IS for the 24-70 L series

[NHL]

Originally Posted by JimC

I'm not convinced that they couldn't add it and improve IQ at the same time, given improvements in software used for lens design, manufacturing tolerances, etc . I don't think you can really jump to any conclusions in that area based on the inclusion or exclusion of IS in some of the existing lenses. Look at the latest Canon 18-55mm kit lens as one example, (it's much better optically than the older one without IS, but I doubt the addition of IS is the reason).

You make it sounds like Nikon do not have access to the same design tools or manufacturing capabilities:
-> The EF 24-105L with IS is clearly a new design and so is the Nikon 14-24's - I know it's two different zooms, but released about the same time and clearly the one without IS is in a different league don't you think?

The new EFS 18-55 is definitely sharp, but what about its others qualities: vignetting, distortion and CA (all aspects which are more critical in a WA) and especially on a full-frame which is much harder to accomplish than in a cropped lens where only the center part of the image is required... i.e. corner to corner, the EF-S wouldn't stand a chance under scrutiny

[JimC]

They're different ranges from wide to long, too. For a lens with as much focal range as the 24-105mm has, it seems to do nicely. ;-)

I haven't compared every spec in great detail. But, it looks like more and more new lenses with IS are being introduced with better overall quality than similar predecessors, at least in lenses designed for APS-C cameras. If all of your lenses have IS, then another brand wouldn't have any perceived advantage (which would be better from a marketing perspective if they design lenses without any optical degradation from the inclusion of IS).

With full frame, I don't see why they couldn't do the same thing.

[JimC]

I expect to see the same trend with more third party lenses as time passes, too (like more Sigma OS lenses and Tamron VC lenses). Here's one example of a newly announced lens with stabilization:

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC