The first test roll is still wet, but here it is, some
info on the Nikkor 24-120mm f3.5-5.6 AF D (about $600 at
B & H in NYC...)... All negatives were shot at infinity,
of a detail-filled hillside (buildings and trees) about
three miles away (except for two negatives at the end of
the roll). All negatives were shot at marked (not actual,
with the variable-aperture zoom) f5.6 hand-held on Tri-X
rated at 400 and processed in FG-7. The lighting was from
an overcast sky, with a shutter speed of 1/500th, based on
a compromise exposure taken at about 55mm. Vertical
negative pairs were shot at about 24, 28, 35, 40, 50, 60,
70, 85, 100, and 120mm with the horizon at the top of the
frame (shutter release end up) for the first frame of the
pair, then the camera was carefully inverted for the
second frame (without refocusing) of the identical subject
(this provides the same detail at the ends of the frame
across the frame line, making comparisons for checking
alignment and corner sharpness easier). Frame pairs were
also made at the marked 24, 28, 35, 50, 70, 85, and 120mm
positions with the horizon line running from corner to
corner, first in one orientation, then the other (this
is a good check for center to corner and center to edge
variation, and provides a good check for consistency
between top and bottom corners at each frame side).
Manual focus was used throughout.
This is what I found with this single sample:
- The lens takes a 72mm filter, which does not rotate
while focusing, but does rotate slightly during zooming.
- The lens grows considerably (the front telescopes out)
while zooming from short to long, but it is remarkably
compact, given its range. It seems not to have excessive
"wobbles" or play, but it does "self zoom" when turned
up or down, even though it is a two-ring type zoom.
- The lens is slow at the (not very) "long" end, though
fast enough at the short - maybe it should be considered
a 24-35mm that can lengthen a lot more, when needed....
- This sample is slightly vari-focal (not unusual for
Nikkor zooms), with a smooth shift from marked 10' for
correct infinity focus at 24mm to correct marking at 120mm.
(This may be correctable in this particular sample, using
paper shims under the bayonette, but I will probably not
bother to do it.) The lens focuses to under 2' throughout
its range - which is remarkable for a wide to short tele
wide-range zoom. The focus is rather fast, especially near
the long end, but easy to control, and AF seems to work
well with this lens throughout its range.
- Distortion is present throughout its range, but it
is very moderate. It is pincushion above about 35mm, and
wavy-line type below - and it increases only slightly at
the FL extremes. There is no FL at which distortion is "0".
- Illumination at the marked f5.6 stop is remarkably even.
- Flare was not checked.
- Alignment (ability to render the four corners and
opposite frame sides equally sharp without changing lens
settings) in this sample was not perfect, but was better
than I have seen in most wide-angle zooms - the variations
at f5.6 were just detectable with a 10X magnifier, and
should be undetectable by f11 (excellent performance for
a wide angle, wide-range zoom, though near-perfect alignment
is common in Nikkor tele zooms, and in most Nikkor primes).
- Sharpness was surprisingly good throughout, and
unexpectedly good at the short end, where performance was
excellent across most of the frame, and very good even near
the corners. The lens showed no softness anywhere at the
marked f5.6, which is remarkable. I checked one frame each
at 24mm and at 120mm at about 4' - sharpness was consistent
with what I found at infinity (zooms often vary considerably
in performance quality with distance).
- I did not check FL extremes for marked FL accuracy.
More checks at another time...

Conclusion:
- At the short end, performance rivals good primes.
- At the middle, without any decline in performance level, the
excellent primes surpass the good edge/corner performance of
the zoom.
- At the long end, performance is only slightly reduced, but
the truly excellent primes (and a few zooms) available in this
range do easily eclipse the performance level of this lens.
As I said earlier, if you consider this a wide-to-medium zoom
which will go longer (with good quality) when needed, it is
capable of remarkably high quality images (and it focuses
conveniently close, unlike most wide-range zooms).
This one is a keeper, even with my general reservations about
the usefulness of wide-angle zooms...
David Ruether