This new lens provides a zoom range that covers the classic 28mm wideangle to the moderate portrait range of 80mm. An ideal companion to the Nikon N70
This new lens provides a zoom range that covers the classic 28mm wideangle to the moderate portrait range of 80mm. An ideal companion to the Nikon N70, N50and N6006 cameras, it is remarkably compact and lightweight. With aspheric lens design, the 28-80mm zoom provides sharp, crisp, high-contrast images.
This is an unfairly trashed glass! Sure, it's not the best, but from that to call it crap is just a big load of pretentiousness. Most shooters run down their lens kits, forgetting that a while ago, their lens kit was a 50/1.8 glass. With this one... yes, it has a plastic mount and it does cause vignetting, but it's a legitimate workhorse, the focal length range is the most useful there is, and, when combined with reasonably fast film, the results are decent. In other words, a workhorse, not a thoroughbred. I was thinking about "upgrading" it... when I remembered all I've done with it, and changed my mind. I'll keep it AND get myself another zoom too; this one has been the happy companion for my F80, and they're bound to spend quite a bit more time together, because this lens can be tough as nails at times. I've hit it (accidentally) a couple of times (once against a chair, and then later, against a wall, both times mounted) without any further consequence.
Strengths:
Quite versatile range. With the aid of diopters I've even used it as a macro lens! Cheap, can be used in conjunction with other Nikon bodies, unlike the G series. Filter size makes it easy to get a variety of filters on a budget.
Weaknesses:
Plastic mount overall, and corner softness, especially at the widest end. However, the sharpness comes up when you need it and where you need it, and the softness others complain about can be compensated when shooting at f8.
You get what you pay for. Bottom line. Somebody who expects solid material and craftsmanship also has to pay for it. But this does not mean that this lens is not capable of measuring up in terms of picture quality. The results are the SAME of what I would expect from a 500.00 Dollar lens and I give praise to Nikon's great lens quality. Try to compare this lens to the Minolta 28-80 AF lens and you see lightyears of difference in quality. I am now looking into the 35-70 mm AF D lens but this is only because of the f2.8, nothing else. The 28-80 lens will be my ilent backup lens for a long time to come.
Strengths:
colour saturation and rendering, contrast, sharpness, light
Rating Reviewed by: George Joseph Thadikaran(Unregistered User)
(Intermediate)
Review Date December 22, 2003
Overall Rating 3 of 5
Value Rating 3 of 5
Used product for More than 1 year
Review 3 of 61
Price Paid:
$300.00
from Jessops , London
Summary:
It is just an average lens which obviously gives average results. I have been using it for over 3 years and I must admit for ideal light conditions and for a beginner it not a bad deal.
Strengths:
Good colour balance (at ideal light conditions) , fast AF
Weaknesses:
Leaves you baffled when once in a while you get really nasty results , when you were hoping otherwise.
Rating Reviewed by: Darren OKeefe(Unregistered User)
(Expert)
Review Date August 18, 2003
Overall Rating 3 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 3 Months to 1 year
Review 4 of 61
Price Paid:
$0.00
from Denis MacSweeney, Co
Summary:
A few comments on this lens in general. I aquired it with a nikon f80, but had no need for it. It was passed on to my girlfriend. However, I have used it on several occasions. For the price you would pay for this lens, I would highly recommend it to any beginner or someone looking for a af zoom at a good price. I hear many people complaining about the plastic build of the lens, and the cheap design, but what they fail to comment on is the actual performance of the lens. I have found it to be sharp and have a good degree of contrast and rendition. Of course the plastic build is not as good as the more expensive nikkors, but if this lens is compared to its equivalents made by minolta, canon, sigmas etc, you will find that it creates superior images. For the price, it is great. Thats really what counts.
Strengths:
light weight, aperature ring unlike G series, sharp.
Weaknesses:
plastic mount will wear. But that will take some time. Not the fastest lens, but ok for general photography.
Similar Products Used:
too many to count really.
Customer Service:
never needed it serviced. In response to a comment I read earlier that someone had broken two of these lenses because of the plastic mount. This lens has been used heavily and has held up fine for the last year and a half and shows no sign of quitting.
Rating Reviewed by: marc falk(Unregistered User)
(Intermediate)
Review Date April 25, 2003
Overall Rating 2 of 5
Value Rating 2 of 5
Used product for 3 Months to 1 year
Visitors rate this review 2.00 of 5,
4 votes
Review 5 of 61
Price Paid:
$0.00
Summary:
as my first foray into slr phtography, i got this lens bundled with a nikon f60 [n60] and a 70-300 f4-5.6.
the build quality is... bad. very very bad. i broke two of them, while they were mounted, in my bag. that's never happened before or since. when i broke the second one and had to resort to using the 70-300 full-time, i learnt the meaning of image quality. with the 28-80, the images are just plain soft and lack contrast.
nikon have since discontinued this lens yay! and i now have a sigma 28-105 f4-5.6.
Strengths:
it takes pictures [albiet slightly soft ones...]
light weight
Sample Images
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