DJB 49 said:
. I have thought about replacing it with the 24-120 but would need to be convinced it really was better than the 28-105mm.

the 28 -105 get good reviews the advantage of the 16 -120 is its extra range;
I use mine a lot at both ends

but that may not be important to you

I have had a 16-35mm f4 which I have not used too much and which has given me oddly inconsistent results. So much so that I did a whole load of tests on it which look absolutely fine, so it must be me!

My normal 'walk-around' lens is a 28-105 f3.5-4.4 AF D that I bought many years ago for my F100 and which continually produces lovely sharp images, including in its macro mode. For a budget lens, I think it is a real bargain and I am happy to continue to use it on my D800. I have thought about replacing it with the 24-120 but would need to be convinced it really was better than the 28-105mm. I might hire one and see!

I own a Nikon D40, D80 and D7000. I am using the D7000 most of the time nowadays, so that ought to be my favorite. However, there is a lot to be said in favour of the D40 as well, the handling and size are fantastic and I prefer the CCD sensor (compared to the CMOS). Shame it is only 6 MP and the low light performance is not really good, and shooting star trails would be a lot more difficult with a D40. Otherwise it is an amazing camera.

Started with a Nikon F. Then an FTn Photomic. Bunches of Leicas (RF and SLR), Olympus, Pentax 35 - 4.5x6 - 6x6, Rolleiflex, Mamiyaflex, and a couple of dozen P&S 35s (loved the Rolei 35).

Now,

Nikon F5
Nikon D200
Nikon D700
Nikon D7000
Nikon D800 (just got it last week)

A dozen or so Nikon lenses, from the 17-35mm f/2.8, 45mm PCE, 70-180mm Micro, 70-210 f/2.8
VR, 200mm f/2.8 (!!), 300mm f/4.5.

Favorite? D700, until I get to know the D800. Really dislike the D7000. Bought it for shooting video.

Shees I don't know what you guys are complaining about. By an unfortunate turn of events I ended up with the 24-120 F3.5-5.6 VR. I can't even give this lens away. I'm using a dinky old 28-80 f3.3-5.6 while I wait for it to start raining 24-70 f2.8's. The 28-80 is actually bloody good though... Amazing what you can find for around $60 nowadays haha

msmoto i have been looking at MTF and reviews on the lens since it was under consideration. It seems normal to lose at the edge with this (and many lenses)from what I have read and see on MTF charts. It falls to a 3 or less at the edges at 24mm. i'd give a link, but just as easy to google the lens and add MTF. that way i dont get looked at with evil intent. ;- >

The 24-85 f3.5 isnt any better at the edges according to the MTF chart I was looking at.

Yes MTF is for mesaurabaters however ...... /shrugs

TTJ: I thought about the 24-85 (I've even seen good things about the earlier versions), but I'd miss the added zoom length. I'm still adjusting to "losing" 100mm off my 70-300. I know that the 120 isn't quite going to be the 155-ish mm that my 18-105 gave me (even my 105 macro seems nearly wide-ish on a 600), but it's a darn sight closer than the 85 would be (and the extra 4mm at the wide end will be nice, since the widest thing I've got right now is the 28-300.

Thanks, everybody, for the input. I don't mind spending the extra as long as the quality justifies it; conversely, I don't want to "save" only to have to buy something else later. I'm not a pro, but that's no excuse to be sloppy. ;) Rather get it right the first time...

@ sevencrossing...thank you. It is a lens one can simply carry around and it gets the job done no matter what. And the VR allows those shots in the dark!

msmoto said:
If by chance someone thinks there is a problem with my lens,

look very similar to the results I get with mine

The 24 f 1.4 @f4 is sharper at the edges than the 24- 120 @f4 but as we have agreed, as a "do nearly everything" lens, the 24 -120 f4, is very hard to beat

Well, I have checked out my copy of the 24-120mm f/4.0 VR Nikkor and here it is. Images at 24mm, 70mm, 120mm and f/4, 5.6, 8, 11. The lens has a lot of barrel distortion...seen only in architectural shots and easily corrected in PP. It looks sharp even wide open in the center, but at all apertures the edges fall off. Some may be due to a curvature of field in the focal plane, but it is clear that my copy is soft near the edges.

If by chance someone thinks there is a problem with my lens, please let me know. It has never been dropped or even really bumped, but does not appear to be performing as well as when new.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/sets/72157631983618062/detail/

sevencrossing said:....

i promised you will not kick yourself for spending the extra $1,100 on the new f/4 VR

7xing: I hesitated for months to buy this lens. I have great glass already in this range, so I couldn't see spending the money to duplicate focal lengths and zoom coverage I already had. No matter, you are right: this was well worth the investment in terms of versatility. It's on my camera most of the time now.

The older ones are not that good nor that bad. They should be considered as "kit" zooms. Snapshots are fine, but for paid work I never consider it. I use it mostly for family holidays - it's good for that. It will not pull the most from what the sensor can offer, but it does what it does, and for a cheap price. The newest of the old versions is the best of the bunch. I would pay $200-$250 for it but nothing more.

The If you are just looking for a walk-around lens, the Nikon 24-85vr seems to perform well enough If you are not looking for spending too much.

The F4 is a great lens. I have rented it multiple times for work, and I really like it, sharp, fast, and a good working range. That's on my Xmas list this year.

lets put it this way, it is difficult to find a good reviews of the old 24 -120

it is difficult o find a bad review of the new 24- 120 vr f4

i promised you will not kick yourself for spending the extra $1,100 on the new f/4 VR

Different ones for different purposes, but all Nikon.

As to the current crop of digital cameras I don't like going older than the D90 because I want to use Picture Controls and fine tune them. The D90 has more than enough resolution for PAD, 8x10s and sending photos by e-mail. Larger files just waste time for those uses. If I want maximum detail I shoot the D800. But I think the resolution of the D600 is more than adequate 98% of the time and I appreciate its lightness (especially when pared with some lightweight old AF lenses such as the wonderful 28-80 f3.3-5.6G) compared to the heavy D800. I don't have a D4 but surely would prefer it for sports or times when I wanted speed. I think my "perfect" FX/DX combo will be a D600 matched with a D7200 (when it is out).

@ aslightdelay I would suggest you take your new D600 into the store and test the various used lenses. Carry your computer with you, download the images and see what you think. Then you will know exactly what you are getting. For a test, I would shoot all of them wide open at 24mm, 75mm, 120mm. Then repeat this at f/5.6, f/8. Taking a couple hours may save you a lot of headache and second thoughts later on. As you can see from my post above, the latest version has its struggle with edge sharpness, yet in some shots it is absolutely a stunning lens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7014984231/sizes/o/in/set-72157630044833773/

Forgive me for resurrecting an old thread, but I didn't want to start a new one (especially since my question's pertinent to this one). My local-ish camera shop has the three older 24-120's (the D, AFS and AFS VR) in stock used. I picked up the 600 the week it came out, but didn't get the kit lens... now I'm finding that I really miss having a short zoom. Are the lenses as bad as some of the reviews suggest, or is there one of those three that's good enough optically that I won't kick myself for spending the extra $1,100.00 on the f/4?

In the past I have owned many cameras. 35mm thru large format. I do not miss film cameras now at all. I got rid of many medium formats after side by side testing with Nikon F5 and micro nikkor lens. Best film camera was the nikon F5. And a couple of medium panoramics. I sold most of all of these. I have owned D100 through Nikon D700. My favorite of all of these are D300, D90, and D7000.

In the order that I got them: Pentax 35mm, Nikon Fotomic didn't like it sold, Pentax spotmatic great camera, Nikonos, Fuji p&S good, D300 great camera, Tamron 90mm macro excellent lens, nikon 10.5

I listed my lenses because I can't relate all that well to the camera without them.

Oh, listing lenses, huh...10.5, 20, 16-35, 24-120, 28-85,50,85,135,70-200, 80-400, 400, TC 1.4, 2.0 and old "F" lenses, 24, 35, 85, 300.

Canon Powershot A720 IS
iPhone 4
Pentax K-5
Nikon D800E
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My favourite right now is the D800E with the Zeiss but before that the K-5 and FA 31LTD was my #1 choice for walking around.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lenses for Pentax:
Sigma 8-16
smc Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8AL Limited
smc DA*55 F1.4 SDM
smc Pentax-FA 77 F1.8 Limited
smc Pentax DA*50-135 F2.8 ED [IF] SDM
smc Pentax DA*60-250 F4 ED [IF] SDM
smc Pentax DA*200mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM
smc Pentax FA*300mm F4.5 ED[IF]
Tamron 90 F2.8 Macro
Tamron 1.4x TC
---------------------
Lenses for D800:
Zeiss 21/ 2.8
Nikkor 35/1.4G
Nikkor 70-200 F2.8 VRII
Sigma 50mm F1.4 HSM
Sigma 85mmF1.4 HSM
Sigma 150 F2.5 OS Macro

lol sounds like a plan. You can start your search at the north pole and work your way south east.

Please add an address, where you keep your gear, times you are away from home and the alarm code if you have one...........

D5000 until i purchased the D800,
35 1.8DX was on the d5k until i started using the d800, so now its a 50mm 1.8G 90% of the time ( it works for the stuff that i see)

for events and the like, 24-85mm vr(surprisingly good), 70-200 VRII). (on dx used the 17-50 2.8 OS Sigma, which wasn't a bad lens at all)

105mm vr(sharpest lens i have other than the 70-200) to take pictures of flowers around the house.

a 28mm 2.8D to travel really light (althought it really isn't very sharp especially if you pixel peep ( so really since i dont even do heavy crops, not that big of a deal ))

one sb-700 ( debating whether to get another or an umbrella and a light collapsable stand...)

next is either zeiss 50mm 1.4 ZA.2/ 85mm 1.4 ZA.2 or deal with the UWA situation (14-24mm or 24mm 1.4G), but since i'm currently going to school full time that will have to be on the back burner : )

I have a few

D4
D800e
D7000
D300

F100

My D4 is my favorite by far...it is truly an unbelievable camera. My least favorite by a long stretch is the D7000.