Nikon 16-85mm midzoom lens

Emancipator

After getting the Tokina 11-16mm I think that the Nikon 16-85mm would be a good midzoom lens to walk around with. I'm not exactly loaded nor professional so it seems like a good fit. Any opinions on the lens itself or maybe a better lens around 500-800 USD? Also, most of the negatives on the Nikon 16-85mm are about the slow speed. Are there any good lenses from around 500-800 USD with high speeds between f1.4-f/2.8 that are decent? Lastly, if one wants a (subjective) "good" lens what do you think one must minimally pay?

Thanks :photo

TopCat

Emancipator wrote:

...I think that the Nikon 16-85mm would be a good midzoom lens to walk around with. I'm not exactly loaded nor professional so it seems like a good fit. Any opinions on the lens itself...

I just spent two weeks in Italy with this as my only lens, and it served me well. Sharp, though a bit slow in some dark museums, wide enough for travel photos and landscapes but really versatile and provided a bit of reach when I needed it. I like it.

borrowlenses.com

For Zooms you get fast, cheap and good -- pick two.

The zooms that are inexpensive are not fast, the ones that are fast and good are expensive, etc.

Have you considered a 50mm prime? The f/1.4 models are about $350 and are razor sharp. I consider those great walk around lenses. After all, you're already walking so just zoom with your feet. The alternative is to spend a ton of money on an f/2.8 zoom like the 24-70, 24-105 and those are north of $1,200. That is if you want fast glass that is. There are a lot of other lenses that are much less expensive but not as fast, so you get what you pay for.

As far as the area where glass begins to approach pro quality I'd say probably $850 to $900. I think the 100mm Macro L from Canon and the 105mm Nikkor for Nikon are both stupendous, and they cost less than $1000, but are not walk-around lenses obviously.

Qarik

Emancipator wrote:

After getting the Tokina 11-16mm I think that the Nikon 16-85mm would be a good midzoom lens to walk around with. I'm not exactly loaded nor professional so it seems like a good fit. Any opinions on the lens itself or maybe a better lens around 500-800 USD? Also, most of the negatives on the Nikon 16-85mm are about the slow speed. Are there any good lenses from around 500-800 USD with high speeds between f1.4-f/2.8 that are decent? Lastly, if one wants a (subjective) "good" lens what do you think one must minimally pay?

Thanks :photo

that is the best standard range non-pro zoom that nikon offers. Only primes lens offer <2.8 f stops fyi. My suggestion would be that lens or the 50mm 1.4. Unfortunately if you want to stick to nikon lens then the next prograde zoom is 17-55mm 2.8 which is about $1k I think.

angevin1

borrowlenses.com wrote:

For Zooms you get fast, cheap and good -- pick two.

D00d...Like, you totally stole my line/Byline ( if I had one) I use that well worn phrase all the time...and there's a good as H reason for it: It Is True!

You must minimally pay whatever you have to pay. I recently bought a lens from a guy, that I ended up using for a photo shoot and a Video excursion and paid the d00d, twenty-five bucks. It is an Ais, so manual focus, but really, it is a nice lens, it is the Nikkor 105 f/2.5~

Otherwise I think you can get great results for less than the money you mention, but the only thing that comes to mind is, Like Borrowlenses suggested, a prime. ANd I will say this. If you favor simplicity, and ease and light weight as well, a prime will become a favorite.

There are choices in AF Zooms that will give pro results in and below the price range you ask about. BOTH HAVE SLOW FOCUS!!!

Two come to mind, and both are older AF Screw Drive pieces:
Nikkor 35-70 f/2.8 Weighs about a pound, is made of metal and even has a bit of a Manual focus Macro mode too. When I use this, I shoot at about 50mm! But it can deliver great images
Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 Heavy and wonderful images..did I say heavy yet?

Both of these are constant f/2.8 throughout the range and both will yield pro quality results. Oh, and I have both too.

...and when I go out putzin I take my 50mm f/1.8 cheap-0 lens and have a blast. And it renders great images and it is cheap as heck! I let the lens help me in my compositions too. "What...I can't get wide enough without tumbling over...how bout a different shot then...Hmmm?" And so on!

Grainbelt

Nikon makes the 35mm F2.8 which would be a great, fast walkaround lens on a crop digital camera. As I recall it is about $200.