a good 1st lens for d800.. 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 any good?

nikon_jonathanbruce

Hello. I'm new here and about to order my new camera. Would this lens be a good starting point for the camera, I already have a 70-300 VR lens and 80-400 vr but am looking for a smaller zoom to use for normal everyday use.. Would appreciate help with this before I buy the wrong lens!

Msmoto

Here are three threads which address the issue of lenses for the D800. Please do a forum search before starting new threads.

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/114/lenses-that-would-match-d800-/p1

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/1142/sorry-to-ask-highest-resolution-lens-for-d800/p1

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/2296/best-lenses-for-the-nikon-d800e-/p1

And, as to the lens, I would suggest the 24-70mm f/2.8 or the 24-120mm f/4 VR. If you can afford the D800 do not skimp on the glass. However, for the money it would appear the 24-85 is very good, maybe not so great toward the edges.

nikon_jonathanbruce

Thanks very much for that.

sevencrossing

there a thread on this lens
http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/764/new-nikkor-fx-18-35-f3-5-4-5g-lens/p1
but no one seems to have tried one

I would suggest the 24-70mm f/2.8 or the 24-120mm f/4 VR.

The 24-70mm f/2.8 Is a superb lens but it is three time the price of the 24-85 f/3.5-4.5

There seems to be stigma on NRF about variable aperture lens, the early one did not get good reviews but the reviews of latest suggest it is sharp and very good value for money

my person mid range zoom is the 24 -120 f4 VR but this heavier and more expensive

Emcee

I have a D800 and I started with the 24-85VR still use it as a good walk about lens when I need a little more flexibility vs a prime. I would recommend it.

Of course it's not uber sharp wide open but performs well enough stopped down. Here's an example shot with it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/emceee17/8076800730/in/set-72157631295951122/

Photobug

Later when our wallet recovers from the D800 purchase, you should sell that 70-300 VR and replace it with the 70-200 F2.8. It's a great lens.

The 24-70 + 70-200 + 80-400 gives you great coverage. Then consider buying some prime lens; i.e. 85mm is a good first prime. As several have said, take the time and read the links above. There are lots of comments on which zoom and which primes to buy.

WestEndBoy

Later when our wallet recovers from the D800 purchase, you should sell that 70-300 VR and replace it with the 70-200 F2.8. It's a great lens.

The 24-70 + 70-200 + 80-400 gives you great coverage. Then consider buying some prime lens; i.e. 85mm is a good first prime. As several have said, take the time and read the links above. There are lots of comments on which zoom and which primes to buy.

Why would you get both the 70-200 AND the 80-400? I would buy the 80-400 OR the 70-200 PLUS a teleconverter, but not both. Unless you are rolling in money………

Personally, I would choose the 70-200 and get a faster better lens from 70-200 and give up a little image quality at 400mm, but that depends what you are shooting.

However, for that small improvement in image quality (and image quality is not the end all of be all, or else you be buying primes and not zooms), the money you save you can buy the 85 1.4G. Really, is that worth and 85 1.4G???

nikon_jonathanbruce

The 80-400 was a gift of a pro-photographer friend of mine. He has just got the new D4s and has far too many lenses to list. (A 200-400 f/4g: 500 f/4g: 70-200 f/2.8g: 20-70 f/2.8g: 17-35 f2.8D: 28-300 f/3.5-5.6g are just some of his lenses). He is always buying lenses!

sevencrossing

Cameras tend to deprecate much faster than lenses
the D800 is one of the best cameras in the world
Get the D800 and the 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 and upgrade the lens when you have more cash

spraynpray

+1 Pitchblack.

@nikon_jonathanbruce: For what you want it for and given you aren't printing out images the size of billboards, the D610 is everything you need, so get the D610 and 24-70.

WestEndBoy

Cameras tend to deprecate much faster than lenses
the D800 is one of the best cameras in the world
Get the D800 and the 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 and upgrade the lens when you have more cash

A camera is only as good as its lens and with that lens it will no longer be the best camera in the world. A D610 with the 24-70 2.8 will be a better camera.

My recommendation to all new photographers is figure out your gear in this order:

1.
Identify subject type (might be several, such as portrait, macro, landscape, architecture, kids, underwater, travel etc.).
2.
Determine lens that works well with the subject type (performance, cost, compatibility with systems etc.) (might be several to deal with several subject types).
3.
Then determine what piece of digital junk you are going to bolt onto the lens for 4-8 years. And yes, a camera is digital junk. If you buy good glass, your second or third camera will be at the garage sale before you really need to think about upgrading the glass and even then it will be "want", not "need".

michael66

I would SERIOUSLY consider, if you haven't already bought the camera, dropping down to a D600 and spending the money difference on the 24-70/2.8. Even the Sigma 24-105/f4 Art Lens is a *much* better lens and a much better value.

+1 Pitchblack

Take a look at the Tamron 24-70/2.8. It has VR and is $500 cheaper than the Nikon. There is quite a bit of debate about this, but the various reviewers of the lens puts it at just below to just above the Nikon. Certainly better than the 24-85 f/3.5-4.5.

Pistnbroke

For $60 you can get a Nikkor 28-85 3.5-4.5 15 element lens ..Superb

Msmoto

@Pistnbroke

My post today on PAD, with the Nikkor 28-85 3.5-4.5….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/13030878554/

heartyfisher

Cute cat :-) ... why the high ISO :-)

Msmoto

@heartyfisher

No light…the lens is maxed out at f/5.6 when this close and I shoot 1/160 sec to diminish subject movement, thus the ISO of 8000….which I do not consider high. In fact, the cat moves so much, especially when the camera is so very close, the majority of images were not acceptable due to subject movement. So, I might have cranked up to 16,000, used 1/320 sec...

NikonMick

Late to this thread, as is often my situation, but hey, we got there.

Presuming you're talking about the non-VR version built from 2002-2006, I'm a big fan of this lens. I have only one example of this lens in use at my Flickr photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/7276501112/in/photostream

Simon Stafford, in his big Nikon Compendium, is a fan as are both Kenny and Thommy:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/2485afs.htm

http://www.bythom.com/2485lens.htm

As for those suggesting the 24-70mm lens, it's twice the weight and the use of the 85mm end on FX (130mm on DX) is an added benefit for portraiture.

A goodun' IMHO.

MIck

nikon_jonathanbruce

Ok. It's been a while since my last post.
I Have now got the D800e and love it. should I keep my D7100 as a backup or sell it for more glass ?

Msmoto

@nikon_jonathanbruce

Great question…. do you ever use two bodies when shooting? Or, in remote venues, do you want a backup body? Maybe for action shots or long telephoto…the D7100 is better. What you get from a used D7100 will not buy much in glass. I would keep it unless someone offers you a super price….

nikon_jonathanbruce

Well .. I have been offered £600 for the D7100

sevencrossing

I think I would sell and buy something like the 16 -35 f4

Photobug

@nikon_jonathanbruce

Great question…. do you ever use two bodies when shooting? Or, in remote venues, do you want a backup body? Maybe for action shots or long telephoto…the D7100 is better. What you get from a used D7100 will not buy much in glass. I would keep it unless someone offers you a super price….

I like Msmoto's recommendation...keep the D7100. For long telephotos shots the DX format is really good.

ChasCS

The AF-S 24-120mm would be an awesome starter lens for the D800.
If you sell the second body, put the money towards the new AF-S 80-400mm, it's awesome, but only if you can handle the high price. Great investment of your hard earned money, considering what the next level up, big boy lenses cost.

Chas

donaldejose

I recently acquired the 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 lens. Normally I like to shoot portraits with my 85mm f1.8 lens because of its sharpness. However, I was taking my portable studio to a person's house to shoot them and their guests. I knew I would be shooting singles, couples and groups and didn't want to always have to change lenses. Thus, I did a test of the 24-85 zoom and found it soft until I stopped down to f8 where it was sharp enough for my taste. Some people may find it adequate a f5.6 or f4 for their taste but I liked f8 better. Here are a series of the same photo with the face at different magnifications (full size, cropped to 50%, 75% and 100% so you can judge for yourself. I used my D600 with the ISO set to 200 and used two adorama's flashpoint 120s and one 160 lightweight monolights at about 1/3 power for fast recycling time with two sofboxes and one barndoors for background and hair light. I used a gray background because I did not know what color clothing all the people would be wearing. All components were chosen for lightweight so they can fit into one large rolling bag. Still is is almost more than I can carry.

Full size


enlarged to 50% and cropped


enlarged to 75% and cropped


enlarged to 100% and cropped


As an aside, in my opinion the 24mp FX sensor in the D600/D610 is really great and all one needs for almost anything.

spraynpray

Nice work Don.

The 24-85 looks pretty good at f8, but I'd prefer to have that sharpness across f4-f11.

haroldp

I have most of the lenses discussed in this thread, and still find the 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 to be quite good within its limits (24-85 f/3.5-4.5). At f 5.6 it is excellent.

The difference between the D800 and D610 is way beyond the sensor, The pro UI of the D800 is faster handling, AF is faster etc.

If one likes the prosumer UI of the D610, and can live with he AF, then IQ with a top lens will be outstanding, but those are big 'ifs' and would drive me to drink blended Scotch. Anonymously of course.

.... H