This lens came as a kit with the F75, which I use as my "throw-away" camera for risky situations. I prefer the more "noble" lenses from Nikon but even this lens is very good once you close it down two stops.
Strengths:
Light weight. Feels much better than the 28-80 (which I traded in). Very low cost.
Weaknesses:
Distortion at 28mm is quite noticable for landscapes. Not quite as sharp as the other lenses unless used at f8 or f11
I got this lens in kit with my F80(N80). I was given the choice between this and the 28-80G, and chose this for the greater vresatility it offered. While the optical results aren't that bad at all, for such a cheap lens, the main area of complaint is in the build. The standard of construction and the materials used (shiny plastic) are toylike at best. The plastic lens mount is suspect, as is the unspeakably bad maual focusing ring. IT is also ugly. A major complain is its "G" type design, lacking, as it does, an aperture ring. The drive over the last ten years has beeen to shift control from the lens to the camera body. This is good as it allows greater control over aperture, but requires the lens to be set to max (or min) aperture. Those manufaturers that stated from scratch with autofocus CCannon, Minolta) understandably removed the ring from the lens altogether, to prevent mistakes. Nikon, however, retained the ubiquetous F mount, and so AF lenses fitted manual cameras and vice versa. This is a very good thing, but Nikon have abandoned this comendible measure in the G lenses. Why? The D lenses ofered aperture lock, so there were no problems. A step in the wrong direction. Don't get this unless your camera comes with it, and anyway trade it in for the 29-105D. Better in every way, that one.
Strengths:
-very good for this price optically
-good zoom range
OK, this is a zoom, so don't expect the quality of a fixed focal length. Distortion, sharpness (or though less so than you might believe)and speed all suffer. What you buy is convenience, which is what this lens is all about.
When I first got this lens I ran some test up against the 50mm 1.8, and found that it's surprisingly good, especially in terms of contrast and sharpness. You have to stop it down at least 2 stops, but from then on performance is up there with the fixed focus lens at 50mm. At either end of the zoom range its the distortion that suffers,as is to be expected, but its not half bad by any means.
I've used Canon FD series zooms costing more than twice the price, plus some recent Pentax zooms, and I have to say this lens is better than the Canons for sharpness and contrast, though not for distortion. As to the Pentax, well, the Pentax 35-70 is a great lens let down by fragile build quality, while the others in the series vary so much it's as though there's no single design philosophy for the series.
I've used this lens far more than expected, partly because of the convenience factor but also because you can enlarge above 10x8 without too many qualms.
The problems have been described in other reviews. If you want to use a polaroid, learn patience, and if you like manual aperture rings go elsewhere. I'm not going to query build quality at the lens current bargain price.
Strengths:
Very good results for a zoom. Displays similar lens characteristics to other lenses in the range, making film selection a doddle.
Rating Reviewed by: D (Unregistered User)
(Intermediate)
Review Date February 19, 2003
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Value Rating 4 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months
Visitors rate this review 3.00 of 5,
2 votes
Review 4 of 6
Price Paid:
$0.00
from Adorama
Summary:
I got this as a kit lens with a Nikon N80. In comparing this lens at the 50mm focal length directly with the 50mm f1.8 prime lens, shooting newspaper shots with a tripod and ISO 100 print film; at f4.5, f8, f11, f16, and f22; the prime beats it pretty handily in both contrast and corner sharpness. But in a direct comparison of outdoor landscape shots at 50mm, you can't tell the difference on a 4x6 print, unless you are completely anal about it. In shooting family photos with and without flash, I can't really tell the difference. I used this lens to shoot an autoshow with 800 ISO film mostly at 28mm and was very impressed with the results on 4x6 prints. At 100mm portraits are very nice. On its own merits it is a very good lens general purpose lens.
Strengths:
Good optical quality at all focal lengths, especially if you shoot 4x6 prints. On newspaper shots better at f4.5 then the 50mm prime at f1.8
Weaknesses:
Rotating front element and narrow focusing ring. Noticable distortion at 28mm on sunset horizons, buildings, etc.
The Nikkor 28-100 G is a great all round zoom lens for a Nikon SLR. It produces sharp pictures through and through, thanks to the one Aspherical element present in it.
On the wide-angle end, the pictures are really sharp from f/5.6 upwards. I have compared the shots taken at the 50mm focal length on this lens with shots taken with my Nikon 50 mm prime lens, aperture by aperture, and there was very little difference between the two sets of pictures.
The min. aperture of f/5.6 at the telephoto end (for 85 and 100) pose no problems on a bright day or with a flash when you are shooting indoors. I have used the 85 and 100 mm focal lengths for closeups and head-and-shoulder portraits (both outdoors and indoors), and the pictures have come out lovely.
Its wide range of focal lengths makes it an ideal travel lens, covering both standard wide-angle through normal to short telephoto. I use it as a standard lens on my N80.
Strengths:
Sharp pictures
Range of focal length
Light weight
Price
"G" technology from Nikon
Weaknesses:
Relatively slower apertures at the telephoto end
No distance marks on the lens barrel
Similar Products Used:
Nikon AF 24mm f/2.8 D
Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 D
Nikon AF 70-300 f/4-5.6 G
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