Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX ED VR Nikkor Wide-Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras by Nikon
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Digital camera reviews of Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX ED VR Nikkor Wide-Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras
Digital camera Review: Great DX lens
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very sharp lens with a very good VR, quick focus and range. For what it is, a very sharp DX lens for a good price it does a great job. I think with this lens and the 70-300 VR any Nikon DX shooter has almost everything that they need. Maybe a 50mm wide aperature f/1.8 or 1.4 and a 10-24 or 11-16mm even better added later on. This lens has a nice range at 16mm for those wide shoots when you need them. Of course theres purple fringing once in a while and some distortion but all these minor faults can be corrected in PS CS5 so in reality it's a great lens. And with the VR you have the ability to shoot in low light situations especially with Nikons sensitive sensors. Very nice.Digital camera Review: Great DX lens
Summary: 5 Stars
Although I have the full compliment of Nikon pro lenses, I frequently use the 16-85 as my "walking around lens" for casual shooting. It is very sharp and boasts high image quality, has an effective VR system (unlike Nikon's pro grade 24-70 lens, which has no VR), and is lightweight and compact to boot.
Although the pro lenses are marginally sharper and optically faster, I tend to see it as a balance. If I didn't use the 16-85, I'd probably be carrying at least the 24-70 and one other lens. Not only is the 24-70 quite a bit heavier than the 16-85, I'd probably miss some shots due to changing lenses. Still, the pro lenses are amazing and they have their purpose too (for instance, soon as you go to an FX camera)...it's just for maybe two-thirds of my casual shooting the 16-85 is more convenient and "good enough". Unlike some other long-range zooms (the 24-120 comes to mind), this lens produces very sharp and contrasty pictures with great color and that "pop" you get from top lenses. I never get the sense I'm using a substandard lens, and from what I've seen, it's well ahead of the 18-200 and Nikon's kit lenses.
One of my few complaints about this lens is that out of focus areas (bokeh) tend to be somewhat harsh and jagged, not soft and "creamy" in the tradition of Nikon's excellent 85mm f/1.4. This isn't a deal breaker for me...just means I spend relatively more time fixing backgrounds in the computer after the shot. The only other complaint I have is the the f/5.6 at the long end is really a bit too dark...I would have preferred a constant f/3.5 or f/4 through the range, even if it meant making the lens marginally bigger.
Mechanically, the lens seems rugged and well made, although just a hair lower quality than Nikon's pro lenses. Note that if you use filters with it, the very wide 16mm end of the zoom range calls for thin mount filters, otherwise you get a bit of vignetting. Still, it has been through many thousands of exposures on my D300 in conditions ranging from the tropics to frozen New England winters, and it has always focused quickly and smoothly and acts like new.
Highly recommended.
Digital camera Review: Great Everyday Lens
Summary: 5 Stars
I have both the 18-135 and the 18-200, yet this lens has become my everyday go to lens for most of my photography. The 18-200 has tremendous versatility and I have made many great photos with it. However the softness and CAs around the edges is quite pronounced and definitely shows in larger prints of 12x18 and larger (I could have a poor copy). My 18-135, on the other hand, is tack sharp throughout the frame and is a great lens. However, the lack of VR is a limiter for using the lens as an everyday lens where low-light, hand held shots are often required.
Now to the 16-85VR: As I shoot mostly landscapes and outdoor shots, the 16mm wide end was particularly attractive to me. Only 10% or so of my shots are beyond 85mm, so I don't think I'll miss the 85-200 range. The build quality is about like the 18-200 without the zoom creep. I conducted informal tripod tests of this lens against my sharp 18-135 and the 16-85 actually exhibited better sharpness and contrast all across the frame from 16mm-50mm at all apertures, with the sharpest apertures being f8 and f11 (no surprise there). However, wide open is sharp as well, with very little light falloff at the corners, even at 16mm. In the 60mm - 85mm range, the 18-135 was usually just a bit sharper (except at f-11, where they were equal) for both the center and edges (you have to look really hard and pixel peep at 100% to notice the slight difference). Given the great sharpness (especially in the 16-50mm range), VR, and almost total lack of noticeable CAs, I can highly recommend the 16-85 for a general purpose, on-the-camera-all-the-time lens.
Digital camera Review: Great Lens
Summary: 5 Stars
This lens replaced a 18 - 105 VR nikkor. The lens is sharp and well made.Digital camera Review: Great Lens for the Demanding-Amature or Pro
Summary: 5 Stars
I've now taken well over a 1000 pictures with this lens and a D300 body. I've used it in the desert, in snow fields, in Las Vegas at night, in heavy overcast sky and indoors at a wedding without a flash. The results are easily up to professional standards - sharp, no chromatic aberrations, low distortion.
The VR makes it easy to hand hold down to 1/5 of a second. This, to some degree, makes up for the lens' relatively slow speed. The plus side of the trade-offs this lens design makes is that you get a much greater focal length range than the much more expensive, much heavier, faster glass - while retaining great performance.
Build quality is great with no lens creep. It feels like the two front extension tubes are metal (I don't know that for a fact). There is only minimal wobble at the front of the lens when it is fully extended. This movement is about the same as found in any fixed focal length Nikkor lens.
It's a bargain at $650.