In der Spiegelreflex-Digitalfotografie gilt der Umrechnungsfaktor 1,5. Das heisst: 12-24 mm entsprechen 18-36 mm bei analogen Objektiven. Das Nikon-Objektiv bietet also einen Bereich vom sehr starken Weitwinkel (ohne in Effekthascherei eines Fisheye-Objektives, 10-14mm, zu kommen) bis zum leichten Weitwinkel, welches viele Fotografen eher als Normalobjektiv sehen, als ein 50 mm Objektiv. Die Abbildungseigenschaften, sowie die Verarbeitung sind exzellent und der eingebaute Ultra-Schall Motor focussiert sehr präzise und schnell. Interessant ist, das man jederzeit in den Autofocus über den manuellen Scharfeinstellungsring eingreifen kann. Normalerweise muss man hierbei Objektiv und Kamera umstellen.Die grösstmögöiche Blende von 4 ist ausreichend, da man bei Weitwinkelobjektiven eher eine lange Verschlusszeit (Verwacklungsgefahr, Schärfentiefe) einstellen kann, als bei Teleobjektiven. Fazit: Ein rundum geglücktes Objektiv zu einem absolut fairen Preis

Until I finally ponied up the $1k for this lens, the widest glass I had was my Nikkor 20mm f/2.8. With the 1.5 focal length multiplier that is a fact of life with Nikon SLRs, that's the equivalent of a 35mm lens.
I'm old enough to remember when 35mm was considered adequate for a wide angle lens, but no more.
The multiplier takes this lens up to 18mm, which is pretty good. Stick it on my F5 and I can practically see behind myself.
I shoot a lot of editorial stuff for newspapers and this is an excellent up-close storytelling lens. It's sharp and delivers spectacular scenic results when matched with a polarizing filter.
In actual use, my only complaint is that f/4 isn't as fast as I'd like. A minor annoyance and certainly not a deal-breaker.
I'm glad I bought it. It's paid for itself many times over.

I do not know about anyone else but I love this lens. I love landscape photography and this lens is one of the best tools to assist you with taking breath-taking shots that are sharp and beautiful with magnificent distance and depth. This is one of the best tools available to get real wide angle and depth if you are using an DSLR camera.

I performed several days of research before purchasing this lens by surfing the net for reviews and reading articles written by professional photographers. 99% of them gave this lens a very high rating... and after using it myself I can see why. The results of my pictures are worth every hard-earned dollar I spent to buy this lens. I purchased the Nikon D-70 camera and set the intent after spending that much for a camera I deserved great lenses to produce pictures that are inspirational and joyful to view. I am not a professional photographer; I am a serious student of photography who appreciates the art form.

Not everyone will have a need for this lens; however, for those of you who want to expand your tools and you want the best and can afford it, "go for it!'

If you want to read some professional reviews visit Nikonlinks.com and kenrockwell.com

Nikonlinks.com has many professional reviews for lenses in all sizes, it is a great site. Kenrockwell.com has great reviews and much "how-to" guidance for both film and digital photography. Both sites are very, very helpful.

Thanks Amazon.com for another great purchase!

If you want to shoot extreme wide angles on your Nikon digital SLR, you can choose this Nikkor lens, or a similar Sigma lens for 2/3rds the price. Spend the extra money.

The Sigma lens costs you a half an f-stop in speed, about double the weight, and a complete inability to use standard filters. Plus, Sigma's optics just aren't up to Nikon standards. All said and done, the Sigma lens isn't worth the money.

Which brings us to the Nikon lens: Is it worth a grand?

Oh my yes.

First, the cons. If you haven't already standardized on 77mm filters, then you'll have to buy all-new ones to fit this lens. That's an extra expense to keep in mind before you buy. The hood that comes with this lens doesn't snap into place as snug as it should. Getting the lens in and out of your bag, you may find the hood jiggling loose. The dinky built-in flash on Nikon's popular D70 body isn't a good fit with this lens. From about 12-18mm, the flash/lens combination will leave a dark shadow at the bottom of the frame. If you plan on shooting indoors with a flash, plan on using the Nikon SB-600 or -800.

Optically, however, this lens is a dream. Typical wide-angle distortion at the extreme 12mm, but less than you might expect. You might find softness around the edges at 12mm wide-open, but otherwise this is one sharp lens. I recently took it to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs (shooting on a 6.1mpix D70 body), and was shocked at the detail even on not-so-close objects. This lens delivers.

And that's the whole point: It delivers what you can't get anywhere else for DSLR work. For that, most any price is cheap.

I think the pricing on this lens is just obscene. Nikon has a good reason to charge us this much: given the 1.5x crop factor on digital SLRs which effectively has a 1.5x zoom effect on lens focal length, if you need a true wideangle lens, you just have to buy something like this. This lens' 12-24mm is equivalent to a 35mm film camera's 18-36mm focal length, which covers the usual wideangle range.

The lens has all the bells & whistles of a modern Nikon official lens, save for VR (vibration reduction), which isn't necessary on a wideangle anyway. You get internal focusing via a silent ultrasonic motor, extra-low dispersion (ED), and solid construction and excellent optics.

But, for the high price you pay for this, you don't get a macro mode. Nor do you get a fast lens: the maximum aperture is only f4. I thought they should do at least f2.8.

Also, because this lens is designed for the smaller-than-35mm frame size of a d-SLR, whatever goes through the lens ends up in the image frame (i.e., the sensor). Whereas with regular non-DX lenses you get the extra benefit of keeping *only* the center 67% of the scene as seen by the lens and hence getting a sharp picture from corner to corner, the DX lens does not have maximum sharpness at the edges and you may see chromatic abberations as well.

In short, if you want wideangle on a d-SLR that's subject to the 1.5x crop factor, you don't have a choice. Cough up and get this lens. For those of us who didn't get rich by trading Google shares, we can only dream ... and play with this in a camera store. Life's just unfair. (I'm waiting for Tamron or Sigma to come out with a cheaper version of this super-wideangle.)

Get the Tokina 12-24mm f/4 for half the price. It's rated sharper than the Tokina and built like a tank!

I bought this lens for my D70 in 2004. At the time this is the only wide-angle lens for Nikon's DSLR, so I could not evaluate it against the offerings from Tokina, Sigma, or Tamron. However, just because it is more expensive than other brands does not mean it is undeserving of a high rating. The photographic quality is excellent and the build quality is good (even though it's all plastic save the mount). While some feel that F/4 is a bit slow, it's really not an issue with DSLRs at all with high ISO availabilities. Amazingly, this has become my "everyday" lens. You just can't "fake" wide angle views.

Given that there are other choices of lens in this focal length now, you should definitely compare before deciding. However if focus override (a feature of "AF-s") is critical to you, this is your lens.

Yes this lens is expensive!
The good news is that the quality makes this a good value indeed.
I do have some experience with other more cost effective lenses and
the differences make this lens the better buy.
This lens is sharp. Not only in the final processed or printed image but
also when focusing and composing the picture. In particular I noticed that when capturing architectural shots at night time, I was able to see the details of the subject clearly. Nice contrasty colors and sharp detail in the dark areas.
Ok, you might be thinking is it worth the grand in comparison to the
other wide angle zooms that cost less.
I can tell you that I would not even consider the S brand 15-30mm after using it with a 20D. I found that it presented a somewhat diffused
image in the viewfinder and the size was ....was obtrusive in my opinion.
The nikkor 12-24 is built solid. The color rendition, as captured with a D200, is as close to as seen as any equipment I have used. Less lineal distortion than I have seen with other lenses of similiar range as well.
All of this in a surpriseingly compact design.
This is a DX nikkor and therefore a conversion factor of 1.5. changes the actual zoom ratio to an 18-36mm in comparison to a 35mm camera. Mine came with a velvet lens pouch, lense shade, front and rear caps plus a 5 year extended service warranty card.
Nikon service has been first rate as far as I am concerned with a site that is easy to navigate and informative.
Overall my experience with lens is excellent. Like a lot of people, I struggled with that thousand dollor plus purchase price . I mean that just doesn't sound like a purchase that is gonna feel good for the price. Subsequently I looked at it up down and sideways trying to figure out a way to cover these focal lengths. Overall my criteria were performance, quality, price and re-sale value.
Even the day I got it I can't say I felt great spending that kind of money.
It's more like a general feeling of satisfaction comes over you as you use it more and appreciate the size and build quality. Kinda like paying your registration every year, expensive but feels good knowing your good till next year. Besides what choice do you really have?
Now, in retrospect, it was a great buy because the resale value is high and the performance is what you expect from Nikon and the great amount of thought and expertise that went into it's development.
Don't forget that Nikon often builds extra features into products in anticipation of equipment being developed but not yet available for sale! That is a quote from Ken Rockwell who has been a big help in providing information to us all.
Good luck!

As is always the case with Nikon lenses, with this lens, you get what you pay for. It is a masterwork of high end Nikon tech. Silent wave motor for superfast, supersilent autofocus. Lightweight, but strong construction. Super clean, bright glass. This lens is brilliant. Its expensive. It beats the crap out of the budget versions from Tokina and Sigma. Buy it. I bought it 6 months ago, and have no regrets.

I paired this lens up with the Nikon D200 with a Nikon L37c filter and pictures produced are good with balanced color and without any significant distortion. I thought that I would not be able to get used to using a G type lens but I have been able to adapt quite well. Overall, I would recommend this lens although I will miss my old, reliable Nikon 20mm f2.8 prime lens when attached to the N90s body.

I love Nikon lens but this one is a crack in Nikons armour! This is a poorly built plastic lens!, I would only buy this lens if I were a professional and it could be used as a write off on my taxes, I have compared the pic from this lens with the Tokina 12-24 and only blown up to 100 percent can you notice a difference and it is very small! Buy the Tokina it is a well built lens with great optics!

This wide angle lens is excellent for landscape and architecture. Yes it is less than perfect but unless you're going for medium or large format photography it can't get much better than this lens at this zoom range. Canon 10-22 mm has less distortion and lower price but unfortunately it doesn't fit in my cameras.

The plastic construction of this lens doesn't look or feel as solid as 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor but you'll be able to go further taking many pictures, not with the other pig. The auto focus is silent and super fast that can switch to manual instantly by grabbing and rotating the focus ring thanks to M/A mode. It uses 77mm filters so you'll pay more over smaller filters.

The picture quality varies slightly, as most of zoom lens do, depending on the focal length. Unless you're planning to shoot test charts all day, this lens will give you very satisfying results even with architecture shots. I found the least barrel distortion at 18 mm, so you can use this setting if you must to take a perfect shot of a building. Most of other distortions are within acceptable range but if you must take every shots to be perfect you can correct them using Photoshop. Personally, I only edit the pictures once to put my name. Photography is art, not some technical challenge.

You can use this lens on 35 mm film camera as 18-24 mm lens without vignetting provided you don't mount any filters. On a digital camera I've stacked 2 filters (5mm and 3mm) without any problems.

If you already have Nikon cameras and you're looking for a lens for field trips go for it!

This lens is the same as 20mm on a 35mm camera. It works great with my D200 camera. I shoot at sporting events where close is all I have.

With all the reviews available for products these days you could spend countless hours trying to figure out which product is right for you. I do not judge or buy camera gear based upon some contrived lab test or a technician's evaluation.

To rate camera equipment I take it into the field and use it. If I like the results and the pictures look good I keep it, if not I return it. It's that simple.

I buy and rate equipment based on whether it a useful tool to me personally. I like to shoot landscapes and my gear spends most of its life outside in the elements. This lens has a plastic barrel, bravo! I prefer this lenses plastic barrel over a pro, metal barrel as it keeps the weight down and spares precious ounces in my backpack and handles easier. This lens is everything I hoped for and more. If you can afford it, buy it with no regrets and never look back.

This lens reproduces colors accurately and is incredibly sharp given its focal length. Optically, this lens appears to be on par with Nikon's legendary, but heavy, pro 17-35 f 2.8, which I have used with my Nikon film SLRs for years. My Nikon 17-35 will now go live with my F100 and the 12-24 will stay affixed to my Nikon DSLRs. Buy this lens over the equivalent: Tokina, Tamron and Sigma if you can afford it or if optical quality in your top priority. If cost is a significant consideration, then get the Tokina at around $500, pocket the savings and go out and take more pictures.

Enjoy!

I went ahead and spent the extra $500 bucks based on the Nikon reputation for a reliable quality product which could be used in the field for years to come. After a little over 6 months of pampered use, the autofocus on this lens just stopped working altogether for no apparent reason. Being the first Nikon product I have owned, I am not impressed. The image quality however was satisfactory. To make things worse, the lens is only worth $500 dollars on the used market, even in like new- to excellent+ condition and even after getting the autofocus fixed under warranty. 50% of the original value after only 6 months of use. Thats poor value. Don't waste your money, get a Tokina or Sigma instead.

One of the best lens for lanscape and confining spaces were you need to get all in. Extremely sharp lens and extreme depth of field.

I went ahead and spent the extra $500 bucks based on the Nikon reputation for a reliable quality product which could be used in the field for years to come. After a little over 6 months of pampered use, the autofocus on this lens just stopped working altogether for no apparent reason. Being the first Nikon product I have owned, I was not impressed. The image quality however was quite nice and very wide at 12mm. I never experienced any vignetting, but lots of flare when pointed anywhere near the sun. I got the auto focus fixed under warranty and ended up trading it in for a little over $500 dollars considered in EX+ condition. So I'm learning. I'm done wasting my money on overpriced equipment. Unless you are independently wealthy or get free gear from Nikon I would get a Tokina or Sigma instead. If anything good comes out of this, it is that I used this lens in trade toward a Mamiya RB67 body and back, which looks like is going to be a lot of fun :) enjoy.

Since the folks above have pretty much said it all, I'll add that if you are serious about wide-angle photography, this is your lens. I support the assertion that this is a good replacement for the 20mm 2.0 manual lens (as I still use mine with my F3 sometimes).

I'll offer that if you are averse to spending the money, the other options are there but I have been disappointed every time since my manual SLR days when I have been talked into buying another make of lens for the Nikon and will not ever do it again. The DX lenses are specifically designed to integrate with the Nikon bodies (yes, I know that others say that they integrate as well but they simply don't).

If you can't afford it right now, save up. You won't be sorry.

This lens was highly rated by all the reviews I read. The focal range is great for interior shots as well as landscape photography. This lens is a must take for any travel or vacation trips; one lense does the job of two or more primes. Cost more than it's competition, well built, great performer, if you can afford it, it is worth the money.

I just took my new lens on a trip to San Francisco. I was very happy with the results. To judge the photos yourself, search for me on Flickr (Amazon doesn't allow URLs in reviews... :-p).

I recently got this super-wide zoom and contrary to some critics, it is quite sharp. There is essentially no distortion from 14mm up. Compared to the best I could do with the Nikon 18-70, there is no comparison, there is no distortion at 18mm and it is should I say it again, "super sharp". This lens is so wide, that you have to pay careful attention to what it includes in the image. It "sees" so much more than the human eye that you have to pan back and forth before framing in the viewfinder. It seems to bend light in the way that it transforms the relationship of objects that appear to be close together as they are simultaneously pulled closer but your vantage point is as if you had taken several steps back. I will need to spend some time getting used to the perspective.

It is hard to compose an image wider than 14mm that does not include something that I would crop out later (I have shot the same scene at 12 and 14 and usually prefer the 14), so I am not sure that I am missing anything compared to the wider Sigma.

This is an exceptional wide angle zoom lens. It doesn't offer the ultrawide action of a fish-eye but, once you start using it, it's a great everyday tool. A couple of points: the clip-on shield makes the lens physicallly wide and, even without this, the lens is large enough to impair performance when used with the in-camera flash (casting a shadow on one side of the image) - hence only 4 stars. Altogether obviously expensive, but if you like wide angle images, then the results to date make this a great addition to my D200 kit.

I bought this lens after much research and procrastination, it was expensive. I used it with my D80 and took several shots at with it over a weekend. The exposures were perfectly exposed,contrasty and saturated but simply NOT SHARP. Maybe it was the particular copy of the lens I got. I was disappointed and returned it. If you think you want this lens, carefully examine the return policy of the company you purchase it from, if it's not from Amazon. Some of the Amazon retail sellers have a restocking fee of 15%. At approximately $900, the restocking fee will cost you a hefty $135 plus shipping if you change your mind.

der überarbeitet werden sollte: Dieses Objektiv war das erste von Nikon exklusiv für die Nikon-typischen APS-C-Sensoren gerechnete DX-Objektiv.

Zweifelsohne gelingen mit diesem Objektiv (18 - 36 mm Kleinbild-Äquivalent) beeindruckende Bilder, viele meiner Lieblingsaufnahmen habe ich damit gemacht. Auch bei diesem Objektiv hilft DxO, Verzeichnungen und Vignetierungen rauszurechnen, die Ergebnisse sind überzeugend. Mit diesem Objektiv gelingen Ihnen ohne weiteres Aufnahmen für die Titelseiten (bzw. Doppelseiten) der üblichen Bilder-Journale, auch nahezu jeden Fotowettbewerb können Sie damit gewinnen.

Nur gilt auch hier: Das Bessere ist des Guten Feind. Alternativen gibt es aus zwei Richtungen: Das Tokina 12-24 mm (Korrekturmodul von DxO verfügbar) ist bei etwa halbem Preis erwähnenswert besser; das Sigma 10 - 20mm (Korrekturmodul von DxO verfügbar) verfügt bei etwa halbem Preis über einen deutlich grösseren Bildwinkel (15 mm Kleinbild-Äquivalent gegenüber den 18 mm des Nikons). Ich bevorzuge inzwischen das Sigma trotz etwas geringerer Lichtstärke.

Fazit: Ein in die Jahre gekommener Klassiker, nur noch für hard-core-Nikon-Aficionados; es gibt preiswertere Alterantiven von Drittherstellern.

The lens is sharp enough, but for this price it should have been f/2.8. I use it frequently and have had no problems with it.

Dieses DX Nikkor ist definitv mein Lieblingsobjektiv an der D200, ca. die Hälfte der Aufnahmen mache ich damit, bin halt ein richtiger Superweitwinkelfan. Gerade bei kürzesten Brennweite treten aber die typischen Schwächen eines Superweitwinkel unübersehbar auf: Farbsäume an den Kanten und tonnenförmige Verzeichnung. Die Abschattung in den Ecken fällt dagegen kaum auf. Programme für die Korrektur gibt es genug dafür. Gelegentlich liest man, das dieses Objektiv zu "weiche" Bilder liefert, ich persönlich konnte das so noch nicht feststellen, liegt vielleicht auch an den persönlichen Vorlieben, Auflösung und Detailwiedergabe sind jedenfalls als sehr gut zu bezeichnen, auch die Verarbeitungsqualität der Kunststoffassung ist 1a. Nachtaufnahmen bei offener Blende, 1/30 Sek. und ISO 1600 aus der Hand gelingen damit sehr gut. Vergleiche mit den Linsen der Drittanbieter kann ich aber nicht machen, da ich diese nicht besitze. Das Tokina erscheint mir aber als eine ernsthafte Alternative für Amateure mit knapper Kasse zu sein. Wer jetzt mit dem neuen Nikkor 2,8/14-24 liebäugelt, sollte bedenken das es "dank" der einen Blendenstufe mehr Licht auch größer, schwerer und teuerer ist als das 4/12-24. Weiterhin fehlen dem neuen gerade am kurzen Ende zwei Millimeter Brennweite. Bei einer Kamera mit DX-Sensor bedeutet das statt umgerechnet 18mm nur 21mm - also entschieden weniger Weitwinkel. Das 2,8er kann seinen Vorteil erst richtig an einer Kamera mit Vollformatsensor ausspielen. Wer also auf absehbare Zeit beim DX-Format bleibt, sollte sich das AF-S DX 4/12-24 ruhig mal näher ansehen, da es inzwischen auch schon für einen dreistelligen Eurobetrag angeboten wird und man dafür ein sehr gutes Objektiv für den Weitwinkelbereich erhält.

Mein Profil: freischaffender Fotograf - Nikon D200
Spezialgebiete: Portrait - Natur - Tier -Eventfotografie

-technische Daten des Objektives möchte ich hier nicht nennen, dafür die Test in meinen Spezialgebieten.
-auch den Umrechnungsfaktor von 1,5 halt ich für nicht ganz richtig.
-viel wichtiger ist der Bildwinkel und der fängt bei 99 Grad an
-Profis kaufen Ihre Objektive sowieso nach den Bildwinkel den sie für Ihre Gebiete benötigen
-auch der Vergleich mit anderen Herstellern hinkt etwas - denn das Nikkor ist voll kompatibel mit Nikon dank aller Übertragungskontakte zur Kamera.
-bei anderen Herstellern fehlen wichtige Übertragungsdetails, z.B:vollautomatische Blitzsteuerrung, Dateneinblendung bei RAW Format.....

Plus des Objektives
*extrem scharfe Abbildungsleistung
*super Weitwinkel ohne Fishey Effekt
*Weitwinkel bis leichtes Normalobjektiv an Nikon D Kameras
*Portraitobjektiv bei 18-24 sehr gut, sollte aber um 2 Stufen abgeblendet werden und ein Weichzeichner benutzt werden, ist bei Portrait empfgehlenswert, mit jeden Objektiv
*Tierfotografie wenn man nah genug herankommt - dann ein wundervoll jedes Detail abbildendes Objektiv
*Hochzeitsfotografie exzellent:
-man bekommt alles drauf ohne große Verzeichnungen;
-mit 24 in Räumen bedingungslos einsetzbar
-Blende 4 super einsetzbar in Räumen - oft ohne Blitz!!!
-voll kompatibel mit Blitz SB-600 / SB-800
*Naturfotografie für Landschaften - erspart das Panorame bearbeiten

Negativpunkte des Objektiv
*ohne Köcher geliefert - nicht mal ein Schutzbeutel

Dieser Punkt ist aber nicht relevant für die Fotografie sondern sollte bei den Preis einfach dabei sein

trotz des Preises besser wie die Konkurenz da alle 10 Übertragungskontakte vorhanden sind

It was really difficult to decide if It was really worth the 1 grand tag price for this lens, since there are viable options at half the price.

Well, I couraged up, and made the order.. my only comment is WOW WOW WOW!!!!!

This is an incredible lens!! I own a 18-200VR, a 35mm f.2, and a 18-70 ( All are DX) on a D70 (a D300 on the way, ordered in adorama since amazon isn't accepting more orders at the moment) , and this 12-24, quality wise, just blows out any of my previous lenses!! Color accuracy, saturation, clarity, sharpness and build construction are in the WOW category!!! real masterpiece

I've had the 12-24 for a month now, and it remais glued to my camera!!! The 18-200 has been sitting on a lowepro bag waiting for action, but, quite simply, the 12-24 is such such a piece, that it won't be coming off the D70 for quite a while..

I have not had the chance to try the Tokina, sigma and tamron equivalents, so I can't make a sustained comparison, however, I can tell you this: If you got the money and have ample use for an ultra wide, then go for the Nikon with eyes wide shut!! If not, then I'd go for the Tokina (Check out Ken Rockwell's comparison on this lenses, very helpfull)

Is it worth it???? ABSOLUTELLY!!!

Other reviewers have said it all, so I'll just trow in my two cents.

This is an awe-inspiring lens, hands down. You will not be sorry that you spent the money. Also, for anyone considering a non-Nikon equivalent: the reason people buy Nikon cameras is so they can use lenses like this. Don't skimp and you wont be sorry.

There is noticeable barrel distortion at the edges on the wide end but this can be corrected in Photoshop. The build feels solid and it has some weight to it so it can get tiring carrying it around all day. If you need to use a flash you will need a speedlight. An on camera flash will cast a shadow at the bottom of the image most noticeable at 12mm.

Despite that, this lens is my favorite. It is nice and sharp, especially around f/8. AF-S is fast and silent and the manual focus override is nice. The focus ring is behind the zoom ring. It will focus fairly close although it doesn't necessarily look that close in the viewfinder @ 12mm. Make sure to look up every once in a while before you run into your subject! I use a 77mm Hoya UV filter and have had no problems with vignetting @ 12mm. Get the thinnest filters you can to be safe. A circular polarizer is probably not a great idea with this lens because of the thickness and, you may get weird results on the wide end.

This is a great wide angle lens for the DX format, a bit pricey but worth it if you like to shoot wide angles. I know I do!

I bought this lens from B&H two weeks ago. I returned it yesterday.

First off, the lens is not cheap. $920, as of today, seems to be the best price around for the USA model. For $920 you get a plastic body, F4, and a lens that performs it's best at the long end.

I used to own a consumer grade 18-200. The 12-24's plastic body somehow feels "better" than the plastic on the consumer grade lenses. The zoom ring has two nice solid clicks at 12 and 24. The focus ring is not bad either...much better than the 18-200 focus ring which for some reason I always thought was going to snap one day.

This is a wide angle lens so 2.8 is really not an issue but F4 for $920 is pushing it especially considering the competitors are almost 50% less.

I don't know about you but I bought the lens to go ultrawide. I already have a 17-55 so I was hoping the 12-24 to perform quite well at 12mm. Center sharpness at 12mm is excellent. The corners at 12mm really do look soft when you view your images at 100%. You can help the situation by stopping down to f8 but I would really like to shoot this lens wide open. I took this lens to Liberty State Park and I also shot a birthday party with it. My prints look great. Center sharpness is excellent and the colors seem to jump out at you. I never found CA's to be a problem. at 12mm in certain images, I can see them. This lens will also flare when you have the sun shining directly at you. Oddly, I took a picture of my car with the sun all the way in the corner and it didn't even make it into the scene and I got some nasty flare on the opposite corner in the shadows of my car front bumper.

I'm not a pro only a well-seasoned hobbyist so money is a major issue as I don't have lots of opportunities to make money with my equipment. If you are not making money off of your equipment, I would say skip this lens and go with the Tokina which a lot of people seem to buy or the Sigma if you want to really go ultrawide. 10mm and 12mm is a HUGE difference. I plan on going this route.

This lens has the gold ring so it is considered a pro lens. It just does not have the feel of the Nikon 17-55, my 70-200 or my 35-70. Usually with most of my purchases I never look back. For some reason, I always regretted this lens since the day I bought it. My reason was price/performance ratio. This is why I sold it.

Regarding re-sale value, Nikon lenses will hold more value compared to off brands. But with the introduction of the FX sensor, I don't know what the future of the DX sensor will be. 10 years from now will this lens be worth even $700? I think most pro's have dumped this lens for a D3 and 14-24.

These are all things to consider before making this specific purchase.

This lens is the best!!!! It is definitely worth the money. I'm relatively new to digital SLR, but I do interior design and mural painting and have to do all my own photography, marketing, advetising, etc. I used this lens on the D80 and my photos will stand up to any professional. I can use them enlarged for portfolio work, brochures and anything else. The lens takes incredible wide angle shots with no distortion at the edges. Even with my limited camera knowledge and auto settings, I'm amazed at the quality every time I use it.

A friend suggested I get this wide angle lens for my D40. At first I was reluctant because of the price. I'm glad I took his advice however. I've taken about 600 shots on this lens so far, and every one of them is clean. Zero blurry or fuzzy or vignetted shots.

The color is excellent, and 12mm is wide enough to have some serious wide angle fun. The lens has not gotten in the way of taking crazy shots.

I was hesitating between the sigma 10-24mm and this lens. There is a big difference in price but after reading all the Amazon reviews and some more I decided to go for the Nikon. I own a Nikon D200 and have the 18-200mm VR lens, the 80-400mm Nikon VR lens and the Sigma 105mm macro lens. Talking about optics I can not complain about the sigma macro lens but talking about look and performans I really prefer Nikon lenses. This wideangle zoom lens I consider was the lens I was missing to have a complete set of shooting options. It feels good, looks good and most important of all it performs outstanding.

This is an excellent lens. Well-built and sharp. HOWEVER, so is the Tokina version at half the price. I tested both and couldn't tell the difference in the images. Used the other $500 for something else.

I've always wanted this lens and finally broke down and bought it. It is now my favorite lens for my D300. Sharp pictures, excellent contrast and colors. Wish I had bought this sooner. Fantastic for indoor pics with an SB400 bounce flash.

I selected this lens after reviewing this, Sigma, Tokina, and other's wide-angle zooms. I am so happy with this lens so far, and, for the money, feel like I made the right choice. The glass is very sharp corner-to-corner, and focusing is quick and silent. I do a lot of home interiors, and landscape, so this lens really fits the bill.