Nikon AF Nikkor 20-35mm f/2.8D Lens
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Similar in Camera Lenses
- Min Aperture: f/22
- Camera Format: 35 mm SLR
- Focus Type: Autofocus
- Lens Max Aperture: f/2.8
- Focal Length: 20mm - 35mm
- Lens Type: Zoom Lens
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Sharp, Fast, Convenient Zoom Pro-Quality Zoom At A Pro Price
Pros
Sharp, Fast, Versatile, Excellent Construction and Feel
Cons
The Price For All This Wonderfulness...
Recommended it?
Yes
Boy, did I save my pennies for a long, long time to get this beauty! Prior to getting this zoom I would cover events by switching between a 35mm and 24mm lens, and later between the 20mm and 35-70mm zoom. No matter how quickly I changed lenses, I would find myself missing shots or being stuck with a focal length that wasn't quite "it" for the image I had in my mind.
But that all changed when I unpacked the 20-35mm f2.8 lens and put it on my camera. Right out of the box it has the heft and feel of a top-quality lens, with that crinkly metal finish common to all of Nikon's pro-quality lenses. It is neither too heavy nor too large, but jussst right and with a wonderful feeling of perfect balance when mounted on a camera. And the interesting-looking scalloped lens shade (the open sides of the shade are designed to accommodate the wide-angle range of the lens) might attract the attention of other photographers who will ask "Just what kind of lens is that anyway?"
The relatively fast f2.8 aperture and its wide-angle zoom range makes this an ideal lens for covering fast-moving subjects or when carrying two or three single-focal length lenses is not practical. The 20-35mm range covers some of the most interesting and useful focal lengths found in 35mm photography. If you are the kind of shooter who likes to get "up close and personal" with your subject or you like the look that only a wide-angle lens can provide, then this is a lens worthy of your consideration.
It is a two-touch zoom, which means it has separate focusing and zoom rings. But the short distance between the rings and the excellent dampening of the focus ring makes for an excellent manual-focusing zoom that is unique among auto-focus lenses. One of the reasons to invest in a pro-quality auto-focus lens is the fine workmanship and the feel of the zoom and focusing rings that cannot be found on lower-priced lenses.
The feel and convenience of manually focusing a lens like this one is more important than with most other lenses because I usually manual focus wide-angle lenses. Why? Because the subject is often-times off-center in the frame and I prefer focusing manually over the cumbersome and slower auto-focus locking procedure.
And the picture quality? Outstanding! Images made with this lens are sharp and contrasty and easily meet professional standards. Yes, it does exhibit a tad more distortion at the 20mm end than a comparable single-focal length lens, but it is a very small price to pay for the versatility and convenience provided by this lens. And in many images the distortion will not even be readily apparent, since it is most noticeable when shooting subjects with straight lines, such as architecture.
On the other hand, the distortion-effects possible with any wide-angle lens of 24mm or wider can make for some very interesting shots, turning otherwise ho-hum subjects into something special. The 20mm focal length is especially useful when photographing in small spaces, when you want to include the subject's environment (a la National Geographic) or you want extreme depth of field.
I highly recommend that you use a filter on this lens; repairing the front lens element is a very expensive repair. A lens of this quality with such fine glass deserves the best filter money can buy, which for me means a multi-coated filter. I prefer Nikon filters over B&W because Nikon filters have a thinner metal mounting ring and the Nikon multi-coated filters are somewhat less expensive than B&W multi-coated filters. A thicker mounting ring could lead to vignetting on a wide-angle lens and may also do so on other lenses if you "stack" filters. B&W slim multi-coated wide-angle filters are quite a bit more expensive than Nikon filters. Plus I use Nikon lenses in part for that "Nikon look" and I don't want to use a filter that might change the color and "snap" of an original Nikon lens. I currently have an L37c filter on my 20-35mm lens.
This lens is not for everyone. Its high price ($1500-$1750) limits it to photographers with very high standards for quality, the need for its unique capabilities and the money to pay for it. Having said that, the 20-35mm is the lens I use most. It is the lens I carry when I only want to tote one camera and one lens. I have made photographs with this lens that would have not been possible with any other lens. And it is a joy to handle and use. If you appreciate fine photographic gear and demand the highest quality images even when using a zoom, then this is the lens for you.
But that all changed when I unpacked the 20-35mm f2.8 lens and put it on my camera. Right out of the box it has the heft and feel of a top-quality lens, with that crinkly metal finish common to all of Nikon's pro-quality lenses. It is neither too heavy nor too large, but jussst right and with a wonderful feeling of perfect balance when mounted on a camera. And the interesting-looking scalloped lens shade (the open sides of the shade are designed to accommodate the wide-angle range of the lens) might attract the attention of other photographers who will ask "Just what kind of lens is that anyway?"
The relatively fast f2.8 aperture and its wide-angle zoom range makes this an ideal lens for covering fast-moving subjects or when carrying two or three single-focal length lenses is not practical. The 20-35mm range covers some of the most interesting and useful focal lengths found in 35mm photography. If you are the kind of shooter who likes to get "up close and personal" with your subject or you like the look that only a wide-angle lens can provide, then this is a lens worthy of your consideration.
It is a two-touch zoom, which means it has separate focusing and zoom rings. But the short distance between the rings and the excellent dampening of the focus ring makes for an excellent manual-focusing zoom that is unique among auto-focus lenses. One of the reasons to invest in a pro-quality auto-focus lens is the fine workmanship and the feel of the zoom and focusing rings that cannot be found on lower-priced lenses.
The feel and convenience of manually focusing a lens like this one is more important than with most other lenses because I usually manual focus wide-angle lenses. Why? Because the subject is often-times off-center in the frame and I prefer focusing manually over the cumbersome and slower auto-focus locking procedure.
And the picture quality? Outstanding! Images made with this lens are sharp and contrasty and easily meet professional standards. Yes, it does exhibit a tad more distortion at the 20mm end than a comparable single-focal length lens, but it is a very small price to pay for the versatility and convenience provided by this lens. And in many images the distortion will not even be readily apparent, since it is most noticeable when shooting subjects with straight lines, such as architecture.
On the other hand, the distortion-effects possible with any wide-angle lens of 24mm or wider can make for some very interesting shots, turning otherwise ho-hum subjects into something special. The 20mm focal length is especially useful when photographing in small spaces, when you want to include the subject's environment (a la National Geographic) or you want extreme depth of field.
I highly recommend that you use a filter on this lens; repairing the front lens element is a very expensive repair. A lens of this quality with such fine glass deserves the best filter money can buy, which for me means a multi-coated filter. I prefer Nikon filters over B&W because Nikon filters have a thinner metal mounting ring and the Nikon multi-coated filters are somewhat less expensive than B&W multi-coated filters. A thicker mounting ring could lead to vignetting on a wide-angle lens and may also do so on other lenses if you "stack" filters. B&W slim multi-coated wide-angle filters are quite a bit more expensive than Nikon filters. Plus I use Nikon lenses in part for that "Nikon look" and I don't want to use a filter that might change the color and "snap" of an original Nikon lens. I currently have an L37c filter on my 20-35mm lens.
This lens is not for everyone. Its high price ($1500-$1750) limits it to photographers with very high standards for quality, the need for its unique capabilities and the money to pay for it. Having said that, the 20-35mm is the lens I use most. It is the lens I carry when I only want to tote one camera and one lens. I have made photographs with this lens that would have not been possible with any other lens. And it is a joy to handle and use. If you appreciate fine photographic gear and demand the highest quality images even when using a zoom, then this is the lens for you.
