Last summer, a family visit to the East Coast (from SoCal) gave me the opportunity to try out my newly acquired Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G VR lens. My family is spread across four different states and four different geographies so this was good way to assess the versatility of the lens in different situations. I’m going to share some of the results here, as I chronicle my journey (note that some of the images were taken with other lenses in my kit, but the bulk are from the 24-120mm lens).
My trip started on the Jersey Shore, which is known primarily for its stunning beaches.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/30, f/8.0
In addition, lighthouses dot the coast making for interesting photo spots.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 35mm, ISO 64, 2/1, f/8.0
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/50, f/8.0
From New Jersey I made my way to Manhattan, New York. Like all bustling mega-cities, it is a heaven for photographers offering opportunities all across the photography spectrum, from urban scenes to architecture to people & street.
FDR Drive in general and the Two Bridges area in particular, offer spectacular vistas of the adjoining boroughs and the bridges that connect them.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 120mm, ISO 64, 1/50, f/8.0
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 120mm, ISO 64, 1/20, f/11.0
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 38mm, ISO 100, 1/40, f/8.0
China Town is not far away from there. It instantly transports one to another world and offers never-ending photo ops.
NIKON D810 + 85mm f/1.8 @ 85mm, ISO 100, 1/60, f/2.8
NIKON D810 + 85mm f/1.8 @ 85mm, ISO 100, 1/50, f/2.8
From there, my next stop was west-ward into Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem is an old steel town and is home to Lehigh University. The steel industry closed its doors many years ago and the abandoned factories stand as reminders of that bygone era.
The town has a Germanic/Moravian past and that is reflected in the local architecture.
Lehigh River – a tributary of the Delaware river – runs through the town and the bridges above it provide sweeping views of the surrounding areas.
The suburbs are quiet and peaceful. The landscape is lush green and quite beautiful in the summer time.
The final stop of my journey was rural Massachusetts. Much like Pennsylvania, the countryside was lush green. The blue skies allowed me to unleash my Polarizer.
New England architecture is very different from SoCal and lends itself very well to photography.
The wide open spaces, meadows and fields are a landscape photographer’s dream.
And the weather does things that we just don’t get to see in the Southwest.
And that’s a wrap. Overall, I was very impressed with the Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G VR. It is the perfect balance of portability and quality. Being able to transition from landscape to city to street photography was not something I could do before with the ease that was afforded by this lens. Soon it’s going to a be year since I picked up this lens and I find that it has become my lens of choice, especially for travel. For those who cannot afford the the higher quality lenses in this focal range or for whom portability is important, I would recommend the Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G VR without hesitation.
you captured the history and authentic beauty of raw architecture and landscape of my home. Well done!
I was hesitant to buy this lens, as it gets mixed reviews; I bought a used copy and love it.
No, it is not 1.4 or 1.8, so for low light or intimate portraits, use your 50 or 85, but the versatility of this lens is great, and so are the images.
I have lived in New Jersey for over 30 years and have been to all the towns and cities you visited except for one. Cape May.
that’s the best one!
Great article and great shots using an underrated lens. I love mine and wouldn’t ever get rid of it
thanks and don’t
Nice article! I also own this lens and use it >80% of the time with my D750. It is really well balanced and you can capture most things with it. The only other lens I also carry with me when traveling is the 50mm f1.8 due to the wider aperture useful in low light situations. In daylight situations, however, where you have no time to change your lens, the 24-120 f4 is just perfect.
I need to get that 50mm 1.8 and do what you’re doing, perfect combo ..
Very nice pictures, very natural and yet poetic
I also own the 24-120mm and use it on a D850. Like you, I love the versatility and also the colours / contrast, very pleasing without ever being overdone. My only complaint with the lens would be the light fall-off in the corners which is sometimes impossible to remove, even in Lightroom post-processing (especially with completely clear skies)
I’m not a fan of that vignetting either but I guess you can’t have everything …
Hello Talha,
I think you have a really pleasing eye, well done for this article, I really enjoyed it thank you. I use my 24-120 for at least 80% of my photography, I think it is a delightfully balanced lens.
thanks Des