24-120 f/4 or stay on -85VR?

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Kinda crossed my mind a day ago, that nevermind a 24-70 of sorts that I still deem a bit excessive and expensive, but perhaps I should bump to the -120 f/4 for my general purpose work (food, events, might even use it for portraits because why not?) for better IQ and having all my main glass with 77mm filters.

Thoughts?
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
I've really enjoyed mine as well. I used it a lot more than my 24-70.

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Iansky

Senior Member
I really love the 24-120mm f4, it is a big heavy lens but delivers great IQ even wide open and the VR is superb.

I use it on both the D500 (36-180mm equivalent) and also on the DF and it is a really versatile lens that covers wide angle and short tele so works for everything from landscape through documentary to portraits so makes a great single lens shooting even to the point where I often carry just this lens with the DF instead of 3 primes.

A great buy that really delivers...........and it has weather protection.

Here are a couple of recent images using this lens with the DF.

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hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I don't have the 24-120mm f/4 but have seen some fantastic images here taken by Nikonite members. BackdoorHippie (Jake) mentioned in the past that it is a little soft, but he prefers the extended length over a 24-70mm lens. And he's mentioned the f/4 Holy Trinity which includes this lens, the 16-35mm f/4, and the 70-200mm f/4. So keep that in mind if you might want to eventually add the other lenses if you decide to go with the 24-120mm.

The other thing...I don't know which 85mm lens you own, but if the front filter is smaller than 77mm, you can get a step up ring which will allow you to use simply get all 77mm filters to use with all your lenses. For example, if your front filter is 67mm, then you'd get a 67-77mm step up ring. You DON'T want a step down ring. That wouldn't fit--those are used when a filter is smaller than the front threads on a lens--and you wind up with vignetting. Recently I purchased a Sensei 77-82mm step up ring through B&H. It's an excellent quality, and surprisingly the price for that brand isn't expensive at all.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
hark, the VR of course, aka the actually decent one. And don't need the 16-35 or the 70-200 f/4 as you can see from my sig :D

My apology. As I was writing my response, for some reason I thought another person mentioned the 70-200mm f/4. I didn't look at your signature. I must have been thinking about a different post somewhere. Oops! ;) Sorry.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
I guess I would prefer if the 24-120mm would be a f/2.8 lens. :) But the 24-120 f/4 is a really fine lens. I have it and the 24-70 f/2.8, and use them both, and don't see much difference other than one is f/2.8, and one is a longer lens. :) The 24-120 is my easy choice of a walk-around-all-day-with-one-lens.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
Can't praise/ recommend the 24-120mm f/4 VR lens enough. My go to landscape lens (along with the tiny 20mm f/2.8-D lens stuck in my front pocket when I need a little more width).

Landscapes, street, architecture, indoor shots like museums and just an everyday grab and go lens when you don't want to carry a bunch of gear around.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Can't praise/ recommend the 24-120mm f/4 VR lens enough. My go to landscape lens (along with the tiny 20mm f/2.8-D lens stuck in my front pocket when I need a little more width).

Landscapes, street, architecture, indoor shots like museums and just an everyday grab and go lens when you don't want to carry a bunch of gear around.

And my guess is it holds up to the gold ring of the pro-grade unlike the 85VR, and that's what I think I want. Definitely don't need 2.8 thats way too heavy.

Side note, with how much I've debated the 20/2.8, I am glad I went with the 1.8 in the end despite it being much larger - fantastic lens.

All that said, if I can manage to offload my -85VR for hopefully something like $200 given that the rubber around zoom ring became completely loose with age, difference of ~400 isn't too bad to finally put an end to that underlying desire to upgrade.
 

singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
I bought one shortly before selling my D600 w/24-85VR last year. It alternates with my 24-70 for normal shooting. I like the extended range, plus on my D7200 it's a 36-180.

I regret selling the 24-85 (buyer offered to buy body only). It was such a small, light, nice lens.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
I bought one shortly before selling my D600 w/24-85VR last year. It alternates with my 24-70 for normal shooting. I like the extended range, plus on my D7200 it's a 36-180.

I regret selling the 24-85 (buyer offered to buy body only). It was such a small, light, nice lens.

I do love the lightness part, but want to step up overall IQ since standard range is now the only one I was still using a kit level. Plus not having to deal w/ step up rings.

Anyways, got a mint one w/ box and everything on fleabay last night for basically 410 shipped. Also ordered a new rubber ring to "refurb" my 24-85 before selling it. Fingers crossed for managing to get $200-250 for it, because then it would be a most excellent and practically free of an upgrade.
 

Ad B

Senior Member
Hi,

The 24-120 F4 is a vey good and fine walk around lens, the 24-85 isn't long enough.
What I didn't like, was the lenscreep after a while, it doesn't have a zoom stop button.
Now I enjoy a 24-70 F2.8 (Tamron) and as my walk around a 28-300 VC PZD from Tamron.
But still, the 24-120 F4 is a fine lens.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Hi,

The 24-120 F4 is a vey good and fine walk around lens, the 24-85 isn't long enough.
What I didn't like, was the lenscreep after a while, it doesn't have a zoom stop button.
Now I enjoy a 24-70 F2.8 (Tamron) and as my walk around a 28-300 VC PZD from Tamron.
But still, the 24-120 F4 is a fine lens.

Some creep won't bother me really. Main/beater lens will see far more than just zoom creeping in my hands, haha.
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
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Hefty piece of glass for sure, and seller didn't have the hood, but since my 20/1.8's fits I don't mind being able to share hoods, caps, and filters across all three with the 70-200 in the mix. This will make life much easier. Else hoping to take it out hiking tomorrow to really test it through and through.

Sharp and constant max aperture is definitely something I can welcome on a standard zoom.

Also going to eyeball or test the 2x TC, because if that's a possibility, then this would be one heck of a versatile combo.
 
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