On 20 Jan 1999 04:45:31 GMT, in rec.photo.equipment.35mm you wrote:

>The new "D" model of this lens is different in design from its
>predecessor---push-pull rather than twist---but I have gotten opposite opinions
>from reputable dealers as to which one is sharper. One says that the earlier
>model is optically superior but the other says that the newer 35-105 is one of
>the sharpest Nikkor zooms and "blows away" the older lens. Who is right?

Both are right...! ;-)
The earlier design (same in both the AF and MF versions)
varied a lot and ranged from so-so to superb. The D is
good, but not superb. So....;-) (I will keep my good-sample
MF 35-105mm f3.5-4.5 Nikkor - it even beats some non-zooms
in the corners at similar stops...)