Nikon/Nikkor
Wide Angle Zoom Lenses
(All Lenses are Not Listed)

I classify wideangle zoom lenses as those that go from wide-angle to wide-angle or wide-angle to normal (50mm). Others may use a different scale.

Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF: An excellent lens in this short range of wide focus zooms. In fact, the best. Constructed of 13 elements in 10 groups. Weight 26.5 ounces. Filter size 77mm.

Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 AF: Eleven elements in eight groups with a weight of 370 grams. Filter size is 77mm. One of Nikon's newer lenses for those of us who can't afford the faster lenses in this range.

Nikkor 20-35mm f/2.8 AF: Another very fast wideangle zoom. Construction is 14 elements in 11 groups. Weight 20.6 ounces. Filter is 77mm.

Nikkor 24-50mm f/3.3-4.5 AF: A nice compact zoom with a weight of 13.2 ounces. Construction is 9 elements in 8 groups. It takes a 62mm filter.

Nikkor 25-50mm f/4 AI, AIS: A great lens comparable to fixed focal lengths. It has a construction of 11 elements in 10 groups. Weight is 21.2 ounces and it uses 72mm filters. Becoming rare and retains a high used price.

Nikkor 28-50mm f/3.5 AIS: Retains its speed through entire focal length. Good lens that is hard to find. Construction is 9 elements in 9 groups, with a weight of 13.9 ounces and a filter size of 52mm.

My Recommendation: The best lens in this group is the 17-35mm f/2.8 AF. However it is a very expensive lens. A better choice, unless you have lots of money, would be the 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 for autofocus. The 25-50mm f/4 is a great manual zoom, nearly as sharp as a 50mm normal lens. A good off-brand alternative is Tamron's 17-35mm f/2.8-4 autofocus lens.

Return to Nikon Lenses

HOME