best 24 / 70 lens
- Thread starter bikeit
- Start date
Fred Kingston
Senior Member
According to DXOMark, the best is Tokina's 24-70mm f2.8
https://www.dxomark.com/tokina-at-x-24-70mm-f-2-8-pro-fx-nikon-lens-review-top-performer/
Aside from being sharper than Nikon's lens, it's less money than anybody else's... the negative is it's made out of glass and steel an weighs more than anybody else's... I don't find the weight off-putting... I need the exercise...
https://www.dxomark.com/tokina-at-x-24-70mm-f-2-8-pro-fx-nikon-lens-review-top-performer/
Aside from being sharper than Nikon's lens, it's less money than anybody else's... the negative is it's made out of glass and steel an weighs more than anybody else's... I don't find the weight off-putting... I need the exercise...
TwistedThrottle
Senior Member
DXOmark dot com has a great website you can compare all these against each other.
Off memory because its been so long since I've looked at DSLR lenses,
Nikon AF-S VR if you need stabilized, but most expensive
Nikon AF-S non VR is sharper than VR unit
Sigma is sharper than Nikon but bad VR
Tamron is sharper than Nikon and great VR.
Depending on how you feel about 3rd party determines what lens you buy. If going Sigma or Tamron, get the Art or G2 respectively as they are sharper than previous versions and can be used with their own dock to update firmware, also both are compatible with Z cameras via FTZ if you choose to ever go that route but be sure to get their dock with the lens as well.
Off memory because its been so long since I've looked at DSLR lenses,
Nikon AF-S VR if you need stabilized, but most expensive
Nikon AF-S non VR is sharper than VR unit
Sigma is sharper than Nikon but bad VR
Tamron is sharper than Nikon and great VR.
Depending on how you feel about 3rd party determines what lens you buy. If going Sigma or Tamron, get the Art or G2 respectively as they are sharper than previous versions and can be used with their own dock to update firmware, also both are compatible with Z cameras via FTZ if you choose to ever go that route but be sure to get their dock with the lens as well.
TwistedThrottle
Senior Member
It takes time to dial in the Sigma and Tamron lenses using the associated dock but it's worth the extra time it takes. I've got the Tamron 85mm G2 and that was the easiest to dial in because its a prime. Only distances, (close to far) at 85mm to adjust and I think there were 4 or 5 settings to adjust. The Sigma 18-35 and also the Sigma 150-600 took more time because of the extra focal lengths having to be dialed in at different distances, I think there were 20 adjustments to be made. My 150-600 was soft everywhere out of the box but after calibration using the dock, is sharp all over at every distance. I prefer the docks because they're much more customizable, you can get sharp from the short end to the long end at all distances. Typically, if you're soft on the long end, making an adjustment in camera will sharpen up the long end but at the expense of the short end getting more soft. It is time consuming work with the dock but worth it IMO.