The following images were taken with the Nikon 16-35/4.0G VR on a D800. Each image was recorded in RAW and converted with Lightroom 4.4 or 5.3 at Camera Standard settings. Noise-reduction is set to 0, sharpening to 70/0.5/36/10, no extra tone, color, or saturation-adjustment was used. You can click on each image to access the large original. Please respect our copyright and only use those images for personal use.

The old tower in the sunlight demonstrates how well defined details and edges are reproduced against the bright sky.

Old tower: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 16mm f4 on a D800

Main image and all 100% crops: 16mm, f4, 1/250 sec, 100 ISO

Gleaming chrome and minute details are reproduced faithfully with a background that is only slightly nervous:

Red Morgan: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 35mm f8 on a D800
Main image and all 100% crops: 35mm, f8, 1/50 sec, 100 ISO
35mm, f8, left border		35mm, f8, center		35mm, f8, background

Capture fine details in architecture shots:

Wichernhaus: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 16mm f4.0 on a D800

Main image and all 100% crops: 16mm, f4.0, 1/400 sec, 100 ISO, also available in f5.6 and f8.0

Although the center is very contrasty and sharp rendering of the lens at 35mm gets a bit soft at the borders and corners even at f8:

Duck Pond: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 35mm f8 on a D800
Main image and all 100% crops: 35mm, f8, 1/160 sec, 100 ISO
35mm, f8, center		35mm, f8, border		35mm, f8, upper right

Again, great reproduction of details in the center but the outer area is lacking critical definition at f8:

Wanderer: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 35mm f8 on a D800
Main image and all 100% crops: 35mm, f8, 1/250 sec, 100 ISO
35mm, f8, center		35mm, f8, right		35mm, f8, right border

Under many different shooting conditions the long end of this lens leaves you wanting as soon as you look outside the 15mm diameter of the inner image-circle:

Old House: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 35mm f8 on a D800

Main image and all 100% crops: 35mm, f8, 1/8 sec, 100 ISO. Also available at f4.0

On the short end things look better as long as you don’t look into the extreme FX-corners:

Old House: shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 16mm f4 on a D800

Main image and all 100% crops: 18mm, f8, 1/100 sec, 100 ISO, also available at f5.6 and f8.0

You can even produce some Bokeh with this lens: zoom in to 35mm and get close to your subject like with the following tulips. The background rendering is not too nervous:

Tulips: Bokeh shot with Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR at 35mm f4.0 on a D800

Main image and all 50% crops: 35mm, f4.0, 1/40 sec, 100 ISO, also available at f5.6

For more examples check out all my high-resolution Nikon AF-S 16-35/4.0G VR sample images.