Nikon

Wide-to-Telephoto Zoom Lenses

A wide-to-tele zoom is what you get as a standard "kit" lens with a cheaper digital SLR body. The range goes from moderately wide through normal to moderately telephoto. They are good when you are too busy to change lenses, e.g., at a wedding reception. The 24mm perspective (full-frame) will capture a table of guests; the 70mm or 105mm long end is good for a flattering portrait. The main weakness of these lenses is that the cheaper ones have a very small maximum aperture, e.g., f/4 or f/5.6, and can only be used in bright light, on a tripod, or with a blast of on-camera flash that gives everyone a moon face.

made for the small-sensor digital cameras

• Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX, $1230
• Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX, $230
• Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX
• Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX, $310
• Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX, $710, this kind of super wide range zoom is typically not very good, but Nikon lards on the dollars and the weight (more than one pound) and the results are acceptable; the vibration reduction compensates to some extent for the slow maximum aperture of f/5.6.
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S, $1750
• Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0D IF AF, $540

leftovers from the film days

• Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0D IF AF, $540
• Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF, $410
• Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF VR, $600
• Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S, $1700, big and heavy, but fast and constant aperture; the standard tool for wedding photographers
• Nikon 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G AF (Black), $250, kit lens for Nikon's cheapest film bodies
• Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D, $279, reasonably good, reasonably light, reasonably cheap
• Nikon 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF, $425, no vibration reduction and therefore unlikely to be useful at the 200mm f/5.6 end unless you are willing to carry a tripod
• Nikon 35-70mm f/2.8D AF, $900, superseded to a large extent by the 28-70/2.8, but still a very high quality lens; no silentwave motor