Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Review

August 4, 2010 | Zoltan Arva-Toth |

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Sharpness Cont... 3

Sharpness at 35mm

The sharpness tests for this review were carried out using a real-world subject rather than a test chart. The Nikkor 16-35mm f4 VR lens was attached to a Nikon D700 body, which in turn was mounted on a sturdy tripod. Exposure Delay Mode was activated. Slight tonal changes are due to slight changes in natural light during the session. The 100% crops represent about 1/300th of the total frame area.

The full frame at 35mm

If I had to pick nits, I would say that centre sharpness is best at f/5.6, but realistically it's very good from f/4 to f/16, and not too bad at f/22, either. The edges are a bit soft at f/4 but really good from f/5.6 to f/16, and especially at f/8 and f/11. At f/22 there is a loss of contrast but the edges are still sharper than wide open at f/4.