Anyone play with the new Nikon 16-35 f/4?

[Wes]

Seriously thinking about picking one of these up. Anyone have any experience with one yet?

[KenJulio]

It's sharp in the 20'smm, outside the 20's the edges become softer. It was the lens I used 95% of the time for a 3 week trip in china. VR comes in handy as I was able to handhold for 2 seconds easily with some breathing technique :)

If you're looking to go really wide, 14-24 will be the way to go.

[PhotoByLeal]

I knew Ken would give his .09 cents! Good guy to give info on this lens, since he shot with it in China.....
I used his lens @ a wedding one time and it rocked for the WIDE shots!

later....

[jeffkohn]

I would agree with Ken's assessment. At the widest settings, it has some of the strongest barrel distortion I've ever seen in a rectilinear lens. IMHO it's not really useable until 18mm unless you have no other option. By 20mm it's excellent, and it stays that way through 30mm, after which it tapers off.

I'd say it's a close match for the 14-24 from 20-24mm, and it's easily better than the 24-70 from 24-28mm. But from 30-35mm it's lagging behind the 24-70.

Pair the 16-35 with the 24-70, and you've got performance that rivals some of Nikon's best primes in the 20-60mm range, and not too shabby at the extremes either. IMHO the 16-35 is more useful than the 14-24 on full-frame, unless you just really need the super-wide FOV (I rarely do).

[bgpro611]

I've had mine for 6 weeks or so and have really been enjoying it. There is distortion at the wide end but it can be fixed witout too much trouble in post. The main reason I bought it and sold my 14-24 was weight. It is a lot easier on the neck plus as a added bonus it accepts 77mm filters.

[Wes]

I see it as an less expensive alternative to the 14-24. I borrowed a 14-24 from a very good friend (on this forum) a couple of years ago. He warned me of the distortion at wider than 17mm, and found that he was correct. If the 14-24 has issues below 17mm (and I know first hand that it does), and the 16-35 becomes acceptable at 18mm I think I'll give up that 1mm and save a few hundred $$$. Plus, I just don't like the way the front element of the 14-24 is constructed.

Thanks for the feedback, folks!