Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 12mm
What Buyers Say
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
The Nikon 16-85mm VR is widely praised as an excellent all-around zoom for DX cameras, delivering sharp images across the focal range with effective VR. Users note it outperforms kit lenses like the 18-105mm and even rivals the pricier 17-55mm in sharpness, though it is heavy and somewhat slow (f/3.5-5.6). Build quality is solid with a metal barrel, and the 16mm wide end is a key advantage for landscapes. Some caution about vignetting with thick filters and barrel distortion at 16mm, but overall it is considered a worthy investment for enthusiasts.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness across focal range
- Effective VR II image stabilization
- Solid build with metal barrel
- Useful 16-85mm zoom range
- Great for landscapes and travel
Cons
- Heavy weight (3.1 lb with D90)
- Slow aperture (f/3.5-5.6)
- Expensive for an f/3.5-5.6 lens
- Barrel distortion at 16mm
- Vignetting with thick filters at 16mm
Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 12mm
The Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, color rendition, and build quality, making it a favorite for landscape and interior photography. Users appreciate the minimal distortion and excellent flare control, though many note the autofocus is slow and noisy, and manual focus also produces motor sounds. Some find it pricey but worth the investment for the optical quality, while a few express disappointment over the lack of a depth-of-field scale and noisy operation.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Excellent color rendition
- Minimal distortion
- Great flare control
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Slow and noisy autofocus
- Loud manual focus motor
- No depth-of-field scale
- Expensive
- Lens caps of poor quality
Scores
Specifications
| Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm | Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 12mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 16 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 85 mm | 12 mm |
| Elements | — | 11 |
| Groups | — | 8 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | 1 |
| ED Elements | 2★ | 0 |
| Coating | Super Integrated Coating | T* anti-reflective coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon F | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.48 kg | 0.26 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | AF-S | Auto Focus |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 380 mm | 180 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | — | 1:2★ |
Pros & Cons
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
- Strong versatility (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 12mm
- Strong macro (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Strong build (78th percentile)
- Strong social proof (71st percentile)
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average bokeh (25th percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
Pricing
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
No current pricing available
Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 12mm
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.
