Being broke and looking to upgrade glass from the DX world to now the FX world with my recently purchased Nikon D810, I have found that the prices are still pretty drastic. I saw this lens and wanting wide and not really caring about zoom this lens seems pretty nice. And, I found one for 500 bucks which I feel is pretty reasonable considering that every 24-70mm, no matter the manufacturer, is way more, this just makes sense. GREAT REVIEW!!!
Very nice review of "The Beast", have just completed my "Tropical Grey Dynamic Duo" with this and the AF-S 80-200 F2.8 after a very long search on the used market for two samples in good working conditions. They are still both quite capable lenses and oh they look so sexy in light grey on a Nikon camera, everyone that notice it gets a puzzled look in the face :)
I enjoy your videos quite a lot, but for this one I had to put my headphones on because the audio was so low. The content is still top notch keep it up!
Nice pics. I just picked up this lens a day ago for a budget kit. Paid $379. Matched with an 80-200 2.8D its a high quality albeit heavy setup. So far very impressed.
I own the 35-70 2.8 Push pull. Pretty satisfied, its the lightest of the f 2.8 family, built really well, pushpull works well maybe even faster for those 35 -> 70 shots when Hollywood famous people showup unexpectedly . Yes it has haze like most of them, cleaning process looks doable even in home conditions but i lack the proper tools to open it, contrast seems to drop when in direct light. Thinking about upgrading to 28-70 at some point. Also i must say, that tropical grey is really pretty, i guess i am one of those suckers who would pay extra money to feel a little more special lol
my random comment (lol) - my 24-70 (2007) surprises me every time i use it, shot at 3.5 there is hardly any vignetting and its very sharp. apart from the size with that massive lens hood its a do-it-all legend. only thing i dont like about it is the distortion at 24, if you want straight lines you'll need software correction (which isnt a magic spell you can cast to fix it, it still looks unusual even when the lines are straightened out). i use it at 28-70 and avoid >26. the nikon 24 2.8D is under-rated i think. used that at uni with a D3 stopped down to F4 and the colours were unlike anything i'd seen on digital.
Thanks! I want straight lines and am rubbish at fixing anything in post processing! :-) I also find the old 20mm f2.8 AF can give excellent results when you need a sub-28mm field of view... :-)
I’ll stick with my 24-70. 24 is much better for travel landscape than 28. And I don’t agree that the 24-70 is really expensive, second hand they are about $1,100 now, I paid $1,300 for mine two years ago and it was mint. That’s actually very cheap for a pro zoom lens these days. But thanks for the new video 👍🏼👍🏼
Didn't even know there was a 28-70 D, or a 35-70 2.8 AI/AI-S. Very informative as always, really enjoying every one of these videos even though I don't even shoot Nikon anymore - but maybe something like a D200 or S5 Pro with one of the older portrait primes..? 🤔 We'll see about funds for that in a post-COVID world, hah.
I always wanted this lens, it was analog the same focal length & speed compared to the Canon 28-70/2.8L USM. (1993) I was lucky into ca. 2013, i've bought it off on small advertisings, literally ca. 150 EUR, because the owner said, it's AF drive is being stuck and broken, and he couldn't test it, whileas he had sold all his Nikon gear and bought into the Sony E Mount system. Well aware, i have only "Fullframe" Film SLRs from Nikon, i've tested it on my D7000. And it worked like a charm, like new. I own the black version, with original, heavy faux leather pouch, and matching lens hood. It scored 4 out of 5 stars at Optical Limits (former Photozone)
Cool! Make sure you check out the autofocus system to be sure it's working 100% of the time and isn't making squeaky noises. A new SWM motor is still available for this lens but probably not for much longer... :-)
That's strange. I love 24mm. This is my first lens, starting at 28mm. The one I hate is the 20mm. That's where things on the side get bent and lilt. I don't notice anything wrong with the 24mm. I guess that's why they make so many 20, 24 and 28's because so many people feel differently at where "wide" lens should start. To me, it's 24mm. This 28mm will be interesting to see if I take a likely to it. I've got a 24mm prime, so.
It's a beauty to say the least. What was the pro wide for the same time (1999-2001)? I still use a Nikkor 20-35mm f2.8D. Anything after that that retained it aperture ring? I love using these on my F4 & F2AS as well.
The AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D is like this lens, has built-in focus motor but still retained aperture ring. 14-24mm and 16-35mm came after, which are both optically better than the 20-35mm and 17-35mm, but lack aperture rings.
As an f2.8 AF-S 28-70 lens it’s pretty much up for anything in this focal length range. You can pay a lot more and not get any higher speed or image quality. My only caveat is to buy carefully as SWM motors for these are no longer made and they aren’t getting any younger! 😊
@@jklenses8611 I'm struggling to find good videos on the lens and starting to rethink buying this. Tamrons 28-70 2.8D looks okay but I don't know how good the optics are as it is far cheaper around 180 second hand
Love my 28-70 despite it’s weight, unfortunately I had to drop it today to the Nikon service center for the second time in 8 month in order to fix autofocus problems 😞 after searching online it seems to be quite a récurent problem on this particular lens...
i agree I have this lens . I used not so much . it stays in a cabinet for around 2 years without using it as quite heavy and recently I wanted to used and faced this auto focus problem ( noise and focusing not fully working ) . It is related to internal , some element are not holding anymore due to some glue drying and then this element ( a kind of electrical ribbon ) is blocking internally the focusing process ( sorry for englsih ) . there is a video on youtube from mikeno62 which explains how to solve it but you need really repair knowledge .
The most common faults with this lens seems to be with the SWM autofocus motor. I believe that stocks of these are starting to decline so I'd get yours fixed a soon as possible... :-)
@@aussie8114 Not completely correct. D just means it has better distanced metering for flashes. If a lens is AF-S and D, it will still focus on the Z series, and any of nikons DSLRs.
Thanks everyone! 😊 The distance-info-for-flash ‘D’ system was introduced shortly after the introduction of the first AF system (mechanical screwdriver). This is why many AF lenses have D on them, as well as some early AF-S (Silent Wave Motor) lenses (like the 28-70). Later AF-S lenses didn’t bother to mention it once it became something which all lenses had. The 28-70/2.8 reviewed here is definitely an AF-S lens.
JKLenses My mistake. The early AF and AF D lenses I have are screw drive only so they won’t AF on the mirrorless. I did not even know there was such a thing as an AF S D lens. I should open my eyes next time 😅
Being broke and looking to upgrade glass from the DX world to now the FX world with my recently purchased Nikon D810, I have found that the prices are still pretty drastic. I saw this lens and wanting wide and not really caring about zoom this lens seems pretty nice. And, I found one for 500 bucks which I feel is pretty reasonable considering that every 24-70mm, no matter the manufacturer, is way more, this just makes sense. GREAT REVIEW!!!
Very nice review of "The Beast", have just completed my "Tropical Grey Dynamic Duo" with this and the AF-S 80-200 F2.8 after a very long search on the used market for two samples in good working conditions. They are still both quite capable lenses and oh they look so sexy in light grey on a Nikon camera, everyone that notice it gets a puzzled look in the face :)
:-)
Excellent review. Great balance of technical detail and practical considerations.
I enjoy your videos quite a lot, but for this one I had to put my headphones on because the audio was so low. The content is still top notch keep it up!
My daughter was watching peppa pig, I had to put the phone right against my ear to hear it. Good review of a good lens nonetheless 👍
Great review as always. Love your dialog. As I have the 24-70 I found this interesting.
I own both lenses and I usually grab the 24-70 just because it fits better in my hands...
Nice pics. I just picked up this lens a day ago for a budget kit. Paid $379. Matched with an 80-200 2.8D its a high quality albeit heavy setup. So far very impressed.
Excellent VFM combo... :-)
I own the 35-70 2.8 Push pull. Pretty satisfied, its the lightest of the f 2.8 family, built really well, pushpull works well maybe even faster for those 35 -> 70 shots when Hollywood famous people showup unexpectedly . Yes it has haze like most of them, cleaning process looks doable even in home conditions but i lack the proper tools to open it, contrast seems to drop when in direct light. Thinking about upgrading to 28-70 at some point. Also i must say, that tropical grey is really pretty, i guess i am one of those suckers who would pay extra money to feel a little more special lol
Great Video - More please...
Fantastic video, when is your next coming out
my random comment (lol) - my 24-70 (2007) surprises me every time i use it, shot at 3.5 there is hardly any vignetting and its very sharp. apart from the size with that massive lens hood its a do-it-all legend. only thing i dont like about it is the distortion at 24, if you want straight lines you'll need software correction (which isnt a magic spell you can cast to fix it, it still looks unusual even when the lines are straightened out). i use it at 28-70 and avoid >26. the nikon 24 2.8D is under-rated i think. used that at uni with a D3 stopped down to F4 and the colours were unlike anything i'd seen on digital.
Thanks! I want straight lines and am rubbish at fixing anything in post processing! :-) I also find the old 20mm f2.8 AF can give excellent results when you need a sub-28mm field of view... :-)
Excellent review, as always.
You left out the 24-85 2.8-4 afd i had a super clean copy and was pleased with image quality on my d700
I had one and it was a great lens ,superb output
How long did you have it for and did you get any major autofocus issues?
Great detailed information!!! Mahalo's for the wisdom shared...
I’ll stick with my 24-70. 24 is much better for travel landscape than 28. And I don’t agree that the 24-70 is really expensive, second hand they are about $1,100 now, I paid $1,300 for mine two years ago and it was mint. That’s actually very cheap for a pro zoom lens these days. But thanks for the new video 👍🏼👍🏼
There are often times when only 24mm will do! :-)
Nice! I don't think I have ever heard about this one!
Didn't even know there was a 28-70 D, or a 35-70 2.8 AI/AI-S. Very informative as always, really enjoying every one of these videos even though I don't even shoot Nikon anymore - but maybe something like a D200 or S5 Pro with one of the older portrait primes..? 🤔 We'll see about funds for that in a post-COVID world, hah.
Sounds like a plan! :-)
I always wanted this lens, it was analog the same focal length & speed compared to the Canon 28-70/2.8L USM. (1993) I was lucky into ca. 2013, i've bought it off on small advertisings, literally ca. 150 EUR, because the owner said, it's AF drive is being stuck and broken, and he couldn't test it, whileas he had sold all his Nikon gear and bought into the Sony E Mount system. Well aware, i have only "Fullframe" Film SLRs from Nikon, i've tested it on my D7000. And it worked like a charm, like new. I own the black version, with original, heavy faux leather pouch, and matching lens hood. It scored 4 out of 5 stars at Optical Limits (former Photozone)
What a great review....as always. Got my eye on one @ £350. Thanks for sharing.
Cool! Make sure you check out the autofocus system to be sure it's working 100% of the time and isn't making squeaky noises. A new SWM motor is still available for this lens but probably not for much longer... :-)
@@jklenses8611 Thank-you very much for your advice.
I prefer these lenses. I hate 24 and it's a pain having to look down at the markings instead of being able to snap to wide.
That's strange. I love 24mm. This is my first lens, starting at 28mm. The one I hate is the 20mm. That's where things on the side get bent and lilt. I don't notice anything wrong with the 24mm. I guess that's why they make so many 20, 24 and 28's because so many people feel differently at where "wide" lens should start. To me, it's 24mm. This 28mm will be interesting to see if I take a likely to it. I've got a 24mm prime, so.
It's a beauty to say the least. What was the pro wide for the same time (1999-2001)? I still use a Nikkor 20-35mm f2.8D. Anything after that that retained it aperture ring? I love using these on my F4 & F2AS as well.
The AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D is like this lens, has built-in focus motor but still retained aperture ring. 14-24mm and 16-35mm came after, which are both optically better than the 20-35mm and 17-35mm, but lack aperture rings.
yes this is pre 24-70 2.8 . good ol days
:-)
im using a nikon d600 and im thinking of getting this, I am doing weddings and lots of sports. And video and i want to know if this is worth getting?
As an f2.8 AF-S 28-70 lens it’s pretty much up for anything in this focal length range. You can pay a lot more and not get any higher speed or image quality. My only caveat is to buy carefully as SWM motors for these are no longer made and they aren’t getting any younger! 😊
@@jklenses8611 I'm struggling to find good videos on the lens and starting to rethink buying this. Tamrons 28-70 2.8D looks okay but I don't know how good the optics are as it is far cheaper around 180 second hand
Love my 28-70 despite it’s weight, unfortunately I had to drop it today to the Nikon service center for the second time in 8 month in order to fix autofocus problems 😞 after searching online it seems to be quite a récurent problem on this particular lens...
i agree I have this lens . I used not so much . it stays in a cabinet for around 2 years without using it as quite heavy and recently I wanted to used and faced this auto focus problem ( noise and focusing not fully working ) . It is related to internal , some element are not holding anymore due to some glue drying and then this element ( a kind of electrical ribbon ) is blocking internally the focusing process ( sorry for englsih ) . there is a video on youtube from mikeno62 which explains how to solve it but you need really repair knowledge .
The most common faults with this lens seems to be with the SWM autofocus motor. I believe that stocks of these are starting to decline so I'd get yours fixed a soon as possible... :-)
I just got mine back after having the autofocus fixed....
How does it compare to the 35-70?
Bigger, faster AF, slightly improved optical quality (depends where in the image you look), will AF on Z bodies, more expensive.. :-)
Isn't the D series the older screw drive design?
Yes and if used on the z bodies it’s manual focus only.
@@aussie8114 Not completely correct. D just means it has better distanced metering for flashes. If a lens is AF-S and D, it will still focus on the Z series, and any of nikons DSLRs.
D designates a type of information sent from lens to camera for metering. Any AF-S lens will AF on nikon DSLRs and mirrorless.
Thanks everyone! 😊 The distance-info-for-flash ‘D’ system was introduced shortly after the introduction of the first AF system (mechanical screwdriver). This is why many AF lenses have D on them, as well as some early AF-S (Silent Wave Motor) lenses (like the 28-70). Later AF-S lenses didn’t bother to mention it once it became something which all lenses had. The 28-70/2.8 reviewed here is definitely an AF-S lens.
JKLenses My mistake. The early AF and AF D lenses I have are screw drive only so they won’t AF on the mirrorless. I did not even know there was such a thing as an AF S D lens. I should open my eyes next time 😅
Nikon needs to make more Grey colored lenses 😂😂😂