Glass

Pictured: Nikkor 55-300, 85mm,24-120mm,28-300,55-300mm

I have held back on a dedicated posting on Nikon gear announcements and let the RSS link on this site to Nikon Rumors spill the beans so to speak. I tend to keep this site active during the day and see the feeds as they come in.

The new batch of lens can be preordered, which can be a really good thing if there is something that you can’t wait to get. My preorder expeiences have been positive, but I only deal with Adorama and haven’t tried Amazon. Getting the first batch of lenses can be risky, because Nikon is not know for their out for the gate quality.  But it is a great experience having on of the newest and the best if they and you hit it right.

My take on the what is being announced is that it looks like proconsumer technology. I don’t see myself doing any ordering for these items. I like primes, and my telephotos cover the range of these new lense, albiet not in the one lens all ranges. Second, most of my work is done in lower light, so I don’t like loosing 2 stops, even with VR, which I don’t use when I’m on a tripod, which is 80% of the time.

The one lens that I might want to hear about is the new FX 85mm f/1.4. But I’m wishey-washy on this one. Nikon blew the new 50mm 1/4 with its super slow AF, and the 85mm if used for portraits can’t be hunting around. Also, only the nano coating was changed no VR, and I see that the number of blades has increased which may change background. The 85mm for me is primarily a hand held lense, so VR would have been a plus. The current 85mm 1/4 is know as the ‘cream machine’ and its background rendering is like butter, and the lens is always on the top of everyones, best of breed, lens list from Nikon.  Still the current 85mm is showing its age, I am starting to like the new breed of Nikon lenses that have the one click button on the lense body to shift from M/A to M, this negates hunting for the Manual mode on the left side of the D3(s).

As far at the new D3100 goes, ….. I have two FX pro bodies in my bag, and I’ll hold out for the D3x replacement.  What does happen here with the D3100 is that some of the new features on the 3100, such as AF in Live View in video mode, will migrate upwards, so this is a good thing.

New gear is good for us all and it is great that Nikon keeps putting the time and resources into developing their portfolio and market share, we all benefit if they continue to get it right and move past the competition.

Adorama is now shipping pre-orders….. I’ll be on the lookout for mine tomorrow..

• SPECIFICATIONS AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED
  • Focal Length 24mm
  • Maximum Aperture f/1.4
  • Minimum Aperture f/16
  • Lens Construction 12 elements in 10 groups
  • Aspherical lens Elements 2
  • Picture Angle 84° (61° when used in DX Crop mode or with DX-format D-SLRs)
  • Minimum Focus Distance 0.82 ft (0.25 m)
  • Maximum Reproduction Ratio 0.179x
  • Advanced Coating Nikon Nano Crystal Coat (N)
  • ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Elements 2
  • Focusing Autofocus with Silent Wave Motor (SWM) and manual focus
  • Rear Focus (RF) Yes
  • Aperture Control Via camera Command Dial
  • Diaphragm Blades 9 (rounded)
  • Filter Attachment Size 77mm (Screw-on)
  • Dimensions (diameter x length) (Approx.) 3.3 x 3.5 in. / 83 x 88.5mm
  • Weight (Approx.) 21.9oz. / 620g
  • Supplied Accessories LF-1 Rear Lens Cap; LC-77 Snap-on Front Lens Cap;
  • HB-51 Bayonet Lens Hood; CL-1118 Semi-soft Case
  • Product Number 2184

03/18/2010 Update

I have been waiting for a comprehensive technical review of the new 16-35 mm, and was very excited to see that Lloyd Chambers has decided to take the entire current Nikon ultra wide zooms  head on.

For the uninitiated Lloyd is one of those 21st Renaissance men, who moves between photography, software, hardware, programing, MACs, Ziess lens…whew..and a young family !   Llyod has a primary daily Blog site, and to get to his really fine technical content he has some pay for content sites.  My plug here is that I’ve saved myself so much time, effort and money by enrolling on his content sites, that it has been a safer and more profitable investment for me that BOFA.

In a nutshell:

1. Diglloyd’s Advanced Photography (DAP) is a growing collection of high quality, timely, impartial research and reports on topics of interest to professional and amateur photographers.
2. A subscription enables access to all the DAP content below and any future content for the duration of the subscription (one year). Even without updates, the breadth and depth of existing content in DAP would fill several books—a tremendous value.
3. Coverage focuses on Canon EOS and Nikon, but a variety of other brands are also included; Sony, Mamiya, Hartblei, Voigtlander, Sigma, Leica and Tamron for example.

After I read his recent content on the new Nikon 16-35mm f/4, I contacted Lloyd and asked if I could share some of his technical results with you…His work is currently in progress, but he has managed to get thru some parts of the ranges that he is testing.

His posted results are excerpted below: Continue Reading ➞

The rumor waiting is over, Nikon released two new lenses to start off 2010 at the PMA Show last night

The 24mm f/1.4G ED Lens

Perhaps one of the most hotly anticipated lenses in recent memory, the new AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED lens blends a natural yet versatile 24mm perspective with an ultra-fast f/1.4 aperture to expand an existing collection of well over 60 NIKKOR interchangeable lenses. The f/1.4 maximum aperture allows photographers to shoot handheld in low light and provides dramatic separation between subject and a softened background. In a wide variety of photographic situations, both FX and DX-format shooters will enjoy the benefits of extra-bright f/1.4 viewing, superb image quality and the dramatic perspectives afforded by a picture angle of 84 degrees (61 degrees when mounted on a DX-format body)

• Price: $2199.95
• Available in late March 2010
• A fast, wide-angle lens with a fixed focal length of 24mm at the maximum aperture of f/1.4
• Fast lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4 that allows users to capture images with beautiful blur characteristics
• ED glass and aspherical lens elements are utilized for a new optical design that achieves high resolution and good balance in terms of aberration for pleasing blur characteristics
• The adoption of Nano Crystal Coat effectively reduces ghost and flare
• Quiet focusing with built-in Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
• Two focus modes selectable – M/A and M

• Focal length		24mm
  Maximum aperture		f/1.4
  Minimum aperture		f/16
  Lens construction		12 elements in 10 groups (with two ED glass and two aspherical lens elements, and Nano Crystal Coat)
  Angle of view		84° (61° with Nikon DX format)
  Closest focusing distance		0.25 m/0.82 ft.
  Maximum reproduction ratio		0.18x
  No. of diaphragm blades		9 (rounded)
  Filter/attachment size		77mm

The 16-35mm f/4 VR Lens Brings a New Perspective to VR

The new AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR lens is an ideal lens for enthusiasts and professionals craving a constant maximum aperture and ultra-wide angle zoom versatility with the benefits of Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) II image stabilization. As the widest FX-format NIKKOR zoom lens with VR, users can realize the ability to shoot up to four shutter speeds slower than otherwise possible, expanding low light shooting opportunities and contributing to dramatically sharper handheld photography and video capture. Nikon VR II image stabilization technology is engineered specifically for and optimized to function most effectively for each lens, ensuring optimum performance. Whether joining the growing ranks of FX-format photographers or using the Nikon DX-format, photographers will appreciate the perspectives possible when shooting architecture, interiors, landscapes and more.

• Price: $1259.95
• Available in late February 2010
• Ultra wide-angle zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 16mm to 35mm
• Vibration Reduction (VR II) enables sharper pictures while shooting at shutter speeds up to four stops* slower than would otherwise be possible
  *As determined in Nikon performance tests.
• The adoption of Nano Crystal Coat effectively reduces ghost and flare
• An ultra wide-angle zoom lens that, while offering a wide angle view of 107°, is compatible with 77mm screw-on filters
• Fixed maximum aperture of f/4
• ED glass and aspherical lens elements are utilized for a new optical design that achieves high resolution
• Quiet focusing with built-in Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
• Two focus modes selectable – M/A and M

• Focal length		16-35mm
  Maximum aperture		f/4
  Minimum aperture		f/22
  Lens construction		17 elements in 12 groups (with two ED glass and three aspherical lens elements, and Nano Crystal Coat)
  Angle of view		107° – 60° (83° – 44° with Nikon DX format)
  Closest focusing distance		0.29 m (1.0 ft.) at a focal length of 16mm or 35mm, 0.28 m (0.9 ft.) at a focal length between 20mm and 28mm
  Maximum reproduction ratio		0.25x
  No. of diaphragm blades		9 (rounded)
  Filter/attachment size		77mm

Looks like I’ll need to make more room in the camera bag !!

As you cover the web looking for those Pro’s who give you what you need, (info, training, hard facts,) I hope you have stumbled upon this site.  I have followed him for a year or so, and have taken out a subscription to his ‘special reports’.  The disclosure I’ll give here is that I emailed him a few weeks ago, thanking him for web site advise, and he posted my comments… and we emailed back and forth a few time, he seems like a very decent guy…

Other than that, I checked his site the other day and saw a bunch of new content that you should go take a look at, especially the filters and photo tips…

#1 is for those photo purist’s who need the best glass and camera’s (Prez), the Leica w/Zeiss lens

#2 is Filter info, in detail and with Lloyd’s professional opinion on application and usage, very informative and now you have some options about your vendor selection, if you’ve kept up with my Blogs..

#3 Photo Tips, useful information with some very technical detail. Lloyd seems to have had a string of bad luck when ordering new lens and he gives some solid advice to check things out (I’m still trying to get around to it). You’ll also get a chuckle as this may be the first Bear scat shot I’ve seen on the web, with discussion points

#4 For those who have the need for speed, Lloyd is the man, for hooking up your gear upgrade requirements backed up by his own performance and testing results. I recently did a major-major-major system upgrade to get me to the next level, and I would have been lost without his web site and without the vendor that he works with OWC. They are an extremely complementary High performance team. OWC has a great mix of products, always in stock, excellence service and I enjoy working with them. Highly recommended.

Now you might wonder why I’m sending you off to look at someone else site, after all the work that it’s taken me to start building this one up.  Well, I guess I’m going to take my cue from Moose, He seems to just put it out there,  he encourages the sharing of information and promotes others which I think plays forward ….