Per Ofverbeck
Member
Recently I bought the new 16 - 85 VR as a light-weight walkaround alternative to the 17 - 55 on my D200. Happy to report I´m quite satisfied with it (but not to the point of selling the 17 - 85).
The big plus is, of course, the compactness; I just can´t lug the 17 - 55 on a day´s walk and still enjoy it, but that´s what I do with the 16 - 85. IQ is surprisingly good; there is more "depth" in the 17 - 55 images, and bokeh is a bit better, but for sheer sharpness at, say f/8, it is a draw, really.
Of course the 17 - 55 has faster AF, can be used wide open without qualms, has weather sealing & c, so I´m keeping it for when I feel "serious" :angel:
Here are two of my friends, gossiping about "that camera nut with yet another new lens"....
The big plus is, of course, the compactness; I just can´t lug the 17 - 55 on a day´s walk and still enjoy it, but that´s what I do with the 16 - 85. IQ is surprisingly good; there is more "depth" in the 17 - 55 images, and bokeh is a bit better, but for sheer sharpness at, say f/8, it is a draw, really.
Of course the 17 - 55 has faster AF, can be used wide open without qualms, has weather sealing & c, so I´m keeping it for when I feel "serious" :angel:
Here are two of my friends, gossiping about "that camera nut with yet another new lens"....