

Here are the Panorama Tools coefficients for you math hounds.

Recommendations

Just get the newer and far superior 24-85 AFS instead.

I find the older 24-85 bigger, clumsier, fuzzier and more expensive. I think the only advantages of the older lens are more diaphragm blades and maybe a closer macro mode compared.

I even prefer my 15 year old AF 28-85 better.

If you get a deal on one used by all means go for it, but if buying new go for the 24-85 AFS instead.

More Info: See also Nikon Japan's 24-85mm page, with MTF predictions.