New Nikkor lenses - 16-35mm f/4 VR and 24mm f/1.4!

[Shadow]

AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR - $1259.95

http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2010...35mmf4G_02.htm


AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED - $2199.95

http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2010...mmf1.4G_01.htm

[Murph]

The price on the 24mm is insane.

[PhotoByLeal]

all they need is now a 24-105 f/4!

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Originally Posted by Murph

The price on the 24mm is insane.

I agree. That's damn ridiculous! The 50mm/1.4 was okay, the 85mm/1.4 was bearable. But $2200 is nuts.

I could not care less about the 16-35/F4 VR. I'm sure a lot of wedding photographers would love it. I'm not sure why it's not an F2.8 though. They made a 17-35mm F2.8... why not a 16-35 F2.8? Canon makes one!

- Wil

[Wil_Bloodworth]

I'm tellin' ya now... if I were a full-time wedding photographer... I don't think the Canon lineup can be beat (right now). The 5D Mk II at the 16-35L f/2.8 and the 24-105 F4 would probably be all you'd ever need... plus a couple of primes of course.

These new Nikon prices just tick me off. Maybe I need to buy a separate Canon setup to have more flexibility?!

- Wil

[Jake]

That $2200 price does seem a little much. The Canon 24mm f/1.4 is about $1700.
The 16-35 f/4 VR sounds cool, but even that price is a little much IMHO.

[groovyone]

Great news for Nikon users. I kind of consider my 16-35 Zeiss to be image stabilized, so I am not sure I completely agree with the DPreview article calling it the first ever...

[tukaniray]

Look forward to seeing what the lenses are capable of ...

But.... I'll wait for the Used Department at B&H to get it.

Or Refurbs come up in a year or 2.

-Ray-

[Joe_Lorenzini]

I tend to agree, the 24/1.4 has been a long time coming (although not longer than an AFS version of the 85/1.4).

And as much as I want it (and at some point will acquire one), that price is obscene. For that price it better be razor sharp with no distortion and have a bokeh to die for at f/1.4...

Ugh.

[srwatters]

What are you guys complaining about. All my AF Hasselblad lenses run more than that

I'm a bit surprised as well with the 16-35 @ f/4. The good old 17-35 f/2.8 AF-S is a real gem IMHO. I don't really need VR at that focal length.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Best comment I've seen yet:

85 f/1.4 + 50 f/1.4 + 35 f/1.8 + $370+/- = Nikon 24 1.4

[jeffkohn]

Well, I guess whether the 24/1.4 is obscenely priced or not depends on just how good the optics are. I don't think this lens make much sense for landscape use, but I can see the appeal for street shooters and event shooters who want the fast aperture for low-light use. If it delivers 14-24 level quality wide-open I could see it selling pretty well.

While I don't much care about VR, I can definitely see the appeal of the 16-35 for hiking. You don't need f/2.8 in a lens like that, all it does is add size/weight, and faster lens designs are also more prone to field curvature which is a big negative for landscape work. If 16-35 delivers on optical quality, I'd gladly trade my 14-24 for one. I'd much rather have the 25-35mm range covered than the 14-15 range, personally.

[Wil_Bloodworth]

According to this thread (Announced: AF-S 24 f/1.4 & AF-S 16-35 f/4 VR) the prices of those lenses should end up (eventually) around 70% of the announced MRSP. If that is the case, $2200 * 0.7 = $1540. That's more reasonable.

- Wil

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by ParkImaging

According to this thread (Announced: AF-S 24 f/1.4 & AF-S 16-35 f/4 VR) the prices of those lenses should end up (eventually) around 70% of the announced MRSP. If that is the case, $2200 * 0.7 = $1540. That's more reasonable.

- Wil

The guys in that thread were talking about European prices. Nikon USA doesn't discount lenses like that. The 70-200vr2 was announced at $2399 last July, and currently sells for $2319 at B&H. The 85mm AF-S DX Micro was announced last Oct at $530, and currently sells for $499. I can't find list prices for some of the older lenses like 24-70 and 14-24, but I'm pretty sure their current street prices are nowhere near 30% off list, despite those lenses being over 2 years old.

We can't complain too much though. Even with heavier discounts from list price the Europeans pay considerably more for this stuff than we do.

[Daniel Bates]

Regardless of the asking price, I'm ecstatic to see a 24/1.4 Nikkor. Competition is good, and if the last few F-mount lenses have been any indication, this one's optics will be spectacular. 35/1.4 AF-S ED anyone?