[Leica] Report on my new 24-120/4 Nikon lens

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

The 35-70 is a tight zoom range which harks back more than a generation
back.
Its not they they are not used any more . The weren't used ten years ago
either. They've been long replaced and those replacements have been
replaced.
Those replacements which replaced the previous replacement?
They've been replaced!
In this digital age of software aided corrections which we use and notice
more and more the limit to ones zoom range glass is one of bulk and weight.
Any distortion corrections - barrel or pincushion as well as sharpness is
done as part of ones workflo which becomes more automatic every day.
I get a big jerk of a move from a 24 2.8 when used closer in in software;
ACR.
I'm guessing nobody has even made a 35-70 lens in years. The sole exception
might be Leica. But I bet its a bunch of stuff warehoused.
Those specs quickly dropped down to 28mm and up to 85mm. Then down to 24mm
and up to 100mm and something. And that was before digital even.
But if your focus shifts while zooming I'd bring it back and get another
one.  Because a varifocal lens is not a zoom lens. A zoom lens by nature or
name stays in focus as you zoom. Other wise they call it a varifocal and
charge more money.
Google it and see if its a thing with the lens. If it is get a Sigma higher
end. Or some other Nikon. I know they make a huge one with VR and it zooms
in to 200 or something. A true all in one lens. Not my cup of tea really.

Instead of an ultra limited 35 to 70 id just  use the normal of my choice.
Or alternate normal. Like a 60 macro.
And lean forward or backward maybe take a step or two.  Which is all a 35-70
really does for you.
ts just a jerk in either direction. Present company excluded.

-- 
Mark R.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/


> From: Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:49:09 -0700
> To: <leicareflex at freelists.org>, Leica Users Group <lug at 
> leica-users.org>
> Subject: [Leica] Report on my new 24-120/4 Nikon lens
> 
> for those who might be interested.  You may remember that at the end of
> August, two weeks before I was to leave on a cross country trip, I dropped
> and broke my Leica R 35-70/4 zoom.  I looked at a few lenses I could get
> quickly as a replacement and decided on the Nikon 24-120/4 over the
> 24-70/2.8 for range of coverage and lighter weight as the main priorities I
> had at the time.  And Rabs said this lens was on his short list.  So, here
> is a  report after 6 weeks of use all over the country in all kinds of
> conditions.
> 
> Advantage Nikon 24-120/F 4
>    Wider angle (24 vs 35)
>    Greater reach (120 vs 75)
>    Autofocus - works better than manual on a DSLR, especially on  a crop
> format body (D7000)
>    Vibration Reduction - works pretty good
>    Front element does not rotate so using CPL is easier.
> 
> Advantage Leica 35-70/F4
>    Less distortion.  Lightroom applies a tremendous amount of correction to
> the 24-120, and this is on a crop format body.
>    Much sharper a f/4 and even f/5.6
>    Focus holds constant as you zoom.
>    Less size and weight.
>    Better build quality
> 
> Having used the new 24-120 for a bit more than a month on our 6000 mile 
> trek
> across country both ways, I have found both pluses and minuses.  It is much
> heavier than my 35-70, but since it has more range I have been able to walk
> around carrying two lenses instead of four, which more than compensates for
> the added weight of the one lens.  However, it does not balance as well in
> my hand as the 35-70, so my keeper rate is not as high, except for the use
> of VR.  That is a saving feature.  For that one reason I am glad I did not
> get the Nikon 24-70, even though I think the 24-70 is a superior lens both
> in optics and build.
> 
> One thing that does bug me a lot is that the focus shifts as you zoom.  In
> shooting stills, it is not a big deal as autofocus can keep up with this.
> However, I have been trying shooting some video with the D7000, and as you
> zoom, the microphone picks up the lens hunting around for correct focus.  
> If
> I shift to manual focus, the focus changes as I zoom.  With the Leica, I
> could focus manually and then zoom in or out w/o any focus shift so
> everything would remain in focus.  Not so with the 24-70, and maybe with 
> all
> the Nikon zooms.  I know my father-in-law's 18-200, 18-55/2.8, and my other
> zooms shift.  Annoying.
> 
> Then there is the large amount of distortion throughout the zoom range.
> When Lightroom applies the lens correction you can really see the edges
> move.  Way more so than with any of the other Nikon lenses I have.   Of
> course, I have no lens profiles for the Leica 35-70, but I don't remember
> having to apply much correction to images I have taken with it.  I cannot
> imagine the amount of distortion in this lens on a FF sensor.
> 
> And the 24-120 is noticeably unsharp wide open, especially at the longer
> focal lengths.  Shot at 5.6 it is not that bad at the wide end, and at f/8
> is good at the tele end.  The 35-70 is quite sharp wide open at all focal
> lengths.  Of course, it is only a 2X zoom range, so is should be sharper 
> and
> have less overall distortion.
> 
> So, I will keep the 24-120/4 since with VR, AF and the extended zoom it 
> will
> have many uses when wanting to travel light, but  I will ship the 35-70 off
> to Sherry when I get home in a few weeks and use it when I want the quality
> wide open or shooting things where distortion would show up and I don't 
> want
> to correct it and loose edge detail.
> 
> 
> Aram 
> 
> 
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