Recommendations for reasonably priced standard zoom for Nikon D850?

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Bill G.

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Trying to decide on a standard zoom that can handle D850’s high mega pixels. Saw some good reviews of the new Tamron 24-70 G2 among others.

Anyone have any real world experience and recommendations?
 
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What is your budget? And, what do you plan on doing with your images? The standards for posting on the web are a lot different than if you are printing large prints. Are you interested in new or used? How fast of a lens do you need? Answers to these questions may help guide folks to providing better answers.

--Ken
 
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Budget is around 1500 - used or new. Probably don’t need fast glass. Mostly personal use - some prints. Probably not larger than poster size. Hope that helps.
 
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Bill G. said:
Budget is around 1500 - used or new. Probably don’t need fast glass. Mostly personal use - some prints. Probably not larger than poster size. Hope that helps.
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The 24-120mm fits the budget and use just fine.

The 24-70mm f/2.8 is definitely sharper glass and pushes right up against your budget new (e.g. Adorama) but can be had for much less on the used market. It's a great lens but it is quite big and heavy for walk around use.
 
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I'll take a different opinion of the 24-70 f2.8 G. I've had several and all of them developed issues with the zoom mechanism that eventually resulted in repair/replacement. The repairs only lasted a year or so of light use. I also found it to result in random incorrect exposures in bursts. This is common among the 4 samples I've had. (Nikon has replaced the lens several times under warranty with refurbed units). Thom Hogan has said the 24-120 f4 AFS VR is better behaved, meaning the exposure is consistent as it should be and the lens just works. I've made poster sized prints of images I took with the D850 and 24-120 that look magnificent. Everyone has their own idea of what is acceptable so YMMV as they say. The 24-70 f2.8 is sharp, no debate, but the other issues keep it from being a favorite. The E version seems better but would be outside your price range. Even having both the G and E versions of the 24-70, I still reach for and use my 24-120 much more often. The VR on the 24-120 sometimes comes in handy, too!
 
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Another vote here for the 24-120mm. There is a lot not to like about this lens, and it has been pilloried in many other forums by "experts." It is a bit heavy, extends several inches when zoomed out, and perhaps not the sharpest knife in the Nikon drawer. But, although I have plenty of lenses I've accumulated over the years, from 16 to 500mm, if I travel overseas (at least, when I used to be able to travel overseas), and space/weight it at a premium, the 24-120 is the only lens I take. Why? Because of its versatile range as a "walkaround" lens. In the Jurassic days of film, and when many zooms were of terrible quality, I carried one camera with a fixed 28mm for landscapes and more dramatic perspectives, and a second camera with the fine Nikkor 105mm f2.5. The 105 was, and still is, considered one of the classic portrait lenses that offered superb bokeh and great isolation of smaller subjects. So, I grew to like that focal length. I find 70mm a little short for portraits and for me, just doesn't have enough reach. The 24-120 covers it all except for, obviously, extreme telephoto needs. Most of the lens' shortcomings, which in general I've found to be exaggerated, are easily corrected in post. Can't comment on third-party lenses, I just prefer to stay with Nikon, when budget allows. You should easily be able to find one barely used or even new well within your budget. Just one guy's opinion.
 
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I have been using the 24-70G version since 2010 as my walk about lens with no issues what so ever. It's dead sharp and a superb lens which might fit your budget. Used copies in SG go for around SGD1100. Most of my landscape shots are taken by it.
 
I have had the Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 AO32 lens since January and I love it. VR is great and very sharp IMHO
 
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Bill G. said:
Budget is around 1500 - used or new. Probably don’t need fast glass. Mostly personal use - some prints. Probably not larger than poster size. Hope that helps.
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This does help, thanks. You have several recommendations for the 24-120. Note that there are a couple of versions of this lens, and that the last version is probably the one you want to consider. I am not sure why, but this lens seems to invoke a love it or leave it response. My thought is to make sure that you can test it and return or exchange it if you are not happy if that is the route you choose to go.

Good luck,

--Ken
 
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Quite right two versions the early one is rubbish . I owned two and both were bad. Personally I go with Rockwell Nikon 28-300mm.
The latest VR version of the 24-85 is also very sharp and cheap. As always set the fine focus adjust and if you shoot JPEG sharpness control at +9
 
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You can always rent stuff before purchase, some rental companies even offer to sell if you have it and like it. The only thing to remember is new or used there are always sample variations. I bought a new Tokina 12-24 years back and sent it back, horrible distortion on one side. Picked up a used one that was sharper than the Nikon version, I remembered reading the post when the seller bought the lens, he went to a camera store and tried 3 of the Tokinas and 2 of the Nikons and bought the sharpest one. My 24-120 seems sharper than others, I've never needed af fine tune. My dealer has a couple used ones in stock, PM me if interested.
 
I am sitting here having coffee so I thought I would post a few sample shots in different conditions with the Tamron 24-70mm. These are from a total hobbyist not a pro. I don't have the technical knowledge to write a long explanation of the lens, so just a few photos. The first one is shot with a D7500 the rest are a D850. They are shot handheld except the Milkyway is on a tripod and is a stack of 27 frames to reduce noise.
*note- I also have the 70-200 G2 and I use it more TBH

TAMRON SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 A032N
f/2.8 1/60"
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f/2.8 1/1000"
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f/5 1/640"
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f/11 1/20"
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f/2.8 10"
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Also a vote for the 24-120 f/4. Am using it for >10 years and always lately on the D850 and it delivers. Anyway, wide angle shots sort of make me wonder about f/2.8? except for astro photography.
 
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Hut said:
I am sitting here having coffee so I thought I would post a few sample shots in different conditions with the Tamron 24-70mm. These are from a total hobbyist not a pro. I don't have the technical knowledge to write a long explanation of the lens, so just a few photos. The first one is shot with a D7500 the rest are a D850. They are shot handheld except the Milkyway is on a tripod and is a stack of 27 frames to reduce noise.
*note- I also have the 70-200 G2 and I use it more TBH

TAMRON SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 A032N
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Love the photos. Thanks so much for sharing.
 
Callie said:
Also a vote for the 24-120 f/4. Am using it for >10 years and always lately on the D850 and it delivers. Anyway, wide angle shots sort of make me wonder about f/2.8? except for astro photography.
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Just my personal nonprofessional experience, I bought this lens, plus a 70-200mm f/2.8 and my D850 when my friend ask me to photograph his wedding this February. Even at f/2.8 I struggled with low light and needed fill lighting which I really wanted to avoid. (I will hopefully never shoot another event again but I tried my best)
 
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Generally my 70-200 2.8 (Nikon) rarely comes off my camera (often even for street photography -- granted that's normally for me candid portraits -- unless specific needs call for another focal length -- then it's primes usually (85 or 105). From portraits to wildlife (stuff that'll let you get close) the 70-200 was the lens you'll still find on my cam, or in my bag to quickly throw on when things get too close for wildlife or for great compression on a portrait. AND it's built like a tank. Fallen while shooting in the bush or mountains with it a couple of times -- smashing a lens hood once and a polarizing filter another time and the lens came out smiling. Mine is the first VR version and bluntly vignetting at 200 and wide open is noticeable (but disappears in post easily) but it's performance is overall great; am told subsequent versions are even better (?). I've used TCs on it with okay success the 1.4 definitely; 2x to force me to save for longer lenses :) Good luck with your hunt and choice.
 
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