Nikon Announces Four New SLR Lenses

In addition to the brand-new, HD-video shooting D3100 announced today Nikon also has a clutch of new lenses. Here’s the list of names so you lens-lovers can quickly see the lineup:

AF-S NIKKOR DX 55-300mm ƒ4.5-5.6 VR – $400

AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm ƒ4 G ED VR – $1,050

The AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm ƒ3.5-5.6G ED VR -$1,300

AF-S NIKKOR 85mm ƒ1.4G – $1,700

The first one, the 55-300mm, comes out at a 35mm-equivalent of 83-450mm, a very long and very odd zoom range. The price and the maximum apertures put it clearly in the budget range.

The next two zooms on the list look like they’re just there to pad the range. 24-120mm is a handy range, but that ƒ4 aperture makes it hard to stomach dropping a grand on it.

The last lens is possibly the oddest. Nikon already has an ƒ1.4 85mm lens, and it costs $1,360. The new model loses the aperture ring on its barrel, and comes with the autofocus motors inside, meaning faster focussing.It also gains a focus-mode switch on its side and gets Nikon’s latest fancy glass coatings. Both the new and the old 85mm lenses have 9-blade diaphragms for nice, circular out-of-focus highlights.

My guess would be that this new lens will replace the old one in time. But it’s just a guess: the existing ƒ1.4 85mm is a classic, and a very well loved chunk of glass.

Lens store [Nikon]