AF-S DX NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Absolutely excellent Nikon product. Though a DX lens this single lens is built like a tank! Crystal clear shots on my D500 to the point it actually rivals my D780! I cannot say that about any other crop lens I’ve ever used. It is to a crop sensor camera what the 14-24mm f/2.8 is to the FX world. And FINALLY a lens thru Amazon packaged to survive the IS Mail system. One of ONLY 6 lenses now!

The lenses I've owned in similar ranges are the Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 and the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8. Comparing this lens to the 18-70mm is probably a bit unfair, so I won't mention it again. However, there are many people looking for alternatives and the Tamron 17-50mm is as close as it gets so I'll base this review as a comparison to the Tamron. Having owned the Tamron for a few weeks before offing it, I can tell you this. If you're looking for a lens that equally matches or even exceeds the 17-55mm in terms of image quality, then by all means, go for the Tamron. Equality pretty much ends there.The advantages of the Nikon 17-55mm are the following:BUILD QUALITY - You immediately notice the build quality as soon as you handle and inspect the 17-55mm. It's encased in metal and nicely sealed so dust, moisture (which leads to fungus) will hopefully be minimized. "Built like a tank" is a good cliche.FAST FOCUS - The Silent Wave Motor is not only fast, but extremely quiet.SHARP WIDE OPEN - Using an aperture of f/2.8, this lens is very usable. Another advantage is that is focuses more accurately in low light. This is an aspect that was inferior in the Tamron.COLOR RENDITION - I've found colors out of the lens are very satisfying with little need to "tweak" during post processing. The Tamron had a warmer color, but this may vary among copies.MINIMAL CA - CA didn't bother me much in the Tamron, but it's much more controlled on the 17-55mm, especially wide open.BETTER QUALITY CONTROL - This was the deal breaker with the Tamron. I received a copy that overexposed which is in line with the experiences of many people with that particular lens. Although sample variance exists with Nikon, it's much more controlled.SIZE/WEIGHT/BALANCE - Some people mention this lens is too bulky and heavy. I find the size and weight actually helpful and helps balance and control on the majority of camera bodies.The 17-55mm doesn't have any major flaws for me. I'm not a professional nor am I a pixel peeper. I'm just an enthusiast that likes good image quality. However, if I were to knit pick, here are the flaws:SMALL ZOOM RING - It's annoyingly small at first, but you get used to it.FLARES EASILY - Point it at a light source directly or even indirectly and this lens has a propensity to flare. You can certainly use the massive hood to mitigate flare.DISTORTION AT WIDE END - Some say the distortion at the wide end makes this lens unusable for landscape/architecture work. If you're looking for a lens specifically for that task, you may want to consider a true wide angle lens like the 12-24mm or 14-24mm or go Sigma 10-20mm. However, I find this lens quite usable at the wide end.One peculiarity with the 17-55mm is that it's at its shortest length almost fully zoomed at around 45mm and longest and fully extended at 17mm. I found this amusing since I haven't experienced other lenses with this characteristic.In my research, I also considered the new Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8. This lens should definitely be on your list because it offers the latest technology and it's a full frame (FX) lens. I ruled it out because it's not only $500 more than the 17-55mm, but also because it's not wide enough for my purposes. Also, I happen to be under the opinion that DX has at least a few more years before it becomes obsoleted/deprecated by FX. People are beginning to recommend against investing in DX lenses, but IMHO, affordable full frame bodies are years away.Ultimately, I selected the Nikkor 17-55mm over the Tamron 17-50mm because of its superior usability wide open. The hit on my pocketbook was rather significant, but I have no regrets of getting such a excellent lens with a great usable range. If Nikon ever added VR to this lens, then it would be a dream come true. I state this because I often need to use a shutter speed of 1/30 or slower when shooting in low light and I rarely use a tripod. VR would come in extremely handy in this situation to prevent camera shake.I highly recommend this lens. It's on my camera 9 times out of 10. Okay, I'll stop now.

This is the first lens I purchased for my Nikon D7000 and I think that it may have skewed my expectations - after using this lens, all of the other Nikon DX lenses seem to pale in comparison.The Good:-------------------Make no mistake about it, this is a pro-grade lens and you will probably get the most out of it on Nikon's only "pro grade" DX camera, the D7000. It will work on just about all of the other camera bodies, however. It's body is made out of metal and its constant f/2.8 means great performance across its range of focal lengths even in dim lighting.On a DX camera you're getting 26mm to 83mm and everything in between, so with this one lens you can effectively handle most photographic work. I like this aspect from a business standpoint, because can go to the long end for excellent portraits or the short end for excellent wide-angle shots. This lens effectively replaces a bag of primes and I can confidently say it performs BETTER than the other primes available for DX cameras; it's basically an FX lens downsized to the DX format and quality was not sacrificed.Taking pictures with this lens will really unleash the potential of your D7000, but it will have the nasty side effect of making all of your other lenses look bad. I have completed a couple shoots using this lens and the results were night-and-day with other DX options, namely the 35mm f/1.8G (about 53mm on full-frame cameras). In all lighting conditions the results were substantially better with the 17-55mm lens, and considering the focal ranges it covers as well as its quality, the price is justifiable.The Bad:-------------------It's freakin heavy! The 17-55 weighs in just under 2 lbs and that bulk seems to get heavier if you have to carry it around your neck for any extended period of time...though to be honest it's not as bad as I thought it would be - just make sure you get a quality padded camera strap like the one made by OP-TECH.It's BIG so it will partially block the AF assist light on the D7000 when you are not using the included hood, and when you do use the hood it blocks the AF assist light almost entirely.The big size also interferes with the D7000's built in flash, causing a shadow to appear on the lower half of your shots...if you want to use a flash, you'll need to go with a dedicated unit.Expensive in relation to other DX lenses, but then again it's the only DX-specific lens that isn't a hunk of junk.Its constant f/2.8 speed makes it versatile enough to be usable in poor lighting, but it's not ideal for "flashless" low light photography.Y u no have nano crystal coating!?How I use it:-------------------I love this lens for model shoots and portraits, but it also does well with anything that does not require super zoom or ultra-wide angle. I am a fan of available light and prefer to make the subject work within the scene rather than making a scene for the subject...like a challenge, if you will. The Lumix GH2 camera that I have been using before the D7000 delivered impressive results with its 25mm Leica lens and its 14-140mm Zoom - but the D7000 with the 17-55mm stepped my game up from "hi I'm a freelance picture guy with a camera" to more of a pro-level "take a number and wait your turn" kinda photographer. In other words, the pictures it is capable of taking sell themselves and then some!Recommendation:-------------------If you enjoy taking pictures in the 17-55mm focal length range on a DX camera, this is the best lens you can get for that purpose. The quality you get with this lens is generally better than what you get from the primes of the same focal length. If you're strapped for cash you could consider renting one of these from a local camera shop to get a feel for it, otherwise get it and make sure you have a decent camera too.

I'm a professional theatrical/entertainment photographer, so I have to be really flexible with my movements and the types of shots I get. I wanted a lens with a wide aperture so I could blur backgrounds when necessary, even in zoom (55mm), and this did not disappoint. I can zoom out at 17mm and easily zoom in at 55mm in an instant. The lens itself was bought used, so it has some light internal motor noise when focusing, but that's what you get buying used. However, the seller did package it very well and it was very cushioned in the box when it arrived.