What Chuck Does

D3 Solution

As we speak I have listed both my 17-55mm f/2.8 DX and D2H on eBay. The solution to the D3 dilemma is surprisingly neither the 17-35mm f/2.8 nor the 14-24mm f/2.8 but is instead the 24-70mm f/2.8.

Interestingly the 24-70mm f/2.8 is similar in focal length to the 17-55mm f/2.8 DX. Due to the 1.5x crop factor the 17-55mm f/2.8 DX is effectively a 25.5mm-77.5mm f/2.8. So what is the benefit to switching to the 24-70mm f/2.8? For me, the 17-55mm f/2.8 DX will only shoot with the cropped FOV and therefore only provide pictures at 5 megapixel resolution. This is an improvement over my current 4.1 MP D2H however would effectively erase any benefit from going with a DX body in terms of resolution.

The other benefit from going with the 24-70mm f/2.8 is that the lens is incredible. It is one of Nikon’s “god-lenses”. There’s the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR and the 85mm f/1.4. Both are tack-sharp and beautiful in color, contrast, and bokeh. The 24-70mm is the next in line to achieve Nikon’s “god-lens” status. Ken Rockwell says, “This is Nikon’s best mid-range zoom ever for film and FX format digital cameras.”

For me, the focal length is enough for landscapes and flexible enough to replace my 17-55mm f/2.8 as the single default lens that stays on the camera full-time. With the added benefit of sharpness and increased resolution, I simply can not pair a better lens with the new D3 body.