It may cost a lot, but the amount of features – such as the high build, SWM and fast f/2.8 aperture – definitely puts this lens in a professional category. The high optical performance is also a bonus, and Nikon owners will be proud to own such a great lens.

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  Good build quality, Sonic Wave Motor, fast f/2.8 aperture

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  Slower Sonic Wave Motor than comparable Canon lens

Is the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G AF-S DX Lens right for you? Learn all you need to know in The-Digital-Picture.com's review!

Nikon recommend this lens for use as a standard on their top end cameras and with an approximate 30% improvement on performance over the 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 we can see why. With lens quality fast becoming the limiting factor where top end digital imaging is concerned, 30% is a big step, but the...

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  Excellent wide-open performance, especially at the wider focal length, Good build quality., Excellent contrast and colour rendition., Good hood included

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  Disappointing control of distortion at the wide end., Price, although value for money is relative., Hood useless with on board flashes.

Nikkor brings us a top-quality gold-ring (professional-grade) lens with the AF-S DX 17-55mm F/2.8 G IF-ED. Sharp as a tack with exceptional build quality, its metal-body and rubber sealing to prevent against dust and humidity speak to its quality.

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  Extremely sharp;, Amazing auto-focus accuracy and speed;, Excellent build quality.

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  Extremely sharp;, Amazing auto-focus accuracy and speed;, Excellent build quality., Hefty price tag;, Hefty weight (for some).

If you are looking to invest in some serious glass, then I have to say that the Nikkor AF-S DX 17-55 F/2.8 G IF-ED is a fantastic choice for the serious hobbyist to the professional photographer.

I have owned this lens for about 14 months now, and have taken almost 5000 photos with it. Yes -- it was expensive. Yes -- it is heavy. But the images that this lens produces are remarkable. Sharpness, contrast and color are always excellent. And autofocus is fast and accurate.

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  Consistent Output, Durable, Fast / accurate auto-focus, Nice Bokeh, Rugged, Strong Construction

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  Heavy

OK, gotta add what others haven't. This is my GO-TO lens for professional video. It works great on a video camera using DX-sized APC chips. It outperforms $10K pro lenses I've used on broadcast cameras. Sure, it doesn't zoom in quite as far, but I rarely find that a limitation.

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  Consistent Output, Durable, Fast / accurate auto-focus, Nice Bokeh, Rugged, Strong Construction

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  Heavy

This lens has been of great use to me in my work as a location scout. It never comes off my DX format Nikon! 17-55mm is a very useful range, perfect for low light interior shots, bokeh-licious portraits, and beautiful landscapes. It focusses quickly and accurately.

I originally thought my Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC, which everyone claims is 95% as good as the 17-55 , could get me through whatever I encountered. Didn't happen. I purchased a Nikon 80-200mm F/2.8 two ring right before a wedding, and was blown away by the quality.

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  Super Sharp, great color and contrast. No contest vs Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 VC

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  Some people may be put off by the size/weight of a pro lens (not me :D )

This lens is great. I use the lens 95% of the time. The quick sharp focus is fantastic and can soak up so much light for low light shots. It is a tad heavy in comparison to some lenses I've had, however it's far better than those also. Well worth the price in my opinion.

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  Consistent Output, Durable, Easily Interchangeable, Quick Focus, Rugged, Sharp Focus, Strong Construction

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  Kinda heavy

If image quality trumps equipment cost every time, either because you're a pro or because you're an aficionado with lots of cash, this is the zoom superwide to normal for you. Paired with a 70-200, the 55-70mm range is seldom missed and you have exceptional and fast glass for about every situation...

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  This lens is probably the pinnacle of superwide to "normal" zooms (which most DX shooter tend to find the most versatile range) ever made for the Nikon F-mount. Nice and fast fixed 2.8 aperture, and the crispness of the images it yields is stunning.

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  Extremely expensive. Very heavy and very large, especially with the lens hood attached-- literally twice the size of the Nikkor 18-70 and the Sigma 18-50. The lens hood just clips the corner of the frame at 17mm, which I'm at a loss to understand how Nikon let slip by one of their marquee DX lenses.

I bought this lens to mate with my new Nikon D300 and upon opening the box, I was stunned at that build quality, heft and it having a literally silent motor. Optically, you can tell the pictures are sharper and clearer but I have to disclose that I upgraded from using entry level Tamron lens worth...

Good quality. Fast focus.

I bought this lens after several months of using the do it all Nikon 18-200VR which I found useful but quite disappointing for critical use. I wished that I had bought this fine lens a long time ago. With its fast aperture, sharpness and tough build quality it is a perfect picture taking tool.

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  • Build quality, • Image quality, • Sharpness, • Fast aperture at all focal lengths, • No significant distortion, • Its heavy and stable to hold

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  • None