Nikon AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED £730/$900

Does this veteran’s perform ance justify the price?

Eight years older than Nikon’s new 10-20mm lens also on test, this one has a bigger zoom range and a slightly faster aperture rating. It feels more robust and has a weather-sealed mounting plate made from metal rather than plastic. It’s physically larger, has a 77mm rather than 72mm filter thread, and is twice the weight at 460g. That’s still lighter than the Sigma 8-16mm lens but marginally heavier than the Tamron 10-24mm.

Two of Nikon’s legendary ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements are included in the optical path, and the autofocus system is ring-type ultrasonic, complete with a focus distance scale. As with the Sigma 8-16mm, this lens is fully compatible with all Nikon DSLRs.

Performance

Outright sharpness is a bit lacklustre towards the edges and corners of the frame, and even centre-sharpness is disappointing at the long end of the zoom range. Autofocus is fast and very quiet but, all in all, performance could be better considering the relatively high cost of the lens.