"Roger" <leica35@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:8tqtc0tvud7rnd768e9ib1q76gobji2mba@4ax.com...

> On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:55:36 +0000 (UTC), Sander Vesik

> <sander@haldjas.folklore.ee> wrote:

> >Does anybody have good/bad experiences with the

> >Nikon 24-120mm VR lens? And how badly will i

> >suffer if i switch from 28-70 f/2.8?

> >

> >The intended application is as a general walk-about

> >lens - which is why i'm interested in the switch

> >(due to VR) at all, really.

> Sander,

>

> I've just been reading the reviews on

>

> www.nikonlinks.com

> www.nikonians.com

>

> and in various other net photoreview sites. I'm really confused by the

> variety of comments, but especially the clustering of comments about

> "right-of-frame" softness. It sounds like there may be astigmatism in

> this lens (introduced by manufacturing in certain samples????). It's

> very puzzling. I hope we hear some interesting things from your

> questions.

>

> Regards,

> Roger

I tried three samples of this lens. The first was surprisingly

similar to the first 24-120 non-VR I reviewed a few years

ago on my web site (good, particularly around f8 and smaller,

but not astonishing, with some slight optical misalignment

showing, particularly around 28mm) - though more recent

samples of the non-VR were consistent, and quite excellent

(I'm sorry I sold mine to get the VR this early in its production

run). The second appeared well-aligned, but it and the third

(not well-aligned) shifted the image noticeably and annoyingly

when the stabilizer was engaged. All were returned, and I

may try again next year, if I'm still shooting jobs. This lens

has the potential for being both excellent optically, and

very useful due to the stabilizer - and the three samples I

tried were good enough to please most - but I was not

satisfied (OK, I know I'm a nut about good optical alignment,

and it is going to take longer for Nikon to get this better....).

BTW, my "wish list" for VR is the 24-120 and 70-200 +

really excellent 35mm f2, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, 135mm

f2.5, 180mm f2.8, 60-200 f4, and 70-300mm f4.5 (and

maybe a 300mm f4). I have less need for big/heavy/fast

lenses than compact ones where the VR feature can add a

couple of stops of speed compensation...

--

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com