The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR and the Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4D IF for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 155mm. The Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4D IF with a length of 83mm, is 72mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4D IF's 79mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4D IF weighs 545g, 49% (525g) lighter than the Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR's weight of 1070g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR and the Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4D IF has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Focal Range
Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR has a focal range of 24-70mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36 - 105mm.
Nikon 24-85mm f2.8-4D IF has a focal range of 24-85mm and 3.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36 - 127.5mm.