Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 10-24mm f3.5-4.5G ED

Nikon’s 10-24mm DX G lens, their newest ultra-wide angle (UWA) lens and the new UWA of choice for DX system users, was a somewhat odd announcement a few months ago,and today it finds itself having been reviewed by SLRGear.

The conclusions? In general, the lens is very sharp throughout the zoom range, and appears to be sharper stopped down a stop or two, as is usual for Nikon (notice I say sharper, the lens is no slouch wide-open). The middle range of the zoom suffers a bit, as is typical for UWA zooms, but at either extreme the lens performs quite admirably in the center of the frame.

Ultra-wide angles like this one (equivalent to about 16-39mm for those of you used to 35mm terms) are good for landscapes and certain architectural applications (I say certain because some funny perspective work is unavoidable at these focal lengths without tilt or shift mechanisms), and are becoming increasingly popular among younger photographers for ‘edgy’ portrait work (they’re good for rock band portraits).

DX means, of course, that this lens is specifically designed for Nikon’s crop bodies, and you full-frame users will have to take a resolution hit if you use it, so it’s probably not the top pick for you. For those of you commited to DX, this is about the best bet running once you need this kind of width.

Buy one here.