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Technical Details
- Brand Name: Nikon
- Model: 2203
- Lens Type: normal
- Minimum focal length: 28 millimeters
- Maximum focal length: 28 millimeters
Product Details
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
Compact FX-format f/1.8 wide-angle prime lens
Bring a dramatic wide-angle perspective to your still and HD video shooting. The AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G's fast maximum aperture lets you create in nearly any light—dusk to dawn, indoors or out—and offers outstanding depth-of-field control. Nikon's exclusive Nano Crystal Coat nearly eliminates the ghosting and flare seen with some wide-angle lenses for improved clarity and contrast. Impressive on both FX- and DX-format cameras, the AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G excels with landscapes, architecture, group shots, travel and more.
Sample Photography
Flattering portraits in any light. View larger
Beautiful background blur. View larger
The beauty is in the details. View larger
Features:
Nikon Silent Wave Motor
A significant innovation in AF lens technology, Nikon's Silent Wave Motor uses ultrasonic (inaudible) vibrations—rather than a gear system—to focus the lens, providing incredibly smooth, silent and precise autofocus operation.
M/A Focus Mode Switch
When fine manual focusing is needed, simply rotate the lens focus ring—M/A mode allows you to seamlessly override the AF system with virtually no time lag.
Super Integrated Coating
Nikon's Super Integrated Coating enhances light transmission efficiency and offers superior color consistency and reduced lens flare.
Nano Crystal Coat
An anti-reflective coating developed by Nikon that virtually eliminates internal lens element reflections across a wide range of wavelengths.
Rear Focusing
A system in which only the rear lens group moves during focusing, thus eliminating changes in the physical length of the lens during focusing and enabling faster focusing. Such lenses are designated with RF on the lens barrel.
Lens Construction
Product Description
Bring a dramatic wide-angle perspective to your still and HD video shooting. The AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G’s fast maximum aperture lets you create in nearly any light—dusk to dawn, indoors or out—and offers outstanding depth-of-field control. Nikon’s exclusive Nano Crystal Coat nearly eliminates the ghosting and flare seen with some wide-angle lenses for improved clarity and contrast. Impressive on both FX- and DX-format cameras, the AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G excels with landscapes, architecture, group shots, travel and more.
Available Warranties for This Item
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
133 of 142 people found the following review helpful
By K. Chua
Amazon Verified Purchase
About me: Been an avid photographer for over 20 years... I've used Leica, Nikon, Canon SLR's... currently using Nikon D800, and have recently updated my collection of lens and in particular FX lenses.
I have many Nikkor D lenses and few G lenses, but recently I bought this 28mm f/1.8G and the 28-300mm VR lens. Both of these are FX lenses (for full-frame cameras like D4 and D800/D800E), and they have superb sharpness. I use the 28-300mm for my travels, and it's my all-purpose lens, and I got this 28mm prime in large part to (1) large aperture of f/1.8, and (2) the fast focusing.
With regard to the large aperture, there are two key benefits I was looking forward to have and it did not disappoint. First, it gives a beautiful background blur (bokeh) and was able to isolate subjects with sharp focus while producing a creamy background. However, you cannot expect this lens to produce the same bokeh as that from the 70-200mm f2.8G VRII (which I also own). Again, these lenses have different purposes. I use the 70-200mm for sports and portraits (with subjects far away). This 28mm allows me to stay very close to my subject (e.g. lifestyle shots of kids) to get full body portraits while throwing the backdrop off focus. Compared to the 28-300mm at 28mm, the bokeh of this 28mm prime is much nicer as it have a wider aperture than the zoom. The second key advantage of its f/1.8 is the fact that it really allows to shoot at virtually anywhere in the day (indoor or outdoor), and I still get great shots in evening or dimly lit places with my D800.
With regard to focusing speed, my experience has been predominantly with the D800 - which on its own has improved and very capable focusing. Getting the subject focused is not only fast, but also much more consistent in giving great results (sharp eyes in human subjects). In comparison to my other prime D-type lenses, and the G-type zoom lenses (e.g. 70-200mm, and 28-300mm), the 28mm f/1.8G beats them all.
With regard to image quality and contrast, there has already been many reviews on the edge sharpness of this lens and the quality of it at various apertures. You can refer to those provided by DPReview and ByThom (Thom Hogan) for details, but I would attest that the quality of image produced by this lens is exceptional! However, please note that as with all great lenses, it's important to have good glass in front of them if you intend to put a protective filter in front.
I'll be writing more and perhaps uploading some shots on the bokeh (background blur) if people are interested. If this review is of some help to you, just let me know by clicking the "This is helpful" button, and if there's any areas not covered, feel free to include the comments, and I'll update the review. Thanks for reading.
I have many Nikkor D lenses and few G lenses, but recently I bought this 28mm f/1.8G and the 28-300mm VR lens. Both of these are FX lenses (for full-frame cameras like D4 and D800/D800E), and they have superb sharpness. I use the 28-300mm for my travels, and it's my all-purpose lens, and I got this 28mm prime in large part to (1) large aperture of f/1.8, and (2) the fast focusing.
With regard to the large aperture, there are two key benefits I was looking forward to have and it did not disappoint. First, it gives a beautiful background blur (bokeh) and was able to isolate subjects with sharp focus while producing a creamy background. However, you cannot expect this lens to produce the same bokeh as that from the 70-200mm f2.8G VRII (which I also own). Again, these lenses have different purposes. I use the 70-200mm for sports and portraits (with subjects far away). This 28mm allows me to stay very close to my subject (e.g. lifestyle shots of kids) to get full body portraits while throwing the backdrop off focus. Compared to the 28-300mm at 28mm, the bokeh of this 28mm prime is much nicer as it have a wider aperture than the zoom. The second key advantage of its f/1.8 is the fact that it really allows to shoot at virtually anywhere in the day (indoor or outdoor), and I still get great shots in evening or dimly lit places with my D800.
With regard to focusing speed, my experience has been predominantly with the D800 - which on its own has improved and very capable focusing. Getting the subject focused is not only fast, but also much more consistent in giving great results (sharp eyes in human subjects). In comparison to my other prime D-type lenses, and the G-type zoom lenses (e.g. 70-200mm, and 28-300mm), the 28mm f/1.8G beats them all.
With regard to image quality and contrast, there has already been many reviews on the edge sharpness of this lens and the quality of it at various apertures. You can refer to those provided by DPReview and ByThom (Thom Hogan) for details, but I would attest that the quality of image produced by this lens is exceptional! However, please note that as with all great lenses, it's important to have good glass in front of them if you intend to put a protective filter in front.
I'll be writing more and perhaps uploading some shots on the bokeh (background blur) if people are interested. If this review is of some help to you, just let me know by clicking the "This is helpful" button, and if there's any areas not covered, feel free to include the comments, and I'll update the review. Thanks for reading.
40 of 41 people found the following review helpful
If you go into lightroom you'll see that I have used the 35mm f/2 lens over 50,000 times in the last 5 years. I've rented the 35mm 1.4 for several weddings & now own the 28mm 1.8G. Here is why:
Nikon 28mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR lens
Pros
*Less expensive than the 35mm 1.4
*Excellent clarity and resolving power made for a 36megapixel camera and higher (D800)
*High clarity in high contrast and backlit photos
*Slightly wider than the 35mm
*Distortion controlled enough so that you can use it for portraits if you are careful
*Quickest to focus and lock on out of all the lenses
*Most useable images out of all 3 lenses (due to focus speed)
Cons
*More expensive than the 35mm 2.0
*It's larger than the 35mm 2.0 but the build quality makes it weigh less for it's size. Cheap parts???? It feels cheap in your hand.
*It is 1/2 stop less light than the 1.4 lens (not a huge deal)
Nikon 35mm f/1.4G AF-S FX SWM Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Pros
*This feels like a pro lenses.
*Feels balanced on a D3 or D700
*Great nano coatings that allow for sharp photos in high contrast
*Sharp when in focus
*Most Bokeh (blurry backgrounds, sharp foregrounds)
Cons
*At 1.4 I had a hard time getting this lens to focus perfectly on eyes of people. (yes I do use single focus points)
*Least usable images in a fast working environment. Not a problem in a studio but in the world of photojournalism it is.
*Expensive!
Nikon 35mm f/2D AF Wide-Angle Nikkor Lens for Nikon 35mm and Digital SLR Cameras
Pros
*Decent focus speed
*Least expensive
*Good value
Cons
*Weird contrast issues in high contrast back lit situations
*Sharp but not as sharp as the others when in focus
*Lots of flare (good or bad depending on what you like)
*Old style coatings that don't allow for the same "resolving" power and same clarity
My winner is the 28mm 1.8. That is what I ended up purchasing. I will be selling my 35mm 2 because this lens gets the most usable images from a wedding. As a pro I need the most reliable lens for my work and because this one focuses a bit faster and locks on a bit better it was the perfect choice. There is nothing wrong with the other two lenses, they are all amazing lenses. For a wedding photographer I feel that the 28mm 1.8 lens is the best choice. Lastly the difference between 1.8 and 2.0 is not noticeable.
Nikon 28mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR lens
Pros
*Less expensive than the 35mm 1.4
*Excellent clarity and resolving power made for a 36megapixel camera and higher (D800)
*High clarity in high contrast and backlit photos
*Slightly wider than the 35mm
*Distortion controlled enough so that you can use it for portraits if you are careful
*Quickest to focus and lock on out of all the lenses
*Most useable images out of all 3 lenses (due to focus speed)
Cons
*More expensive than the 35mm 2.0
*It's larger than the 35mm 2.0 but the build quality makes it weigh less for it's size. Cheap parts???? It feels cheap in your hand.
*It is 1/2 stop less light than the 1.4 lens (not a huge deal)
Nikon 35mm f/1.4G AF-S FX SWM Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Pros
*This feels like a pro lenses.
*Feels balanced on a D3 or D700
*Great nano coatings that allow for sharp photos in high contrast
*Sharp when in focus
*Most Bokeh (blurry backgrounds, sharp foregrounds)
Cons
*At 1.4 I had a hard time getting this lens to focus perfectly on eyes of people. (yes I do use single focus points)
*Least usable images in a fast working environment. Not a problem in a studio but in the world of photojournalism it is.
*Expensive!
Nikon 35mm f/2D AF Wide-Angle Nikkor Lens for Nikon 35mm and Digital SLR Cameras
Pros
*Decent focus speed
*Least expensive
*Good value
Cons
*Weird contrast issues in high contrast back lit situations
*Sharp but not as sharp as the others when in focus
*Lots of flare (good or bad depending on what you like)
*Old style coatings that don't allow for the same "resolving" power and same clarity
My winner is the 28mm 1.8. That is what I ended up purchasing. I will be selling my 35mm 2 because this lens gets the most usable images from a wedding. As a pro I need the most reliable lens for my work and because this one focuses a bit faster and locks on a bit better it was the perfect choice. There is nothing wrong with the other two lenses, they are all amazing lenses. For a wedding photographer I feel that the 28mm 1.8 lens is the best choice. Lastly the difference between 1.8 and 2.0 is not noticeable.
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By DaveW
Nikon has done it again! They did it first with the 50mm focal length. They released the more expensive f/1.4 and a year later released the less expensive but much sharper f/1.8G. And in similar fashion this 28mm f/1.8G smokes the very expensive 24mm f/1.4.
Feel - being made of hard plastic, this lens is quite light. Being such a light lens gives it a huge advantage over the 24mm f/1.4G. If you're a tripod photographer, weight may not be an issue for you but if you're like me and have photo shoots that can last 8 to 10 hrs, even a small difference in weight can make or break a long shoot. Would it have been nice if this lens were made of metal? Yeah, I suppose so. But considering how much more a metallic lens body would cost, I'm okay with the plastic. And for those of us with 77mm filters and a 77mm to 67mm step down, it's a perfect fit. Thank you, Nikon!
Auto Focus - Like many of Nikon's newer AF-S lenses, the auto focus is very fast and very quite. The AF-S is a very nice feature and although I have quite a few D lenses, I much prefer the in-lens motor over the in-camera motor.
Optics - Here is where this lens stands out. The optics on the 28mm lens is superb and if you didn't know better, you would swear it was one of Nikon's expensive pro lenses. When compared to the 24mm wide open, the 28mm shows its true colors. While I can't say the 28mm smokes the 24mm, it is easily as good, if not slightly sharper, than the 24mm. The bokeh is beautiful thanks to the rounding of the 7 diaphragm elements in this lens. So instead of getting the geometric octagon bokeh, you get a very pleasing rounded bokeh. In fact, I would go so far as to say this lens produces one of the nicest bokehs of any Nikkor lens. I'm surprised there hasn't been more written about it. This is certainly one of the under played highlights of the 28mm and one that will certainly be a big hit when people start experimenting with this lens.
Overall - Without a doubt, this is one of Nikon's best lenses in the G series. In many ways this is a pro lens hiding in a pro-sumer body with optics that can easily challenge the most expensive of lenses. In a perfect world this lens would be in a metallic body and not cost more. However, given the choice of a more expensive metal, I'll choose the plastic any day of the week. Because the real selling point of this lens is its optics and in this category the 28mm f/1.8G is one of the finest wide angle lens out there. I'm thankful that Nikon uses these lower priced lenses to show off their talent at lens design and once again they've hit a home run. I'm sure over time this lens will take its place among the "must have" lenses in both the pro and the hobbyist's camera bag.
Feel - being made of hard plastic, this lens is quite light. Being such a light lens gives it a huge advantage over the 24mm f/1.4G. If you're a tripod photographer, weight may not be an issue for you but if you're like me and have photo shoots that can last 8 to 10 hrs, even a small difference in weight can make or break a long shoot. Would it have been nice if this lens were made of metal? Yeah, I suppose so. But considering how much more a metallic lens body would cost, I'm okay with the plastic. And for those of us with 77mm filters and a 77mm to 67mm step down, it's a perfect fit. Thank you, Nikon!
Auto Focus - Like many of Nikon's newer AF-S lenses, the auto focus is very fast and very quite. The AF-S is a very nice feature and although I have quite a few D lenses, I much prefer the in-lens motor over the in-camera motor.
Optics - Here is where this lens stands out. The optics on the 28mm lens is superb and if you didn't know better, you would swear it was one of Nikon's expensive pro lenses. When compared to the 24mm wide open, the 28mm shows its true colors. While I can't say the 28mm smokes the 24mm, it is easily as good, if not slightly sharper, than the 24mm. The bokeh is beautiful thanks to the rounding of the 7 diaphragm elements in this lens. So instead of getting the geometric octagon bokeh, you get a very pleasing rounded bokeh. In fact, I would go so far as to say this lens produces one of the nicest bokehs of any Nikkor lens. I'm surprised there hasn't been more written about it. This is certainly one of the under played highlights of the 28mm and one that will certainly be a big hit when people start experimenting with this lens.
Overall - Without a doubt, this is one of Nikon's best lenses in the G series. In many ways this is a pro lens hiding in a pro-sumer body with optics that can easily challenge the most expensive of lenses. In a perfect world this lens would be in a metallic body and not cost more. However, given the choice of a more expensive metal, I'll choose the plastic any day of the week. Because the real selling point of this lens is its optics and in this category the 28mm f/1.8G is one of the finest wide angle lens out there. I'm thankful that Nikon uses these lower priced lenses to show off their talent at lens design and once again they've hit a home run. I'm sure over time this lens will take its place among the "must have" lenses in both the pro and the hobbyist's camera bag.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great on D800
My 24mm f/2.8D does very poorly on the D800 and the new 24mm f/1.4G is too expensive. This lens is fantastic and the price makes it even better.
Published 24 days ago by Pro Photog
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nikon wide angle lens review
I was in need of a new wide angle lens and after reading
other reviews I felt comfortable in buying this lens. Read more
other reviews I felt comfortable in buying this lens. Read more
Published 1 month ago by patrick kennedy
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this lens
This lens is super sharp, quick to focus, and light. I find it on my camera more than any other lens I own.
Published 1 month ago by Brent
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for a wide view.
For the most part it works perfectly. Occasionally it doesn't do well on auto focus. Depends on lighting and distance. In general I enjoy using it.
Published 1 month ago by Jay Eckstein
4.0 out of 5 stars
great lens; easy to work with
The Nikon 28mm f1.8g is a great lens. It is not too heavy and not too light. I bought this lens after being unable to attain sharp enough shots with the nikon 35mm f1.8g lens. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JP02236
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tack sharp at pixel level
I purchased this lens to pair with a Nikon D800. It produces tack sharp, high contrast incredible photos without distortion, chromatic aberration or other optical problems. Read more
Published 1 month ago by kim davidson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Performance But Feels Inexpensive
UPDATE 4/21/2013
First, two stars off for build quality. I'm not talking about the plastic filter threads others complain about, which really is very disappointing to find on... Read more
First, two stars off for build quality. I'm not talking about the plastic filter threads others complain about, which really is very disappointing to find on... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Preston S. Page
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect lens for walk around and especially those who wishes a...
I've had this lens since December 2012 and I've shot couple of events on it.
I personally love this lens and hope that i'm the only one loving it. Read more
I personally love this lens and hope that i'm the only one loving it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by rr
4.0 out of 5 stars
Super Sharp
This Lens should sell for $500. It is very Sharp But has a light plastic feel and it is made in China. If it was solid like my 24-70mm F 2. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Daniel Stehura
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome lens
I have been wanting to get a new wide lens that could perform as good as my 70-200 VRII and that opened up to at least 1.8 I can't afford the 24mm 1. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Scott P. Mccombs
