Nikkor Zoom 28-85mm

[miatab]

This week I bought one of these lenses for the intended purpose of creating some images during our rivers cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. It will be used with my Df, and will be the only lens I will take. I know almost nothing about this lens, except what I have read in the form of brief reviews, and am looking for first hand reports and evaluations by forum members. It will be this lens, my second version 43-86 or my 50mm f1.8 pancake, f2 or f1.4.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Ken - I don't have that lens but am wondering if you've had a chance to try it on your Df yet. I'd think that would be more important than others input into what they think of the lens.
Will it work for you?
Do you like the images it produces out of your camera?
If you're only taking one lens on the trip you might want to test it out before committing to just it alone.
If I recall correctly your Df is a full frame so you'll be able to crop shots to 'get closer', so the 50mm f1.4 might be a better choice.
Just my thoughts on the 'problem'.
Hope you have a good trip!

[Polar01]

Ken I believe or I could be wrong, I think the lens you are talking about is the 24-85mm that came out in 2012, there is a 28-85 that was discontinued in 1992. I can not give you any info on the lens as I do not own one, I would suggest that you think about two lens that one for on shore and something in the 70-300mm for on the ship. Remember there will be time when you could be more than a hundred meters offshore and a 85mm is not going to cut it.
Have a great trip

Cheers: Allan

[Manfred M]

Ken - without knowing what you are planning to shoot, it is impossible to comment on your choice of lens.

For the type of shooting I tend to do, I would find is not wide enough at the short end and too short on the long end. The last time I was in Europe I had three lenses along; 14-24mm (used in about 25% of my shots), which worked well for the interiors of castles and churches, a 24-70mm (used in around 50% of my shots) which was good as a general purpose walk about lens and a 70-200mm (used in 25% of my shots) which I primarily used for shooting people.

[Dave Humphries]

This week I bought one of these lenses for the intended purpose of creating some images during our rivers cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. It will be used with my Df, and will be the only lens I will take. I know almost nothing about this lens, except what I have read in the form of brief reviews, and am looking for first hand reports and evaluations by forum members.

A quick google suggests you may be talking about the 28-85mm which is f/3.5-f/4.5 and a "D" lens, this will possibly affect AF speed, compared to what you are used to with any lens you may have got with the Df, which are most likely "AF-S", with built in ultrasonic AF motors. The 28-85 will rely on the AF motor mounted in the body of your Df, which may be slower and noisier than what you are used to.

Definitely worth trying shooting for a day with it before you set off without alternatives.

You may also want to check that stopping down to apertures works as expected, depending whether you're using the lens ring or camera control, this is an area I've no experience of, but something said and shown towards end of the video (below) suggests you should definitely try it and get used to it.

Have you seen this?
YouTube video by "Tom's macro" (7:42), you may find it useful, but be warned - he does mix up his words and contradict himself on a couple of occasions, so be careful.

It will be this lens, my second version 43-86 or my 50mm f1.8 pancake, f2 or f1.4.

I don't understand what you're asking here I'm afraid Ken?

HTH, Dave

[dje]

This week I bought one of these lenses for the intended purpose of creating some images during our rivers cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. It will be used with my Df, and will be the only lens I will take. I know almost nothing about this lens, except what I have read in the form of brief reviews, and am looking for first hand reports and evaluations by forum members. It will be this lens, my second version 43-86 or my 50mm f1.8 pancake, f2 or f1.4.

Ken I use a 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G ED VR lens on my full frame Nikon (D610). It is basically my "go to" general purpose zoom and even though it's not an expensive lens, it gives quite reasonable results. I would find it's focal length range suitable for what you are doing most of the time. It would struggle at the long end if you want close-ups of castles on the hills along the Rhine! Of the lenses you mention, it would be the most useful.

If you are talking about the older 28-85, it might be a bit long at the short end for some situations.

Dave

PS: I'd throw the 50mm pancake in as well anyway, it won't take up much room.

[rpcrowe]

I would suggest that you take a faster lens. The 50mm f/1.8 would certainly not be heavy or a burden to carry. There may very well be instances in which you need faster glass and since the 50mm is a "normal" lens for a FF camera, that should suit your needs.
I find that when I decide to leave items home, that is when I need those items most