Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR (FX) - Review / Test Report - Sample Images & Verdict
Lens Reviews - Nikon / Nikkor (full format)
Article Index
Introduction
Analysis
Sample Images & Verdict

Page 3 of 3

Sample Shots

The following sample shots were taken with a D3x and RAW-converted via CaptureOne.

Click on a thumbnail to view the original file (opens in a separate window).

Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 24.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/250s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 80.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/800s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 85.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 48.0mm
Aperture: f/4.2
Exposure 1/1250s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 85.0mm
Aperture: f/7.1
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 85.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/160s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 48.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/250s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 24.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/250s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 38.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/640s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 24.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/500s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 48.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 24.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 68.0mm
Aperture: f/4.5
Exposure 1/1250s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 38.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/500s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 85.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/640s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 72.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/640s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 160
Focal Length 46.0mm
Aperture: f/4.5
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 85.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/500s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 70.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/640s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 45.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/320s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 85.0mm
Aperture: f/4.5
Exposure 1/800s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D3X
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 42.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/640s

Verdict

The Nikon AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR leaves us with mixed impressions. Mechanically, there's not much to complain about. The built quality is good and in line with other current consumer-grade Nikkor lenses. The optical stabilization works very well, even at short focal lengths, and thanks to a silent-wave drive the AF is silent and quite fast.

The resolution figures in the image center are very high, however the lens needs to be stopped down to achieve good to very good sharpness across the frame. At large apertures the extreme corners show significantly lower resolution than the image center, especially at wide-angle zoom settings.

CAs and vignetting are a bit on the high side. This is also true for image distortion, which is worse than what we are used to see from super-zooms with considerably larger zoom ranges. It almost seems, that with software correction available for all three issues in-camera nowadays, these properties are no longer high on the priority list during lens design.

So, in summary, the lens delivers solid performance regarding sharpness, at least when stopped down, but fails to impress regarding other image parameters. Most of the issues mentioned here can be resolved with in-camera correction (or in post processing), however from a consumer zoom carrying a price tag close to 500 EUR we expected a little more.

Optical Quality:    
★★★★★
Mechanical Quality:
★★★★★
Price/Performance:
★★★★★

Click here for an explanation of our star ratings


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