I waited some time before I could get that lens, like many other people. Nowadays, this lens seems to be available in many places, but the first few months, Nikon seems to have seriously underestimated the popularity of the best superwide zoom ever.
The lens in the box and in the carrying bag (standard)
The lens with cap and without cap
And... it definitely was worth the waiting. This lens is just amazing. Image quality is wonderful,
pictures are sharp, distortion is low, the performance fully open is just extraordinary.
This is the best offering as of today. Even some Canon shooters use it with an adapter on their cameras. Moreover, the package
is available at an interesting price, in comparison with the primes the zoom is replacing.
This has become one of my favorite lenses, glued on the D3 or even sometimes the D200. The only drawback is the size and the weight,
it is and it looks like a pro lens.
Pros
- price is reasonable for such a package (compared to primes or lower quality lenses)
- incredible sharpness at all apertures even in the corners
- real extreme zoom on a full frame camera (film or FX)
- build quality is excellent
- fast AF-S focus
- short MFD (minimal focus distance)
- comes with carrying bag, and specific lens cap
- integrated sunhood
Cons
- huge and heavy !
- does not accept any filter
- front lens not protected (fisheye-like)
- prone to some flare when shooting into the sun for instance
A few pics
The lens compared to the cheap 18-35, an excellent consumer grade full frame wide angle
That kind of perspective was just impossible before
