When do you reach for the Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8?

I've often read/heard that pros do not use mid range zooms. What do you guys think about it? For those of you who owns the Nikkor 24-70mm when do you reach for it?

Thanks,
Bill

Bill,

I use the 24-70 a lot. In fact, its my standard walking around lens on my D3. I use it a lot for landscapes as well as shooting environmental style portraits. I have the 14-24 as well and have found that I often grab for the 24-70 instead of the 14-24, but I think thats more about my style and the landscape I am photographing.

Drew

I used a 16-35 and 70-200 exclusively (Canon) for a while, and for landscapes I still will. But once I got the 24-70mm, day to day imaging is done with that lens most of the time. Vincent Laforet said in an interview that if he had one lens to be stuck with it'd be that. Perfect video lens as well. I admit though, after having the 24-70mm mounted for a while, I yearn for a superwide or a 200mm shot. BTW, I use a full frame jobber.

Let's face it, when we aren't capturing an image of this Creation, we often are shooting our families, etc. The 24-70mm shines there.

I find that I seldom use it. Actually, mine is an older 28-70 f/2.8, but they're practically the same. I shoot 95% landscapes, and I find that I use my 12-24mm the vast majority of the time. I do use the 28-70mm for more intimate landscapes, leafscapes, etc., and for that it does a great job.

I think the tendency to use this lens depends on a number of factors, most notably (a) locale and (b) format (i.e. DX or FX). I didn't own the 24-70/2.8 until I purchased the D700 about 15 months ago. I own the 14-24/2.8 for UWA purposes and the 80-400 for telephoto purposes. When shooting in the Midwest I use the 24-70 more than half the time. When elsewhere (as in the PNW last summer) that percentage slipped a bit; I think it was in use a plurality of the time, but not the majority. The 24-70 is more versatile than my other options; I can go from wide angle (and, again depending on the locale, 24 mm is often wide enough) to a bit more than normal. That covers a lot of ground, I've found, when shooting in cluttered environments, like the forests and riverside canyons that make up a healthy percentage of my Midwest shooting opportunities.

I think what lens you use is entirely determined by what you photo and how you see it. For a long time I didn't carry any mid range lenses much at all. When my subject matter shifted, so did the lenses I used most. I shoot a D300 and use the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8 a lot. I will likely eventually buy a used FX body and then get 24-70mm f2.8, but am in no hurry. Buying more lights will make a much bigger difference for me than a camera change. (I now have seven portable monolights with 8,000 watt seconds power and want to buy two more.) I find that for what I do, an ultrawide zoom and midrange zoom cover about 90% of my needs. I do need the f2.8 though as it helps me to focus in the dark.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/duckgrabber/FlWyeDriftCrop.jpg


Kent in SD

Thank you guys for your time and responses on using the Nikon 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens. It seems like all of you, except Bill, use the mid range zoom quite a bit. Would you elaborate little more about what your subjects are when using the 24-70 mm/l17-55mm lens? Especially for Kerry, what did you photograph while shooting in the Midwest?

Thanks,
Bill

Especially for Kerry, what did you photograph while shooting in the Midwest?

Bill, I'm based in the Midwest so it's where I do the bulk of my shooting. Here are a few samples of images I produced last fall, all shot in Illinois and Indiana, using the 24-70/2.8:

Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5

There are plenty of others; these were just easily accessible. But as you can see, the lens can be used for both wide angle and intimate shots.

Kerry,

Thank you very much for your quick response. From the photos I can see that the lens does cover a lot of grounds. I am convinced that it will be my next lens to purchase.

Bill

Bill, I find the 24-70 most useful when I travel and am not sure what I'll be shooting. For me, it's about the widest I can go and still see what I'm shooting through the viewfinder. All subjects are fair game!

Thank you Catherine. 24 mm is wide enough for me , too. What do you think about the tele side for travel?

Bill