Nikon 18-35mm wide angle in hand

Courtesy of B&H Photo, I have the inelegant and plastic but accessibly priced $599 Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5 - 4.5 in hand. Several readers requested that I include this lens, and so it will be so.

My intent is to compare the 18-35 to the new and twice as expensive Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR, the comparison to be added to my expansive Nikon Ultra Wides pages.

My first impression is that the 18-35 belongs on a Nikon D40 or something of that sort. The flaring front end with the reversed lens shade feels grafted on as a foreskin afterthought, and it is an annoyance, I can see it snagging on things, if only the pouch I would carry it in. Don’t get me started on the way the lens hood jacks out. This has to be the least elegant design I’ve seen in a long time.

There is low value here in terms of investing for the long term in lenses that will last. I’d much rather own a single Zeiss prime, like the 25/2.8. Zooms are a crutch most of the time, I hardly ever shoot them any more (though they are indispensable for certain purposes).

Zoom and manual focus feel are crapola, as one would expect. This is not a pro lens by any stretch of the imagination, but perhaps it offers optical properties that make it attractive enough when combined with its weight (eg travel where you can't foot-zoom). If it keeps distortion down, and makes a good image at f/5.6, it could be a nice alternative to the still huge and heavy 16-35/4G. But f/4.5 at 35mm? Pretty useless at dusk, no versatility there.