Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens Sample Images

A collection of photos taken with the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens to give an idea of how it performs in real-world shooting.

Nikon 24-70mm Sample Images
Last Updated:
Filed Under: Lenses, Sample Images

This post may include affiliate links. Read more.

Nikon’s 24-70mm f/2.8E is a newer version of this versatile zoom, replacing the older Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G. The headline feature is that it adds vibration reduction to gain a few extra usable stops when shooting handheld.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR Zoom Lens
  • Fast f/2.8 constant aperture with an electromagnetic diaphragm
  • Sensational image quality and sharpness with virtually no distortion, Focal Length Range : 24 to 70...

You can find more details in my review of this lens, but the short version is that I’ve found the optical performance of this lens to be excellent. It has a fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 that remains stable throughout the zoom range and also has vibration reduction. But it’s also bigger and heavier than you’d expect for a lens in these focal point ranges. And it is one of the lenses that spends quite a bit of time on my camera.

This lens is designed for Nikon’s FX DSLRs. It will work on the Z-series mirrorless cameras with the addition of the FTZ adapter, but there’s also a 24-70mm that’s designed specifically for the Z cameras (it’s a little slower, at Æ’/4). You can find sample images I’ve taken with that lens here.

Sample Images taken with a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens

Here are some sample images shot with this lens across a range of different subject matters designed to test various aspects in real-world shooting. Click on the photos below for full-size versions.

Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 24mm and at aperture Æ’/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 56mm and at aperture Æ’/4.5.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 35mm and at aperture Æ’/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 24mm and at aperture Æ’/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 24mm and at aperture Æ’/2.8.
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 24mm and at aperture Æ’/2.8.
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D850, zoomed to 24mm and at aperture Æ’/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 38mm and f/5.6.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/9.0. This was handheld in a dark space and the lights are in a 3D shape, so it’s not the same as a lab test in a controlled environment, but you can see even here there’s good sharpness throughout the frame, even at the corners.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/22.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 50mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 44mm and f/2.8. The VR gives about three extra stops of stability when taking handheld photos like this one.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 52mm and f/5.6.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 42mm and f/2.8. This was handheld using the VR.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 56mm and f/2.8. The rivets on this wing serve as useful reference points for looking at sharpness. The high-contrast lines in the right-hand side of the frame also show only very slight chromatic aberration.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/4.5. This was handheld in a dark space. Again, the VR helped keep things sharp.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/22. At f/22 you get a very wide depth of field throughout the frame.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 55mm and f/2.8. The wide aperture of f/2.8 lets you isolate parts of the shot based on depth and adding bokeh.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8. Even wide open the sharpness is good even at the edges of the frame, as you can see from the text on the blue panel at the bottom here.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8. Even at 70mm there is some barrel distortion, which you can see in the curves of the vertical lines on the wall and on the frame.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 56mm and f/8.0. I took this shot as an example of sharpness. As you can see from the various text on the buses, license plates, and signs, as well as the scaffolding on the US Capitol Dome in the distance, and the branches on the trees, at f/8 it’s very sharp throughout the frame.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 55mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/5.6.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 32mm and f/5.6.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 44mm and f/2.8. There’s a very smooth dropoff with the bokeh.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/6.3. It’s not a macro lens (or micro, if you’re Nikon), but with a minimum focusing distance of 15 inches it’s useful for general close-in use.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/8. I find the 24mm end of the range to be very useful for general landscape and travel photography shots.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 32mm and f/8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/22.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8. You can see much more lens vignetting (darkening around the edges) wide open than with the Æ’/8 version immediately above.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 70mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 45mm and f/4.5.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 50mm and f/4.5.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/8.0. As you can see in the skylight at top left, there’s no real issue with chromatic aberration even on high contrast sharp lines.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 50mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/11.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/4.0. As you can see, this one has fairly strong lens vignetting (darkening around the corners) at f/4. Compare with the previous shot from the same spot at f/11.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 29mm and f/5.6.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 24mm and f/2.8.
Photo taken with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR zoom lens
I took this photo with a Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR zoom lens on a NIKON D810 at 48mm and f/2.8.

Optical Correction Tools

I deliberately haven’t applied extensive corrections to these images. And the general rule of thumb in photography is that it’s better to get the shot right at the time of capture rather than trying to fix it after. That’s a great aspiration, but it’s not always possible to do if you’re bumping up against limitations or flaws in gear, conditions, or technique.

But it’s worth mentioning that there are some excellent tools available to help address common issues with lenses, such as distortion, chromatic aberration, and lens vignetting when editing the images. All-round image processing apps like Lightroom Classic and Capture One have solid tools built in already that often cater to specific lens profiles (or you can make your own).

Some more specialized tools can take it even further. DxO, in particular, sets the gold standard. Their software is built on the foundation of their incredibly deep archive of data from their extensive lab testing of the optical performance of lenses and cameras. But there are some other excellent specialized tools available. These are well worth a look (and have free trials):

  • DxO Pure RAW (for a suite of automatic RAW file corrections enhancement)
  • DxO ViewPoint (correcting for distortion and geometry)
  • Topaz Labs Sharpen AI (in addition to standard unsharp tools, includes focus correction and shake reduction)

Price & Availability of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR

Check the current price and availability at:

You can rent them at BorrowLenses and LensProtoGo.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm Æ’/2.8E ED VR Zoom Lens
  • Fast f/2.8 constant aperture with an electromagnetic diaphragm
  • Sensational image quality and sharpness with virtually no distortion, Focal Length Range : 24 to 70...

Accessories for the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens

Filters. The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens takes standard 82mm screw-in filters: Polarizer | UV/Haze | ND.

Lens Hood. It comes with a plastic petal-style lens hood. If you need a replacement, the model number is HB-74.

Lens Caps. It takes standard Nikon front and rear lens caps. Aftermarket versions are usually cheaper and work just as well.

Lens Case. It comes with a semi-soft lens case. There’s no particular reason you have to stick to the official Nikon one, but if you’re after a replacement, the model number is CL-M3.

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2023-06-03 at 01:30. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

David Coleman / Photographer

David Coleman

I'm a professional freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my travel photography here. More »