The lenses I've owned in similar ranges are the Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 and the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8. Comparing this lens to the 18-70mm is probably a bit unfair, so I won't mention it again. However, there are many people looking for alternatives and the Tamron 17-50mm is as close as it gets so I'll base this review as a comparison to the Tamron. Having owned the Tamron for a few weeks before offing it, I can tell you this. If you're looking for a lens that equally matches or even exceeds the 17-55mm in terms of image quality, then by all means, go for the Tamron. Equality pretty much ends there.
The advantages of the Nikon 17-55mm are the following:
BUILD QUALITY - You immediately notice the build quality as soon as you handle and inspect the 17-55mm. It's encased in metal and nicely sealed so dust, moisture (which leads to fungus) will hopefully be minimized. "Built like a tank" is a good cliche.
FAST FOCUS - The Silent Wave Motor is not only fast, but extremely quiet.
SHARP WIDE OPEN - Using an aperture of f/2.8, this lens is very usable. Another advantage is that is focuses more accurately in low light. This is an aspect that was inferior in the Tamron.
COLOR RENDITION - I've found colors out of the lens are very satisfying with little need to "tweak" during post processing. The Tamron had a warmer color, but this may vary among copies.
MINIMAL CA - CA didn't bother me much in the Tamron, but it's much more controlled on the 17-55mm, especially wide open.
BETTER QUALITY CONTROL - This was the deal breaker with the Tamron. I received a copy that overexposed which is in line with the experiences of many people with that particular lens. Although sample variance exists with Nikon, it's much more controlled.
SIZE/WEIGHT/BALANCE - Some people mention this lens is too bulky and heavy. I find the size and weight actually helpful and helps balance and control on the majority of camera bodies.
The 17-55mm doesn't have any major flaws for me. I'm not a professional nor am I a pixel peeper. I'm just an enthusiast that likes good image quality. However, if I were to knit pick, here are the flaws:
SMALL ZOOM RING - It's annoyingly small at first, but you get used to it.
FLARES EASILY - Point it at a light source directly or even indirectly and this lens has a propensity to flare. You can certainly use the massive hood to mitigate flare.
DISTORTION AT WIDE END - Some say the distortion at the wide end makes this lens unusable for landscape/architecture work. If you're looking for a lens specifically for that task, you may want to consider a true wide angle lens like the 12-24mm or 14-24mm or go Sigma 10-20mm. However, I find this lens quite usable at the wide end.
One peculiarity with the 17-55mm is that it's at its shortest length almost fully zoomed at around 45mm and longest and fully extended at 17mm. I found this amusing since I haven't experienced other lenses with this characteristic.
In my research, I also considered the new Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8. This lens should definitely be on your list because it offers the latest technology and it's a full frame (FX) lens. I ruled it out because it's not only $500 more than the 17-55mm, but also because it's not wide enough for my purposes. Also, I happen to be under the opinion that DX has at least a few more years before it becomes obsoleted/deprecated by FX. People are beginning to recommend against investing in DX lenses, but IMHO, affordable full frame bodies are years away.
Ultimately, I selected the Nikkor 17-55mm over the Tamron 17-50mm because of its superior usability wide open. The hit on my pocketbook was rather significant, but I have no regrets of getting such a excellent lens with a great usable range. If Nikon ever added VR to this lens, then it would be a dream come true. I state this because I often need to use a shutter speed of 1/30 or slower when shooting in low light and I rarely use a tripod. VR would come in extremely handy in this situation to prevent camera shake.
I highly recommend this lens. It's on my camera 9 times out of 10. Okay, I'll stop now.
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Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras (Renewed) $750.00 & FREE Shipping. Details
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This Item  Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $499.95 | $199.00 | -25% $599.00 New Price: $796.95 | -10% $196.95 List: $219.95 | -24% $1,596.95 List: $2,096.95 | -12% $176.95 List: $199.95 |
| Delivery | Get it May 17 - 21 | — | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | — |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Picture quality | ||||||
| Auto focus | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| Sold By | Willoughby's Established 1898 | Port Hole Renewed | Minty Gadgets (we track serial numbers) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| lens type | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| compatible mountings | Nikon F (DX) | Nikon F (DX) | Nikon F (DX) | Nikon F (FX) | Nikon F | Nikon F (DX) |
| lens design | Zoom | Zoom | Prime | Prime | Zoom | Prime |
| focus type | Ultrasonic | Micro-type ultrasonic | Auto Focus | Ultrasonic | Auto/Manual | Ring-type ultrasonic |
| minimum focal length | 17 millimeters | 18 millimeters | 20 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 24 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| max focal length | 55 millimeters | 55 millimeters | 20 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 70 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| fixed focal length | 55 millimeters | 55 millimeters | 20 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 70 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| real angle of view | 79 degrees | — | — | 0 arc minute | 0 degrees | 44 degrees |
Reviews with images
Heavyweight lens
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.Fortunately, my doubt gets the better of me, and I decided to give the Nikkor a shot. From the much larger computer screen, the images produced from the 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. I like museum, indoor exhibition and this lens is just perfect for me.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, quieter and assured AF even in low light situations.Although this is not a super zoom, this lens is quite heavy, and it balances quite well with a bigger camera such as a D300S. IMO, the only real weakness of this Nikkor lens is the lack of a VR function. For some, this may not be a necessity, but for me, weighing at about 1.5kg (3 Ibs) when use with a D300S, it's difficult not to shake when you hold it up against your face. Nonetheless, due to the larger aperture, I can handhold and shoot very sharp images at 1/30 sec (at 55mm) even though I don't have the steadiest hands . Imagine being able to shoot 2 to 4 more stops if a VR function is added, I can probably handhold at 1/13 sec without much problem.If $$$ is not an issue to you, and you don't mind the heavier weight, I suggest you seriously consider getting this one. The $800 difference (when compared to a Tamorn 17-50mm f2.8 VC) may seem be big now, 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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Charles
it's an excellent lens, and its practicality compensates some slight weaknesses
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2016*: BlackVerified Purchase
