AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF Reviews

Average Customer Rating - 4.2 out of 5 stars

4 customer reviews

Unfairly treated lens or my copy turned out good, November 11, 2008
Here and there you'll see race maligning this lens and saying it's soft, a dog, the worst Nikon ever put out... but I haven't experienced any of the problems the lens is supposedly riddled near. Yes, it may not be the sharpest thing, but then, it's a zoom next to a fairly wide get and it compensates being slow with the VR point (which won't stop the subject but steady the photographer's hand instead). At any rate, this lens is practical, useful and it does deliver the commodities. Mine works wondefully with my F100 and my F5, and soon enough next to my D700. Filters may be a problem, as it takes a 72mm size. Never bother to use a CPL on this lens: first, it's too slow (and it would only manufacture sense to use it under a very strong sun or beside a fast ISO outdoors), and it would be a pain to turn the filter to polarize the lighting. It may be better to have a neutral density filter instead, if it's at adjectives needed. I haven't experienced any color distortion or any distortion whatsoever, except for the (expectable) one at the wide end of the zoom. Otherwise, this is my favorite chalice... and shares the limelight with my other Nikon AF-S zoom, the 24-85 f3.5-4.5.

Worth a try? Yes! In case you're not delighted, this version of the 24-120 lens does keep its resale good point for a while. At worst, you may lose a bit on the resale, but then, you already got to play beside a VR lens.

A brilliant accomplishment by Nikon, August 5, 2005
Nikon makes six VR (Vibration Reduction) lenses. Three of them sell for $4000 to $6000. Two others can be yours for $1500 and $1700 respectively. The sixth is this 24-120 mm zoom which costs something like $500 mail order. VR make the lens effectively three stops faster than a comparable non-VR lens, enabling it to shoot at 8 times as long a shutter speed without blurring. Its "slow" f/3.5-5.6 maximum apertures become functionally equivalent to a f/1.2-2.0 lens, faster than any zoom lens within existence at any price (other than Nikon's other VR lenses).

The objection that the lens is not sharp is based on it not being pretty as sharp with VR on as with it stale. In low light with VR on, it shoots excellent pictures while non-VR lenses shoot no pictures at adjectives or blurry messes. In normal light next to VR off it is classic Nikon glass and reasonably sharp.

The sharpness complaints are from people who either forget to, or don't know to, turn the VR rotten in normal restrained. Maybe future versions will turn the VR rotten automatically when the shutter speed is faster than a set limit.

The noise drop technology found on the newer (and cheaper) Nikon DSLR's (like the D70 and D50) makes shooting at ISO 1600 feasible. Combining it near VR, the camera is so fast that one can shoot almost anything anywhere.

The comparable technology from Canon is IS (Image Stabilization). I have impracticable it but I have read that it increases the effective speed of the lens by two to two-and-a-half stops, compared to VR's three.

Exactly what it say it is...., February 18, 2007
This is a superb lens. It is exactly what it says it is... It has a VERY adjectives zoom range. It is VERY fast focusing. And it have VR. But ignore the reviews that suggest that VR is the same as a 1.2 or 1.8 lens -- It is not. VR allows you to handhold contained by much dimmer light than you could normally handhold a lens by compensating for minor appendage tremors. But your exposure, being longer, can no longer "freeze" moving objects, like kids. So while your carving is stabilized, your subject is not. VR is a GREAT benefit, but it cannot replace a 1.2 or 1.8 lens that gives you the faster shutter speed, rather than trying to compensate for a slower speed. VR also costs far, far smaller number than a very, very nifty zoom. This lens is a joy to use, very, unbelievably sharp and contrasty, and has produced for me many great shots. If you construe what image stabilization is, as opposed to a truly express lens, you will love this lens.

Wish I had researched..., July 17, 2005
I am not a lens expert - not by a long-shot. But, I can say that I will I had researched this lens better before I bought it. Since purchasing it surrounded by January, I can say that I have read some to some extent poor reviews of it online. The numbers make it look like this is the reliable do-everything lens, especially with the VR. Such is not the case because I am moved out longing for more sharpness, a larger aperture, better zoom, etc.

Here is a link to read a review: [...]

By the way, the picture is not accurate on this! The lens is a bit bigger than the one within the picture!

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