First Impressions: AF Zoom-NIKKOR 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D

AF Zoom-NIKKOR 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D.

Once again, I am blown away by the excellent customer service at KEH Camera with my purchase of a previously-owned AF Zoom-NIKKOR 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D…


The lens arrived properly packed and just days after I ordered it. But to call it used seems unfair, as it is literally in mint condition despite its “EX+” rating. Even the caps (which were included) look new. Sadly, the EX+ wasn’t offered with the dedicated HB-18 lens hood, but no worries, I can order one new from B&H!

When I read about its macro capabilities, that pretty much clinched it for me. This lens focuses close, but when you slide the switch to macro mode (which correctly operates only from 50 to 105mm), it focuses ridiculously close. Although it has what just might be the shortest focus ring travel I’ve ever seen, it’s smooth and direct coupled; the play that you feel is between the ring and autofocus drive mechanism, not the lens barrel itself. Which incidentally is metal. It’s one solid lens with good heft.

As I suspected, this direct-coupling of the focus ring makes the lens quite easy to focus despite its short travel. Autofocus is typically vocal for D lenses, but smooth in this design. There’s actually a hard stop at infinity, and it seems fairly accurate.

My only complaint (and it’s a small one) is that the aperture ring seems a bit “sticky”. Not gummed up mind you, just a little stiff. But it’s not really that much different from my AF 20mm f/2.8 D. Unless I’m using it on the F3, I’ll likely lock it at f/22 and use the command dial on the camera instead.

It was a toss-up between this and the AF 28-70mm D which I wrote about on 4/23. They’re both optically superb, but this one gives me greater reach and as a macro lens gets me to a 1:2 reproduction ratio, which I can increase to 1:1.3 by shooting in DX crop mode. That’s nearly 1:1! Heck, it’ll pay for itself just as a macro lens!

This lens will make a great companion for my N80. It predates that camera by two years, yet lived on one more year past the introduction of the D50. It could easily be a “period” lens for either my N80 or my F3. But I have a feeling it will get most of its use with the D610.

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