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Author Topic: Nikon Video - design challenges of new 24mm-70mm F/2.8 VR lens - fascinating  (Read 10008 times)

Nick Walker

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hayHj5FX4cI

Reducing one component part by 0.1mm reduced external diameter by 10mm

New silent wave motor had to be made smaller and yet request to SWM development team for 50% more power - examples of old v new lens AF size and speed shown.





BernardLanguillier

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The video is interesting, but the fact that Nikon decided to make this video is even more IMHO.

Their engineering has always been first class, now they seem to have understood that they have to tell the world about it.

Cheers,
Bernard

Paulo Bizarro

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Interesting indeed, and a good example of the ever increasing challenges. Now that Nikon has done image stabilization in its pro 24-70 zoom, Canon will have to do it also.

BernardLanguillier

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Interesting indeed, and a good example of the ever increasing challenges. Now that Nikon has done image stabilization in its pro 24-70 zoom, Canon will have to do it also.

Interesting also how the attention at LL has totally shifted away from Canon and Nikon in favor of Sony for a few months.

To take the example of Nikon that I know better, they have renewed in a few weeks their 500mm and 600mm super tele with tremendous weight reductions following the 400 and 800mm last year, released the long awaited 24-70mm f2.8 VR, have now a complete line up of affordable f1.8 prime lenses delivering excellent image quality, released a few months back a super light 300mm f4 VR, a new 200-500mm f5.6 with a very affordable price tag,... and yet they hardly get any attention here. ;)

Cheers,
Bernard

Paulo Bizarro

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Oh well, it is all mirrorless these days... I used Canon for 20+ years, I am well familiarized with their lenses, and still try to keep up with latest releases. In the last 3-4 years, Canon have released a series of lenses that are truly wonderful: 200-400, TS-E 17 and 24 MKII, 16-35 f4 IS, 24-70 f2.8 MKII and f4 IS, 70-200 f2.8 MKII, 100-400 MKII. And more recently the 11-24 f4.

Sigma are also on a roll with their Art series.

As of late I sort of stumbled upon the recent Nikon 20 f1.8, and use it now with my A7. Terrific not-too-big and light lens, very good optics. To me it is on par with the Zeiss ZE 21 f2.8, and costs half of the price and is much less heavier of course. Who would have thought?

For tele lenses I am again looking at Nikon, and their 105 and 135 f2 DC lenses, these would be great on my A7II with IBIS... Not to mention the AIS 105 f2.5 and 105 1.8... I will wait a bit more to see if Sony or Zeiss release something of that order (the Batis 85 is a bit short to me, as I want a tele for portraits and landscapes), they have too, a 135mm lens is part of a system's core. Especially when there are no f2.8 zooms...

MarkL

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The video is interesting, but the fact that Nikon decided to make this video is even more IMHO.

I guess they have to justify the eyewatering $2,400 price tag somehow...
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BernardLanguillier

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I guess they have to justify the eyewatering $2,400 price tag somehow...

The price seems aligned with the Canon version at launch although this one offers VR. It doesn't seem unreasonnable. Besides Nikon has been clear that their target is to offer the best, which must come at a price premium.

The following link compares the MTF charts of the new and old lens. The new lens seems much better in the corners. I used to own the old one and it was a good lens already.

http://nikonrumors.com/2015/08/05/nikon-24-70mm-f2-8g-ed-vs-24-70mm-f2-8e-ed-vr-specifications-comparison.aspx/

Cheers,
Bernard
« Last Edit: August 05, 2015, 07:01:35 pm by BernardLanguillier »
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Colorado David

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I'm anxious to learn more about the 200-500 f/5.6.  That looks like something I could use.

jduncan

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hayHj5FX4cI

Reducing one component part by 0.1mm reduced external diameter by 10mm

New silent wave motor had to be made smaller and yet request to SWM development team for 50% more power - examples of old v new lens AF size and speed shown.


The lens, I hope will prove to be excellent, and the video is interesting, but it is a testament of Nikon issues with public relations and marketing.
You build a lens that it's bigger and heavier  than  the predecessor by a significant margin and also much more bigger and heavier than the direct competition: The Tamron VC, then you create a video about how great is your lens and you spend more than 2/3 of it on the effort  you did in making the lens lighter and reducing size.

If the   size and  weight were the key design parameters the lens is a massive failure. The narrative of the video should have been:

"We started with three  key elements, optical performance, autofocus and hand held usability, from that we work hard to reduce weight without compromising the key parameters ....",

Not : "size and  weight , size and  weight , size and  weight , size and  weight ,size and  weight by the way it has good optics, focus faster and has VR).

Still is interesting and I hope that the lens live to it's price, that I found is similar to the old one, maybe less expensive with  inflation factored in.  By the way I am not criticizing Nikon choices for the lens, not until optical performance is known, It's  a commentary on the video.

Best regards,

 
« Last Edit: August 06, 2015, 03:43:01 pm by jduncan »
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Dustbak

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Same here, I started with the video and got the impression the new VR lense would be smaller than the previous one. To my surprise it is quite a bit bigger which in itself is not an issue as long as its performance is even better. The 24-70 is my most used lens so I am kind of interested in something that is better...
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MoreOrLess

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One potential big difference compared to Canon is that Nikons existing 24-70mm is much better than the older Canon lens was. It could well be that the existing Nikon lens will stay on sale and maybe even drop a little in price?

There has clearly been a gap in the Nikon lens lineup ever since the D800 was released in terms of a mid range zoom up to the standards of the 14-24mm and 70-200mm F/2.8 lenses. Your talking lenses there that are both over 1kg as well, especially the 14-24mm that's significant heavier than most alternatives yet remains very popular despite that and the issues with filters.

Nikon already has the 24-85mm VR targeting smaller/cheaper market for mid range zooms as well plus I think if they really wanted to go that direction with an F/2.8 zoom its much better to design a lens specifically for that use. The Canon and Tamron are lighter but there not really THAT much lighter, not enough to balance well with the newer smaller Nikon FF DSLR's. I could definitely see a market for say a 28-70mm F/2.8 consumer zoom that didn't push for extreme boarder performance and had lesser build maybe getting down to around 600-650g?
« Last Edit: August 13, 2015, 08:29:12 am by MoreOrLess »
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jduncan

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Hi,

We have a review, it's devoid of any comparison with the Tamron, as expected (it could hurt early access):

http://foto-info.si/review-of-nikon-af-s-24-70mm-f2-8e-ed-vr/

Fortunately we do have DxO to compare, so we can let the reviewers do a review centered on the product.
The massive vignetting and the fact that is not that sharp in close up, make me remember that they went with an unusual design for this kind of lens
to keep the weight in control.

Focusing, in the other hand, appears to be top of the line t.  Tracking was not mention.

Best regards,
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BernardLanguillier

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I had the chance to play with the new 24-70 f2.8 VR earlier today.

It was mounted on a D800E. The lens is large but not my any mean shockingly so. I found it to be very well balanced and a pleasure to use. It may be because I am used to shooting with the Otus 85mm f1.4 on the D810 with a RRS bracket, but the weight didn't seem problematic at all (I am not the muscular type for what it's worth ;)).

I am not sure why, but the feel of the lens is that of a high quality and refined item. Something that I cannot say I feel with all the high end Nikkors I use, regardless of the image quality.

AF is super snappy both on wide and long ends and it didn't hunt the least bit even in a pretty dark environment. AF-C seemed very effective too.

Sharpness in the corners at f2.8 seems excellent in the casual tests that I did.

This lens feels like a total winner to me.

cheers,
Bernard
« Last Edit: August 14, 2015, 05:20:56 am by BernardLanguillier »
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