Some nice new Nikon lenses - 24f1.4, 16-35f4 VR

[firestarter]

Looks good:

Nice catch-up with Canon, and high time Nikon started to refresh their wide primes:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10020901nikon24mmf14.asp

Taken a lead over Canon - as far as I know this is the first superwide zoom with VR, and it's nice to see Nikon moving into the f4/prosumer category:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10020902nikon16mm35mm.asp

 

[Phrasikleia]

Big time kudos to Nikon for coming out with a stabilized 16-35mm!! That is exactly the kick in the gut that Canon needs. They really need to improve their full-frame UWA offerings. This is great news.

 

[kyzen]

Wonderful lenses. Canon's new massive-megapixel Rebel is going to attract a lot of entry level consumer interest (look ma, more pixers!), but these lenses are going to continue keeping the pros/semi-pros lured over by the D300 interested.

 

[wheelhot]

wooo! Now this is going to affect my lens choices.

I am sure will be getting a 70-200 VRII within the next 6 months and a SB900 to conclude my purchase of the year.

Problem now is, should I get a 14-24 or the new 16-35? I am planning to use it during events, so any suggestions? one is 1 stop faster while the other has VR and accept filters. Help pls?

Btw, for those missing out:
AF-S-NIKKOR-24mm-F1.4G-ED

AF-S-NIKKOR-16-35mm-f4G-ED-VR

oh and I love Nikon making the f/4 and the f/1.4 as 77mm filter thread, meaning I can now safely buy filters and be able to swap it without having to get a step up or something. Hoya HD Polarizer, here I come (right after my 70-200)!

 

[Westside guy]

One thing Nikon's been missing - and Canon has offered for a while - is some high-quality constant f/4 lenses for D700 owners like me. We've had to either go with the really big, really heavy, really expensive f/2.8 glass or else pick and choose trying to find the best of Nikon's consumer glass. I really really REALLY hope this means Nikon is finally going to give us f/4 glass that covers the full range of useful focal lengths!

Nikon does have some pretty darn good consumer lenses, but it'll be nice to have something in between the higher-end consumer glass and the really high end pro glass.

 

[OreoCookie]

I'm curious what the price point of the 16-35 mm will be? Judging from the construction and all, it seems that at least price-wise, it won't be a competitor to Canon's 17-40 mm.

Edit: I just noticed the estimated prices, stupid me. ~€1,200 is quite a hefty price-tag.

 

[wheelhot]

I'm curious what the price point of the 16-35 mm will be? Judging from the construction and all, it seems that at least price-wise, it won't be a competitor to Canon's 17-40 mm.

Hmm, it's not? whats your reason? I always thought Nikon f/4 zoom lenses will be a step up FX lens for Nikon owners.

 

[compuwar]

Problem now is, should I get a 14-24 or the new 16-35? I am planning to use it during events, so any suggestions? one is 1 stop faster while the other has VR and accept filters. Help pls?

VR doesn't help with subject movement, a whole stop is often the difference between a usable image and not at an event. Not even a difficult choice.

 

[OreoCookie]

Hmm, it's not? whats your reason? I always thought Nikon f/4 zoom lenses will be a step up FX lens for Nikon owners.

Sure, it's a step up and I'm sure it's a nice lens. The one feature Canon's 17-40 mm f/4 does have is the 600~700 € price tag -- which is a bit more than half of what the Nikkor costs. In other words: I wish I could afford it :lol:

Regarding what lens to get for you, IMO it's just a matter of focal lengths: personally, the 16-35 mm would be a lot more useful than a 14-24 mm. VR doesn't really make a difference to me since it only compensates for camera shake and not motion blur. On a full frame camera, using the 1/focal length rule, you can hand hold pictures until about 1/10~1/30 s. The main problem will be motion blur.

 

[Cliff3]

I'm curious what the price point of the 16-35 mm will be? Judging from the construction and all, it seems that at least price-wise, it won't be a competitor to Canon's 17-40 mm.

Edit: I just noticed the estimated prices, stupid me. ~€1,200 is quite a hefty price-tag.

The finish appears to be identical to all of Nikon's recent pro lenses - textured painted metal barrel with rubber focus and zoom rings and presumably a rubber gasket on the mount. The lens is about 2/3rds the price of a new 17-35, so if you can live with F4 (and I definitely could in this range of focal lengths) it is probably an excellent optic at a not unreasonable price.