Outstanding Performance and Cheap
Written: Aug 19 '03 (Updated Aug 19 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent color & contrast, sharp, useful focal range, light & compact, cheap
Cons: Distortion at wide angle, plastic lens mount, only works on newest AF bodies
The Bottom Line: An excellent lens for general photographers in the consumer market.
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| paulphoto's Full Review: Nikon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF Zoom Nikkor 28-... |
Several years ago, I read an article somewhere on the web which stated that Nikon has been criticized for not providing enough selection of consumer lenses. Engineers at Nikon had devoted most of their time developing high quality lenses for professionals, while other competitors, such as Canon, worked to provide a whole range of lenses available for both consumers and professionals. For example, Canon’s 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 EF zoom lens was made available to consumers long before Nikon introduced the 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D lens. During that period, the only wide-angle zoom available for Nikon users was the 24-50mm. Nikon consumers have two options on getting a 20-35mm focal-range lens: they either have to dig deep inside their pocket to pay for the Nikon 20-35mm f/2.8D lens (over $1500) or opt to buy a third-party lens. Tokina, at the time, produced two types of zoom lenses in the 20-35mm focal range. The Tokina 20-35mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO and 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X both were exceptional zoom lenses. I believe Nikon finally realizes the importance of keeping business with consumers.
Now, Nikon makes available not only lenses for consumers, but with several options of a camera body (N55, N65, N75 and N80) that goes hand in hand with a selected lens. For a consumer zoom lens, one has a choice of the 18-35mm, 28-80mm or 28-70mm, 28-105mm, 24-85mm f/2.8-4D, 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G AF-S, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6D, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR, 70-300mm f/4-5.6G or 70-300mm f/4-5.6D, not to mention the long-range zoom 28-200mm.
The Nikon AF Nikkor 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G zoom lens is the new kid on the block. It is available in two versions: black or silver finish; custom made to match your camera body.
Camera/Lens Compatibility
The Nikon 28-100mm zoom is a G-type lens. This means that there is no physical aperture ring on the lens which you can physically select the aperture (f-stop). It can only be done via the command dial on the camera body. Therefore, its full compatibility is limited only to the newer AF camera bodies, such as N55, N65, N75, N80, F100, F5, D100 and D1-series. The G-type lens can still be mounted on older AF bodies, such as N90-series, N70 or F4, but it will not retain full compatibility.
Nikon uses “G” to designate all lenses that do not have physical aperture ring. Being a G-type lens, the 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G still sports a D-technology that factors in distance information for 3D matrix metering which is now available on all newest camera bodies, those which I have listed above. For example, Nikon N65 has 6-segment 3D matrix metering with the 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G zoom.
Built, Features and Handling
In terms of built quality, we have to remember that this lens has to be constructed in such a way that it can be sold at a reasonably cheap price (well under $100). The built quality of this lens is a clear evidence of such compromise. We are not paying a premium price for this lens. Therefore, we shouldn’t expect it to be solidly built, at least in my opinion. The lens mount is plastic. It has a nice wide zooming ring. Zooming has good action, but a little bit rough, not silky smooth. The focal lengths on the ring are marked in 28, 35, 50, 70, 85 and 100mm. However, it has quite an unusually narrow focusing ring. The front barrel turns during focusing. There are no distance scales on the barrel. And, of course, being G-type, the lens features a ring-less aperture setting, as mentioned previously.
The front barrel accepts a 62mm filter size. The bayonet mounting style dedicated lens hood HB-27, which by the way does not come with the lens, can be mounted onto the lens in a flash. The lens will extend to about 4 inches long when it is set at 100mm focal length. It will collapse to about 3 inches when it is set at 28mm. This lens is quite light, weighing less than 9 ounces.
I have used this lens on Nikon N65 (silver version), and they both seem to yield very good balance. In fact, the silver color matches quite nicely with that of Nikon N65. I suspect it should balance well with other light bodies, such as N55, N75 or N80.
Specifications:
Lens construction: 8/6 (elements/groups)
Aperture: f/3.5-f/22
Diaphragm: rounded 7 blades
Minimum focusing distance: 22 inches
Filter size: 62mm
Dimension (diameter x length): 2.7 x 3.1 inches
Weight: 8.6 ounces
PERFORMANCE
Autofocus & Manual Focus
This lens has good autofocus response, not very fast, but reasonably fast. On Nikon N65, it locks in focus rather quickly without hindrance. With the five AF sensors on the N65, it is quite convenient to focus on a subject off the center of the frame. In terms of focus noise, I judge it to be reasonably quiet. AF action is acceptable, but not quite smooth. To focus manually, the focus mode selector on the camera body must be set to M. Then the thin focusing ring can be turned to fine-tune the focus.
Optical Quality
This lens is surprisingly sharp throughout the focal range, particularly at the long end (85-100mm), and sharpness is very consistent with aperture across the focal range. I have compared images shot at 28mm, 85mm and 100mm, each with a series of apertures from wide open to f/16. Sharpness hits its peak at f/5.6 and f/8 (and stays sharp at f/11) for 28mm and f/8 and f/11 between 85mm and 100mm. Images are a bit soft at wide open between 85-100mm, but mostly near the edges. By comparing the corner sharpness at the three focal lengths I tested, this lens should yield the best optics at an aperture of f/8 throughout its focal range.
This lens has an excellent control of flare (a benefit from its design with fewer optical elements) and, in most situations, may not require the use of its dedicated lens hood at all. However, light fall-off is quite noticeable at wide open at 28mm and 100mm focal lengths. Distortion is quite dominant at 28mm and moderate at 100mm. Barrel distortion occurs at 28mm is when images of straight lines along the edge of the frame appear to curve inward. The pincushion distortion at 100mm is when straight lines appear to curve outward. Nonetheless, if such care is used to avoid putting straight lines along the edge of the frame, this lens should perform to great satisfaction. During my experience with this lens, I used it mostly for snapshots of people. In this form of photography, and it is most likely that the lens is used for, distortion is really not an issue.
My first try of this lens with N65 was at a school family fun night, where all students and parents, including school staffs, come together to have a fun evening. There were all kinds of fun activities for young children. I was one of the volunteers to help setup the game activities. And when my shift was over, I had the chance to put this lens through its pace.
I particularly liked to photograph children sack racing. With the 28-100mm zoom, I could capture the entire group (about 10 children) standing in line ready to race. Then I was able to quickly zoom in and capture an individual child, the expression on the face; some tipped over, some rolled over in the sack as they tried to reach the finish line. The lens was very responsive, both its AF and zooming. I did not keep track of the focal lengths, but I remembered I mostly used it between 28-35mm and between 85-100mm focal lengths (because I always hit the extreme ends on both sides when trying to frame). In other words, I mostly used the lens in the wide angle and medium telephoto range. Kodak Ektachrome E200 color slide films were used.
I certainly enjoyed this fun night a second time when viewing the photographs. I was impressed with the result of slide images produced by this lens. It produces excellent color with exceptional contrast. Most of the images in the wide-angle range were shot with aperture between f/3.5 and f/8. Images shot in the medium telephoto range were between f/5.6 and f/11. My remark is that images are very sharp for a lens that costs under $100.
In the wide-angle range, particularly between 28mm and 35mm, it can produce exceptional image quality in the large aperture range between f/3.5-f/11. Its larger f-stops provide a very practical way to shoot with the lens handheld. At an aperture of f/11 at 28mm or 35mm focal lengths, a depth of field is already wide enough to render sharp image from foreground all the way to near infinity, if the photograph is made from a reasonable distance.
Recommendation
With a zoom lens starting with a focal length of 28mm, you have a choice of
Nikon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6G
Nikon 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G
Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D
Nikon 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6D
The 28-100mm is as cheap as the 28-80mm zoom lens. The 28-100mm will probably replace the 28-80mm zoom in the future. For now, it can also serve as an excellent alternative to the more costly 28-105mm zoom. It does not have a macro capability nor can it focus as close as the 28-105mm zoom in normal shooting mode, but that doesn’t matter for general shooting situations. My only complaint is that the lens mount should be made of metal. I really don’t think Nikon can be excused for not putting a metal mount on the lens, even if it is a cheap lens. All third-part lenses I own (cheap or expensive) have metal mount on them. With a plastic mount, the lens can get knocked off the camera and thus break the lens mount…no longer usable then. My advice is to be gentle with the lens.
The focal range of this lens is very useful and practical. It covers from a good wide angle at 28mm up to a focal length of 100mm, excellent for portraiture. The focal coverage provides greater advantage over a zoom lens in the 28-80mm or 28-70mm focal range, simply because it provides an extra 20 or 30mm reach in focal length. Moreover, the 28-100mm focal-range is similar to that of a popular Nikon AF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D zoom, which costs three times the price of the 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G. The built quality between the two lenses is quite different, but the optical performance—sharpness, color or contrast—is indistinguishable. With the 28-100mm, you get exceptional result at a bargain price. Used as a travel lens, the 28-100mm should be a nice lens to lug around, or permanently attach it to your camera. Its focal range provides coverage for most photo opportunity as a stand-alone lens.
If you are looking for a nice 35mm camera outfit, the Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G with the Nikon N65 or N55 camera body should prove to be a worthy investment.
I will leave you with my impression of this lens:
PROS:
1. Excellent Optics
2. Cheap (well under $100 for a nice performance lens!!!?)
3. Light and Compact
4. Excellent focal range
CONS:
1. Distortion at 28mm (but for people and general landscape photography, it should not present any problems)
2. Plastic lens mount
Good luck and have fun shooting!
Recommended:
Yes
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