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Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED - Review / Test Report |
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Lens Reviews -
Nikon / Nikkor (APS-C)
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Page 1 of 3
Review by Klaus Schroiff, published December 2007
Lens kindly provided by Gustel Schrempp!
Introduction
Newly designed full format lenses weren't overly popular on the Nikon
side of life lately but the release of the new Nikon D3 seems to have shifted
the priorities again. The Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED is the first
of a whole series of new professional grade full format lenses. It is obviously
a replacement for the "old" AF-S 28-70mm f/2.8 ED D (released in 1999).
Apart from the highly useful extension at the wide-end of the zoom
range the new lens features a reduced minimum focus distance
and Nikon's latest development in coating technology, Nano Crystal Coat,
which is supposed to suppress internal reflections and ghostings.
Typical for all new Nikkors it is a G-type lens so it doesn't offer
a dedicated aperture ring anymore.
Eventually you'll see full format lens tests here at OpticalLimits but the
current priority is still on APS-C format sensors and within this scope
the field of view of the AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED is equivalent to
a classic "36-105mm" lens . The lens may lose quite a bit of its
wide-angle appeal here but it is certainly more usable as
a standard zoom than the old AF-S 28-70mm f/2.8 IF-ED D (equivalent
to "42-105mm").
Over the decades Nikon earned a reputation of manufacturing lenses
with a higher than average build quality and the AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
does certainly deliver here. It is a truly professional grade zoom
lens thanks to a tough metal lens body and smoothly operating control
rings.
As you may notice in the product shots below the lens (its inner tube)
extends significantly when zooming towards the wide end of the zoom
range and a tiny bit towards 70mm. The shortest physical length is
reached around the 50mm setting. This may sound odd but it is actually
quite typical for fast Nikon (and Canon) standard zooms. The supplied
petal shaped hood can be attached to the outer lens barrel thus providing
a near-optimal protection at all focal length. The physical
length with attached hood is constant.
Thanks to an IF (internal focusing) design the front element does
not rotate so using a polarizer is no problem (unless you attach the
lens hood). Like all modern Nikkors it features a silent-wave
(ultrasonic) AF motor providing extremely fast and near-silent AF operations.
The AF accuracy of the tested sample was exceptional.
| Specifications |
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| Equiv. focal length | 36-105 mm (full format equivalent) |
| Equiv. aperture | f/4.2 (full format equivalent, in terms of depth-of-field) |
| Optical construction | 15 elements in 11 groups inc. 3x ED elements, 3x aspherical elements and 1x Nano Crystal Coat |
| Number of aperture blades | 9 (rounded) |
| min. focus distance | 0.39 m @ 35-50 mm (max. magnification ratio 1:3.7) |
| Dimensions | 83 x 133 mm |
| Weight | 900 g |
| Filter size | 77 mm (non-rotating) |
| Hood | Nikon HB-40 (supplied), petal-shaped |
| Other features | Rubber mount seal |
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