NikonUSA's lens discounts are back, and thus so are my detailed commentaries to help you decide if any of these are for you:
- 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G DX — US$799 (US$100 rebate). Nope, not going to bite on this one. First, B&H has the better Tokina 11-20mm f/2.8 on sale for US$479 (US$120 rebate); second, the new AF-P 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 DX, while it looks like less of a lens on paper, is probably a better choice at its US$310 price (or in the Landscape and Macro bundle with the 40mm DX). B&H [advertiser link]
- 14-24mm f/2.8G — US$1699 (US$200 rebate). A great lens with one small thing you need to be aware of: field curvature. This is a well loved lens (and well used by many of us), and deservedly so. We all wonder about an E update on the horizon, but I'm not sure what that will bring us other than a price increase. If you need something in this range, this is a good price on a great lens. B&H [advertiser link]
- 16-35mm f/4G — US$999 (US$100 rebate). I like this lens, but it has a flaw that some find problematic: huge linear distortion. That means it probably isn't the lens you want for architectural or city travel shots, but it's fine for landscapes (and it has a filter ring, which the landscape folk might find useful compared to the 14-24mm). This is decent price for a decent lens.
- 24mm f/1.4G — US$1799 (US$200 rebate). I like this lens, but the question is whether or not you really want to spend US$1000 for the boost from f/1.8 to f/1.4. I haven't found the value in that, myself. B&H [advertiser link]
- 24-70mm f/2.8E VR — US$2199 (US$200 rebate). Be careful with the reviews on the Web with this one, a lot of those used close-up chart MTFs to come to the wrong conclusion about the lens. Yes, it may be a tiny bit softer in the center compared to the original version, but that's still very sharp. Where things are different in the handling out to the corners in real world shooting. This was an impressive redesign, and I recommend this lens for FX shooters needing the fast aperture in the mid-range. The one drawback is that the lens is big and heavy. It didn't lose any weight or trim down the waist in the redesign. B&H [advertiser link]
- 28mm f/1.8G — US$599 (US$100 rebate). Be aware that this lens has some downsides: focus shift, longitudinal chromatic aberration, and strong vignetting. Personally, I find this the most disappointing of the f/1.8G primes Nikon makes, and am not surprised that Nikon is having to discount it. B&H [advertiser link]
- 35mm f/1.8G DX — US$169 (US$30 rebate). I recommend this lens to all DX body owners without a rebate. Guess what, it has a rebate. Even a rock can recognize that as a bargain.
- 50mm f/1.4G — US$399 (US$50 rebate). The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art blows this away. Of course, the Sigma is US$949. Not quite up to the Sigma but still far better than the Nikkor is the Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 VC at US$399. You lose a third of a stop, you gain a better optical performance and Vibration Control. Guess which one I would recommend?
- 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G DX — US$149 (US$200 rebate). Note that refurbished versions on the NikonUSA site go for under US$100. At this price, if you don't have a light, telephoto zoom for your DX camera, you might want to take a close look at this one. While the new 70-300mm AF-P DX is the clear choice for the recent 20/24mp sensor DX bodies, it's also a lot more expensive. Stop the 55-200mm down to f/8 and you'll be fine.
Advertiser link to all the rebates
Meanwhile, NikonUSA also has a few refurbished lenses you should know about, particularly these DX ones:
- 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR US$699.95
- 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED VR II US$99.95
- 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR US$179.95
- 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED (no VR) US$129.95
