Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28mm F 1 8G Review | 54 Data compared

The Photography Life review identifies the Nikon 28mm f/1.8G as a high-value, lightweight wide-angle lens offering excellent contrast, beautiful color rendition, and effective ghosting/flare control for $699. Pros include superb center-frame sharpness when stopped down, versatile performance as a walkabout lens, and smooth bokeh despite a 7-blade diaphragm. Conversely, the review notes significant drawbacks, including a wavy, donut-shaped field curvature and a notable focus shift that affects sharpness distribution. Additionally, the lens produces onion-shaped bokeh highlights and demonstrates weaker corner sharpness compared to the center.

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G as a lightweight (330g) wide-angle prime offering excellent price-to-performance for FX/DX cameras, featuring quick, quiet autofocus and robust center/edge sharpness when stopped down. The lens is praised for its Nano Crystal Coat, which controls flare, and a user-friendly internal focus design with a non-rotating 67mm filter thread. Conversely, the review notes minor drawbacks, including a somewhat loose, under-damped manual focus ring. Additionally, the lens produces noticeable vignetting at the maximum f/1.8 aperture, requiring users to stop down to achieve uniform illumination, particularly on full-frame sensors.

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G is an outstanding, fast wide-angle prime lens designed for full-frame FX camera bodies, where it offers a classic field of view ideal for landscapes, event coverage, and reportage. It is also highly versatile for APS-C DX sensor owners, perfectly matching the sensor's diagonal measurement to act as a fast, low-light normal lens that yields a shallow depth of field. Physically, the lens is relatively lightweight at 11.6 ounces and measuring 3.2 by 2.9 inches, which is comparable to the size of a small zoom lens. It features a fixed front element that accommodates 67mm circular polarizing filters and utilizes a silent, quick internal autofocus motor. In lab testing, the lens achieved an Editors' Choice award by proving to be incredibly sharp and an exceptional value for its performance. Its main pros include an inexpensive price point, a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, and razor-sharp resolution that hits 2,301 lines wide open—well above the standard required for a sharp photo—and peaks at 2,875 lines when stopped down to f/8. Additionally, it exhibits a negligible barrel distortion...

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G is a top-flight prime lens that delivers exceptional sharpness and a perfect bill of health across its aperture range, with virtually nonexistent chromatic aberration. It features a fast, quiet, and reliable autofocus system alongside a weather-sealed metal mount. Minor flaws include small barrel distortion on off-centre horizons, a somewhat loose manual focus ring, and limited depth-of-field indicators, though it remains a stellar performer.

The Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.8G is a highly capable wide-angle prime ideal for environmental portraiture, offering outstanding sharpness, fast autofocus, and premium optical coatings that reduce flare. Neil van Niekerk notes that while the lens performs well, it requires careful handling of contrast when shooting wide-open at f/1.8. Key disadvantages include reduced contrast at maximum aperture, necessitating post-processing adjustments, and bokeh that can appear "jittery" rather than smooth in certain backgrounds. Despite these limitations, it is praised for its portability and performance as a versatile prime.

The Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.8 G is a bright, full-frame (FX) lens that acts as a 42mm equivalent documentary and landscape lens when mounted on an APS-C (DX) body like the Nikon D7100. Testing reveals outstanding center sharpness starting at f/2.8, with optimal overall performance reached at f/5.6. Utilizing a full-frame lens on a smaller DX sensor inherently minimizes native flaws, resulting in virtually no visible chromatic aberration and very low distortion in JPEG mode. Furthermore, the lens features a plastic housing keeping it lightweight at 300 grams, an internal construction of 11 elements, and 7 rounded aperture lamellae that help produce a fine, smooth background bokeh. The review highlights distinct advantages and drawbacks to using this specific setup. The primary pros include high overall image quality, excellent maximum brightness for low light and background isolation, high resistance to flare even without a sun cap, and beautiful bokeh. On the downside, the lens is larger, heavier, and more expensive than a dedicated DX lens. Its plastic build also introduces a theoretical risk of thermal expansion leading to minor front or...

The Nikon 28mm f/1.8G is described as a lightweight, compact, and fast wide-angle prime lens offering excellent optical performance, great ergonomics, and full-frame (FX) coverage. It features a large manual-focus ring for instant override and serves as the only 28mm lens that autofocuses on entry-level DSLRs. Ken Rockwell While optically sound, the lens has a plastic construction made in China and is considered a "light-duty" consumer build despite the metal mount. It represents a poor value for DX users compared to cheaper alternatives, making it best suited for FX users needing a compact, fast option.

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G is a highly competitive, mid-range wide-angle prime lens designed for Nikon full-frame (FX) cameras, priced at a suggested $699.95. In DxOMark testing on a Nikon D3x, it achieved an impressive overall score of 29 and a sharpness rating of 19 P-Mpix. These metrics place it at the top of its class for value, matching the performance of much more expensive lenses like the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G and outperforming the Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G. Key advantages include its advanced optical design featuring two aspherical elements, a circular 7-blade aperture for smooth bokeh, and Nano Crystal Coating to minimize ghosting and flare. Additionally, it provides fast, quiet autofocusing via a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) and exceptionally low, well-controlled distortion at just 0.5%, making it excellent for architectural photography. Despite its stellar performance, the lens exhibits a few optical drawbacks. The most prominent weakness is noticeable corner vignetting (lens shading) at full aperture, losing up to -1.7EV in the corners at f/1.8. This shading persists through f/2.8 before disappearing. Furthermore, it displays mild chromatic aberration measured at 10µm,...

The Fstoppers review highlights the Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.8G as an affordable, lightweight, and ultra-fast wide-angle prime lens that serves as an excellent everyday carry option for street, wedding, and landscape photography. Key advantages include its outstanding sharpness across the frame, a relatively affordable price point of $696.95, and a compact 330-gram build that pairs comfortably with full-frame DSLR bodies. Additionally, the reviewer praises its close focusing distance and the inclusion of premium features like a Silent Wave Motor (SWM), a Rear Focusing System, and a Nano Crystal Coating that actively prevents ghosting and flares in most lighting environments. However, the reviewer points out several notable compromises, particularly regarding its physical construction and optical characteristics. The exterior body features a cheap, plastic barrel that feels far less robust than high-end Nikkor optics, and the lens completely lacks weather sealing. Optically, the lens suffers from visible barrel distortion and lacks Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements, meaning chromatic aberration is present at wider apertures. Furthermore, despite possessing a Silent Wave Motor, the autofocus operation produces an audible noise due to the thin...

The Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.8G is a compact, lightweight 330g prime lens designed for full-frame Nikon F-mount DSLRs, offering a versatile 75-degree wide field of view that is ideal for street photography and general walkabout shooting. Priced between $549.95 and $699.95, it serves as a highly portable and affordable alternative to the bulkier, more expensive f/1.4E version. The lens features a fast, quiet ring-type ultrasonic autofocus system with full-time manual override, alongside an optical design comprising 11 elements in 9 groups, including two aspherical elements, a Nano Crystal Coat, and a Super Integrated Coating to control flare and ghosting. Performance-wise, it delivers excellent center sharpness even wide-open at f/1.8, and boasts superb overall resolution across the entire frame when stepped down to f/2.8 and beyond. Several notable strengths and weaknesses define this lens. Its main pros include a solid, sturdy construction despite its lightweight build, a fast f/1.8 aperture that allows for reliable handheld low-light shooting, and a very compact form factor. However, the review highlights distinct cons, such as being relatively pricey for an f/1.8 prime lens and lacking...

The Nikkor AF-S 28mm f/1.8 G is a consumer-grade prime lens evaluated on a Nikon D3x full-frame camera. On the positive side, it offers a fast f/1.8 aperture and features modern optical technologies like a silent wave ultrasonic AF motor and Nano Crystal Coat, which effectively minimizes ghosting and flare in backlit conditions. The overall build quality is decent with a smooth, rubberized focus ring. Furthermore, its inner-focusing design prevents the lens length from changing and stops the front element from rotating, allowing hassle-free polarizer use. However, the lens does present a few notable drawbacks. A significant structural issue is a noticeable amount of play when changing focus directions, requiring a few millimeters of movement before the focus unit responds. This lag can be particularly frustrating when trying to manually nail focus in Live View. Additionally, because it is a G-type lens, it lacks a dedicated physical aperture ring.