(news and commentary)
Nikon has resurrected their camera+lens discount deals. A few lenses got axed (mostly primes) and a few got added (mostly consumer telephoto zooms). Also, the two Speedlights get small discounts now when bundled with a camera purchase (US$30 for SB-700, US$50 for SB-910).
If you want to see the discounts presented as an interactive table with the cameras, click here (advertiser link).
| Lens | Regular Price | Instant Savings | Thom's Commentary |
| 28mm f/1.8G | US$699 | US$100 | Well worth it at the old price, definitely a strong choice for most people at the new price. As I've noted before, a set of f/1.8G primes makes a lot of sense for new-to-FX users, and at these prices much easier to get. X |
| 50mm f/1.8G | US$219 | US$20 | A 50mm for <US$200 that's sharp and reliable? A pretty good bargain. But this lens has always been one of the better prime bargains; it's just gotten a bit better. X |
| 85mm f/3.5G DX | US$529 | US$100 | A better choice than the 60mm for DX users, probably. |
| 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G DX | US$849 | US$250 | The price looks tempting, but pass. This lens had its day with the 6mp and 10mp cameras, but shows its weaknesses clearly on the 16mp and 24mp cameras Nikon's been putting out recently. See next. |
| 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G DX | US$999 | US$300 | Still not a huge fan, but if you're going the convenience route this lens makes a tiny bit more sense. |
| 24-70mm f/2.8G | US$1889 | US$200 | A workhorse in the FX bags. It's a very good lens, but it lacks VR and it's weaker than the f/1.8 primes, which is one reason why I tend to suggest new FX buyers pick up something like the 24-120mm for convenience, and the f/1.8G primes for optical quality. Z |
| 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G | US$599 | US$100 | On a D3, D3s, D4, D700, or D600, this is a good lens to consider. Optically, it's about right for those cameras, and on a D600 it's nearly the perfect kit lens. |
| 24-120mm f/4G | US$1299 | US$300 | D800/D800E users would want this over the 24-85mm, I think. It's a step up optically, which that 36mp sensor will greatly appreciate. The more I use this lens, the more impressed I am with it's well rounded performance. X |
| 55-200mm f/4-5.6G | US$249 | US$100 | A decent telephoto zoom and a good match to the low-end consumer DX DSLRs. Certainly worth considering (along with the next lens in this table) Z |
| 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G | US$399 | US$150 | Also a good match with the consumer DX DSLRs. The 70-300mm VR has faster focus and a better build, though. |
| 70-200mm f/2.8G | US$2399 | US$300 | The discount puts this lens back closer to the pricing level of the lens it replaced. The 70-200mm is a staple in most lens kits, so any discount is welcome, and those opting for third party versions now have to take a closer look at Nikon's offering. X |
| 70-200mm f/4G | US$1399 | US$300 | Wow. This new lens is on a substantial discount. In many ways this lens is better behaved than the f/2.8 version. Certainly if you don't need f/2.8, this is an excellent choice. X |
| 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G | US$590 | US$200 | The best of the variable aperture telephoto zooms, and a lens that performs well even on a D800 (though stopping down tends to present diffraction impacts). If you're looking for a great lens but can't afford the 70-200mm models, this is your choice. |
You may have noticed the X, Y, Z markers in the table. Here's what they mean:
- X — Lens I would consider highest likelihood to see go off discount, or go to a smaller discount.
- Z — Lens with a reasonably high likelihood of being replaced in 2013-2014.
