Nikon NIKKOR AF-S 28mm f/1.8G Lens

This is very light in the hand fits great in your camera bag. I researched with my sons help and we found very great prices for a used one, but I then found a new one for not much more. The Nikon 28mm f1.8G with it's Nano crystal coating and gold ring is a great feature. Unlike a 24mm f1.4g that is bigger, weighs more. costs more too. This Nikon lens is for the landscapes I am drawn to, and portrait shots. The focus is smooth when moving it in manual or with your hand. If you cannot afford buy the bigger and more expensive lens of it's big cousins, you may want to check the 28mm f1.8g. It will go well with any DX or FX cameras, small enough in the camera bag too.

I am a novice photographer and have been using a variety of lenses. From an older (non VR) 70-300 telephoto to a 10.5mm fisheye. Over the past three years I have also used the "nifty 50" Nikkor 50mm 1.8D. This lens has been amazing for portraits, some casual shooting, and the occasional indoor kid's sporting events. One problem I came across time and time again, because I shoot on a cropped sensor camera (D90), is that the 50mm 1.8D (taking into consideration the 1.5x crop factor) actually shoots more like a 75mm equivalent. Time and time again I would find myself only being able to keep one subject in frame, or wishing I had more room behind me to back up farther in order to get more in the frame. Often times I would switch lenses and use an older kit lens (18-70mm ... MoreI am a novice photographer and have been using a variety of lenses. From an older (non VR) 70-300 telephoto to a 10.5mm fisheye. Over the past three years I have also used the "nifty 50" Nikkor 50mm 1.8D. This lens has been amazing for portraits, some casual shooting, and the occasional indoor kid's sporting events. One problem I came across time and time again, because I shoot on a cropped sensor camera (D90), is that the 50mm 1.8D (taking into consideration the 1.5x crop factor) actually shoots more like a 75mm equivalent. Time and time again I would find myself only being able to keep one subject in frame, or wishing I had more room behind me to back up farther in order to get more in the frame. Often times I would switch lenses and use an older kit lens (18-70mm 3.5ED) in order to shoot wider, but that of course came at the cost of loss of sharpness and the dramatic depth of field effect that can be achieved with prime lenses like the 50mm 1.8D.

A fine lens, but not fine enough.

Purchased for a DX-size 7100, as an everyday lens. I'm currently using a 20mm f/2.8 D, with an equivalent FL of a 30mm lens. I was hopeful this 28mm would give me a slightly tighter view for more versatility, plus better low-light performance, in a lightweight, low-profile, weather-sealed package. Given that the 35mm DX does pretty much the same thing, this lens isn't worth the $550 I paid used, and certainly not worth whatever it costs new, for a DX. I was hopeful the better build/optics (and N coating) would help contribute to pics with more contrast/pop but I couldn't really tell a difference. Further, I echo what others have said: the build quality seems lacking. I ignored other reviews saying the same thing, believing it to be anti-China bias. Comparing this ... MorePurchased for a DX-size 7100, as an everyday lens. I'm currently using a 20mm f/2.8 D, with an equivalent FL of a 30mm lens. I was hopeful this 28mm would give me a slightly tighter view for more versatility, plus better low-light performance, in a lightweight, low-profile, weather-sealed package. Given that the 35mm DX does pretty much the same thing, this lens isn't worth the $550 I paid used, and certainly not worth whatever it costs new, for a DX. I was hopeful the better build/optics (and N coating) would help contribute to pics with more contrast/pop but I couldn't really tell a difference. Further, I echo what others have said: the build quality seems lacking. I ignored other reviews saying the same thing, believing it to be anti-China bias. Comparing this lens to my 50mm 1.4G, the 28mm 1.8G seems really loose. The autofocus is slow and oddly noisy, giving me no confidence in the long-term life of the lens. And, its strangely long. Not sure why its so long, but it looks and feels like a cheap kit zoom lens and sticks out really far from the body. There's nowhere to grab it except the focus ring, which is really too big for a wide angle lens. Ergonomics are bad, is what I'm saying. So, one star off for build/profile and another star for poor value, optically. Its not a bad lens at all, but not worth it for a DX body. If I had an FX body, I'd buy the 24mm that came out this year instead...

Excellent Lens, Very Sharp

These 1.8 primes are excellent and affordable: a new standard in sharpness. This can be tough to see on a small JPG on the internet but can be seen readily when you make a 17x22 from a D800 file. The increased resolution of this lens makes full use of the D800's high detail rendition capacities.I got the 28mm to mate with my D800...so I would have a range of ultra high resolution prime lenses when I needed them for studio work. This lens does not disappoint. It goes well with the 50mm f1.4, the 85mm f1.8 or the 105 f2.8 micro. It is slighty sharper and has slightly smoother color than the quite good 16-35mm that I walk around with most of the time. It turns out to be a great field lens as well. 1.8 comes in handy for availabe light photography.The build is fairly ... MoreThese 1.8 primes are excellent and affordable: a new standard in sharpness. This can be tough to see on a small JPG on the internet but can be seen readily when you make a 17x22 from a D800 file. The increased resolution of this lens makes full use of the D800's high detail rendition capacities.I got the 28mm to mate with my D800...so I would have a range of ultra high resolution prime lenses when I needed them for studio work. This lens does not disappoint. It goes well with the 50mm f1.4, the 85mm f1.8 or the 105 f2.8 micro. It is slighty sharper and has slightly smoother color than the quite good 16-35mm that I walk around with most of the time. It turns out to be a great field lens as well. 1.8 comes in handy for availabe light photography.The build is fairly light, like many of the newer Nikon lenses. I assume this has its plusses and minuses and it is too early to tell how it will hold up compared to the lenses of yore or the ones which cost megabucks...with their heavier often metal construction. It should not dent as much but I cannot evaluate its durability. Some reviews have mentioned a kind of moustache pattern of distortion or resolution uneveness...frankly I have not seen it. If it is there it can only be seen when shooting a flat wall and blowing the image up to beyond usable size..and needless to say should be super easily fixable in Photoshop. As a practical matter this rumor has either been fixed or is a non issue.

Great optics, not sure yet about build.

This lens offers great optics in a lightweight package. The performance is amazing. It's surprisingly sharp wide open on my D800E and it's tough to beat at f/4-5.6 where I use it most often. It focuses well, locks on fast and seems pretty accurate. And I have used it wide open plenty of times with great results. I do professional documentary work and photojournalism, so I'm pretty tough on my gear. I don't know how this lens will hold up over the long term. The construction seems very lightweight. Also, the one huge negative about this lens is slop in the focusing mechanism. I do sometimes use it on a tripod with live view and manual focus, and the slop is annoying--especially when changing directions with the focus ring, say to rack back and forth to find the ... MoreThis lens offers great optics in a lightweight package. The performance is amazing. It's surprisingly sharp wide open on my D800E and it's tough to beat at f/4-5.6 where I use it most often. It focuses well, locks on fast and seems pretty accurate. And I have used it wide open plenty of times with great results. I do professional documentary work and photojournalism, so I'm pretty tough on my gear. I don't know how this lens will hold up over the long term. The construction seems very lightweight. Also, the one huge negative about this lens is slop in the focusing mechanism. I do sometimes use it on a tripod with live view and manual focus, and the slop is annoying--especially when changing directions with the focus ring, say to rack back and forth to find the sharpest point, there is a lot of play. As much as I like the old AIS lenses (and zeiss lenses) with their heavy metal construction, the light weight of this lens is a plus when traveling. When you shoot every day and often travel halfway across the world for assignments, you come to appreciate gear that doesn't way a ton. So I wish it were a little more solid and I wish the focus ring was more precise, but this is an incredible lens for a good price. The build quality is keeping this from earning five stars. But for the price, it's a great lens. Not much you can't do with this and a fast 50mm...

Silver Medal for this Compact Little Lens

I purchased this lens during one of the Nikon sale event ($100). Despite some passionate love-it or hate-it reviews I found online I have grown to appreciate this lens. Let me be clear: this lens is not as sharp as a Sigma ART lens nor as versatile as a nifty 50. If you're the type that likes to discuss bokeh and microcontrast this lens may also not be for you. I see the audience for this lens as someone who wants a dependable piece of street glass or who would like an 'always on the camera' lens which get the job done and does it well. I doubt I'd ever use this lens for a portrait shoot, but I'll definitely be taking it with me on my next vacation or family visit. If it seems like I am giving more 'cons' than 'pros', that's not the point of this review. I took over ... MoreI purchased this lens during one of the Nikon sale event ($100). Despite some passionate love-it or hate-it reviews I found online I have grown to appreciate this lens. Let me be clear: this lens is not as sharp as a Sigma ART lens nor as versatile as a nifty 50. If you're the type that likes to discuss bokeh and microcontrast this lens may also not be for you. I see the audience for this lens as someone who wants a dependable piece of street glass or who would like an 'always on the camera' lens which get the job done and does it well. I doubt I'd ever use this lens for a portrait shoot, but I'll definitely be taking it with me on my next vacation or family visit. If it seems like I am giving more 'cons' than 'pros', that's not the point of this review. I took over 400 shots with this lens and processed the keepers fully in Lightroom CC before I decided to keep this lens. I wanted to be sure this lens was for me. Pros - Lightweight - Excellent center sharpness at 1.8 - Good contrast in 'fair' lighting conditions and excellent contrast in good light Cons - Longer lens length than expected - Non-center focusing can be a little dodgy (using at D750) - Focus speed/ accuracy could be better in Continuous focus mode (works great in single servo) I hope this review helps. As a part-time professional I found this lens to be a pleasure to use once I understood it's strengths and weaknesses. This'll little guy sits nicely between my Sigma Art 20mm and 35mm primes, and I expect we'll stay friends for a while.

Solid but overpriced

I needed a wide angle prime for Nikon FX and came down to a refurbished one of these versus a Sigma 35. In the end I went for this largely based on the $ cheaper price. I am satisfied with the lens so far and I've found that the 28mm focal length is a more useful one for me than 35 (I have a 50, a 85, and a 105 prime) and have found this to be a great lens for parties and other indoor events. I find it is a go-to lens in those situations and really like using it. I use it mostly to take pictures at family events and find that I like the relationship you have with a subject with a 28mm lens. You really get into the scene. In general I am pleased with the results. The AF, once micro-adjusted, is accurate and reasonably quick, the bokeh is good, the colors are good, ... MoreI needed a wide angle prime for Nikon FX and came down to a refurbished one of these versus a Sigma 35. In the end I went for this largely based on the $ cheaper price. I am satisfied with the lens so far and I've found that the 28mm focal length is a more useful one for me than 35 (I have a 50, a 85, and a 105 prime) and have found this to be a great lens for parties and other indoor events. I find it is a go-to lens in those situations and really like using it. I use it mostly to take pictures at family events and find that I like the relationship you have with a subject with a 28mm lens. You really get into the scene. In general I am pleased with the results. The AF, once micro-adjusted, is accurate and reasonably quick, the bokeh is good, the colors are good, and the sharpness is fine. My one complaint is that it doesn't seem to perform as well wide-open as the 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 do. Some of the 28mm shots wide-open come off as softer than I would like. I'm torn on the build. I like the light weight but it does feel awfully dinky and hollow. It doesn't have the feel you'd expect of a $ lens. This is very subjective but my Nikon 85 1.8 and 50 1.4 feel more substantial and better made. So do other older primes that I have owned in the past from Sony, Sigma, and Minolta. That said I have not seen any indication that the build is of poor quality. It just doesn't feel confidence inspiring. I think that this lens would be a great value were it priced the same as an 85 1.8G (or cheaper) but at $ more than that and more than $ more than the Canon equivalent it seems over priced.

Surprised

Love the 28mm focal length. Not too wide or too tight. I have other focal lengths but the 28mm is kind of a sweet spot. Its plastic to cut costs but the glass and mounts are all Nikon. And its pretty light to carry all day. Been using it in D4s and the balance is perfect to use with one hand. Focusing speed is pretty damn good as I like to use other bodies and then switch off to this body as the subjects get closer. Image quality is subjective and I dont look at each pixel. But I do look at overall image quality at the center and all the way to the corners with different apertures. Its sharp! And wide open, it delivers I nice pleasing bokeh. Contrast and color are extremely accurate. Over all as sub $700 lens its great for when you need a light wide angle with a ... MoreLove the 28mm focal length. Not too wide or too tight. I have other focal lengths but the 28mm is kind of a sweet spot. Its plastic to cut costs but the glass and mounts are all Nikon. And its pretty light to carry all day. Been using it in D4s and the balance is perfect to use with one hand. Focusing speed is pretty damn good as I like to use other bodies and then switch off to this body as the subjects get closer. Image quality is subjective and I dont look at each pixel. But I do look at overall image quality at the center and all the way to the corners with different apertures. Its sharp! And wide open, it delivers I nice pleasing bokeh. Contrast and color are extremely accurate. Over all as sub $700 lens its great for when you need a light wide angle with a f/1.8 opening.

The lens has limitations

My copy had inaccurate focusing which required an AF fine-tune of -5 on the D800. The focus problem was bad enough that I would not recommend this lens for a body that does not have AF fine-tune. I cannot verify this at time of writing because my D3200 is at my other residence. The other frequently mentioned problem of focus shift at apertures between f/1.8 and f5.6 is not evident in my copy. My main lens is the AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. At least 90% of my shots are at 28mm because I cannot get farther away from my subject or 300mm because I cannot get closer. I usually cannot use a tripod because of time and location constraints. In good light under these conditions, the 28-300mm gives excellent results. Sharpness is more limited by my hand-holding ... MoreMy copy had inaccurate focusing which required an AF fine-tune of -5 on the D800. The focus problem was bad enough that I would not recommend this lens for a body that does not have AF fine-tune. I cannot verify this at time of writing because my D3200 is at my other residence. The other frequently mentioned problem of focus shift at apertures between f/1.8 and f5.6 is not evident in my copy. My main lens is the AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. At least 90% of my shots are at 28mm because I cannot get farther away from my subject or 300mm because I cannot get closer. I usually cannot use a tripod because of time and location constraints. In good light under these conditions, the 28-300mm gives excellent results. Sharpness is more limited by my hand-holding skills than softness in the 28-300mm. All other problems with the 28-300mm are easily remedied by shooting raw and using Lightroom 4's lens profile adjustment and a clarity of 15. Nonetheless, due to many unfavorable reviews of the 28-300mm I thought I'd try a good prime to see for myself if results could be better. As I almost always shoot at 28mm or 300mm, these were the obvious choices. There is no way on earth that I'd lug around the heavy, bulky AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II. That leaves the AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G or AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED. Ming Thein (http://blog.mingthein.com), whose photographic style is similar to mine, states that the AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G is the better of the two. So I bought it. In the end, it has not helped much. It's only value is when I need a fast lens and can use a tripod. Shooting the Hoover dam from the Arizona side just before sunrise is my best example. Once the aperture gets to 5.6, it's not enough better than the 28-300mm to make changing the lens worth the bother.

Wedding photographer, essential piece of kit

I used to own the far more expensive 24mm 1.4G. I found 28mm to be a much more appropriate focal length for environmental portraits throughout the day. 24 just seemed a little to wide for my taste. Not only that, but I found this lens focused faster and more accurately than the 24mm 1.4G. I can't recommend this lens more highly if you know you need a fast/ moderately wide spot filled. Some fault this lens for build quality, but when I'm shooting a 10+ hour day, the weight of this lens is a welcome change opposed to a 1.4 series prime or a 24-70 sized zoom. Optically this lens preforms on par with lenses that cost twice as much. Nano-coating is fantastic it preforms as well as any other nano coated lens your familiar with in terms of controlling flare.