So I entered the store, trying not to run, approached the counter and talked to the lady sporting a Nikon Millennium polo shirt. After confirming they did not carry Tokina lenses, I asked her to show me any AF-S lenses she might have. Knowingly, smiled and proceeded to hand me a F100 and a monster lens which she extracted from an elegant Nikon leather case. After saying softly “Careful” as I mounted the lens, she then added, almost innocently, “Just look trough the viewfinder”.

It was dangerously instantaneous, love at first sight. The image through the viewfinder was bright, straight, crisp, without any apparent distortion. I zoomed out and noticed it did not change it’s focus, nor the front element rotated!. Wow! 17mm is wide!. Moved the camera’s focus mode to “M” and the switch on the lens to “M” for manual focussing and it slided gently, without a sound. The barrel focusing ring also slided effortless and silent…….. Switching back, auto focus was almost painfully fast, as if I almost wanted it to last longer.

— the Nikkor AF-S 17–35mm f/2.8D ED IF lens