Canon PowerShot S70 7.1MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)This camera utilizes the new Sony 7.1 MP chip and marries that superb chip to Canon's digital processing technology and accurate exposure capability to produce outstanding photographs.
The S70 Canon has an excellent 28-100 equivalent lens, superb exposure, and accurate focusing. For a point and shoot the S70 produces excellent low noise photographs at not only ISO 50, but 100 as well with very acceptable noise levels at 200 and 400 as well. This will come as a welcome relief to those who are accustomed to unacceptable noise levels in point and shoot camera above ISO 50.
The dynamic range, color rendition, and solid build quality are very impressive. I love the metallic finish. If you are so inclined the camera possesses RAW capability which comes in handy if you are going to explore the possibilities of the digital darkroom.
The white balance, as in virtually all point and shoot cameras and most digital SLR's, is less than ideal. I wish Canon would attach a flash shoe to this camera. But, you can't have it all, at least not in the S70!
The size of this camera, given its capabilities, is perfect - not too small and not too large. I liked the S60, but this is a very significant improvement.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced digital photographer this camera will serve you well. For the beginner plenty of automation and programmed functions in order that you can begin immediately and get excellent results. And for the more experienced photographer the camera offers a plethora of controls including RAW format to extend your capabilities.

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Canon 7.1 Megapixel PowerShot S70 offers a world of digital photographic options. The sliding lens cover opens to reveal a class leading Canon 28-100mm (35mm equivalent), wide angle zoom lens, giving you the functionality to shoot anything, from sweeping landscapes to intimate portraits. The stylish capsule design hosts a complete range of creative control modes as well as movie recording with sound while Direct Print and PictBridge technology lets you print, straight from the camera to a compatible printer. Manual and automatic shooting modes as well as custom photo mode, photo effect and white balance modes for storage of user shooting preferencesMulimode electronic-flash and external-flash abilityHigh quality movie recording and playback with sound allows movie editing, fast forward, reverse and frame by frame replay from the cameras LCD

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Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD Review

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(More customer reviews)Early Impressions
I was delighted to have finally received my Powershot S90, and without further adieu, let me say that this is one heck of a camera. It's not perfect -- you can take truly terrible pictures with it just like you can take terrible pictures with a D700 -- but when used properly, the camera turns out remarkable shots that make us find it hard to accept the images are coming from a camera that fits in your pants pocket.
What struck me first upon using it? First, it's size. This thing is small, and it's light, too. It's a bit smaller than my Panasonic TZ3 and TZ5, and it's lighter, too. (The camera uses a front and back metal construction with plastic on the top and bottom, but the Panasonic's, while also using metal, use a thicker gauge steel which adds a feel of sturdiness but also adds some weight, as well). The camera also has a high-quality feel to it. The buttons click and depress well (although the rear wheel is a bit too easy to turn, in my opinion). It has a rounded shape, so it feels comfortable in the hands, and when you stick it in your pocket, it will slide right in and out without snagging. The screen on this thing is simply gorgeous: why can't every camera have a screen like this? It's large, bright, and pretty high in resolution (461,000 pixels). You can't help but admire the camera's design once you get looking at it and using it.
Next, the camera seems to perform well in terms of speed and overall operational use. The screen has the typical lag when taking shots, but you can adjust this somewhat in the menu system to speed things up, and quite frankly, every small camera I've ever owned exhibits this behavior. It is easy to use most of the camera's functions, and you may have heard about the programmable control ring around the lens on the front of the camera. It's operation is easy, solid (the ring "clicks" with detents at different positions), and, to boot, there is the standard programmable "S" button that the Powershots "S" cameras have typically had.
But of course, I'm interested in high ISO operation, and so I immediately took it into the livingroom where it was quite dark, and just started shooting. I was quite surprised at the results. You are not going to necessarily submit these to win any contests, but for the most part, the camera took nice shots even in that bad shooting environment, and the vast majority of the photos came out quite well (I will post a few with this review). The camera is the first (along with the Powershot G11) to deploy Sony's new ICX685CQZ sensor, a 9.31mm diagonal sensor with high performance specifications. With a little post processing, many of them look quite good. As the ISO crept into the very high ranges (800 and above) some sensor noise became apparent, but this is certainly the best low-light performance I've seen in a non-DSLR so far. (See my explanations, below, to see why this is possible). Surprisingly, some shots as high as 1600 ISO seemed to be acceptable as long as you are not a "pixel peeper." I was quite surprised when I discovered that a few of the shots had been taken at this high ISO 1600 level -- I've never had this experience before with a point and shoot camera.
Outdoor operation is fantastic. My outdoor shots for the most part have come out very well, with rich color, great detail, and little sensor noise. Like most Canon portables, these images seem to respond well to post-processing (you can sharpen them quite easily, and Canon now uses a standard meta-data tagging format that is readable by virtually all photo editor programs.) I even turned the EV down -2/3 while outside, and the sensitivity of the camera is so good that, even with this reduction in EV, my shots came out sharp and clear. Again, I will post a few shots with this review.
The camera TRULY excels at macro photography. The macro shots I've taken thus far are clear, sharp, and have great depth of field. In a word, they are superb: this camera is a macro shooter's delight. (A nice touch, too, is that in AUTO mode the camera automatically shifts into macro mode, without having to press any buttons!) The functionality just begs us to keep shooting macros over and over again. I've been able to take macro shots that I only dreamed of before, and the camera makes it easy to do so.
And although this is not an objective measure, the camera is just plain fun to use. It works smoothly, is light, has a beautiful screen, and seems to keep cranking out one nice shot after another. Wow.Early Pro's and Cons
-- PROS --
1. Exceptionally small and lightweight (100 x 58 x 31 mm and 175 g)
2. Increased sensor size for a portable with a lower megapixel count (Sony's new ICX685CQZ sensor, 9.31mm diagonal)
3. Reasonably large zoom factor (28-105mm, approximately 3.8X zoom)
4. Wide end is very wide for landscape shots, vistas, group photos (28mm)
5. Fast f/2 lens permits high levels of light passage in low light situations
6. f/2 lens makes shallow depth of field shots incredibly effective - this camera is a macro shooter's delight
7. Two types of highly effective shake reduction technologies
8. Design makes lens cap unnecessary
9. Extremely high image quality for a pocket sized camera
10. HUGE 3 inch LCD screen with 461,000 pixel resolution and 100% coverage of the shot you wish to take
11. RAW mode allows for highest image quality and post processing
12. Virtually every camera setting is user adjustable (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, EV, white balance, etc.)
13. Ring-based control implementation one of the best on ANY current camera
14. Reasonable cost for a camera of this ability (but watch the prices climb as the camera stays in and out of stock)
16. Metadata being properly written to the file so they can be read by photo editing software (a problem with earlier Canons and some other brands)
17. SDHC flash card is highly standardized, and is coming in larger and faster formats (necessary if you are taking many RAW shots)
18. Extremely attractive physical design
19. High quality construction apparent on first use
20. Reasonably good battery life - most people are reporting about 300 shots (without flash) between charges-- CONS --
1. Zoom ends at 108mm (3.8X zoom), which may be a deal breaker for some
2. Does not take HD videos (but does shoot 640 x 480 at full 30fps)
3. LCD screen not at the highest current resolution as seen in some DSLR's (but is great, anyway)
4. Proprietary battery is an expensive proposition, as two or three are needed for daylong trips
5. Camera case not included, and is expensive to purchase afterword
6. No prices below retail due to the high demand of the device
7. May be difficult to initially acquire due to high demand
8. Still no "universal standard" RAW mode file format - the camera manufacturers need to address this soon!
9. Mechanical noise when setting focus and moving between bright and dimply lit areas - this is the aperture being adjusted, but it can be annoyingSome Other Things I Can Tell You about this Camera (and the Powershot Line in general)
Canon's reinstatement of the venerable "S" series within the Powershot line is a welcome move to thousands of photographic enthusiasts. Although the S90 announcement a few months ago caught the photographic community by surprise, the announcement was greeted with overwhelmingly positive reactions. As a person who had been greatly impressed by my older Powershot S80, a phenomenal camera for its time and a pleasure to use, I was one of them.
Read the online posts of virtually any photography forum, and you'll quickly see there is no shortage of individuals, many of them longtime professional photographers, who have tired of carrying around anywhere from four to ten pounds of photographic equipment simply to get a few shots while out on a trip. (I think it may have been Scott Kelby who said, and I paraphrase, "The best shot is the one you take," and if the weight and size of your equipment makes it so that you end up not bringing your camera with you, you won't take any photos at all! This is a corollary to one famous photographer`s statement that there is an inverse relationship between the amount of photos you take and the amount of equipment you bring.) The problem has generally been, however, that the smaller you make the camera, the worse the image quality of the photos the device can produce. This has set up a tradeoff between image quality and camera size, and, more specially, image quality and sensor size, which for years has forced photographers to take a stand with one side of the equation or the other, and then defend to the community why they made such a choice.
Without going into too much detail here, the problem in manufacturing a compact camera that takes excellent images under a wide range of environments essentially boils down to the sensor, the electronic device that takes the place of film in older cameras. The larger the sensor, the more surface area for light to fall, and the higher the density of the sensor (in megapixels) the higher the sensor's resolution. Camera manufacturers have excelled at developing ever higher densities in sensors of the same physical dimensions -- many 12 and 14 mexapixel cameras are using sensors sized no larger than those on previous cameras possessing only 3 or 4 mexapixels -- but where they have fallen flat on their faces is in the development of sensors that have good resolution AND low noise. And the most direct impact of increasing mexapixel count on a sensor that remains static in size is the increase of electronic "noise" (also known as the "signal to noise...Read more›

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By combining a 10 megapixel CCD sensor and Canon's advanced DIGIC 4 Image Processor, the PowerShot S90 offers dramatic low light sensitivity with minimal noise. Impressive ISO 3200 capability reduces blur and subject movement for crisp photos with spectacular sharpness and clarity. The S90 boasts an incredibly slim profile and lightweight body for true pocket-sized convenience. For the photographer that never wants to miss an opportunity, the S90 the high quality camera that you can carry every day. With an equivalent zoom range of 28-105mm, Canon's 3.8x Optical Zoom Lens captures everything from sweeping landscapes to telephoto action shots with ease. An impressive f/2.0 aperture allows you to create dramatic portraits by emphasizing your subject's face and blurring the background with a soft, shallow depth-of-field. Boasting 461,000 dots of resolution, the 3.0" Pure Color LCD screen of the S90 offers exceptional color and contrast for composing and reviewing photos and video. Advanced multi-coatings prevent visual interference from dust, scratches, and reflections. The new control ring around the lens of the S90 offers precise adjustment to focus, exposure, ISO, zoom, or white balance settings. Intuitive and easy to use, the ring is fully customizable to meet your shooting preferences. RAW files allow you to capture images without the loss of detail associated with JPEG compression. Using the included Canon software or a compatible 3rd party RAW converter.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I don't profess to be an expert on digital cameras; my many years of photography involved mostly 35mm film cameras (primarily SLRs and boat loads of accessories). I purchased my first digital camera about 7 years ago (an Olympus Camedia C-4000Z, followed by a Lumix DMC-Z20, both of which still perform like new). However, these cameras are somewhat bulky and don't lend themselves to carrying around to catch spur-of-the-moment shots. Wanting something small and easily carried in a shirt or pant pocket, I began my research.
I was somewhat disappointed to find that many small, ultra-compact digital cameras from some of the best known brands (Nikon, Canon, Olympus and others) really didn't have great reviews from users, at least those in the sub-$200 dollar range (which I was targeting). Having been impressed with my first Lumix, and seeing many high marks bestowed upon a number of Lumix compacts and sub-compacts, I narrowed my search to that brand.
When I noticed that Amazon was running a special price on this particular Lumix that had the features I was seeking, it was easy to make the choice. Receiving the camera after only a few days from order, I immediately bought a 2gig SD memory card (although the camera itself will hold 40mg of images, which is not much), read the manual a couple of times and began shooting. I was impressed by the quality feel of the camera, and liked the fact that the lens (that great Leica quality is a big plus) has a retracting cover. As I expected, the quality of the photos (from fully automatic functioning) was top-notch. I took various indoor shots in different lighting conditions, and then I took it outdoors and clicked off dozens of photos, all the while trying various adjustments available. One can change the sensitivity (ISO) from 80 all the way to 1600 if desired. Color selections include normal, natural, vivid, black & white, sepia, `cool' (a bluish tinge) and `warm' (a reddish tinge).
One can set the picture size from 4000x3000 (suitable for up to 16" X 20" enlargements) down to 640x480 (for email attachments or web photos), as well as 4000 X 2248 for 16:9 display on a high-def television or computer monitor. As with most other digital cameras, other settings can be adjusted as well (i.e. white balance, red eye removal, , etc.).
Although it came with software (imaging and a PDF version of a more advanced manual than the paper one supplied), I was unable to load it in my PC (apparently my `service pack' needs to be upgraded). Undaunted, I simply took the card out, inserted into the computer's card reader and presto, pulled the pictures up, and saved to a file (the camera came with a USB cable to allow direct connection to a PC or hi-def monitor too).
After fiddling with photo transfers a while, I then took numerous shots using the 5X optical zoom (most digital cameras in this price range only have a 3X optical zoom). The zoom action was smooth and quick, and images showed no distortion. I was able to photograph a pileated woodpecker from about 50 feet with the zoom maxed out, and the resulting picture was worthy of framing. Lumix's `Mega Stabilization' feature works great; I took a pic of a cat jumping and caught it in mid-air without a hint of blur.
The camera also records video with sound; one can select from hi-def (720p) down to QVGA (four setting options available). I recorded a few video segments in hi-def of a few minutes each (it will record up to 2 gigs of hi-def video). Playing them back on the camera yielded fantastic quality; when I showed the videos to people, their jaws dropped over the image quality. However, it is worth noting that while one can play back smooth video on the camera, playback on a PC or hi-def monitor will result in a jerking, fragmented playback (sort of like a video downloaded from a dial-up modem) UNLESS a `class 6' memory card is used (most SD cards are class 2, fine for photos but not for big-screen playback). While I intend to get a class 6 memory card, I didn't buy this camera to use as a camcorder, so this is not a big issue for me. It should also be noted that it is not possible to use the zoom feature when recording; while it would be nice if it did, I was aware of this prior to buying it, so obviously it was no show-stopper.
A few more points; the rechargeable battery comes without a charge, and it takes about 100 minutes to fully charge (a charger is included). I've had the camera two weeks now, have taken about 300 shots and 4 short HD videos, and the battery still has some charge left. The time from one shot to ready for another is about 2 seconds. The camera's small size (3.9" by 2.2" by .9") makes it easy to slip in a shirt or pant pocket. I keep mine in my suit coat pocket during working time, but use a small padded case attached to my belt at other times. I can whip it out and have it snapshot ready in less than 4 seconds now!
I really can't identify anything negative about this camera, with the single exception of the inability to zoom while video recording. Unless that is important to you, then there is no reason not to seriously consider this excellent little camera.


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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 Point & Shoot Digital Camera - 12.1 Megapixel - 2.70" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD - Black DMC-FH1K Digital Cameras

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Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR ZL Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I have never bought a non-Canon lens because I just love the look, feel, and optical quality of the Canon line particularly the L series lenses. But I kept reading glowing reviews about this lens. On multiple websites. So, I went out and took a look.
First impression: the build quality is not as good as a Canon L series lens. Duh! It costs about 1/4 as much for goodness sake. This is a plastic lens - not metal. But I must admit that the build quality was pretty darn good. Better, I think, than the Sigma lenses I've seen. Fit and finish was very nice and tight. I'd give the build quality a 4/5. Not bad. I figured I could live with it.
Next, I put the lens on my camera. I'd read reviews complaining about the speed of the focusing. It may not be quite as quick as my 200 f2.8 L series lens but it was pretty darn good and for my purposes, plenty fast. A 4.5/5
I'd read reviews complaining about the noise and the fact that the AF was not USM. I thought the AF worked very quietly. Not at all distracting and barely discernable. Noise - not an issue.
Then, I took pictures with the lens and I was absolutely floored! How in the world did Tamron manage to produce a lens that performed so well optically for such a reasonable price?! Beautiful contrast, excellent resolution, gorgeous colors, and extremely sharp, particularly above f2.8. But, f2.8 is very good as well.
Obviously the first comparison that comes to mind is between this lens and the Canon 24-70 f2.8 L. I would say, I kid you not, that this lens is in every respect optically the equal of the Canon or better than the Canon. I could not believe it.
I tested this lens directly against a brand new copy of the Canon 24-70 f2.8L. Method: I tested both lenses on a tripod @ F 2.8 and 8.0 @ 28mm 50mm and 70mm. Target limestone wall 9.5 feet parallel to the sensor plane. Remote release employed. No mirror lockup. Center and all four corners were evaluated to my naked eye on a monitor using 100% crops. Both lenses were new copies received within the last 7 days.
The limestone wall lent itself perfectly to evaluating sharpness and subtle contrast and color rendition. There was enormous detail present in the wall with subtle colorations present.
Findings:
28MM F8: Tamron definitely sharper in the center and corners
28MM F2.8: Tamron definitely sharper in the center and corners 50MM F8: Tamron slightly sharper in the center and very slightly sharper in corners
50MM F2.8: Tamron slightly sharper in center and equal in corners.
70MM F2.8: Canon sharper in center and at corners. Incidentally noted was inability of Tamron to focus as sharply as I was able to achieve with manual focusing.
70MM F8: Tamron sharper in center with Canon slightly sharper in corners.
Some have said that there is less flare with the Canon, but if you use the lens hood that should not be a problem. I didn't notice excessive flare in my copy.
Admittedly there is significant copy to copy variation in both the Canon and the Tamron, but my findings convinced me that at 1/4 the price, and with the Tamron weighing 1 pound less than the Canon that the Tamron was the lens for me. Optically 5/5!!
I cannot recommend this lens highly enough. It is the first non-Canon lens I have owned and I am thrilled.

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SO) 28-75MM F2.8 XR DI F/CANON

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Nikon 28mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an undistinguished but competent lens, a viable solution for DX users looking for a "normal" lens at a bargain price, and a useful and inexpensive wide angle for FX and film shooters.
It can not be said that Nikon spared no expense in the development of this lens. They spared plenty, settling on a minimalist, simple, proven optical formula, without the close-range correction (CRC) used in some of its more-expensive contemporaries, and with an unambitious f/2.8 maximum aperture. That last detail, in today's world of small-frame DX DSLRs, becomes the lens' single major drawback. Today's zoom lenses are good enough to equal the performance of a prime in most regards, making fast apertures the last remnant of fixed-focal-length superiority in the minds of most photographers, and a prime lens as slow as an f/2.8 professional zoom is left with comparatively little to recommend it. Yet that has ironically led to this lens' one significant advantage: it has remained cheap while prices for other lenses have risen significantly, and for those whose needs it meets, it can be seen as quite a bargain.
Its performance is perfectly respectable. In fact, wide-open at normal shooting distances, it is already quite sharp, something that can not be said for many fast primes, and it manages to provide crisp, modern, contrasty color renditions, no doubt thanks to state of the art - as of its introduction - lens coatings. It has the nice, rather frictionless focus feel that was common to most early AF primes, with the easy-to-reach, front-mounted focusing ring that was a welcome holdover from manual-focus days. Many newer lenses, with focus rings hidden from easy reach (behind the zoom ring, for example) are much more difficult to use when manual focus is called for, although most do have the advantage of allowing instant manual over-ride. Like any AF-D lens, the user of this lens must flip a switch on the camera body to disengage the focus motor and switch from auto to manual focus.
There is one other nice feature of this lens that holds up very well in today's DSLR world, and that it its 28mm focal length. While anything in the 28mm-35mm range can be considered a "normal" lens for DX, Nikon's own 35mm DX prime is a bit on the long side for many, and at 28mm this lens represents an excellent alternative. I've owned and used (and posted a review of) the 35/1.8G, and I love it, but in my opinion this is one of its drawbacks. I personally prefer the slightly wider field of view of the 28mm perspective, which in my experience is a bit handier for indoor photography in tighter spaces and a bit more natural-feeling as a "normal" lens for DX. Sigma's 30mm f/1.4 is another alternative, and faster, but I found my copy to be mediocre at wide apertures and would generally hold it to f/2.8 or so anyway, taking away much of its advantage of speed - and it is a much more expensive lens.
The 28mm begins to look like a very good choice when its workmanlike performance, its "normal" field of view, and its small size are considered against its very low current price. For DX users, this lens is not exactly a bargain when purchased new - it is more expensive than the 35mm/1.8G, for example - but used prices are a different story, and for photographers willing to buy used, it can be a bargain. For a DX shooter on a budget, who is looking for a "normal" lens and who does not already have a professional-level midrange zoom that offers an f/2.8 aperture, the 28mm can be a uniquely affordable and versatile tool for general photography. Combined with inexpensive standard and telephoto zooms, this lens can complete a modest collection of starter lenses that will leave very few types of photography off limits. In fact, somebody looking to start out in SLR photography on a budget could do a lot worse than to pick up a decent copy of this lens, a used Nikon D50/D70/D80, and begin making pictures limited in quality only by their own talents.
My rating of three stars for this lens should not be considered negative. I don't think a higher rating is justified, and I don't believe in rating lenses on a sliding scale depending on their price - a four star lens is a four star lens, whether it sells for $150 or ten times that. It is up to the reader to make their own judgement as to whether the price makes the lens a more or less compelling purchase. This lens does exactly what it is supposed to do, and it does it well. The basis for my rating is as follows: the lens performs competently, but not spectacularly, as a 28mm prime. By itself, that would probably justify four stars, but it's only fair to also take into account its very modest design capabilities. Its slow speed in particular, compared with other lenses of its type, reduces its appeal; and the lack of a sophisticated, highly corrected optical formula is a factor as well. This lens, while possibly a bargain and a fine choice for many photographers, is practically the definition of average in terms of performance, and that's how I rate it.
Miscellaneous notes:
- Vs. Nikon's 35mm f/1.8G: The 35/1.8 is a bit sharper, but the 28/2.8 is sharp as well. With mostly minor distinctions, these lenses do pretty much the same things on DX, and the 28mm can be picked up on the used market for much less than the 35mm sells for. The real distinctions between these lenses are the price, the speed, and the focal length. While most will understandably settle on the 35mm, for many photographers the 28mm could be the better choice.
- Vs. Sigma's 30mm f/1.4: My copy of the Sigma was mediocre at wide apertures, removing most of its advantage over the 28mm Nikkor. It is much heavier, much more expensive to buy either new or used, and has very close to the same field of view. If speed is paramount, it is the obvious choice - otherwise the Nikon's price and overall performance make it the better buy (with the Nikon 35/1.8G probably better still).
- For FX: It's tougher to make an argument for this lens on FX. FX shooters are less likely to be bargain hunters, and there are better choices almost regardless of one's criteria for selecting a lens. I can envision a narrow niche for an FX shooter who wants an unobtrusive, lightweight lens and a moderate wide-angle view; and in such a case, this lens' low purchase price makes it a perfectly satisfactory option. Sigma's 30mm and Nikon's 35/1.8G are DX lenses and are therefore removed from consideration for FX shooters. The obvious alternatives on FX would be Nikon's 35mm f/2D or 24mm f/2.8D - but in reality, for most FX users the real alternative will be an f/2.8 midrange zoom.
- Buying new vs buying used: Good lenses tend to hold their value very well, and they last a long time. Consequently the market for used lenses is vibrant and relatively efficient. In the case of this lens, the disparity between the new purchase price and the current used market value is high, and I would advise any prospective purchaser of this lens to find a good used copy from a reputable source, such as many of the used vendors right here on Amazon. Be sure to price-check against other vendors to ensure you're getting a fair price, of course. Buying used avoids the large one-time depreciation from buying new and will probably allow the user to re-sell the lens at some time in the future with little or no loss of value. This is a good strategy for any cost-conscious photographer.Other Lenses:
I've had the opportunity to own and use many different Nikon lenses and have posted my impressions of some of them here on Amazon. For those interested, here are short summaries. I have used all these lenses on Nikon DX-sized DSLRs, most recently my current D90. Refer to the full reviews for further detail.
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 HSM: *** Poor focusing consistency and below average large-aperture acuity combine for disappointing real-world performance. Fast max aperture, very capable if used with appropriate care.
Nikon 35mm f/1.8 AF-G: ****1/2 Terrific lens at a bargain price. Not without flaws, but excellent in all important respects. A pleasure to use.
Nikon 35mm f/2 AF-D: **** Sharp, especially at large apertures, moderate contrast. Classic "normal" lens for DX but consider new 35mm f/1.8 AF-S instead.
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D: *** My sample was unacceptably poor at large apertures. Perhaps a below-average sample. Focal length not ideally suited to DX.
Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AF-D ****1/2 Very good short-to-moderate telephoto on DX. Acceptable at large apertures, very sharp stopped-down, moderate contrast. Potentially excellent for portrait use.
Nikon 16-85mm VR ***** Very sharp at all settings, excellent contrast, very useful zoom range including true wide-angle at 16mm. Excellent VR. Best-kept secret for DX users.
Nikon 28-200mm AF-G *** Of two samples, one was excellent and one poor, so watch for sample variations. Very good contrast. Not ideal hand-held due to lack of VR. Not ideal for tripod use due to design.
Nikon 55-200mm VR **** Very good lens, very good sharpness and contrast, no fatal flaws. Cheap feel and feature-challenged, but has effective VR. A bargain.
Nikon 70-300mm VR *** My sample had very poor performance above 200mm, good to very good elsewhere. Good contrast, generally very good focus performance. Good sports/action lens. Not good where critical sharpness is desired. Possibly a below-average sample.

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28mm D-Series Wideangle lens for Nikon cameras

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