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.
Cape May
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.
Hereford
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 35mm, ISO 64, 2/1, f/8.0
Hereford Lighthouse in North Wildwood
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.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/80, f/8.0
FDR Drive in general and the Two Bridges area in particular, offer spectacular vistas of the adjoining boroughs and the bridges that connect them.
Brooklyn Bridge
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 120mm, ISO 64, 1/50, f/8.0
I, too, could sit and stare at that view forever
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 120mm, ISO 64, 1/20, f/11.0
Looking south from Two Bridges
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.
The tyranny of choice
NIKON D810 + 85mm f/1.8 @ 85mm, ISO 100, 1/60, f/2.8
Chow time in chi town
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.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 120mm, ISO 64, 25/10, f/11.0
The town has a Germanic/Moravian past and that is reflected in the local architecture.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 48mm, ISO 64, 1/160, f/8.0
Lehigh River – a tributary of the Delaware river – runs through the town and the bridges above it provide sweeping views of the surrounding areas.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/40, f/11.0
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/80, f/8.0
The suburbs are quiet and peaceful. The landscape is lush green and quite beautiful in the summer time.
NIKON D810 + 70-200mm f/4 @ 200mm, ISO 64, 1/125, f/4.0
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.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 48mm, ISO 64, 1/80, f/11.0
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 120mm, ISO 64, 1/200, f/8.0
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/160, f/11.0
New England architecture is very different from SoCal and lends itself very well to photography.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 38mm, ISO 64, 1/160, f/8.0
The wide open spaces, meadows and fields are a landscape photographer’s dream.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/160, f/8.0
And the weather does things that we just don’t get to see in the Southwest.
NIKON D810 + 24-120mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 64, 1/5, f/8.0
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.
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