Been shooting with the 35-70 f/2.8 AF-D for two years now! So many thanks for this informative ''validation'' of a decision made after months of in-depth research. This Nikkor model actually supersedes its successor - the inimitable 24-70 f/2.8 AF. Not so much its Technical features, for sure, but more so, its superlative Artistic Qualities have remained more than magical.
That is the perfect description if this lens. I love the old girl and have taken MANY photos with one of these. Thank you for the feedback too, I really appreciate it. 👍📸
This has been my main for a year now. When my D7200 died, crushed by my Sigma 150-600 Sport in a tripod accident, I stepped into the Z6 II but was disappointed to find my Nikkor 35-70 didn't auto focus. However It's so easy to focus it stays mounted on my Z and remains my main. Just need to make sure I have my glasses on! I have noticed the reticle tells you if you're in focus which is helpful. Anyways, I really liked your explanation of how the motor works and all that. Well done. Thank You.
I loved this lens on me D810, but once I got the Z6 and the 24-70mm f4, I stopped using it entirely so I sold it before it went bad sitting in the cabinet, it is a wonderful lens and I miss it from time to time...
Great review and well deserved adoration of this capable Nikkor workhorse! Whey I fell in Love with Nikon camera's 25 years ago wasn't the bodies--it was the glass! Now I love the fact that my D7200 and D750 bodies still LOVE and work perfectly with all Nikon glass new and 40 years old!
This is so true. I understand why Nikon didn’t make the screw drive glass adapted to the Z camera…But I wished they had. There’s something special about these lenses that OSS hard to quantify. They are just special somehow… your right. That glass is magical.
I bought the Nikon 35-70mm f/2.8 AF-D zoom as a backup to the 35mm and 85mm prime lenses that I preferred to use. I later upgraded to the Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 AF-D lens. I never upgraded to the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 because it is a G lens that does not have the aperture ring that I need for my Nikon F2 camera bodies.
I've been buying a bunch of old and "undesirable" lenses (18-135, 70-300, 35-70). People tell me this is a terrible lens but with that "macro" setting it's really nice. It can be used for really good stuff, you just gotta figure out what it's best for. I bought mine for 25 bucks.
Great lens. Owned it for may years then sold it years ago. It was my most used lens and the only thing I disliked about it was the front rotated while focusing thus altering my polarizer filter setting. I still own the 80-200mm push pull. The push pull of the lens is not backwards, it's very intuitive.; i.e pull in to get closer and push out to go wider.
I have been going back and forth between this lens and the Nikon 35-105 3.5-4.5. I really wanted this 35-70 and been looking on eBay for a good deal and just went on tonight and saw someone just listed one that for a great price, $125. Excellent condition and great optics, so I grabbed it before someone else could! When I get it next week will see exactly how it is. Most of these you said in this condition are running $200-$250 for this condition. I also shoot with a Z6 and love shooting manual with the Z6. Great videos. Thank you.
That is awesome!!! What a smoking deal on an amazing lens!!! Well done! It its really a great lens on the Z6, as long as you don’t need autofocus. A lot of people seem to think that if your camera Dorset autofocus, then it isn’t any good for some reason...
Many thanks, just the review I was looking for! I own this lens since the film camera times in the 90s, and always loved it. In recent years, it was not very useful as the focal range with a DX body (D80/D500), but I really look forward to revitalizing it on a Z6 as soon as I'll get one
Thank you sir. I recently received two AF-D lenses, 70-210 and nifty 50. I'd like to use the lenses on a D500. Your video "cleared the fog" on the AF issue between body and lens.
Both of those are awesome lenses. Nikon has used a great many versions of focus systems over the years. I understand why they didnt make a Z mount adapter to fit the screw drive glass even though, I wanted it. It is 3 generations old now. The newest is the z system and the next is the E system then the G system and then the AF (screwdrive) system. They supported all the electric adjustment versions but the had to draw the line somewhere and I am guessing practicality dictated not to develop a screwdrive adapter. It would be expensive to make and people would cry foul if the tried to sell them saying it should be included with the camera. You know how people are? 😜 They said the same thing with the other one. So I keep my D810 for my screw drive glass and I am happy. You will be too with the D500, it is an amazing machine. 👍📸
Hey David! Just like you I loved this lens so much that I own multiple copies of this lens. Also a thing to note with this lens. A very common issue with this lens is that the central element almost always has some haze from. Pretty much all of the lenses I have see have this issue. May be the milky look is because of haze. There are a couple of DIY haze removal tutorials for this lens of UA-cam, which are easy to follow given you have the right tools.
Thanks! That is great information, I really appreciate you sharing it with us!!! 👍📸 Ít is interesting that it seems to happen to a certain element in these lenses and not some random spot here and there.
I was just about to mention this before I saw the comment. I have this lens as well and haze developed in one of the center elements. It hurt my heart too because the lens was crazy sharp!
I was shooting this lens on my D750 until I acquired the 28-105 3.5-4.5. Still, it's just a hammer of a lens. Simple, reliable, easy. Sure it's heavy for today's comparatives, but that's somewhere pretty far down the criteria list for me. But then, I don't use a neck strap but a wrist strap and that may make a difference for someone.
That is s good point, weight only matters if you let it... a lot of people are suited to the lightweight stuff that is current today, but it is not necessarily better. Your setup is a perfect example of a great all around system. 👍📸
Never been a fan of travel zooms starting at 35 even though I used one for decades. Forced me to have a second body with the 24 mounted on it. Did make me look like a pro though carrying around two cameras 😅
😆📸😂 Im a pro, look at all my cameras! 📸📸 😂🤷🏻♂️ I know what you mean. People see more than a point and shoot and they automatically think you are a pro... That is a funny story, thanks for sharing it.
David Saylors I used to often wear my camera vest while out photographing on my travels around the country. That along with two cameras tended to make it look like I knew what I was doing 😂 I still have the vest and it still looks almost new. I remember buying it from a specialty camera shop in the city. About $250, pretty pricey but it was made in France. Those were the days when things weren’t all made in Asia or Bangladesh. I didn’t wear it to show off it was just really useful with lots of pockets. In the film days you used to benefit from having the pockets for film and filters and little gadgets, but these days not so much needed. I did put together a really good belt system about 18 months ago. It uses I think it’s a Thinktank belt and Lowepro pouches. Cost about $350 in total and it’s really good but to be honest I haven’t worn it in public because it seems a bit pretentious. I put it together because I’ve seen pro journalist photographers using belt systems and they seemed very practical. The belt systems I’ve seen them wearing are the Thinktank systems, but I decided to use the Thinktank belt because it’s really padded and comfy and adapt the Lowepro belt pouches to fit on the belt the Lowepro pouches seemed easier to get into. One of the pouches is called a lens exchange pouch. Bloody good idea because although it only holds one lens it has two pockets so you can use it to exchange your lens while the pouch is opened. It’s worth checking it out. Search for Lowepro lens exchange.
Thanks! That is awesome! The main problem I have with packs is that I rarely need in them on a walk, unless it is for landscape, which is a different story altogether. I have one belt pouch and it works well, but I really like the idea of the double pouch like you mention. Great idea!!!
David Saylors The lens exchange pouch I have is the smaller one 100 AW. It holds the 24-70 f2.8 with the hood attached. It even holds the 70-200 f2.8 but only with the hood removed. I’ve come to realise though that DSLR photography is a big heavy effort. If I’m just out and about with the D810 and 24-70 then it’s ok, but try to deal with two bodies or even one body and multiple bigger lenses and you need a wheelbarrow 😂
Yeah, that is the truth. I also figured out that most of the time, I would just use one lens rather than switch lenses, so I finally started leaving the second lens in the bag and it got a little lighter really fast. 👍📸
David, this lens on my D850 is a little soft at 70mm in fact in the D850 manual it says not to zoom this lens out to 70mm. I wonder if the Z7 has the issue with it. But it's stellar on my film cameras after all that's what it was made for.
Nice review, David. That backwards zoom is interesting. I have already made a 24-70 f/2.8G review that might be interesting to watch right before or after this review. It comes out September 23rd. It's good that it sends focus confirmation to the camera!
Great minds think alike! Ill link it when it comes out. I have always liked this lens, on the D810 it worked very well. It would occasionally miss focus, but not often.
Excellent review. I have been thinking of getting this lens. The only thing that is keeping me back is how soon I upgrade to a z body. I need that autofocus. Thx
At this point, be picky as these lenses seem to go bad with age as there is a cemented element that develops haze over time. I have heard this more than once too. Be choosy…. 👍📸
I had one of these lens that I used with my F90X and then to some degree with my D7100. Fantastic lens. I ended up selling it to shrink my lens collection but missed that focal range and went with a 28-70 2.8 D instead because it was $500. Also a tank of a lens.
Just scored a minty copy of this classic for my D700 for... approx. USD 100 :)) I have had the AF-S 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 IF ED VR - but there's someting different in these old lenses, built like tanks, of glass and metal. Happy!
Everytime I am wanting an AF-D lens for my D810 I can never find them in Sydney Australia and get the AF-S equivalent. This looks like the case with the 35-70 2.8 D. Might be forced to get a 24-70 2.8 G
I would not get it unless you want the large aperture for portraits or something like that, you have the focal lengths covered with your current lens so other than that, I don't see any need to get it... that only leaves your WANTS.... that is up to you though.
Yo lo acabo de comprar principalmente por el precio, pienso usarlo en una camara analogica Nikon EM que me regalaron en perfecto estado, asi que el autofoco no me funcionará en esta camara, mi objetivo es usarlo para jugar y aprender un poco de la forografía analogica ya que yo empecé directamente con la fotografia digital, me sorprendió encontrar un zoom 2.8 en buenas condiciones a tan bajo
Entirely possible with the age of the lens. I used one on my d810 for years with wonderful results, but alas, I think that lens is reaching the end of the lifespan. There is a cemented element in it that is notorious for going bad with time as well. Thank you
Hi! This looks good. I actually don't like to use zooms, I used to have the 18-200 and there I noticed that most of my photos weren't having a coherent look. That's why I switched to primes. Now I feel comfortable with the field of view of either a 28 or a 50mm, some other focal distances look kind of strange and I think that primes helped me a lot to in composition
I have slowly started to do that very same thing. I am learning what focal lengths i like the most and mine are 24mm, 85mm and 200mm. Those are pretty much what I use all the time for some reason. Strange how we do that, but it does build cohesion to our work. 👍📸
@@davidsaylors I hope so. I want to buy the Z6 II soon and I will get some S lens, but I have lens like the 105MM DC that I don't ever want to give up.
That is a question I have had since the introduction of the Z camera. They did support two prior generations of lenses ( G series and E series) with the FTZ but I guess it was just too much to ask for them to make an adapter for AF lenses too... I have kicked around the idea of seeing if there is a way to adapt a motor out of and old dead dslr and see what it would take to make one focus...
Nikon wants to sell new lenses. They may have needed a power source to run the screw drive (a battery). They may not have created a circuit to communicate from the camera to the screw drive in the adapter.
Hey I need to know will this work with my Nikon D5300 because I just bought a lens for it and it's not working and I think this lens would be good for sports, do you think I could use it?
It will fit on the camera, but it will only be manual focus because the camera doesn’t support the lens focus system. Only the D7000 and the full frame cameras have the right focus system for this lens.
i have never been in to taking photos until reasently, i got an old camera that uses film, but i have this lens you are talking about and want to get a digital camera, any tips on what to get? can i use this lens on diferent brands? i did read that some cameras have bluetooth and i like that idea. please help im clueless on cameras.
If you want to use this lens properly, it will need to be on a Nikon brand DSLR that has an internal focus motor. This lens works great on those cameras. D7000, D200, D300, D500, D610, D800 and such will all work just fine. There are more but these are the ones I can think of right away. They are all great cameras too. If you adapt it to a different brand of camera, it will not autofocus nor will it allow auto aperture control, so you will have a manual operating lens if you adapt it. I dont know a lot about the Bluetooth stuff, but many newer cameras have apps for your smartphone to interact with the camera.
Then you have a quandary from the sounds of it. Maybe new lenses is best in your use case? Some of the AF-D lenses were in production till VERY recently. You might be able to still get new in the box versions of these lenses. 👍
The 35-70mm 3.5 ais has the close focus at 70mm, are you sure that lens is not the same? I have heard the 3.5 ais has less distortion than any of the 2.8 aperture lens in this range including the new lens.
The 35-70mm ais 3.5 is not a push pull, so the lens is different, I think it is better to have the extra close focus at 70mm like the aid has than at 35, because you get more of a macro effect when close focusing.
Yeah, that makes sense. I wonder why they stopped putting the course focus feature in lenses? That seems like a great tool for the quick macro photo here and there...
Hey I need to know will this work with my Nikon D5300 because I just bought a lens for it and it's not working and I think this lens would be good for sports, do you think I could use it
It will fit but it wont autofocus. The D5300 doesnt have a focus motor in the body and this lens is designed for the bodies that do have an internal focus motor. Other than that, it should work fine.
@@davidsaylors ok thanks. Would you know any lenses that would be good for sports under $700 that could be wide and long but work for the 5300. Sorry if I'm asking to much I just need some help.
@@Joey_E I honestly dont know what is out there anymore in this arena. I got my gear years ago and it just doesnt die so I have not looked in ages. I would say that the DX long zoom that was made for these cameras would get you into the game for reasonable money, but I dont know what the images quality is like on them... They should work well though.
Nice images! Wish I’d known about that lens before purchasing the 24-70mm f2.8 g, but that was long ago. I have the 35-70mm f3.5- and that focuses really close on the long end. It came with an old film camera. Is that a Farmall Cub? It appears to be in wonderful condition!
Thanks!!! Yes, that is my 1950 Cub. It was “restored” a few years ago... it basically got a fresh coat of paint and new tires and a seat. It runs ok, but I can’t tell it it’s not a frame off restoration like was claimed. So I plot the garden with it and fix on the driveway from time to time as well. I even have a video where I crank it with the hand crank! 👍
David Saylors It’s a pretty specimen. And that hand crank. Don’t remind me... been knocked on my butt a few times by them. Thank goodness for the technology of the 60’s and 70’s! 😆
Hi, I am from Argentina. So sorry for my bad English. One technician recommended me no tu use it in my D750 because in the future the lens will be affect some parts of the diaphragm system and the focus motor/engine. Do you know something about this? Thanks in advance. Regards.
He is not correct, the D750 is designed by Nikon to use this lens and to autofocus with it properly. This lens will not harm your D750 at all. I have used one of these lenses for years on my D810 and it works fine. You can use it. 👍📸
@@davidsaylors That was he told me that the D750 is a fine delicate piece of engineering and the 35-70 was designed for older strong bodies (more metal and less plastic). He recommended to use the lens in this kind of bodies. And by the way, Happy New Year and thanks for your answers.
WRONG, the AF-s 28-70 f/2.8 lens replaced the 35-70 f/2.8 and was a much improved lens used by Nikon shooters worldwide. I had the 35-70 f/2.8 non D back in the day when I used film with a F4s and a N90s. My Nikon digital days started with the D700 and the AF-s 28-70 f/2.8 was part of my kit. The 35-70 f/2.8 is an awesome lens if you don't mind manual aperture control and manual focusing but my memory tells me the manual focus on the 35-70 f/2.8 sucked!
Mine has auto aperture and auto (screwdrive) focus on my D7000 and D810... Manual focus would have been bad back in the day, but on the Z6 with all the focus assist features, it is actually pretty easy on stationary or slow moving subjects, it is all but impossible on anything moving fast though. Thank you for weighing in I appreciate it. 👍📸
I'm a big proponent of the D series (and some of the non-D early AF series). It's crazy that you can buy an F5 or F100 plus an AF 35-70 f2.8 (maybe not the D version, but the optical formula is the same) for right around $500 for the setup. If you want to shoot digital, a D800 or even a D810 can be had for a few hundred and are all the resolution 90% of us will ever need (the remaining 10% can just "add" pixels using today's amazing AI resize software--it makes very little sense to obsess over MP anymore). AF and D lenses are already outlasting their G, VR, and VRii counterparts because the VR And AF motors in the later lenses are pooping out. Sure, AF and AFD lenses are a bit slower and can't AF on Z bodies, but I honestly see no reason to venture to mirrorless, but to each his own. IQ on DSLRs is perfect to everyone but the most sharpness-obsessed OCD pixel peeper. I shoot birds with later DSLRs and find no issues with their autofocus abilities or buffers (especially D500 and D850) even with old AF lenses.
I agree completely. The D810 has more pixels than my Zf and it is a decade newer! I still dont understand why Nikon didnt bother to make an adapter that would focus the AF glass. We all know they easily could if they wanted to but they don’t… I figure it is to push Z glass sales but people love their older glass too. Why not foster a community of Nikon enthusiasts instead of simply trying to sell them on the latest lenses???? It would be an instant success for them too. Thank you!!!
Yep, the 35-70 delivers, BUT, 2 major caveats; 1- all 35-70's develop a haze inside over time. It comes from some evaporation of glue or the grease inside the lens and puts a haze on the glass inside. The deterioration gets worse after time. If you like soft pictures, let me not keep you, but otherwise, hm... (so far have seen it myself in over 30 copies + heard/read hundreds of stories about it). 2- there is quite some 'blow' ; the zoom mechanism acts like a vacuum cleaner, pushing air and dust around the innards of my digital camera. Just have the back of the lens close to your face or eye and move the zoom mechanism... hm ... 3- but that's just personal; 24-70 is useful. 35-70 range? not. I still have 2 copies around here and i never use them, n general; not happy with it
It is great if you have a screw drive focus camera, and just OK if not. The manual focus is ok but the lens is pretty heavy. If you are into these lenses, just make sure the cemented element is good before committing to the buy. 👍📸
@@davidsaylors Thanks for the tips. I'm hearing that the Macro zone is another thing that can fall apart soon so you can't push the button to engage it from wide to macro.
@@samsen3965 I have never had problems with the macro function, but it is something that I would be wary of if you have already heard that from other people.
Even cheaper now. Now they're not much over $100 There's a better lens than this, nicknamed "the beast" back then. It's the earlier version of the 24-70 2.8 you mentioned it's the 28-70 2.8 AFS. It's got the cool crinkle coat finish. Problem was, the first gen AFS motors are failure prone, so want to buy one with an already broken motor. I scored one for under hundred bucks this way, recently. It's got better background blur than this one with 9 blades and most importantly, the photos have better "3d pop" compared to this one, plus it's not a dust catcher, w/ internal focus. I just wish "the beast" had screw drive like this one.
That is a dream of mine too, but I don’t think it will ever happen. They have the tech and choose not to do it. I think they want people to just buy Z glass and call it good.
Been shooting with the 35-70 f/2.8 AF-D for two years now! So many thanks for this informative ''validation'' of a decision made after months of in-depth research. This Nikkor model actually supersedes its successor - the inimitable 24-70 f/2.8 AF. Not so much its Technical features, for sure, but more so, its superlative Artistic Qualities have remained more than magical.
That is the perfect description if this lens. I love the old girl and have taken MANY photos with one of these. Thank you for the feedback too, I really appreciate it. 👍📸
i also got the lens for like yesterday for 15 ueros the same in dollars nearly does have a scracht front glass any way on knowing how to fx it
If the scratch is on the front, don’t worry is is probably fine. Try it and see how the image looks.
This has been my main for a year now. When my D7200 died, crushed by my Sigma 150-600 Sport in a tripod accident, I stepped into the Z6 II but was disappointed to find my Nikkor 35-70 didn't auto focus. However It's so easy to focus it stays mounted on my Z and remains my main. Just need to make sure I have my glasses on! I have noticed the reticle tells you if you're in focus which is helpful. Anyways, I really liked your explanation of how the motor works and all that. Well done. Thank You.
I loved this lens on me D810, but once I got the Z6 and the 24-70mm f4, I stopped using it entirely so I sold it before it went bad sitting in the cabinet, it is a wonderful lens and I miss it from time to time...
I love this lens on my D610 and D7100, True it was the Pro choice of the early days.
Yes sir, it is an awesome piece of gear from yesteryear. Works wonderfully well on those machines if I had to guess. 👍📸
Still is.
Great review and well deserved adoration of this capable Nikkor workhorse! Whey I fell in Love with Nikon camera's 25 years ago wasn't the bodies--it was the glass! Now I love the fact that my D7200 and D750 bodies still LOVE and work perfectly with all Nikon glass new and 40 years old!
This is so true. I understand why Nikon didn’t make the screw drive glass adapted to the Z camera…But I wished they had. There’s something special about these lenses that OSS hard to quantify. They are just special somehow… your right. That glass is magical.
I bought the Nikon 35-70mm f/2.8 AF-D zoom as a backup to the 35mm and 85mm prime lenses that I preferred to use.
I later upgraded to the Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 AF-D lens.
I never upgraded to the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 because it is a G lens that does not have the aperture ring that I need for my Nikon F2 camera bodies.
Thank you for this video. This week i bought 2 copies of the lens here in Japan
Well done! Those are awesome lenses!!👍📸
I've been buying a bunch of old and "undesirable" lenses (18-135, 70-300, 35-70). People tell me this is a terrible lens but with that "macro" setting it's really nice. It can be used for really good stuff, you just gotta figure out what it's best for. I bought mine for 25 bucks.
Great lens. Owned it for may years then sold it years ago. It was my most used lens and the only thing I disliked about it was the front rotated while focusing thus altering my polarizer filter setting. I still own the 80-200mm push pull. The push pull of the lens is not backwards, it's very intuitive.; i.e pull in to get closer and push out to go wider.
I have been going back and forth between this lens and the Nikon 35-105 3.5-4.5. I really wanted this 35-70 and been looking on eBay for a good deal and just went on tonight and saw someone just listed one that for a great price, $125. Excellent condition and great optics, so I grabbed it before someone else could! When I get it next week will see exactly how it is. Most of these you said in this condition are running $200-$250 for this condition. I also shoot with a Z6 and love shooting manual with the Z6. Great videos. Thank you.
That is awesome!!! What a smoking deal on an amazing lens!!! Well done! It its really a great lens on the Z6, as long as you don’t need autofocus. A lot of people seem to think that if your camera Dorset autofocus, then it isn’t any good for some reason...
Many thanks, just the review I was looking for! I own this lens since the film camera times in the 90s, and always loved it. In recent years, it was not very useful as the focal range with a DX body (D80/D500), but I really look forward to revitalizing it on a Z6 as soon as I'll get one
Just remember it wont autofocus on the Z cameras as of now. They still have not made an adapter that will drive AF lenses yet… much to my displeasure.
Thank you sir. I recently received two AF-D lenses, 70-210 and nifty 50. I'd like to use the lenses on a D500. Your video "cleared the fog" on the AF issue between body and lens.
Both of those are awesome lenses. Nikon has used a great many versions of focus systems over the years. I understand why they didnt make a Z mount adapter to fit the screw drive glass even though, I wanted it. It is 3 generations old now. The newest is the z system and the next is the E system then the G system and then the AF (screwdrive) system. They supported all the electric adjustment versions but the had to draw the line somewhere and I am guessing practicality dictated not to develop a screwdrive adapter. It would be expensive to make and people would cry foul if the tried to sell them saying it should be included with the camera. You know how people are? 😜 They said the same thing with the other one. So I keep my D810 for my screw drive glass and I am happy. You will be too with the D500, it is an amazing machine. 👍📸
Hey David!
Just like you I loved this lens so much that I own multiple copies of this lens. Also a thing to note with this lens. A very common issue with this lens is that the central element almost always has some haze from. Pretty much all of the lenses I have see have this issue. May be the milky look is because of haze. There are a couple of DIY haze removal tutorials for this lens of UA-cam, which are easy to follow given you have the right tools.
Thanks! That is great information, I really appreciate you sharing it with us!!! 👍📸 Ít is interesting that it seems to happen to a certain element in these lenses and not some random spot here and there.
I was just about to mention this before I saw the comment. I have this lens as well and haze developed in one of the center elements. It hurt my heart too because the lens was crazy sharp!
@@davidsaylors You're very Welcome! Keep the great reviews coming!!
Thank you!!!!👍📸
I was shooting this lens on my D750 until I acquired the 28-105 3.5-4.5. Still, it's just a hammer of a lens. Simple, reliable, easy. Sure it's heavy for today's comparatives, but that's somewhere pretty far down the criteria list for me. But then, I don't use a neck strap but a wrist strap and that may make a difference for someone.
That is s good point, weight only matters if you let it... a lot of people are suited to the lightweight stuff that is current today, but it is not necessarily better. Your setup is a perfect example of a great all around system. 👍📸
Never been a fan of travel zooms starting at 35 even though I used one for decades. Forced me to have a second body with the 24 mounted on it. Did make me look like a pro though carrying around two cameras 😅
😆📸😂 Im a pro, look at all my cameras! 📸📸 😂🤷🏻♂️ I know what you mean. People see more than a point and shoot and they automatically think you are a pro... That is a funny story, thanks for sharing it.
David Saylors I used to often wear my camera vest while out photographing on my travels around the country. That along with two cameras tended to make it look like I knew what I was doing 😂 I still have the vest and it still looks almost new. I remember buying it from a specialty camera shop in the city. About $250, pretty pricey but it was made in France. Those were the days when things weren’t all made in Asia or Bangladesh. I didn’t wear it to show off it was just really useful with lots of pockets. In the film days you used to benefit from having the pockets for film and filters and little gadgets, but these days not so much needed. I did put together a really good belt system about 18 months ago. It uses I think it’s a Thinktank belt and Lowepro pouches. Cost about $350 in total and it’s really good but to be honest I haven’t worn it in public because it seems a bit pretentious. I put it together because I’ve seen pro journalist photographers using belt systems and they seemed very practical. The belt systems I’ve seen them wearing are the Thinktank systems, but I decided to use the Thinktank belt because it’s really padded and comfy and adapt the Lowepro belt pouches to fit on the belt the Lowepro pouches seemed easier to get into. One of the pouches is called a lens exchange pouch. Bloody good idea because although it only holds one lens it has two pockets so you can use it to exchange your lens while the pouch is opened. It’s worth checking it out. Search for Lowepro lens exchange.
Thanks! That is awesome! The main problem I have with packs is that I rarely need in them on a walk, unless it is for landscape, which is a different story altogether. I have one belt pouch and it works well, but I really like the idea of the double pouch like you mention. Great idea!!!
David Saylors The lens exchange pouch I have is the smaller one 100 AW. It holds the 24-70 f2.8 with the hood attached. It even holds the 70-200 f2.8 but only with the hood removed. I’ve come to realise though that DSLR photography is a big heavy effort. If I’m just out and about with the D810 and 24-70 then it’s ok, but try to deal with two bodies or even one body and multiple bigger lenses and you need a wheelbarrow 😂
Yeah, that is the truth. I also figured out that most of the time, I would just use one lens rather than switch lenses, so I finally started leaving the second lens in the bag and it got a little lighter really fast. 👍📸
David, this lens on my D850 is a little soft at 70mm in fact in the D850 manual it says not to zoom this lens out to 70mm. I wonder if the Z7 has the issue with it. But it's stellar on my film cameras after all that's what it was made for.
Thank you for this information. This is a great point and people need to know it. I appreciate you letting us know. 👍📸
Nice review, David. That backwards zoom is interesting. I have already made a 24-70 f/2.8G review that might be interesting to watch right before or after this review. It comes out September 23rd. It's good that it sends focus confirmation to the camera!
Great minds think alike! Ill link it when it comes out. I have always liked this lens, on the D810 it worked very well. It would occasionally miss focus, but not often.
Excellent review. I have been thinking of getting this lens. The only thing that is keeping me back is how soon I upgrade to a z body. I need that autofocus. Thx
At this point, be picky as these lenses seem to go bad with age as there is a cemented element that develops haze over time. I have heard this more than once too. Be choosy…. 👍📸
I still use it on d810 and on d800 and awesome results still never missed the new ones
This is a banger of a lens on those bodies, i used it for years on my D810 and loved it. Never needed the wider stuff so I was good. 👍📸
@ericparker8905 I've used both and prefer d800 as it has a filter in front of the sensor and the images are just that soft to render an organic look
I had one of these lens that I used with my F90X and then to some degree with my D7100. Fantastic lens.
I ended up selling it to shrink my lens collection but missed that focal range and went with a 28-70 2.8 D instead because it was $500. Also a tank of a lens.
It was one of my all time favortie lenses to be honest. I kinda wished I still had a DSLR and one of these to play with at times… Thank you so much!
Great video. Answered my question on why it didn't autofocus on the Z6II
Glad it was useful. 👍📸
Just scored a minty copy of this classic for my D700 for... approx. USD 100 :)) I have had the AF-S 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 IF ED VR - but there's someting different in these old lenses, built like tanks, of glass and metal. Happy!
You did score!!! That is a smoking hot deal on this lens!!!!
Well you sold me. Well I also know someone that has that lens and loves it so I ordered me one 😁
😂 Nice, now get out there and get some photos!!!
Everytime I am wanting an AF-D lens for my D810 I can never find them in Sydney Australia and get the AF-S equivalent. This looks like the case with the 35-70 2.8 D. Might be forced to get a 24-70 2.8 G
I have the 28-105 f3.5 d on my d700 so just wondering whether I need this lens?
I would not get it unless you want the large aperture for portraits or something like that, you have the focal lengths covered with your current lens so other than that, I don't see any need to get it... that only leaves your WANTS.... that is up to you though.
@@davidsaylors Thanks mate for your thoughts.
It also works in AF on my old N55 film camera
That is awesome, a lot of people seem to forget that Nikon made a lot of auto focus cameras that shoot film as well, good point!👍📸
Nice lens and shots!
Thank you!!! 👍📸
Yo lo acabo de comprar principalmente por el precio, pienso usarlo en una camara analogica Nikon EM que me regalaron en perfecto estado, asi que el autofoco no me funcionará en esta camara, mi objetivo es usarlo para jugar y aprender un poco de la forografía analogica ya que yo empecé directamente con la fotografia digital, me sorprendió encontrar un zoom 2.8 en buenas condiciones a tan bajo
seems like the lens has internal haze (causing the flare), quite typical with the nikkor 35-70 f2.8
Entirely possible with the age of the lens. I used one on my d810 for years with wonderful results, but alas, I think that lens is reaching the end of the lifespan. There is a cemented element in it that is notorious for going bad with time as well. Thank you
Hi! This looks good. I actually don't like to use zooms, I used to have the 18-200 and there I noticed that most of my photos weren't having a coherent look. That's why I switched to primes. Now I feel comfortable with the field of view of either a 28 or a 50mm, some other focal distances look kind of strange and I think that primes helped me a lot to in composition
I have slowly started to do that very same thing. I am learning what focal lengths i like the most and mine are 24mm, 85mm and 200mm. Those are pretty much what I use all the time for some reason. Strange how we do that, but it does build cohesion to our work. 👍📸
I have this lens and love it. It is so sharp I have mistaken photos from this lens with my prime lenses. Will it auto focus on the Z6?
Not YET... there are rumors of an adapter coming for the Z cameras that will autofocus screwdrive glass though! So there is hope!
@@davidsaylors I hope so. I want to buy the Z6 II soon and I will get some S lens, but I have lens like the 105MM DC that I don't ever want to give up.
@@nathanielcashjr.732 Thst is one of my favorites too. I will manually focus it before giving it up. 👍📸
Why didn't Nikon add screw drive to the FTZ? Sony E mount bodies can use screw drive Minolta and Sony lenses with the appropriate Sony adapter!
That is a question I have had since the introduction of the Z camera. They did support two prior generations of lenses ( G series and E series) with the FTZ but I guess it was just too much to ask for them to make an adapter for AF lenses too... I have kicked around the idea of seeing if there is a way to adapt a motor out of and old dead dslr and see what it would take to make one focus...
Nikon wants to sell new lenses. They may have needed a power source to run the screw drive (a battery). They may not have created a circuit to communicate from the camera to the screw drive in the adapter.
Hey I need to know will this work with my Nikon D5300 because I just bought a lens for it and it's not working and I think this lens would be good for sports, do you think I could use it?
Thank you! Hope my answer is what you was looking for.
Is this lens attachable to a D5300 or a D3500??
It will fit on the camera, but it will only be manual focus because the camera doesn’t support the lens focus system. Only the D7000 and the full frame cameras have the right focus system for this lens.
i have never been in to taking photos until reasently, i got an old camera that uses film, but i have this lens you are talking about and want to get a digital camera, any tips on what to get?
can i use this lens on diferent brands?
i did read that some cameras have bluetooth and i like that idea.
please help im clueless on cameras.
If you want to use this lens properly, it will need to be on a Nikon brand DSLR that has an internal focus motor. This lens works great on those cameras. D7000, D200, D300, D500, D610, D800 and such will all work just fine. There are more but these are the ones I can think of right away. They are all great cameras too. If you adapt it to a different brand of camera, it will not autofocus nor will it allow auto aperture control, so you will have a manual operating lens if you adapt it. I dont know a lot about the Bluetooth stuff, but many newer cameras have apps for your smartphone to interact with the camera.
I’m very interested in buying older AF-D lenses but I just don’t like to buy used things and especially important things like lenses
Then you have a quandary from the sounds of it. Maybe new lenses is best in your use case? Some of the AF-D lenses were in production till VERY recently. You might be able to still get new in the box versions of these lenses. 👍
The 35-70mm 3.5 ais has the close focus at 70mm, are you sure that lens is not the same? I have heard the 3.5 ais has less distortion than any of the 2.8 aperture lens in this range including the new lens.
They are probably similar, this one is most likely just a heavier version since it is f2.8, but that is probably the only difference.
The 35-70mm ais 3.5 is not a push pull, so the lens is different, I think it is better to have the extra close focus at 70mm like the aid has than at 35, because you get more of a macro effect when close focusing.
Yeah, that makes sense. I wonder why they stopped putting the course focus feature in lenses? That seems like a great tool for the quick macro photo here and there...
Hi , can I use this lents with Nikon D-7000 , it is comparable.thank u
Yes, it will focus properly on a D7000 just fine. It would be a great lens on that camera actually. 👍📸
@@davidsaylors thank you so much
Hey I need to know will this work with my Nikon D5300 because I just bought a lens for it and it's not working and I think this lens would be good for sports, do you think I could use it
It will fit but it wont autofocus. The D5300 doesnt have a focus motor in the body and this lens is designed for the bodies that do have an internal focus motor. Other than that, it should work fine.
@@davidsaylors ok thanks. Would you know any lenses that would be good for sports under $700 that could be wide and long but work for the 5300. Sorry if I'm asking to much I just need some help.
@@Joey_E I honestly dont know what is out there anymore in this arena. I got my gear years ago and it just doesnt die so I have not looked in ages. I would say that the DX long zoom that was made for these cameras would get you into the game for reasonable money, but I dont know what the images quality is like on them... They should work well though.
@@davidsaylors ok well thanks for your help man. Wish you the best.
Nice images! Wish I’d known about that lens before purchasing the 24-70mm f2.8 g, but that was long ago. I have the 35-70mm f3.5- and that focuses really close on the long end. It came with an old film camera. Is that a Farmall Cub? It appears to be in wonderful condition!
Thanks!!! Yes, that is my 1950 Cub. It was “restored” a few years ago... it basically got a fresh coat of paint and new tires and a seat. It runs ok, but I can’t tell it it’s not a frame off restoration like was claimed. So I plot the garden with it and fix on the driveway from time to time as well. I even have a video where I crank it with the hand crank! 👍
David Saylors It’s a pretty specimen. And that hand crank. Don’t remind me... been knocked on my butt a few times by them. Thank goodness for the technology of the 60’s and 70’s! 😆
Yeah, I haven’t been knocked down by this one but it also cracks really easily too, so there is that. 😆👍
The 35-70 f2.8D is almost permanently parked on my F4S :)
Hi, I am from Argentina. So sorry for my bad English. One technician recommended me no tu use it in my D750 because in the future the lens will be affect some parts of the diaphragm system and the focus motor/engine. Do you know something about this? Thanks in advance. Regards.
He is not correct, the D750 is designed by Nikon to use this lens and to autofocus with it properly. This lens will not harm your D750 at all. I have used one of these lenses for years on my D810 and it works fine. You can use it. 👍📸
By the way, your English is fine, you should hear my spanish... 🙄
@@davidsaylors That was he told me that the D750 is a fine delicate piece of
engineering and the 35-70 was designed for older strong bodies (more metal and less plastic). He recommended to use the lens in this kind of bodies. And by the way, Happy New Year and thanks for your answers.
I think I see what he is talking about. It is strong enough to work fine though if you want to use it. 👍📸 HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO!!!!!!
WRONG, the AF-s 28-70 f/2.8 lens replaced the 35-70 f/2.8 and was a much improved lens used by Nikon shooters worldwide. I had the 35-70 f/2.8 non D back in the day when I used film with a F4s and a N90s. My Nikon digital days started with the D700 and the AF-s 28-70 f/2.8 was part of my kit. The 35-70 f/2.8 is an awesome lens if you don't mind manual aperture control and manual focusing but my memory tells me the manual focus on the 35-70 f/2.8 sucked!
Mine has auto aperture and auto (screwdrive) focus on my D7000 and D810... Manual focus would have been bad back in the day, but on the Z6 with all the focus assist features, it is actually pretty easy on stationary or slow moving subjects, it is all but impossible on anything moving fast though. Thank you for weighing in I appreciate it. 👍📸
I didn't need one, but I found a fuggly one for $99.00 and in decent shape today on Ebay.
This is your fault my friend 😀
I know nothingggggggg.... in my best Schultze voice. 😂🤷🏻♂️ That is an awesome deal if it takes clear photos at all!!!! Nice find!!!
How do you like it so far?
@@chellmcwags6229 The copy I got was full of haze.
I'm a big proponent of the D series (and some of the non-D early AF series). It's crazy that you can buy an F5 or F100 plus an AF 35-70 f2.8 (maybe not the D version, but the optical formula is the same) for right around $500 for the setup. If you want to shoot digital, a D800 or even a D810 can be had for a few hundred and are all the resolution 90% of us will ever need (the remaining 10% can just "add" pixels using today's amazing AI resize software--it makes very little sense to obsess over MP anymore). AF and D lenses are already outlasting their G, VR, and VRii counterparts because the VR And AF motors in the later lenses are pooping out. Sure, AF and AFD lenses are a bit slower and can't AF on Z bodies, but I honestly see no reason to venture to mirrorless, but to each his own. IQ on DSLRs is perfect to everyone but the most sharpness-obsessed OCD pixel peeper. I shoot birds with later DSLRs and find no issues with their autofocus abilities or buffers (especially D500 and D850) even with old AF lenses.
I agree completely. The D810 has more pixels than my Zf and it is a decade newer! I still dont understand why Nikon didnt bother to make an adapter that would focus the AF glass. We all know they easily could if they wanted to but they don’t… I figure it is to push Z glass sales but people love their older glass too. Why not foster a community of Nikon enthusiasts instead of simply trying to sell them on the latest lenses???? It would be an instant success for them too. Thank you!!!
Yep, the 35-70 delivers,
BUT, 2 major caveats;
1- all 35-70's develop a haze inside over time. It comes from some evaporation of glue or the grease inside the lens and puts a haze on the glass inside. The deterioration gets worse after time. If you like soft pictures, let me not keep you, but otherwise, hm... (so far have seen it myself in over 30 copies + heard/read hundreds of stories about it).
2- there is quite some 'blow' ; the zoom mechanism acts like a vacuum cleaner, pushing air and dust around the innards of my digital camera. Just have the back of the lens close to your face or eye and move the zoom mechanism... hm ...
3- but that's just personal; 24-70 is useful. 35-70 range? not.
I still have 2 copies around here and i never use them, n general; not happy with it
Good points, thank you for the information. 👍📸
I have this one... very nice
I highly recommend people get one of these over the new one if possible, no reason to just burn money... 👍📸
Looks like one good budget lens.
It is great if you have a screw drive focus camera, and just OK if not. The manual focus is ok but the lens is pretty heavy. If you are into these lenses, just make sure the cemented element is good before committing to the buy. 👍📸
@@davidsaylors Thanks for the tips.
I'm hearing that the Macro zone is another thing that can fall apart soon so you can't push the button to engage it from wide to macro.
@@samsen3965 I have never had problems with the macro function, but it is something that I would be wary of if you have already heard that from other people.
Did you notice more dust getting on the sensor of your camera from using this push pull lens?
Not really. But the claims are that it will since you are pumping air in and out of the camera system.
您好，用FTZ可以自动聚焦吗？
我仔细看了一下您的视频，不能自动聚焦。谢谢。
Thank you for your question, but you have already figured out the answer before I could get to it!
@@davidsaylors 🤝
👍📸
Even cheaper now. Now they're not much over $100 There's a better lens than this, nicknamed "the beast" back then. It's the earlier version of the 24-70 2.8 you mentioned it's the 28-70 2.8 AFS. It's got the cool crinkle coat finish. Problem was, the first gen AFS motors are failure prone, so want to buy one with an already broken motor. I scored one for under hundred bucks this way, recently. It's got better background blur than this one with 9 blades and most importantly, the photos have better "3d pop" compared to this one, plus it's not a dust catcher, w/ internal focus. I just wish "the beast" had screw drive like this one.
Thank you for this information!!!
Real photographers shoot film, and that lens belongs on a Nikon N90s for concert photography.
Nikon D70 ❤️ 35-70mm thanks
Awesome setup! That should serve you well for a long time to come!👍📸
@@davidsaylors Please do about the Nikon D70
I dont have one of those cameras, sadly I can not do the video because of that... 😞
@@davidsaylors facebook.com/max122002
This is my Facebook, please make friends with me. I'm Vietnamese
👍🏼
Thank you!!👍📸
Until Nikon makes an adapter that makes this lens 100% functional with Z bodies, no thanks.
That is a dream of mine too, but I don’t think it will ever happen. They have the tech and choose not to do it. I think they want people to just buy Z glass and call it good.
Thanks - I forgot how muck I liked that lens ... 🦘
It was my goto lens for almost 10 years. I loved it on my D810. Your welcome😬📸