Customer Reviews

Nikon 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G Autofocus Nikkor Zoom Lens (Black)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This Nikkor lens is a little secret... ok, not really, since it was packaged with a very popular selling Nikon DSLR, but the standard view is that it is merely a kit lens. The big secret is that this former kit lens has staying power. First, the bad, it is all plastic, pretty slow at the long end, and is prone to flares. Now, the good, it is remarkably fast for a kit at the wide end, relatively sharp, and a good all around performer. When you throw in its used price to the mix, the 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G is a great value, and an excellent walk-around lens. On that note, if you have read the rest of my lens reviews, then you should know that the lenses that are most typically on my cameras when I am out and about for myself are: for older film, the Nikkor 35-135mm or the Nikkor 50mm; for newer film and digital, the Nikkor 50mm or the lens in this article. I am so comfortable shooting this lens that it is one of the two lenses that I took with me to shoot behind the scenes at St. Louis Fashion Week! Plus, this lens is fully compatible with the Nikon sb-400 Speedlight (barrel shadow is a non-issue; even at 80mm!).

If you are looking for a good-performing, used gem to add to your line-up, look no further. This lens is a consistent over-performer in an under-appreciated bracket.

This is what I condsider my "base" lens. If I grab my D50 and run out the door with just one lens, this is it. Most of my picture taking happens with this lens. Picture quality has been very acceptable. This is not a macro lens but I have been able to get closer to things than I expected. The lens is small, light, and focus is fast and precise. Well worth the low cost.

This lens for its price is beyond expectation. Good clean sharp photos.
I use it for a portrait lens and carry it on my camera at all times.
This lens is as sharp as my Nikkor 18-70mm kit lens.

Cheapest and Best mid-range lens for any full frame camera. When I use a mid-range zoom with my D700, I use the cheap plastic 28-80 G if I want super sharp results, great macro and instant auto focus (faster than the 24-120 VR).

This was bought as an exact replacement of the lens that came with my mom's Nikon D50. Somehow, she or one of my sisters broke a piece off of the original to where it wouldn't stay attached to the camera, so I found this lens for her. It isn't the fastest, but the pictures are clear and crisp. 28-80mm is a good range for versatility at family functions or any situation where you need to take a lot of pictures in different settings and don't have time to be changing out lenses. It's definitely worth the $60 (including shipping), unless you're doing some high end professional jobs, or if you just have that discerning eye, in which case you wouldn't be reading this post anyway, you would have skipped this lens altogether. All in all, for what it is, it's definitely worth the money. If you want something a little faster, look for an f/2.8 or smaller. When you see 2 numbers after the f/, that means it's variable and you lose speed when you zoom in on something. A highly recommended lens, in my opinion, is the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8. It's a fixed lens, meaning you can't zoom, but you can capture some beautiful images once you get used to it.

I obtained one of these to use on my N80. It received a favorable review from Ken Rockwell, and it is cheap (~$100 USD used)and seems to take great pictures. It seemed to work great, I used it on my D90 as well just to test it out without wasting film, and loved the results. It takes a bit of getting used to compared to my other AF G lenses that do not have a moving focusing ring, and have their own focusing motor. The other day I accidentally pulled on the focusing ring and it made a snap. It was stuck on 28mm and would not zoom. Focusing sounded awful. Since the lens had no warranty, I figured that I would give a shot at lens repair. I figured I knocked the end of the lens out of its tracks for focusing and or zoom. It took about 2 hours, but I was able to take it apart (in about 30 pieces), diagnose the problem, and reassemble it. Be advised you should be fairly mechanically inclined before undertaking this. I was glad I had my Nikon lens pen to clean the elements inside after I had them in place (I should have gotten some latex gloves before starting.) It still works like a champ, however, be very careful of the focusing ring as it is fairly fragile.

I got this lens about two years ago with my Nikon N65 body. This is a great lens. All plastic build, I believe, but it definately gets the job done. It covers a good range. Picture quality is ridiculously good. Almost as sharp as my 50mm 1.8 Nikkor. The AF is slightly noisy and hunts a little in low light, but is generally very good and spot-on. Colors are great and contrasty. Works wonderfully on my D90. Great little lens. For the price, its a great lens.

Have worked with Nikon Nikkor lenses for many years; this lense is awesome. If you are looking for professional results, then this is the "glass" for you. Excellent for portraits; just about any photography event you're tasked to fulfill. Cherish it and keep it well maintained by having it professionally serviced/cleaned on a regular basis. Truly a versatile Nikon lense.

I use this lens with my N50 and N70 SLRs and get decent results. Not a perfect lens but good enough and a decent focal range for an SLR. Not near wide enough to use on my D50, though, as it starts off at 42mm eq.

I wanted a light lens for for weddings and such I feel this lens fills that void in my case nicely. Build quality is to be expected of a lens this price but I wasn't expecting the great clarity. The pictures that I'm getting are very sharp on my D80.