Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsSerious lens for serious shots
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2010
I have to admit, even though this lens received glowing reviews across the board, I had butterflies in my stomach considering a lens that after tax and shipping would be over ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. I mean, that's a heck of a lot of money for one lens! Could it really be worth it? I had just purchased a Nikon D700, replacing my old D80, and had found limitations with the DX format (chiefly low-light situations that required fast shutter speeds with no flash - read: indoor sports.) My experience with non-Nikon brand lenses was underwhelming. They did the job, but there was always "something" about them that didn't perform as well as the Nikon lenses I had purchased. Slow focus, loss of sharpness at edges, etc. Since my main mid-range lens was not a Nikon, and DX, I desperately needed an FX replacement. This is the only mid-range FX zoom lens that Nikon makes where the maximum aperture remains constant throughout its range (I'm not a fan of zoom lenses that have variable maximum apertures.) The bottom line is if I wanted a full-frame mid-range Nikon with constant max aperture, this is the only choice.
I ponied up the dough, and I must say I am impressed. The images this lens produces are amazing, and the performance consistently reminds me that this lens costs as much as it does for a reason. It's construction is incredibly solid, and the zoom ring is very smooth as it's adjusted. Focus is super fast and is almost inaudible (great for wedding photos or any other event where noisy focus would be a distraction.) Under low light conditions and wide open this lens grabs images that my previous mid-range would easily fumble.
The only reason I ranked the accessories at 3 stars is for a lens this expensive I'd at least expect the case it comes with to be a bit more protective. The top and bottom of the lens is held in place with open-cell foam, which is the same kind of foam just about any product ships with. Granted the open cell foam is a bit denser and is flexible, unlike styrofoam, but still. I would have expected at least dense closed-cell foam wrapped in some sort of material and stitched into the case. The foam blocks the lens is shipped inside the case with looks and feels like they're throw-away. I think most people at this level will wind up buying or already own a camera bag for bodies, lenses, and accessories, so this is kind of a moot point.
In closing, this lens is really your only choice for a Nikon full-frame mid-range constant maximum aperture zoom lens at the time that this review is being written. I think at this price it's a fairly painful purchase, but if you want quality it's worth it.
