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D700 + Kit Lens?

etrigan63

Active member
With the D3X priced wayyy out of my range, I am looking to getting a D700 kit for my architecture/landscape work. What are your opinions of the 24-120 kit lens? I will sorely miss the range that the 18-200 VR granted me on the D300. Can anyone recommend another lens for travel/walkabout duties? I still will have my CV 40mm Ultron f2, CV 58mm Nokton f1.4, Nikkor 35mm f2, and my (soon to come) Hartblei 45mm Super Rotator T/S lens.
 

DavidL

New member
On a budget I've heard the old 28-105 takes some beating.
Although the 24-70 seems the obvious choice, it does seem to have distortion problems at 24mm which wouldn't be good for architecture, see http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1030&message=30260024. The old 17-35 f2.8 would be worth looking into, especially on full frame. This was always a well respected lens.
The obvious choice for architecture - landscape is a PC lens but they don't come cheap.
david
 

etrigan63

Active member
I have heard some good things about Sigma's new 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM which is considerably cheaper than the Nikkor. Has anyone shot both of these lenses or can point me to a comparo?
 
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DonWeston

Subscriber Member
Am in same situation, selling some Canon gear, but anyway, I have and like an older Tamron 28-75mm for a walk around zoom. This works with my D300 and I may decide on a D700 instead also. I have owned a 24-120mmVR previously and it just was not the equivalent of the 18-200VR. I find many times depending on what I am shooting that 2-3 primes can be easier to carry and offer better performance..fwiw...best luck, Don
 

Jonathon Delacour

Subscriber Member
With the D3X priced wayyy out of my range, I am looking to getting a D700 kit for my architecture/landscape work. What are your opinions of the 24-120 kit lens?
Mike Johnston (The Online Photographer) wrote an extremely unfavorable review of the 24-120 on the D700 about a week ago (his executive summary: a PoS). Mike's observations (and the comments on his review) are well worth reading if you're seriously considering this lens. One commenter suggests a used 24-85/3.5 as a better alternative. Thom Hogan reviewed the 24-85/3.5 favorably. You'll also find lots of useful information about older Nikkor zooms at the Nikkor Resources site (scroll down to find the AF zoom links) and at Bjorn Rorslett's site (he gives the 24-120 a low rating too).
 

woodyspedden

New member
The Nikon 24-120 is and has been for several generations a mediocre lens. It falls into the category of a kit lens, no matter what.

Far better you get a 24-70 and the less expensive 70-300 if you need that spread of focal lengths. Both are outstanding lenses with the 24-70 right up there with primes with perhaps the exception of the distortion at 24mm

Fraid you get what you pay for here.

Woody
 

charlesphoto

New member
Get a Zeiss ZF 28mm f/2 and never look back.

The D3/D700 sensor really doesn't do well with poor lenses. If you want to use cheaper lenses you'd be best off with a D300 where you use the sweet spot.
 

jonoslack

Active member
I've been there, and I have the medal.
I've also got the 24-120 AFS VR Nikon - on the D700 it was a complete dog . . . unless you have a special requirement for a soft portrait lens with specially blurred corners.

I've also tried the Tamron 28-75 . . and the sigma equivalents. In fact, I spent a whole morning at a dealer trying out ALL the small mid range zooms on the D700, and they all stink. Maybe I was unlucky, and I've certainly read other people recommending such lenses.

To be honest, it was why I finally gave up the ghost on the whole shebang. The new Nikon zooms are fine - although the moustache distortion on the 24-70 was hard to correct. The new 105 macro is great, and I'm sure the TS lenses are good.

But small kit lens? no.
 

etrigan63

Active member
I'm not worried about using this lens for architecture. The Hartblei 45mm Super Rotator will be used for that. I am just trying to plan ahead here and see how many sheckles I will have to save up to get this kit. I would rather not part with my M8 as I have always wanted to be a Leica owner all of my life. Seeing things as they are I may wait to see what PMA will hold - perhaps a D800 announcement? With all the flap about the Nikon BIG announcement at WPPI there may be more to it than just the D3X.
 

etrigan63

Active member
I went by a local dealer today and he let me slap a CF card and my 18-200 on a D700 for some test shots. I realize that the 18-200 is a DX lens and crops like mad on the D700, but it may be a usable solution until I can get a full frame lens to replace it. Will post some test shots later today. I do have all of my primes as well.
 
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