I have a bad case of Lens Lust Disease, compounded by an unfortunate taste for good glass 
.
Their combined power has lured me down a long and twisty trail.
June '04: I bought the d70, but passed on the kit lens. I did a lot of research before buying,
and decided the 24-120VR would suit my style better than the 18-70, and be a great walk
around lens. It was, but...
September '04: I added the 80-200/2.8 AFD to my kit, and discovered the benefits and joy of
pro-glass. It made me realize that there was a level that the 24-120VR couldn't reach. I started
researching alternatives, but decided the 28-70/2.8 was too expensive and heavy to consider.
December '04: A friend who was upgrading to a 17-55DX offered me his Tamron 28-75/2.8.
Sample variation is a big problem with this lens, but he was able to vouch for it.
January '05: The Tamron quickly replaced the 24-120VR in my kit, so I sold it at a $175 discount
from my purchase price. The Tamron is a wonderful lens for the money. It's sharp as a
tack from tip to tip throughout its aperture and zoom ranges, but... it gives a slight yellow cast
to images, and it doesn't work quite as well with the sb800 as my Nikon lenses. Focus isn't as
reliable as with the Nikon lenses, either.
February '04: I made a huge mistake. I tried out the Nikon 28-70. The test shots had that very
special feel to them, and the lens felt "right" in my hands. Damn.
Today: I bought a "brand new" 28-70/2.8 demo model on eBay from an authorized Nikon dealer.
It comes with a full Nikon warranty, and even qualifies for the Nikon rebate, so the net cost
will be $900. After I check it out, I'll sell the Tamron.
For those of you with similar leanings towards good glass, I hope that you'll be any happier
over the long term than I was with the alternatives to big glass. The two drawbacks of the
28-70/2.8 is that it's expensive and heavy. Granted, the price is high... but it's built like a
tank, so I've taken a mindset that I will amortize it over a long period. Weight? It's a
mere 11 ounces heavier than my old 24-120VR. Not exactly a back breaker.
Here's a picture of my new baby
. Their combined power has lured me down a long and twisty trail.
June '04: I bought the d70, but passed on the kit lens. I did a lot of research before buying,
and decided the 24-120VR would suit my style better than the 18-70, and be a great walk
around lens. It was, but...
September '04: I added the 80-200/2.8 AFD to my kit, and discovered the benefits and joy of
pro-glass. It made me realize that there was a level that the 24-120VR couldn't reach. I started
researching alternatives, but decided the 28-70/2.8 was too expensive and heavy to consider.
December '04: A friend who was upgrading to a 17-55DX offered me his Tamron 28-75/2.8.
Sample variation is a big problem with this lens, but he was able to vouch for it.
January '05: The Tamron quickly replaced the 24-120VR in my kit, so I sold it at a $175 discount
from my purchase price. The Tamron is a wonderful lens for the money. It's sharp as a
tack from tip to tip throughout its aperture and zoom ranges, but... it gives a slight yellow cast
to images, and it doesn't work quite as well with the sb800 as my Nikon lenses. Focus isn't as
reliable as with the Nikon lenses, either.
February '04: I made a huge mistake. I tried out the Nikon 28-70. The test shots had that very
special feel to them, and the lens felt "right" in my hands. Damn.
Today: I bought a "brand new" 28-70/2.8 demo model on eBay from an authorized Nikon dealer.
It comes with a full Nikon warranty, and even qualifies for the Nikon rebate, so the net cost
will be $900. After I check it out, I'll sell the Tamron.
For those of you with similar leanings towards good glass, I hope that you'll be any happier
over the long term than I was with the alternatives to big glass. The two drawbacks of the
28-70/2.8 is that it's expensive and heavy. Granted, the price is high... but it's built like a
tank, so I've taken a mindset that I will amortize it over a long period. Weight? It's a
mere 11 ounces heavier than my old 24-120VR. Not exactly a back breaker.
Here's a picture of my new baby
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