Customer Reviews for Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens
by Nikon

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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens

Customer Review: Nothing but a plesure
Summary: 5 Stars

I'm an occasional photographer (Nikon D70). Not too many shots but varying from my family Christmas party (in the dark) to kids skiing fast in the Alps (in the sun and in the snow).

My impression is that it is the lens as the lens should be. For people like me it is a dream come true. Anything "simpler" than this lens is just a waste of money.

Customer Review: Nikon delivers.
Summary: 4 Stars

Fantastic range, some of the best image stabilization I've seen, no noticeable loss of quality through-out the entire range, feels like it's a pro lens and built tough. I use this a lot, and I am always very pleased with the results. In the day time, and good lighting this lens will deliver fantastic images from 18mm wide-angle all the way to 200mm telephoto. Not having to change between lenses on the fly is a God-send.

I shoot a lot of sports for my clients, and being on the side-lines for a soccer game when the players are 10 feet in front of you one second and 100 feet away the next can be a nightmare. Without this lens I would have missed so many shots. The only downside to lens is that it is a little slow in low light. After-all, this an all in one lens, and for Nikon to have made this a constant f/2.8 the lens would have been three times the size and price.

My recommendation is to have the Nikon 35mm f1.8 DX in your bag as well... that is the ultimate DX set-up. Those two lenses on DX bodies... you will never need any other gear because after that getting good photos is all about your skill. One last note, if you're worried about lens creep, don't be. It's not a problem. It only happens if you leave your lens zoomed passed 70mm, point the camera straight down, and shake it. Which is something you shouldn't be doing anyways because it is a dangerous way to walk around with your camera! Always keep your camera stored properly and walk around full zoomed out!

Customer Review: An outstanding versatile lens
Summary: 4 Stars

I'm not a pro, but I shoot a lot of pictures. This lens is everything I was expecting and more. I have had it four months and about 3000 shutter releases. It is a "prosumer" lens and the one star off is for the nit pick below.

The 11-1 zoom range is the main reason anyone buys this lens and it excels in that category with a 35mm film equivalent of 27mm to 300mm. My 18-70 and 55-200 are now paperweights! This lens looks and feels great on my D300, and even with the SB-800 flash, the rig is very well balanced and professional feeling. It is especially useful for events, parties, and even weddings ... short-range wildlife, walk around town, scenics, you name it, this lens can just about do it all. I love having the ability to shoot an overview of a dance floor, then, in the next few seconds zoom in on a smiling face of someone having a great time. Or I can frame a breathtaking mountain range at 18mm, and in the next moment grab a shot of a Golden Eagle swooping in low on a jackrabbit. No other single lens can provide those types of opportunities.

The build quality is impressive. Its plastic ... about as good as anything short of metal construction, but not without flaw.
So here is my only nit-pick.
There is a slight wobble when the lens is zoomed out even slightly. More-so when fully zoomed. I'm sure this is due to all the heavy glass the plastic barrels have to support, and does not affect performance. Zooming back to 18mm eliminates this, but you have to remember to do it. I am a little concerned that this wobble could accelerate wear and cause problems later. But okay so far.

The lens creep issue ... When I first got the lens it did not creep, though, from reading many reviews I expected it to, which is why I waited to write this review. After three months and about 2500 releases, it began creeping. It's really not an issue with me and the zoom is actually now smoother than when new ... a plus! The lens will not creep or wobble when set at 18mm! Something you should do anyway when not shooting. There is a "back woods engineering" fix for the creeping posted on the internet ... get a 71mm (I.D.) O-ring and stretch it over the zoom ring. Personally, I don't recommend this because it would have to create added friction somewhere to work ... and there's that accelerated wear thing again. Nikons' new version of this lens has a lock at 18mm (where it doesn't creep anyway). That's the only difference ... and they're going to charge more for it. We'll, at least they're listening.

This lens is sharp! ... even at 200mm! (sometimes, painfully sharp for tight people candids) It's way sharper than my 18-70. It's nearly as sharp as my 50mm f1.4. And I've read that it is nearly as sharp as the 70-200 f2.8 ... but it is not nearly $1600! Color and contrast are exceptional as well. Barrel distortion is quite visible at 18mm when vertical or horizontal lines are present in an image, but goes away quickly at about 20-24mm.

Focus is fast, quiet and accurate. Manual fine tuning is possible (without switching to manual focus) for maximum sharpness simply by turning the nicely positioned focus ring with one finger. The lens is not a macro, but focuses closer than most 200mm lenses, and I think closer than Nikon's notable spec of 20 inches, allowing me to fill the frame with a medium sized Butterfly.

The VRII system works really well ... noticeably better than the VRI used in my 55-200, which I felt did little more than made noise to make me think it was doing something. With the 18-200 I am able to shoot at 3 to 4 stops slower and usually get reasonably sharp pictures. Another big plus with VR is prevention of "ghosting" when shooting with flash or fill flash at slower shutter speeds which allow some ambient light with the flash. Remember that VR doesn't freeze subject motion, only camera motion. A fast shutter speed or flash is required for that. You will need lots of light or flash to freeze action with this lens, as f5.6 is a bit on the slow side. In low light, if flash isn't allowed or won't reach, you'll need that $1600 rig.

I absolutely recommend this lens for all but the most discriminating shooters. Most photographers will benefit from and enjoy using the 18-200VR while getting striking results.
I'm not going to say this is a great lens for the money. $700 plus is a lot of cash for some shooters ... not so much for others. Simply put, the Nikon 18-200VR is a winner on its merits ... and those are outstanding!

Customer Review: Great for street photography
Summary: 5 Stars

I first used this for a photo essay on homelessness in Washington, DC. In order to be less obvious I didn't zoom in until just before I was ready to take the picture. Using a Nikon-D90 I could crop the pictures if needed to, so I was able to be far enough away to not be noticed by the subject with one exception. That was by an alert Capitol Police guard with an automatic rifle who smiled and made a rude gesture to let me know he saw me. I caught and published that. [...]
I agree with most of those not paid to nitpick that this is the ideal all-purpose Nikon lens.