Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses

Bob G <bobjames27.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
>lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
>quality.

Best for what?

The Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 is reputed to be the sharpest
zoom lense ever produced. I don't own one, and have no
intention of ever buying one.

The Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lense is also reputed to be one of
the sharpest fixed focal length lenses around. I do own
one. I never use it.

See the point?

Tell us what you want to do, and we can tell you what we
think the best lenses are to do that specific thing.
Just keep in mind that if 5 people respond, you'll
probably get at least 3 lenses lists as "the best"!

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd.RemoveThis@apaflo.com
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

The worst Nikon lens is the 55-200, in any flavor, followed by the 18-200.
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

"Bob G" <bobjames27.TakeThisOut@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:32e00c61-6409-465c-b9e1-fe1943153fa6@34g2000hsz.googlegroups.com...
> I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
> lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
> quality.
>
> Thanks!

Great question. Could someone please begin a new thread about Canon lenses
with the Rebel Xti in mind?
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

On Feb 20, 11:38 pm, Wolfgang Weisselberg <ozcvgt....DeleteThis@sneakemail.com>
wrote:


> Note: I am not saying Nikon lenses are bad, or that others do
> much better. I am merely saying that they simply don't outresolve
> the D200's sensor. And that many lenses do not even reach the
> sensors resolution, especially when used wide open or looking at
> the border performance.
>

That's true, but it depends on what you're measuring. I'm pretty sure
that any lens I've ever used can outresolve the d200 sensor if the
pattern has sufficient contrast, but that doesn't mean it's useful
there.

Anyway, resolution isn't the only thing to look at in a lens.
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

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 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

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 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

Bob G <bobjames27.DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
>lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
>quality.
>
>Thanks!


Two conflicting questions: best image quality or the sharpest.

Which is it?

Or do you only consider sharpness when assessing image quality?
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

Bob G wrote:
> I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
> lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
> quality.

http://www.naturfotograf.com/bestof.html
eliminating the ancient ones from his list:

* Wide-angle lenses
o 35 mm f/1.4 Nikkor
o 28 mm f/2 Nikkor
* Normal lenses
o 50 mm f/1.8 Nikkor
o 50 mm f/1.4 Nikkor (latest versions, including AF D)
* Medium short ("portrait") lenses
o AF 85 mm f/1.4 Nikkor
o AF 105 mm f/2 DC Nikkor
* Short telephoto lenses
o AFS 200 mm f/2 ED IF VR G
o AF 180 mm f/2.8 ED-IF Nikkor
* Long telephoto lenses
o AFS 300 mm f/2.8 ED-IF Nikkor (Mk. I only)
o AFS 400 mm f/2.8 ED-IF G VR Nikkor
o AFS 500 mm f/4 ED-IF Nikkor
* Lenses for close-up photography
o AFS 60 mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor ED G N (well, sometimes
"newer" is in fact better!)
o AF 200 mm f/4 ED-IF Micro-Nikkor
o 85 mm f/2.8 PC-Micro-Nikkor
* Zoom lenses
o AFS 14-24 mm f/2.8 ED G N Nikkor
o AFS 200-400 mm f/4 ED-IF VR G Nikkor
o AFS 24-70 mm f/2.8 ED G FX Nikkor (the old king 28-70/2.8
has been overthrown by a new, state-of-the-art optic)
o AFS 70-200 mm f/2.8 G VR ED-IF Nikkor (a long march but
leading to revolution)
o AFS 17-35 mm f/2.8 ED-IF Nikkor
* Late-breaking entries, too good not to be mentioned here
o 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E ED N Nikkor (wide-angle tilt and shift)

And http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/slemn.html#super
16mm f3.5 5
18mm f3.5 4.5
20mm f2.8 4.3-4.7
24mm f2.8 AI 4.2-4.7
28mm f3.5 AI 4.8
28mm f2.8 AIS 4.8
28mm f2 4-4.6
35mm f2.8 PC AI - latest 4.8
35mm f2 3.5-4.8
50mm f1.8 larger metal-barrel 4.8
50mm f1.2 5 at 4 to 15 feet or so, otherwise 3.6-4
55mm f3.5 Micro 4.8 close, 3.8-4.5 near infinity
55mm f2.8 Micro 5 at infinity, 4 close
60mm f2.8 Micro AF 3.5 at infinity, 5.2 close
85mm f2 4.8
85mm f1.8 non-AI 4.8
85mm f1.8 AF 4.9-5.2
85mm f1.4 4.8
100mm f2.8 E 4.8
105mm f2.8 Micro 5 at infinity, 4.4 close
105mm f2.8 AF Micro 4-4.5 at infinity, 4.8 close
105mm f2.5 later 4.8
135mm f2.8 compact 4.8
135mm f2 4.9 beyond about 10', 3 at minimum focus
180mm f2.8 EDIF AF 5.2
300mm f4.5 ED non-IF 4.8
300mm f4 EDIF AF 4.8
300mm f2.8 EDIF 5
400mm f5.6 EDIF 4.8
400mm f3.5 EDIF 5
17-35mm f2.8 EDIF AFS 4.8
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

Bob G schrieb:
> I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
> lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
> quality.
>
> Thanks!
Nikon AF-D 50mm 1.8
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

In article <fphqee$826$1@news01.versatel.de>, Torsten Driese
<spam RemoveThis @toldo.de> wrote:

> Bob G schrieb:
> > I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
> > lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
> > quality.

> Nikon AF-D 50mm 1.8

14-24 f/2.8
200-400vr f/4
70-200vr f/2.8
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
> Bob G <bobjames27.TakeThisOut@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> I'm switching to Nikon and I would like you to list the three Nikon
>> lenses (current or not, but AF only) you think are the best in image
>> quality.
>
> Best for what?
>
> The Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 is reputed to be the sharpest
> zoom lense ever produced. I don't own one, and have no
> intention of ever buying one.
>
> The Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lense is also reputed to be one of
> the sharpest fixed focal length lenses around. I do own
> one. I never use it.
Funny, I was doing a shoot in a low-light setting and the 50mm 1.8 saved
my life. I don't really go anywhere without it.

>
> See the point?
>
> Tell us what you want to do, and we can tell you what we
> think the best lenses are to do that specific thing.
> Just keep in mind that if 5 people respond, you'll
> probably get at least 3 lenses lists as "the best"!
>
That's probably the best advice so far in this thread.


P.
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

C J Campbell <christophercampbell.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Nearly all of Nikon's lens line-up has higher
> resolution than any of the sensors, anyway.

Sure ... that's why nearly all the Nikon lenses at
photozone.de max out the MTF in all apertures?


Look at e.g.
http://www.photozone.de/images/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_105_28vr/mtf.gif
http://www.photozone.de/images/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_70200_28vr/mtf.gif
establishing that the sensor at least resolves >2250 LW/PH
(reaching 2264 and 2296 in the center respectively).

Now, if the lenses would be near or over the sensor
resolution, one would expect all values below f/8
(diffraction!) to be above 2250 LW/PH --- center and border.

Just these 2 excellently resolving lenses show that that's
not so ... and after one sees:
http://www.photozone.de/images/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_60_28/mtf.png
http://www.photozone.de/images/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_50_18_ais/mtf.gif
http://www.photozone.de/images/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_50_14/mtf.gif
http://www.photozone.de/images/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_1835_3545/mtf.gif
etc.etc.etc.
the claim "Nearly all of Nikon's lens line-up has higher resolution
than any of the sensors" must be mistaken.

Note: I am not saying Nikon lenses are bad, or that others do
much better. I am merely saying that they simply don't outresolve
the D200's sensor. And that many lenses do not even reach the
sensors resolution, especially when used wide open or looking at
the border performance.

-Wolfgang
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses 

TH O <tho DeleteThis @tho.23.invalid> wrote:

>In article <2008022010264416807-christophercampbell@hotmailcom>,
> C J Campbell <christophercampbell DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Extremely wide and extremely small apertures will cause softness. It is
>> no longer true that zoom lenses are softer than fixed lenses -- the
>> extremely sharp 70-200mm f/2.8 AF-D and AF-S VR lenses being proof of
>> that.
>
>It's no longer true with the best, most expensive zooms. However, we
>also haven't seen many of the primes updated during these years. If the
>primes were updated using the latest optical designs, they would
>probably still end up on top.


There is no real need to update them - they couldn't be any sharper,
and their resolution is way in excess of any digital sensor we have
seen from Nikon.

Lenses such as the 24mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8D, 50mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2.8
Micro, 85mm f/1.4, 105mm f/2.8 Micro and 180mm f/2.8 could not be
improved upon - for sharpness. All are AF models.

The 28mm f/2.8 non-D model is optically inferior to the D model.
 >> Stay informed about: Please name the sharpest Nikon lenses