Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

[Zoom] Wide-zoom | Standard-zoom | Tele-zoom | High-zoom  
[Fixed-focal] Wide angle | Standard | Telephoto | Macro

This standard zoom lens for Nikon DX format covers the angle of view between 24-120mm equivalent. Compared to the AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR covering similar range, this one is faster by half a step at the wide-end and one step at the tele-end. Yet, and surprisingly it's lighter by 5 grams (from 485g to 480g). The letter "E" means "electric aperture diaphragm" that controls aperture by receiving electric signals from the body. This is the first DX lens featuring the nano crystal coat or fluorite coat and the optics include three aspheric lenses and four ED lenses. The rendition is sharp wide open throughout the zoom range and clear despite the 5X magnification. You'll always want to use this lens and enjoy the wide variety of expression made possible by the useful range and high speed.

( Photography : Z II / Text : KIMURAX )

The tele-end. I stopped down by one step monitoring the front bokeh. The rendition isn't hard, but the focal peak is very sharp. The front bokeh is round and soft, presumably because of the shape of diaphragm. Together with the underexposure effect, the rendition is wet and emotive.

Another shot at the tele-end and this is wide open. The resolution is very high and I could check the patterns on the wings at the original image size. The back bokeh is soft and pleasingly voluminous. Yet, it's free from distracting quirks.

It realistically reproduced the uneven surface of the ball, the grazed illustration of the character, and the hard metallic texture of the handlebar. The color reproduction is dense without being gaudy. And, it expresses the light of the setting sun very well.

A casual lens like this one is great for street photography. This shot was taken at the Chinese Lantern Plant Fair in Asakusa. I found these children wearing the caps in the color of the lantern plant and they were staying in line. I shot using the middle zoom range, which was about 75mm equivalent. The cropping effect was just right.

The gardener was cleaning up the cut branches and leaves. At wider angle, you can pan-focus from F5. It even captured the dust being swiped away, although it may be difficult to see in this sample size. The sign at the far left looks so sharp that I can read each letter. Also, despite the high contrast, the tonal gradation between highlight and shadow is smooth and rich. In addition, the clarity is very high thanks to the lens design and the nano crystal coating.

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The wet gravels look so realistic that I can imagine the stimulation on my feet when I walk on them barefoot. And, it expresses the fine detail of the bubbling wonderfully. I'm sure this lens transmits every available piece of light information to the D7100's sensor with no lowpass filter. The distortion at 16mm is quite noticeable and beyond the level that we care. You know, the earth is round. :)

トートバッグのテクスチャ、坊やが蹴り上げた砂まできっちりトレースしています。階調豊かに色乗りしっかり。ヌケ感も申し分なしです。

It perfectly traced the texture of the tote bag and the sand kicked up by the body. The tonal gradation is rich and the color reproduction is dense. The clarity is pleasing, too.

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Because of the bokeh, sharpness, and clarity, this lens is all you need.

Great bokeh, sharpness, and clarity. High contrast and smooth tonal gradation. This is a lens that scores higher than average at every checkpoint. And, I imagine this high performance was necessary for the demanding sensor with higher number of pixels and with no lowpass sensor. The price is a bit high, but because of the fast speed, freedom of focal length, powerful image stabilization, light/compact design, you'll be using this lens for a long time and it's worth the investment. This lens is a great choice for someone who wants to step up from the kit lens and for expert who wants to downsize the equipment from the full frame system. Anyway, it's a true choice for your main lens.

( 28.07.2015 )