Nikon 18-300mm F/35-63g Ed if Af-s Dx Nikkor Vr Lens Review
This is an in-depth review of the Nikon 18-300mm f/three.v-5.6G DX ED VR lens that was released in June of 2012 along with the Nikon 24-85mm f/iii.v-4.5G ED VR lens. Thanks to the popular demand of the xviii-200mm and the full-frame Nikon 28-300mm VR lenses, Nikon decided to add another superzoom to the DX line.
While the 28-300mm works well on both full-frame and cropped sensor cameras, its 28mm focal length is as well long for general use on cropped sensor cameras (with an equivalent focal length of 42mm). Therefore, a redesigned version of the lens with a wider field of view makes the 18-300mm VR a more attractive superzoom option for DX users.
The Nikon eighteen-300mm DX is a variable aperture lens with a 16.7x zoom range for enthusiasts that need a single, "all-in-one" lens for everyday and travel photography. The variable aperture of f/3.5-5.half-dozen (which changes from f/3.5 on the widest cease at 18mm to f/5.6 when zoomed in), forth with the lack of the gilt ring on the forepart of the lens signal that the lens is not on the same level every bit professional-grade constant discontinuity lenses in terms of eyes, which is quite understandable, considering what it can offering in terms of zoom range.
Despite being a consumer-grade lens, the Nikon 18-300mm is beefed up with plenty of optical technologies from Nikon. The lens sports the 2d generation VR II (vibration reduction) applied science, offering camera milk shake compensation equivalent to a shutter speed increment of approximately four stops, allowing to shoot at slower shutter speeds without introducing camera shake.
In addition, the two "Normal" and "Active" VR modes allow photographers cull how the Vibration Reduction system responds to various shooting situations. Equipped with an AF-S silent-wave focus motor, the Nikon 18-300mm lens focuses quietly and reasonably apace in diverse lighting conditions. Similar to the 28-300mm lens, the Nikon eighteen-300mm also has a 77mm filter thread, which is a standard filter size on pro-level lenses, making information technology easy for photographers to utilise specialized filters (polarizing, neutral density, etc) on the lens without having to mess with adapter rings. To prevent issues with lens creep, Nikon provided a zoom lock on the lens outside, similar to the ones on both xviii-200mm and 28-300mm lenses.
Having a similar optical design as the 28-300mm and the eighteen-200mm lenses, the Nikon eighteen-300mm has retained a similar physical appearance too. The same barrel layout with the zoom ring in front end of the lens, same focus mode switches, lens markings, etc. The biggest difference is the weight and majority: the lens is the biggest and the heaviest of the three. In this review, I will take a closer look at the lens, analyze its optical functioning characteristics and provide comparisons to the other two Nikon superzoom siblings.
Nikon 18-300mm f/3.v-5.6G DX ED VR Specifications
- Mountain Type: Nikon F-Bayonet
- Focal Length Range: xviii-300mm
- Zoom Ratio: 16.7x
- Maximum Aperture: f/three.5
- Minimum Discontinuity: f/22
- Format: DX
- Maximum Angle of View (DX-format): 76°
- Minimum Angle of View (DX-format): 5°20′
- Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 0.32x
- Lens Elements: 19
- Lens Groups: 14
- Optical Conversion Factor: 1.5x
- Compatible Format(s): DX
- VR (Vibration Reduction)/Image Stabilization: Yes
- Diaphragm Blades: nine
- Distance Information: Aye
- ED Glass Elements: iii
- Aspherical Elements: three
- Super Integrated Coating: Yes
- Autofocus: Yep
- AF-S (Silent Wave Motor): Yep
- Internal Focusing: Yes
- Minimum Focus Distance: ane.48 ft. (0.45m) only at 300mm zoom setting
- Focus Manner: AF, Manual
- 1000-blazon: Yes
- Filter Size: 77mm
- Accepts Filter Type: Screw-on
- Dimensions (Approx.): 3.three×4.7 in. (Diameter x Length) 83x120mm (Diameter 10 Length)
- Weight (Approx.): 29.iii oz. (830g)
- Supplied Accessories: HB-58 Bayonet Lens Hood, LC-77 Snap-on Front end Lens Cap, LF-iv Rear Lens Cap, CL-1120 Soft Instance
Detailed specifications for the lens, along with MTF charts and other useful data can be plant in our lens database.
Lens Construction and Handling
As I have already pointed out in the introduction of this review, the Nikon 18-300mm is bigger and heavier than both the 18-200mm and the 28-300mm lenses. And for this reason alone, information technology was one of the get-go things that I really disliked most it. Yes, the 18-300mm does give more than range than whatsoever other Nikkor lens, simply it is a DX lens and it feels completely out of balance on most DX cameras. When fully extended, it gets and then long that from the side it virtually looks like you are using the 70-200mm f/2.viii. The Nikon eighteen-200mm now looks pocket-size in comparing and it is not a small lens to kickoff with. Weighing 830 grams, it is a whopping 270 grams heavier than the xviii-200mm – near as heavy as the Nikon 24-70mm f/ii.8G! I don't know what Nikon was thinking when they designed the lens – what kind of a DX shooter would want this monstrosity? I can understand if one desires a heavy and expensive lens for functioning reasons, but the 18-300mm is non a very sharp lens. And then keeping its functioning characteristics in mind, information technology is likewise beefy and heavy in my opinion. Some people prefer DX cameras for weight reasons, and then I guess the 18-300mm would be completely out of question for those folks.
Here is how the lens compares to the 18-200mm and 28-300mm size-wise (From left to right: Nikon xviii-200mm, Nikon 18-300mm, Nikon 28-300mm):
And hither they all are again, this time fully extended (From left to right: Nikon 18-200mm, Nikon xviii-300mm, Nikon 28-300mm):
On a positive note, the lens is congenital well and feels solid in hands – certainly ameliorate than the Tamron and Sigma equivalents. It has a plastic barrel with plastic focus and zoom rings (the zoom ring is covered with condom). Most of the recently-announced lenses past Nikon have a plastic exterior, which does not necessarily mean that the lenses are not solid. The interior of the Nikon 18-300mm contains enough of metal to hold optical elements, although judging from the weight, it feels like the lens has goose egg but glass. The lens mount is also fabricated of solid metal, non plastic as in some cheap kit lenses like 18-55mm DX.
The Nikon 18-300mm DX should exist able to withstand cold and hot temperatures, only I would non go out it nether rain, extreme moisture and dusty environments. The lens is most vulnerable when zoomed in – the butt extends out quite a bit and any grit that settles on the lens barrel can be quickly sucked into the lens, resulting in grit inside the lens and potentially on the camera sensor. While dust specs generally do not impact the sharpness of a lens, too much dust decreases lens dissimilarity, resulting in images that look a little cloudier than normal. Annotation that virtually zoom lenses are prone to the same outcome as above, including some of the professional lenses.
The zoom band is easy to rotate from eighteen to 300mm and vice versa, although it felt a little stiff at beginning when I started using it. Zooming in/out got a fiddling smoother overtime, but not as well much to crusade the lens to creep. It takes more than a half turn to go from 18 to 300mm, which means you lot tin can zoom to a subject very quickly.
Another important thing to note is that the forepart part of the lens does not seem to wobble when the lens is fully extended (the eighteen-200mm is notorious for that). The plastic focus ring is located on the back of the lens, which I find backwards. I am used to the zoom band being close to the camera and the focus ring to exist in the front. But if you have shot with the 18-200mm or other DX lenses like Nikon 18-105mm or Nikon 18-135mm, y'all should have no bug with this.
Autofocus Speed and Accuracy
The autofocus motor of the Nikon xviii-300mm f/iii.5-5.6G VR is quiet and accurate at short focal lengths, even in low-light conditions, cheers to the AF-Due south Silent Wave Motor. Autofocus speed is relatively quick, but certainly not as fast equally in pro-level lenses. As you zoom in, however, autofocus accuracy is inconsistent and tin be all over the identify – with plenty of hits and misses. Annihilation above 105mm tends to miss focus and it gets worse at 200mm and 300mm. With such a complex lens design, I can encounter why it is so weak on the telephoto side.
Because the optical performance of the lens is rather weak at the telephoto cease, and since there is a significant amount of light loss at f/5.6, the stage-find sensor often gets dislocated and gives simulated positives. Well, that's what you get with a superzoom. Focus tracking is OK in continuous style, again merely at short focal lengths. When the lens cannot autofocus and starts to hunt, the autofocus functioning gets to a itch speed. I was able to get a couple of abrupt shots at 300mm, but it was not like shooting fish in a barrel. I had to constantly refocus and take pictures and eventually got a couple of keepers. Here is an epitome sample of a Black Bear photographed at 300mm:
It does not look bad when the image is down-sampled. But at 100% view, information technology is not as impressive. If you are later wildlife, this lens is clearly not a good candidate – you would be much better off with the 70-300mm lens.
Source: https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-18-300mm-vr
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