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

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Subject: [Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120
From: gerry.walden at me.com (Gerry Walden)
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:18:08 +0000
References: <CD238479.3FA5%mark@rabinergroup.com> <BLU173-DS21E3F7E3C3A5A6E3FE5709B8160@phx.gbl> <2504DDE6-E134-4E34-8372-4920BC054929@mac.com>

The problem for me Scott is that when you are using a top of the line brand 
like Nikon you should not count on luck to give you a good lens.

Gerry

Gerry Walden
+44 (0)23 8046 3076 or
+44 (0)797 287 7932
www.gwpics.com

On 22 Jan 2013, at 20:13, Scott Gregory <scottgregory at mac.com> wrote:

> 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
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from scottgregory at mac.com (Scott Gregory) ([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)
Message from scottgregory at mac.com (Scott Gregory) ([Leica] (Now) Nikon 24-120)