Nikkor AF-Zoom 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5
As someone put it, this is "Mercedes makes Corolla". This lens is Nikon's offering to
compete with third party lenses. It is among the first bunch of Nikkor AF lenses, as
indicated by the rotating type "smallest aperture lock". It features standard AF lens
construction (as compared to all-plastic new version), decent aperture, and yet
inexpensive. It was sold new at around $100, but has long been discontinued. The
successor is the metal version of AF-Zoom 35-80mm f/4-5.6D, which is a half stop
slower through out. Then that metal version was discontinued too, replaced by the
current all-plastic version.
The lens has a small focusing ring about 5mm thick; marked focal lengths
are 35mm, 50mm and 70mm; apertures ranges from 3.3 to 22, full stop clicks and at
f/3.3; maximum aperture at 50mm is about 3.9; has depth-of-field window; closest
focus distance: 0.5 m in normal range, and about 0.34m in macro range, but
continuously AF-able; size: 69.5mm (dia) x 59mm; full range focusing travel angle
about 100 degree; filter thread: 52mm, rotating during focusing; takes screw-in hood
HN-2.
First impression: solid and light-weight, and a impressive size. So far I've
only taken one test shot with the lens at focal length of 70mm and f/11 (marked f/8).
It appears that it exhibits a slight pincushion type linear distortion. The overall image
sharpness is OK, but one par from Nikkor AF-Zoom 80-200/2.8
ED at 80mm, which is of the worst performance of the fabulous zoom in my
opinion/observation. Contrast is also slightly low.
I'd like to make a more complete test some day.
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Last updated: August 25, 1997.