Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/01/22

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Subject: [Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120
From: scottgregory at mac.com (Scott Gregory)
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:13:42 -0500
References: <CD238479.3FA5%mark@rabinergroup.com> <BLU173-DS21E3F7E3C3A5A6E3FE5709B8160@phx.gbl>

Have a look at the January photo in the 2013 Nikon calendar. Ed Masterson 
took it on a D3 with 24-120 Nikkor. An exquisite shot!  I have the first 
version that everybody says is awful and you cannot paint them all with the 
same brush. I used it last night on my d700 and shots were very sharp. No 
issues at all. 
Scott

On 2013-01-22, at 10:46 AM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Well, then, let me clarify.  The lens I have is 15 months old and is the 
> AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR  with nano coating and mystical genies in 
> it that must be asleep most of the time.  And it was sent back to Nikon 
> about 4 months ago for a look to see if they could make it actually work.  
> Came back saying it was up to specs, so I guess it is the best they can 
> make it.  I paid $600 or so for my Leica 35/70 F/4 and $1300 for this 
> think Nikon calls a G lens.  G does not stand for "Good".
> 
> Aram
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Mark Rabiner
> Sent: Monday, January 21, 2013 8:49 PM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120
> 
> It just that lens lens has existed in as many configurations as there are
> days in the week and it makes a big difference if people are specific as to
> which one they are referring to  because they one they came out the
> following year was the difference between day and night and the one which
> came out a  year after that ditto.
> 
> The 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 VR which came out in 2003 is a famous looser. Way
> soft all over.
> As to me and many people 2003 feels like the day before yesterday you could
> easily have this lens and think you were shooting with the current issue.
> And you can see it sold as if its new now for $669.99 .  Used from $340.0.
> And  refurbished from $475.00 on Amazon. (cue Tarzan)
> people think they are still made. Maybe they are.
> And there were countless versions before this.
> 
> The current offering is the AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens.
> Sometimes referred to as (the G lens)
> A totally re designed optic from the ground up and guess what? Nikon got it
> more than right this time.
> This lens came out  22nd September 2010 and has nano nano crystal coating.
> This version cost $1,299.95 according to this thing:
> http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/2193/AF-S-NI
> KKOR-24-120mm-f%252F4G-ED-VR.html
> Or
> http://tinyurl.com/az7ev3x
> 
> So when people say "my Nikon 24-120 was good/bad" its rather meaningless.
> Its like saying "My meal in little Italy was good/bad" you have to say 
> which
> restaurant and what time of the day it was. And what you ordered.
> And what the wait persons name was.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 1/21/13 10:52 PM, "Aram Langhans" <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Here are a few things I don't like about mine.
>> 
>> It is not well made. There is a lot of play in the lens barrel, especially
>> when zoomed out a bit.  When it focuses, you can see the image jump around
>> in the viewfinder. Just very sloppy.
>> 
>> If you focus on something at a certain focal length, then zoom in or out,
>> the focus shifts.  It is not really what I would call a zoom, but rather
>> some variable focus lens from the 70's.  Makes it just about impossible to
>> use for night photography.  Nothing to focus on, so either prefocus in
>> daylight at infinity, or use live view to focus on a bright star, but the
>> every time you recompose by zooming, you need to refocus.
>> 
>> The zoom creeps very easily, so makes the above even harder if you tried 
>> to
>> prefocus at a specific focal length, as it can change so easily.
>> 
>> At times I bet some very sharp photos, but most of the time I let it sit 
>> in
>> the camera bag and use the Leica 35-70/4 unless I need autofocus or focal
>> length greater than about 90mm, because I can easily crop the Leica to 
>> get a
>> sharper photo than the Nikon at 120
>> 
>> And this lens is suppose to be gold banded and much better than the 
>> original
>> 24-120.
>> 
>> I sent mine back to Nikon to have it tightened up and it came back just
>> about the same.
>> 
>> Aram
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Howard Ritter
>> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 7:37 PM
>> To: Leica Users Group
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120
>> 
>> Jayanand?
>> 
>> May I ask what you didn't like about that new 24-120?
>> Other than the size, weight, and being less sharp toward the corners at 
>> all
>> focal lengths than the new (non-gold-banded) 24-85?
>> 
>> ?howard
>> 
>> 
>> On Jan 17, 2013, at 11:22 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> I generally check out all lenses for at least a couple of hours of use
>>> before I buy - the only one I bought on impulse recently, without 
>>> testing,
>>> the Nikon 24-120 f4 ended up being resold in a couple of months. There is
>>> a
>>> lesson there...(-:
>>> Cheers
>>> Jayanand
>>> 
>>> On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 4:02 AM, philippe.amard
>>> <philippe.amard at sfr.fr>wrote:
>>> 
>>>> The last two lenses I bought came from local  street shops, Phalsbourg &
>>>> Metz :-)
>>>> And the last 2 cameras from the local FNAC.
>>>> I find it so frustrating when you can't manipulate the gear prior to
>>>> punching the PIN code
>>>> 
>>>> Amiti?s
>>>> Philippe
>>>> 
>>>> Le 17 janv. 13 ? 17:58, Jean-Michel Mertz a ?crit :
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> I've read most of the posts concerning ebay and its potential dangers. 
>>>>> I
>>>>> think I might have an idea. I have been using one single lens (the
>>>>> collapsible elmar 50) for a number of weeks now (+ M8)  and I have come
>>>>> to
>>>>> the conclusion that this pair covers most of my needs. I do have 
>>>>> another
>>>>> lens (sum 35 asph) but I seldom use it. I think this is probably
>>>>> something
>>>>> many other luggers experience, this successful match between a photog, 
>>>>> a
>>>>> body and a lens which often results in wonderful pictures being made.
>>>>> See
>>>>> the use HCB made of his IIIg + 50mm. So, do we really need to have that
>>>>> many lenses and cameras since we all have our favourite gear? (I'm of
>>>>> course not talking of professional photogs!)Just an idea to beat ebay
>>>>> and
>>>>> perhaps favour our local dealer - once every five years, for used and
>>>>> less
>>>>> expensive gear!Jean-Michel
>>>>> 
>>>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>>>> Leica Users Group.
>>>>> See
>>>>> http://leica-users.org/**mailman/listinfo/lug<http://leica-users.org/mailma
>>>>> n/listinfo/lug>for
>>>>> more information
>>>> 
>>>> One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to
>>>> the eye. Antoine de Saint Exup?ry in Le Petit Prince.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>>> Leica Users Group.
>>>> See
>>>> http://leica-users.org/**mailman/listinfo/lug<http://leica-users.org/mailman
>>>> /listinfo/lug>for
>>>> more information
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Mark William Rabiner
> Photography
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


Replies: Reply from leica_r8 at hotmail.com (Aram Langhans) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)
Reply from gerry.walden at me.com (Gerry Walden) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)
Reply from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)
Message from leica_r8 at hotmail.com (Aram Langhans) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)