Standard Zooms

It’s your go-to lens, so make sure your standard zoom is a good one. Matthew Richards searches out the best buys

Most of Nikon’s DX format (APS-C) and FX (full-frame) SLRS are available as complete kits, comprising a body and a standard zoom lens. Kit lenses tend to be compact and lightweight yet have pretty good performance. For example, the latest versions of the DX format 18-55mm zooms are available with either ultrasonic or stepping-motor autofocus systems and feature a retractable design to shrink stowage space. However, they’re not particularly robust and a current kit option for the D3400 camera doesn’t even feature VR (Vibration Reduction). The DX format 18-140mm VR feels better built but still lacks basic features like a focus distance scale.

In the FX camp, the main kit options are the 24-85mm VR, featured in this Big Test, and the 24-120mm VR,

which is a pricier, more upmarket lens (£1080/$1100). Unlike all of Nikon’s other kit zoom lenses, the 24-120mm features an f/4 aperture rating that remains constant throughout the zoom range.

Whether you’re using a DX or FX format body, most of us use a standard zoom as our main go-to lens for general shooting, so it pays to get a good one. There are some excellent options on the market, delivering improvements in performance, handling, build quality and outright image quality. We’re going to start with DX lenses.

Nikon’s DX format kit zooms have a minimum zoom length of 18mm, giving the same maximum viewing angle as a 27.2mm focal length on a full-frame camera. One reason for upgrading from a kit zoom is to increase your wide-angle potential – so you can squeeze more into the frame or exaggerate perspective – without the need to swap to an ultra-wide lens. So, DX standard zooms with a minimum focal length of 16mm or 17mm shrink the effective focal length to 24mm or 25.5mm. Some contenders offer a bigger zoom range, with the potential to extend your telephoto reach and your wide-angle coverage.

Another big reason for upgrading is to get a faster aperture rating. Whether you’re in the market for a DX or FX format zoom, some of the most popular options have a relatively fast and constant f/2.8 aperture. This is the case for two of the DX format lenses on test, and three of the FX lenses. At or near the long end of the zoom range, you’ll typically gain an extra two f-stops in aperture width, compared with most kit zoom lenses, enabling faster shutter speeds and a reduced depth of field. This comes in extremely useful in portraiture and other scenarios in which you want to blur the background and make the main subject of your image stand out more.

If you have a Nikon FX format body with a 24-120mm f/4 VR kit zoom lens, you’ll need to sacrifice telephoto reach to get a significant improvement in image quality. 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms form a particularly hot sector of the market at the moment. Nikon’s latest 2470mm f/2.8 has an excellent reputation with professional and enthusiast photographers alike. However Sigma and Tamron both launched new or improved versions of their equivalent lenses last summer. These independently manufactured zooms really take the fight to Nikon’s range-topping standard zoom, and are much more affordable to buy. Let’s take a closer look…

Whether you’re using a DX or FX format body, most of us use a standard zoom as our main go-to lens for general shooting