Sorry for the squeaky first lens ! I have/had one (given to my daughter with the D3x after her D700 was stolen with a batch of lenses) that works fairly well... I tend to regret it, having now a 24-120mm f/4 VR. It's more about the relative weight and length then about the optical qualities !
I might get myself another in june at the Bière Photo fair, as it works well with the Df (size and weight).
The 24-120mm f/4 crosses an IQ threshold for me, that the 24-85mm VR does not. (But it must be said that this opinion is only tendered on the basis of using the lenses on a 36 MP sensor, which is the only way I have used them.)
It's not that the 24-120 is twice as good, or even 50% better. But it manages to sneak into an IQ range that I find "good enough" on the D810 sensor. In my recollection, the smaller lens was just a little too unsharp at every focal length, wide open.
I do envy the 24-85's small size and light weight. In fact, ever since selling the 2nd copy, I've been on a quest to find a normal zoom that is as small and light, but optically just a
little bit better—without being more expensive! A tall order. But since I prefer the 28mm focal length to 24mm anyway, there were several lenses that start at 28mm that I could try, and did. The closest alternative, the 24-85mm f/2.8-4, is one that I did not try. I just could not bring myself to buy one, having convinced myself that it would disappoint me. Lately I did find a lens that I liked in this range: the 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Ai-S.
