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Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G AF-S DX IF-ED  Hot PDF Print E-mail
Lenses Nikon
User rating
4.5
out of 5
Editor's rating
3.8
out of 5
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Reviewed by:
Editor
Monday, 19 November 2007
Average user rating: 4.5 
72 User reviews
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Lens Summary

Overview

Wideangle zoom lens exclusively for use with Nikon DX-format digital SLR
Main Features
  • Specially designed and optimized for Nikon digital SLRs
  • Dust and Waterproof rubber sealing mount
  • High optical performance by aspherical lenses and ED glass elements
  • Built-in SWM for ultra-fast, ultra-quiet operation
  • M/A mode for quick switching between autofocus and manual operation
  • Lightweight and compact design

Lens Specifications

Generic Lens Specifications
Lens Type: Zoom
IS / VR / OS: None
Nikon DX lens: Yes
Min Focal length (mm): 17
Max Focal Length (mm): 55
Number of Elements: 14
Element Groups: 10
Max Aperture: 2.8
Minimum Aperture: 22
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Closest Focus Distance (m): 0.36
Filter Type: Screw In
Filter Diameter (mm): 77
Diameter at widest (mm): 85
Lens Length (mm): 110
Weight (g): 755
Release Date: 2004

Details


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Editor review : One of the best
Overall rating (weighted)
3.8
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
3.0
This is a fantastic lens from Nikon, the 17-55mm is just the right lenght to give 28-80mm in a Digital body, but this lens will also work on your old faithfully 35mm body as well. Don't think this lens is going to be small because it is not, it is one of the largest short Nikon Zooms with perhaps only the 28-70mm being larger.

The Auto focus is fast as does not hunt and with the added benefit of the f2.8 aperture you can hand hold well in to dusk. You do need to watch out for Barrel Distortion at either end of the zoom. You could save your money and have the 18-70mm that is a close second to this lens and costs a lot less. Plus if you already have the 70-200mm that every decent photographer should have then you will be missing the gap between 55mm and 70mm.

If you have the money then buy it as it is a Pro lens that can work wonders for you and has Pro build quality and optics, the images you will get with have the edge on a cheaper lens. You will also find yourself not wanting to take this lens off your body. But for me the only major issue is the 55mm lenght. I would rather have the 28-70mm f2.8 Nikon lens, this would then fill the gap tp the 70-200mm
Why should you care what I think?
My relationship with this item: I own it
Conclusions at a glance
Would you recommend this Item: Yes
Pros: Excellent optics
Cons: Not cheap

User Lens Reviews

Average user rating from: 72 user(s)

Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.6
Build Quality
4.5
AF Speed
4.5
Value for Money
4.5
 

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

I LOVE IT! best lens I've used so far, just shot a, Saturday, 05 June 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
This lens is great for low light situations. It creates beautiful bokeh effects on the photos. Great Depth of field. It is a little heavy, but it's definitely worth the hassle. The pictures come out really sharp. I used this lens yesterday to shot a wedding, this is the only lens I used. It was fast in focusing. I used it mostly outdoors, but the indoors photos came out great too. Overall, I would recommend this lens to anyone serious about their photography.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

It is heavy, but WOW, what a lens, Monday, 08 March 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I took a deep breath and clicked buy on this lens about a month ago. I had immediate buyer's remorse. Even though, thanks to a windfall, I could afford it, and I do shoot for hire so I can justify it, but it was the single most expensive camera item I've ever bought. I am ever so glad I did it.
The lens is heavy and big - it takes some getting used to, as the focus and zoom controls are different than the kit lens. But WOW! Not only is it incredibly fast and sharp, the new focus system - "Internal Focus" - is fast and accurate.
The zoom is firmer than I expected - by that I mean it is harder to turn than I am used to - so I have had to adjust to that when I am zooming in or out to frame. It is not a VR lens (Vibration Reduction) but a fast wide angle doesn't need VR anyway, so no big deal.
This is a metal body lens, so I expect it to outlast me - still be usable in 50 or 100 years. Of course, who knows what cameras will be then!
So - worth every penny. I feel like I'm entering a whole new era in my photography - not only can I take much better photos, I have to now, because I have to live up to the standard set by this lens. I am so glad I got this lens. My photography is already much better because of it.
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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful

It IS a great lens BUT badly designed and it shoul, Wednesday, 03 March 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
It IS a great lens BUT it should NOT be so expensive. And yes you should compare it to canon (20% chipper). Right nikon one is built better. What else? And hell yeh you DO need VR. With my 18-105 I could shoot on 50mm with 1/2 shutter (non moving objects). With my new 17-55 I cannot. I have to use 1/40 (that's me ) for perfect shot. Lens priced this much MUST have all the attributes. And ED is no excuse. When I compare quality of my d90 kit lens (18-105) which is $300 to this one the results are NOT 5 times better. And the AF speed is NOT 5 times faster. So you pay 5 times more for some AF speed and the fact that this lens is fast and Little sharper. But you lose the VR. It stationary objects this lens actually loses to the 18-50 nikkor VR. Because even at 50mm you gain 2 stops with 2.8 but how many stops between 1/40 and 1/2?
The design of this lens - SUCKS (that's why 4 stars). The biggest ring is actually focus instead of zoom. In today's cameras which ring you use more? Why the focus ring is so big while the zoom is very small and very inconvenient?
In summery. Although this lens is great it IS overpriced!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

either you will love it or hate it, Saturday, 30 January 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
either you will love it or hate it, as was written by Thom Hogan.
and it is very true, but for me i just love it.

some says it is expensive, we only have one life to live, and we work hard for our money.

some says its heavy, i mean really , its not that heavy.

some says it has no VR, one does not really need vr to shoot at 1/30 of a second. which is what i like most about this lens, it stops you from doing a point and shoot, and make you stop and think of what speed you are about to shoot at.

focus speed is fast
colours are rendered beautifully
Contrast is great
boken is fantastic

All in all, it is a great lens. and if something happened to it, i wont hesitate to buy another.

Dave
T&T
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

First-rate Lens, Wednesday, 27 January 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
This is an exceptional lens, and if you are a wedding or event photographer using a DX camera, then you should own it! No, it does not have VR, but that is not necessarily a detriment at this focal-length. Considering that this lens will be most useful at wide apertures with fast shutter speeds on moving targets, and that it excels in that performance bracket, VR wouldn't be being used that often anyway. Especially since, for the posed shots, you will probably be switching lenses to more of a portrait focal-length anyway (or mounting it to a tripod for group shots). Nonetheless, this lens is capable of getting just about any shot, within its focal range. It is expensive, but it is also worth it!
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

This lens is to increase my range at weddings, Monday, 25 January 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've only had this lens for about 36 hours however I'm pleased with the AF speed and am surprised at how wide it really is. I'm using it on my D5000 and it's an addition to a tiny, little 50mm 1.8 (awesome lens) that I've been using for about 8 months now with Manual focus. Being already seasoned into my 50mm 1.8 indoors WITHOUT flash usage, I find that images are somewhat dark with this lens...I'm NOT yet used to it and I know it's as fast as pro lenses get however I'm in the process of learning exactly the best ways to use this lens and take advantage of all it has to offer.
Later this week, I'll share some images and update this review however it's great so far.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Heavyweight lens, Friday, 22 January 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I bought this lens about a week after I bought a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC in a local store.

I bought the Tamron because it was significantly cheaper, and as an advanced hobbyist who doesn't make one cent from photography, I thought I could live with a substitute. But also, I bought the Tamron partly was because at the time of testing the two lenses in the store, I can't really tell the IQ of the lenses apart based on my 3" LCD.

Fortunately, my doubt gets the better of me, and I decided to give the Nikkor another shot. From the much larger computer screen, the images produced from Nikkor appears to be very sharper even at the largest aperture of f2.8, and I just love the contrasty, and rich colour tone produced by this lens. This lens is fantastic for indoor shoots due to the larger aperture and also the "zoomabilty". The 17mm focal points allows you to shoot in a tight space, and the 55mm allows you to zoom in for a facial/closer shot.

You may have heard people insisted Tamron is just as good. Well, ask them whether they own or tested both and, if not, how qualified are they to make that statement? As good as Tamron is, and being a affordable Nikkor substitute, IMO it's still not on par with a Nikkor: not the IQ (even though they are very close), not the build quality, not the weather sealed, and certainly not the resale value after a few years. Furthermore, the Nikkor has a much faster and quieter AF even in low light situations.

The caveat I have is, this lens is heavy, but it balances quite well with my D300S. IMO, the only real weakness of this Nikkor lens is the lack of a VR fuction.

If $$$ is not an issue to you, and you don't mind the heavier weight, I whole heartedly suggest you get this one. The $800 difference may seem be big, but this is one lens that would last you a long time, and Nikkor's resale value tends to hold very well even after many year of use.

I decided to keep the Nikkor, and passed the Tamron to my wife who prefers the lighter weight over Nikkor's superior IQ, faster AF, weather seal with her Nikon D90.
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Simply Put, this is a Wonderful Lens, Sunday, 03 January 2010


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've been using this lens for about six months and I'm liking it a lot. It's a Bit heavy, but you know you've got something worthwhile on your camera. I like the feel of it, the build quality and most of all the images I get with it. I have two D300s's and this lens is always on my second body. So it's not really my walkabout lens, still I use it quite a bit, it's always ready on that second body when I have my camera bag with me.

This lens focuses fast and the focus stays locked on and as I said the images are wonderful, they're sharp throughout the range of the lens. At f/8 the images are as sharp as any I've seen and they're very sharp even at f/2.8. The lens is pricy and as others have mentioned you can get the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 for a heck of a lot less money and it weighs half as much. I have that lens and used to use it all the time, till I got this one. I do sometimes still use the Tamron, especially when I know I'm going to be out all day touristing off somewhere and I need to lighten my load, because my backpack is full.

In my opinion, if you can afford the price and don't mind the heft (I usually don't, but as I said, sometimes I do) then the Nikon 17-55 is the lens for you, I just can't imagine anyone being disappointed with it.
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0 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Colors of the photos by 17-55mm is strange, Wednesday, 11 November 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
1.3
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
1.0
AF Speed
1.0
Value for Money
2.0
I am using this lens with D2X but my pictures are strange. I check out the sample photos at [...].
Also all the pictures taken by this lens has same problems. Please see the sample pictures. Especially there is color distortion at the edge of the line of the people or buildings. Green lines or redlines or blue lines there - overlapping with the line of the subjects.
My photos are same. I think the lens itself has a problem of colors and sharpness. My other photos with other lenses with D2X are OK. But there is no other choice for DX format with f2.8 Wide Angle Zoom.
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Nikon 17-55mm constant f/2.8G nikkor lens, Saturday, 12 September 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
Awesome lens. Fast. Shoots well in low light situations. It is quite large and somewhat heavy, but it is worth it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Great!, Thursday, 03 September 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I was in need of some faster glass and after a lot of research and reading reviews I took the plunge. Well sort of, I rented this lens first because of price I wanted to be sure. I'm an amateur photographer and by no means as experienced as most of the reviewers of this lens but here are my thoughts. The first thing that struck me was the size and weight of the lens, it's hefty but it felt nicely balanced on my D300. I had read some reviews that contained complaints about the zoom ring being too close to the body, feeling awkward, and issues with the zoom not being smooth. Honestly the position of the ring was initially and issue for me. However the eureka moment came when I was actually out shooting and realized that due to the increased heft I was holding my camera slightly different that I did with lighter lenses. This position actually put the zoom and focus ring into a very natural position. The zoom was very smooth with a bit of increased resistance at either end of the range; it was a bit of an adjustment because the throw is much shorter than my kit lens of nearly the same focal range (18mm-55mm). When using a tripod the position of the zoom was a bit annoying, however it's not a deal breaker because I just don't change the composition that often while shooting landscapes. In regards to results, I was blown away. I can't even begin to imagine shooting with a lesser piece of glass. Nikon's VR is an excellent option on my slower lenses but no substitute for faster glass. Bottom line is, if you can afford it, buy it. Now I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I don't get a bad sample because I'm taking the plunge for real today, I'm sold.
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0 of 14 people found the following review helpful

Be carefull with shipping, Wednesday, 26 August 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
1.0
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
1.0
AF Speed
1.0
Value for Money
1.0
I ordered this item on Friday 08-21-09 and paid for the "3-5" day shipping because I was told I would get it Wednesday 08-26-09 "if ordered with in the following 16 hours" (5 shipping days right...) I scheduled two shoot for Wednesday and Thursday night, today Wednesday I check to see where my lense is I'm told by UPS that I will not get it till Friday 08-28-09 a whole week after I ordered it even though I paid for the "3-5days" I'd like to rate it a ZERO because that is was I have... maybe I should rate it a negative 400 because that is how much I lost by not having that lense... it's ok I will stay with 1 star. So I'm sure this lense probably deserves more, but since Amazon does not have a number where I could contact someone maybe this will get their attention. I was told to get this Item from Adorama or B&H directly, but I had such a good realationship with them that I was reluctant... now I know what they were talking about. I will write another review once I receive the lense and will describe it in full detail
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

I wasn't destined to have any other lens, Thursday, 20 August 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
Let me start out by saying that this wasn't the first choice for my D90. The first one I chose to buy was the 16-85mm VR since that's a great range for a DX camera. I got it off of ebay, which was described as being in "perfect condition," but once I received it I found that the VR was not working at all. Took a whole month, including sending the lens to a Nikon authorized service center to have the problem verified, before I got all my money back from the seller (who won't stop calling me a liar and claiming that I was trying to extort him). Even after the claim was closed, I got my money back, and he got his broken lens back, he wouldn't stop e-mailing me and pestering me on ebay. So I finally got him kicked off of there.

Next, I began to look for a f/2.8 lens and wanted to get the Tamron 17-50mm since it had great reviews and many people have said that it's just as good as this Nikkor one. My first Tamron, bought from a local store, had severe front focus problem. So I took it back hoping my second copy would be better. After testing it for a week, I realized the front focus problem was still there. By now I was quite discouraged, but I figured my luck couldn't be THAT bad, so I went back to the store and exchanged for a third one. This third one focused correctly most of the time, but it was quite soft. I figured that's not too bad, so I wanted to register the lens online to get the 6-year warranty, but found out that this lens had already been registered! I came to the realization that it wasn't because my bad luck that I kept getting a bad copy of the lens, but it was because the store must have been recirculating the bad copies to each other instead of sending it to Tamron to recalibrate. I was pretty upset and decided to return the lens altogether and never shop there again. At the same time, I didn't want to buy the lens online either since I didn't want to end up getting another bad copy. So I decided to bite the bullet and bought the Nikon 17-55mm off of eBay since I trust Nikon's quality control.

WHAT A GREAT DECISION I MADE! At first I had some buyer's remorse due to the cost (it only cost me $800, but it's still a lot to me), but once I received it and opened up the package, I knew why it cost so much. This lens is HUGE and is felt indestructable! As far as height and circumference go, I think it's pretty much the same as my Nikkor 105mm VR macro lens, but this lens uses a 77mm filter, whereas the macro uses a 62mm, so the front is much wider, and I believe this lens is heavier than the macro as well. The build makes me feel confident that if anyone tried to steal my gear, I could knock them out with one swing using this lens!

I wanted to go to a local nature reserve park to take some photos, and I was a little iffy about carrying this big thing with me since I'll be there all day long. To my surprise, this lens with the D90 felt great to me, I didn't feel burdened at all. I think i was more ready to throw my tripod down the waterfall though. While there, I proceeded to test out the lens at all ranges from 17mm @ f/2.8 up to 55mm @ f/22. All of my images turned out great, the color saturation was pretty darn close to my 105mm macro, and just as good as my 50mm f/1.8. Around 55mm, I may have had some Spherical aberration though while taking a photo of a waterfall...at least I think that's what it is. Basically the waterfall was in the middle of the frame and it was tack sharp, but the rocks and and moss around it appeared to be blurry. But that day it WAS a little foggy around the waters, so it may have been the fog, since this phoenomenon was only apparent in one of my 200 photos. I also had the opportunity to take some photos of food at Red Lobster's, where there was very low lighting and I did not use flash, yet the lens focused correctly and produced tack sharp images at f/2.8. These were the only opportunities I had to test this lens though, but I am confident that it will hold up to its great reputation.

I'm almost happy that I had wasted 2 months on bad copies of lenses, because if none of that had happened to me, I probably would never even given this lens a thought. If I had "settled" for any of the other lenses mentioned, I don't think I would have had the confidence to use them to take photos without thinking, "oh I better check the picture before I tell my subjects to move, or before I eat my food." With this lens, I know that I can capture anything I want at any given time, and be able to go home with the confidence that the image was not ruined by motion Blur or misfocus.

If you have the money to spend, BUY THIS LENS! If you don't have enough money...save up and BUY THIS LENS! If you are iffy due to the lack of VR since this is a heavy lens, trust me, this lens is fast enough that you really wouldn't get any blur at all. I have shaky hands, but am still able to capture sharp photos even at 1/30. GET THIS LENS, you won't regret it :)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Excellent lens, Saturday, 04 July 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've had this lens for a few months now. I use it with my D200, and the PQ is simply amazing. I try to stay away from 2.8 aperture though - I much prefer the sharpness and clarity at aperture 4 (or less). When the light is low - I use SB-600.
Overall, I think this is the best lens there is in this zoom range - I'm sure 24-70 might be better (I've never tried it) - but is it worth the extra $700 or so? To me - it isn't. I just can't see how the picture quality can increase much from what I get with this lens.
I also have D700 and a couple of other lenses (50mm 1.8 and 70-200 VR), so every once in a while I do compare them. D700 is REALLY good in low light. In the daylight D200 can hold its ground. The quality of photos I get with my D200 + 17-55 combo is so good - I don't even think about getting 24-70 for my D700 - and instead I will continue using D200 with 17-55. Highly recommend this lens for DX bodies.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

amazing, Saturday, 27 June 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I bought this lens with nikon 70-200 2.8, sb 900, with a D300 body, it took sharp picture cristal clear, good walkaround lens with my D300-MB D-10 grip, Love it, looking forward to the next legend the 24-70 2.8 soon
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