Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)After exhaustive research on many lens, I finally decided to plunk down the $500+ (at the time this was written) to purchase this lens. It may not be the best on the market but it compliments my Nikon 18-70mm DX lens nicely. I was looking towards Nikon's 18-200mm DX lens, however; the price pushed me to choose this one (as it was nearly half the price and my two lens can nearly cover all the range of the one 18-200mm).
QUALITY/WEIGHT:
build quality is cheap yet sturdy... the plastic is a little chinky but cuts down on the weight. My Nikon D200 has no problem handling the lens weight, however; I have heard (unconfirmed) reports that this lens is a little heavy for the lighter cameras (D80, D70, D40, ETC). The Ring Connector is metal and has a rubber gasket on the outside so as to provide minor protection (for the lens mount) from the elements.
You also have to keep this in mind, when discussing weight, quality & price; the bulk of the price of this lens is going into the glass elements (all 17 elements of them). It gets expensive when you place that many high-quality optics into a tube. I'm really not that surprised a the price, although $400 price-range would probably be more suitable for this lens
FOCUSING/LENS ATTRIBUTES:
Focusing can be quite fast... at times. You'll find, at the Max 300mm focal range, that the lens has a pretty hard time auto-focusing in on a subject. At times it would focus pretty quick, at the 300mm range, while at others it cannot focus at all. You can get around this quirk by bringing the subject into near focus (manually) then letting the auto-focus take over; it works every time. I find this focus problem disappointing especially given the price of this lens.
The quality of the Bokeh (Out of focus areas of the photograph) is very nice and pleasing. The images are sharp, vignetting (dark areas in the corner of your photos) is hard to find and lens flare rarely a problem.
VIBRATION STABILIZATION:
All I can say is that it works... it can come in handy. It's not going to stop the image guaranteed for you; it's only meant to slow down the rate at which the camera moves (vibration from holding). You can notice the difference; with it off you'll see that the image (at say 300mm) really bouncing around; then you flick on VR. It takes a sec or two but then the image smooths out, it still wobbles around, but much more slowly.
With VR enabled, you can usually go 2-3 (sometimes 4) stops down, then what you'd normally be able to do when hand holding.
THE "SHOCK" TEST:
I haven't "shock tested" my lens yet (IE dropped it) but I have heard (again unconfirmed reports here) that it holds up pretty well to a drop... although I would never recommend testing that out.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The 70-300mm range should be noted: Although the lens states that it is a 70-300mm zoom, this lens was intended for a 35mm camera or full-frame CCD/CMOS sensor Digital Camera. All (or at least the majority) of Nikon's DSLR (D200, D80, ETC) are NOT Full-Frame sensors. They are approximately 1.5x factor of a full-frame sensor (due to the smaller sensor size).
What does this all mean?
Well it's simple, since this is a 35mm lens and not a DX lens (ie built to account for the 1.5x factor in most nikon digitals) you have to apply the 1.5x conversion. This means that the Nikon 70-300mm on a Nikon DSLR will give an apparent zoom equivalent to a 105-450mm lens. I actually do not mind this apparent zoom and this should also cut down on vignetting; as what the lens projects onto the sensor is larger then the area of the sensor itself. In short: parts of the image spills over the sensor, since this lens was meant to project onto a full-frame sensor/35mm film.
CONCLUSION:
Pros:
Pleasing Bokeh
Fast Auto-Focus (when working properly)
Vignetting is minimal
Image Stabilization (VR)
Flare is minimal
1.5x factor (105-450mm) makes for nice zoom
Colors are very good
CONS:
Plastic Casing
Near Inability to Auto-Focus at 300mm range
Price (even though it is cheaper then the 18-200mm DX)
1.5x factor (105-450mm) might make it more zoom then you need
Lens could be faster (F/4 would have been nice)
I love this lens, even for it's quirks, however; you may want to wait till it drops in price a little more (it falls almost bi-weekly). It may not be the fastest on the market, but it's size, optics, image quality and VR make this a must have lens for Serious Nikon users!

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L3)NIKON 70-300MM F4-5.6G Vr (2161)

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Nikon AF-S DX VR (Vibration Reduction) Zoom Nikkor 55-200mm f4.0-5.6 G IF -ED Lens With Nikon Lens pouch , Nikon Lens Hood , Set of 3 High Resolution Filters , Lens Cap Holder . Lens Cleaning Kit .For All nikon Digital SLR cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)Nikon lens is good but the product does not come with usa manufacturer's warranty as claimed by the product description. I am assuming it is a grey market product as my lens did not come even with the original nikon box. It came with a brown box packaging. On contacting the seller I was told that is how they get the product from Nikon. If you are particular about having a usa warranty product then apparently this might not be the one for you.

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* A compact telephoto zoom lens featuring VR and SWM at an affordable price * Vibration Reduction (VR) offers the equivalent of shutter speeds 3 stops faster for more flexible hand-held shooting * A wide 55-200mm (picture angle equivalent to 82.5-300mm lens in the 35mm format) 3.6x zoom range offers high quality images * An ED glass element * Compact SWM (Silent Wave Motor) for quiet auto focusing

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Nikon TC-17E II (1.7x) Teleconverter AF-S for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very good teleconverter, which of course gives a 1.7 times magnification to your lens. It is said to have been specifically been designed to go with the Nikkor 70-200 VR lens (and it also is compatible with certain other Nikkor lenses; see the Nikon website for a compatibility chart).
Nikon makes three teleconverters in this series, the TC 14E II, the TC 20E II, and this TC 17EII. The former two teleconverters give a 1.4 times, and 2 times magnification, respectively.
After considerable research, I went with the TC17E II on the theory (which is the common impression of many Nikon photographers) that this teleconverter is the best trade-off between image quality and extra reach. Of course, the more magnification that a teleconverter affords, the more degradation of image quality it will introduce.
After several shoots using the 70-200VR, the TC17E II, and the Nikon D200, I have been able to form some pretty good impressions, most of them favorable. All teleconverters will adversely affect image quality, which degradation will range from the imperceptable to the significant. My impression of this TC is that if you stop the lens down to around F8, the degradation is imperceptible, i.e. essentially nonexistent. With the lens wide open and at maximum zoom, there is some degradation of sharpness, although it is still possible to produce acceptible images under those conditions. Bottom line is that the TC 17E II is fine under reasonable light conditions. I have used it to shoot fast-moving birds under early morning light conditions, and the 70-200VR/TC 17E II combination has produced some extremely satisfactory images--and giving the lens the extra reach that was necessary to produce these images at all. Accordingly, in my opinion the TC 17E-II fulfilled its purpose--to give extra reach to the zoom without significantly degrading image quality.
The TC is beautifully and solidly built, with the same level of durability that went into the superb 70-200VR. I use this TC with my 70-200VR most of the time.
A fine teleconverter for those who need extra reach for some of their applications and this is a viable and economical alternative to buying a second, longer lens.

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The Nikon TC-17E II was designed exclusively for use with AF-S and AF-I lenses, and completes the Nikon lineup of 1.4x, 1.7x, and 2.0x compact teleconverters. This teleconverter will maintain full metering and focusing with compatible cameras and lenses, and will also support the VR function found on many of the newer professional lenses.The AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II allows focal length to be extended by a factor of 1.7 times while retaining a sense of overall comfort in the hand. Many such teleconverters can also have a detrimental effect on the speed of the lens, however the AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II makes available f-stops only 1.5 stops slower.NOTE: Due to the high-quality design of this converter (7 elements/4 groups), the teleconverter will only fit and work with a select range of lenses.NOTE: Autofocusing only possible when used with D1, D1X, D1H, D2H, D100, F5, F100, N90s, N80, N75 and N65 AF SLR Cameras (or any newer models).

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Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I believe it was Thom Hogan who described this lens as not perfect but really good at everything. That's the review in a nutshell.
This is what I would term a prosumer lens. It certainly is not cheap yet it does not have the build quality of Nikon's top-of-the-line. The barrel, for example, is plastic rather than metal. I fear that a drop would be catastrophic and even a hard bang on the edge of a table might do serious damage if the lens was fully extended. On the other hand, this lens is a lot less expensive than those in the Nikon pro line. In addition, the lens is much lighter and easier to carry than it would be were it made entirely of metal.
It is my understanding that the only meaningful difference between this lens (the VR II) and its immediate predecessor is the addition of a cam lock to prevent lens creep. My own sample doesn't creep at all, even with the cam unlocked but apparently that has been a significant irritant for a number of buyers.
The use of "VR II" in the name is potentially misleading because it may lead shoppers to believe that the VR system has been improved over the original model. This is not the case. Both the original 18-200 and the new version contain Nikon's second generation VR system. Some have suggested that Nikon's marketing is a bit shady on this point while others counter that the "II" simply designates a new model.
Sharpness is less than absolute across the entire range but more than adequate for anything that an amateur, or even most professionals, is likely to need. There is mild to moderate distortion, more marked at the focal length extremes but scarcely visible in the vast majority of images and readily correctable in Photoshop, DxO, or other post-processing software. Contrast is crisp and I find the lens surprisingly free of flaring and ghosting.
No one should buy this lens thinking that it will make him/her a better photographer. Good photography is in the mind and the eye, not in camera. What the 18-200 will do, though, is provide a one-lens solution to the great majority of focal length needs, minimizing the need to tote a hefty bag full of lenses. It happens that, as a long time Nikon user, I have such a bag. Despite all the choices at my disposal, my 18-200 probably stays on my camera 85-90% of the time.
Folks who are obsessed with numbers, charts, and MTF curves will probably fret over the 18-200, taking delight in pointing out every little defect. For the rest of us, the only significant downside that I see is that the lens is not ideally suited for extended service in rough environments or adverse weather situations. Since most of us seldom shoot in such circumstances, this should not be much of a problem.
I heartily recommend the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G AF-S ED VR II (whew! what a mouthful) to any advanced amateur or professional seeking a highly usable wide range zoom.

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The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200MM F/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Lens is a versatile and ultra-compact with a powerful focal length range of 18-200mm designed exclusively for Nikon DX format SLRs, is an ideal 11.1X zoom lens for portraiture, sports or wildlife. New compact rod-type Silent Wave Motor (SWM) enables ultra-high speed autofocusing with exceptional accuracy and super-quiet operation. Nikon Super Integrated Coating minimizes ghosting and flare to provide even higher contrast and more vivid images, even in challenging light conditions.

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Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera w/ 18-55mm VR Lens + 55-200mm Zoom Lens + 8GB Memory Card + Spare EN-EL9 Battery + Case + Cameta Bonus Accessory Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)This review is not about the camera but about WHAT IS INCLUDED in this package.
I was very delighted to see that this package offers a lot more than costco package - extra battery, bigger memory, bonus accessory- and cheaper. However, BE AWARE, one of the lenses is NOT VR lens!!
In my opinion, mixing VR and non-VR lenses in one package is simply weird and misleading too.. I will have to return it and suffer the loss of two expensive shipping fees and trouble.

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Kit includes: ♦ 1) Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera Body ♦ 2) Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Lens ♦ 3) Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX Lens ♦ 4) Transcend 8GB SecureDigital (SDHC) Card ♦ 5) Spare EN-EL9 Lithium-Ion Battery ♦ 6) Nikon Compact Digital SLR System Case ♦ 7) Precision Design USB 2.0 SDHC Card Reader ♦ 8) Precision Design Memory Card Storage Wallet ♦ 9) Digital Image Recovery Software ♦ 10) Precision Design 6-Piece Cleaning KitThe 12.3-megapixel Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera enables users to capture stunning images and High Definition video. Features include a 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD monitor, D-Movie Mode, 19 Scene Modes, One-button Live View, shooting as fast as 4 FPS, ISO sensitivity from 200 to 3200, built-in sensor cleaning, 11-point AF System and much more.The Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Lens is a compact, lightweight standard zoom lens with Vibration Reduction (VR) .
Versatile and ultra-compact with a powerful focal length range, the Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX is an ideal 3.6x zoom lens for portraiture, sports or wildlife.Take more pictures with this 8GB High-Capacity SecureDigital (SDHC) memory card.Increase your shooting capacity with this EN-EL9 rechargeable battery.Protect your valuable photography equipment with this sturdy, water-repellant carrying case from Nikon.Transfer files quickly with this USB 2.0 SecureDigital (SD) Card Reader.Keep multiple memory cards protected and organized with this durable storage wallet.Retrieve lost or deleted images from your memory card with Image Recall Digital Image Recovery Software.This 6-piece cleaning kit contains an Air Blower, Lens Cleaning Tissues, Lens Cloth, Lens Cleaning Liquid, Brush and Cotton Swabs.

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Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Telephoto Zoom Lens with 4Gb Card + Nikon 5874 Gadget Bag Case + EN-EL9 Battery + Tripod + Accessory Kit for Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D5000 Digital SLR Camera Review

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(More customer reviews)All I wanted to buy was the VR Lens, the Nikon Bag and the SD Card/Reader.When bought seperately this came around $250. So I thought I would buy this as it comes with lot of other additional items just for a little more. All the other items were not branded and were of less quality. The Lint free tissue was not lint free and when I cleaned my lens, it left lot of lint, so I had to use a good cloth to remove it. The EN-EL9 battery is also a local made. Better you could buy only those things you want and not this big chunk. This just occupies more space. If you are planning to buy a D40 or D60 newly, then better buy a package which comes with the additional lens. Such package generally has the Nikon Bag also. That package is better as it does not have unnecessary accessories and thereby less cost. For sure, shipment came on time, lens was excellent, bag was excellent, well packed.. but not worth as a package.
Little Change:
I changed the rating to 4. As its my fault that I didnt buy the camera package. Its now more than a year I own this. The bag's great... the lens's great and SD card is useful. I used the tripod a lot. When I created the first review, I did not want the Tripod. But when I started using it.. I really like that. But all others mentioned, I have never used them... If you buy all of them seperately its pretty costly. But still I recommend to buy a full package along with the camera...

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Kit includes: ♦ 1) Nikon 55-200mm VR Lens ♦ 2) Transcend 4GB High Capacity SecureDigital (SDHC) Memory Card ♦ 3) Nikon SLR Gadget Bag ♦ 4) Spare EN-EL9 High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery Pack ♦ 5) Precision Design Deluxe Camera Tripod with Carrying Case ♦ 6) Precision Design USB 2.0 High Speed SecureDigital (SD/SDHC) Card Reader ♦ 7) ImageRecall Digital Image Recovery Software ♦ 8) Precision Design Memory Card Storage Wallet ♦ 9) Digital Camera LCD Monitor Screen Protectors ♦ 10) Precision Design 5-Piece Lens Cleaning Kit ♦ 11) Cameta Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
The Nikon 55-200mm ED IF AF-S DX VR Lens is a compact 3.6X telephoto zoom lens, equivalent to a 82.5mm to 300mm telephoto zoom lens on a 35mm camera. It's ideal for portraits, candids, sports, travel, wildlife, and nature photography. This versatile lens also has macro capability for impressive close-ups of smaller objects such as flowers. It features Vibration Reduction to provide sharper, blur-free pictures at shutter speeds as much as 4 stops slower than one could ordinarily handhold.

Take more high-resolution pictures faster with this 4GB High-Capacity SecureDigital (SDHC) memory card.

Protect your valuable camera investment with this Nikon Brand multi-compartment camera carrying case.

Increase your shooting capacity with this powerful EN-EL9 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

Avoid camera shake and achieve maximum image quality by setting your camera on this sturdy, lightweight 57-inch tripod.

This 5-piece cleaning kit contains everything you'll ever need to properly clean your lenses, including Lens Cleaning Tissues, Lens Cloth, Lens Cleaning Liquid, Blower Brush and Cotton Swabs.

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Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all I'll say that I ordered my lens as soon as Amazon had them available. I upgraded to next day shipping and got it 18 hours later - quick service. Thanks Amazon!
But now on to the real review...
This lens is fantastic - especially for $399. My first concern was whether it not it had a plastic or metal mount since some DX lenses in this price range have plastic. I even contacted Nikon and they couldn't (or wouldn't) tell me. Well, I was really pleased to see that it does have a metal mount. It has a nice solid feel to it. The zoom movement is smooth and I haven't had any problem with lens creep when I'm aiming it downward. Even when I point the camera downward and shake it, it won't creep.
I'm just beginning to get into testing it but my preliminary pictures are coming out nice - really nice. The sharpness is amazing and the lens produces a very nice bokeh. I posted the image of the dragonfly with the chicken wire background (see the customer uploads) Check out the detail in the wings. That shot says it all. It was HAND HELD and cranked all the way out to 300mm. The original image is great but a lot of the detail was lost with the upload to Amazon. But - none the less - it's still pretty sharp. The auto focus on this lens is fast, smooth, quiet and very accurate. It locked right in on the subject. It was set on aperture priority at f/8 1/500sec for the shot that I posted here (shot with a D-90).
The VR on this lens is great. The detail I get with hand-helds just amazes me. It has Nikon's VRII image stabilization and it even has a tripod detection mode that reduces any vibration from shutter release when it's on a tripod.
Colors are rendered accurately and the contrast is pretty sharp even at the max aperture. The lens is compact for a 300mm and it's lighter than my AF-S DX 18-200mm which I use as my regular walk-around. I'm sure the new 55-300 will be used as my walk around pretty frequently also.
All in all for an APS-C lens, Nikon did a great job with this one - especially for the price. It's a welcome addition to the DX line and I'm really glad I have one in my gear bag.

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Get big photos from a compact lens. Nikon's new AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm DX f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens extends photo capabilities for D3000, D3100, D5000, and D90 Nikon cameras. It's got long reach, yet maintains its small stature and blur-free shooting thanks to extra low dispersion glass, a High Refractive Index, and VR II image stabilization.

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Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Zoom Nikkor Lens + 52mm UV Glass Filter + Accessory Kit for D40, D60, D90, D200, D300, D300s, D3000, D5000 Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the perfect lens for everyday use. You can get up close and personal or step back and great some decent distant shots without having to switch lenses. I do professional photography for the sport of paintball and when I'm covering large events and I'm deep in the woods, I cannot just carry a huge backpack with all my lenses, so I just put the 55-200 on and I can get all the shots I need without losing clarity or missing "the shot" while changing a lens. The added bonus of VR technology makes getting the dramatic shots that much easier. The cleaning kit and filter complete a great package for a great price.

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Kit includes: ♦ 1) Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens ♦ 2) Vivitar 52mm UV Glass Filter ♦ 3) Precision Design Deluxe 6 Piece Lens & Digital SLR Cleaning Kit ♦ 4) CapKeeper 2 Lens Cap Strap
This 3.6x zoom features Nikon's VR image stabilization and is perfect for portraits and action. Vibration Reduction reduces the effects of camera shake, allowing hand-held shooting at up to 3 shutter speeds slower than without VR. An ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element minimizes chromatic aberration, and a compact rod-type Silent Wave Motor (SW) enables ultra-high speed auto focusing with exceptional accuracy and super-quiet operation.

This Vivitar UV Filter is a multi-purpose, fine-weather filter that is designed to optimize your photography experience. UV filters block out unwanted ultraviolet light and prevents the UV "fogging/haze" effect", which can result in inaccurate color and lower the apparent sharpness. This filter is also ideal for protecting your valuable lens from scratches and dust, and it can be kept on the lens at all times. Perfect for digital, video and photo.

Keep your lens cap securely attached to your lens with the convenient, simple-to-use CapKeeper. Never lose a lens cap again!

This 6-piece cleaning kit contains everything you'll ever need to properly clean your lenses, including a Hurricane Air Blower, Lens Cleaning Tissues, Lens Cloth, Lens Cleaning Liquid, Brush and Cotton Swabs.

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Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED Autofocus VR Zoom Nikkor Lens Review

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(More customer reviews)Many photographers who purchase telephoto lenses wind up disappointed in their lenses' performance; they achieve subpar results and then swear that the lens is "not sharp." Some lenses indeed might not be optically outstanding, but even in these cases the major cause of soft images, particularly when camera and lens are handheld, is camera/lens shake. People routinely try to take highly magnified photos at shutter speeds that are simply too slow.
Nikon has come up with a (partial) solution to this problem through its innovative "vibration reduction" series of lenses. These optics are designed to compensate, at least partially, for the camera shake/movement that is inevitable when a lens is hand-held. According to Nikon, the VR mechanism adds two or more "stops" worth of steadiness, meaning that a 400mm. lens that previously might be adequately handheld at 1/500 second now will (often) produce good results at 1/125. Out in the field this can make the difference between a successful photo outing and a frustrating one.
Does this technology work, and is this 80-400mm. lens a good product overall? To both questions I offer a qualified "yes." As long as one realizes that VR is not magic and has definite limitations, this feature is definitely worth paying some extra money for, particularly if one's photographic style prevents the regular and disciplined use of a tripod. The other thing about VR to keep in mind is that since camera shake itself is variable, it's a good idea always to take multiple photos to ensure that at least one of them is optimally sharp (a slow-mo record of how much one 'vibrates' while holding a camera would reveal that from instant to instant there is considerable variation).
But what about this lens' performance overall? There definitely are some drawbacks and compromises of which potential buyers should be aware. The lens is fairly heavy, and since it utilizes what is now an "old-fashioned" screw-drive AF mechanism, autofocus can seem very slow and noisy. It would be nice if someday Nikon replaced this version of the lens with an AF-S model, but there apparently is no current plan to do this. To minimize the maddeningly slow "searching" that a slow AF lens can exhibit, Nikon has included a "focus limit" switch. This makes it possible to cut the focus range in half, essentially. If one is taking pictures that are all at a distance or are all reasonably close-up, setting the switch to "limit" will restrict the lens' focusing range, allowing proper focus to be achieved more quickly.
Another drawback is that the removable tripod mount that comes with the lens is simply not very good. Photographers intending to use the lens on a tripod regularly are advised to purchase a third party mount such as that offered by Kirk Enterprises.
Optically, the lens is actually quite remarkable. This is a 5:1 tele zoom, and one would think that given the "jack of all trades" nature of such a beast there would be severe optical compromises. Not so. As with just about all lenses, there is a slight loss of sharpness at full aperture, but once the lens is stopped down even one stop, sharpness at all focal lengths is quite satisfactory. As a bird photographer, I use my lens mainly at 400mm. As compared to my older, manual focus 400mm. Nikkors, the 80-400mm. is not quite as sharp and contrasty, but in practical terms the differences are truly minimal. This lens produces fine images exhibiting good contrast and excellent color rendition. Optically, it's a winner.
One caveat: because this is a complex zoom built from a large number of optical elements, it does NOT perform particularly well with teleconverters. With certain 1.4x teleconverters such as those in the Kenko Teleplus Pro line, the lens actually will still autofocus (even more slowly, however) and the VR mechanism works, sort of. But there is a notable deterioration of sharpness. With a 2x teleconverter, there is no AF, no VR, and even further reduced sharpness. If working with teleconverters is something you are counting on, stick to a single focal length tele.
Overall, however, for photographers bent on getting sharp photos at longer focal lengths hand-held, this is a fine lens to try and buy. For walkaround bird photographers like myself, it's nearly ideal. It's very likely that in a few years this early version of a VR lens will seem antiquated and quaint. For now, however, it represents a very good investment for Nikon users.

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RE)NIKON 80-400MM F4.5-5.6D VR(1996)

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Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Digital SLR Zoom Lens with HB-36 Hood & Pouch Case + 2 EN-EL9 Battery Packs + Nikon Case + Accessory Kit for D3000, D5000, D60, D40 DSLR Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this kit prior to taking a trip to Alaska. I was looking for a larger camera case, an extra battery, and this specific lens. The only improvement I would suggest is to leave out some of the "fillers" and add a filter set kit. I forgot to get a polarizing filter for the lens - would have been happy to pay more for the more complete kit. Otherwise, the lens was great. I used it with a tripod and got some great pictures of our trip!

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Kit Includes: ♦ 1) Nikon 70-300mm VR Lens ♦ 2) Nikon SLR Gadget Bag♦ 3) Spare EN-EL9 Battery♦ 4) Additional Spare EN-EL9 Battery ♦ 5) CTA MR-ENEL9 Mini Battery Charger♦ 6) Nikon 3-Piece Lens Cleaning Kit♦ 7) Nikon Lens Pen ♦ 8) Precision Design Deluxe Hurricane Blower♦ 9) Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

The Nikon 70-300mm is a powerful 4.3X telephoto zoom lens is ideal for portraits, candids, sports, travel, wildlife, and nature photography. This versatile lens also has macro capability for impressive close-ups of smaller objects such as flowers. Vibration Reduction (VR) provides sharper, blur-free pictures at shutter speeds as much as 4 stops slower than one could ordinarily handhold; a Silent Wave motor (AF-S) for fast and quiet autofocus operation; Extra-Low Dispersion glass (ED) to minimize chromatic aberrations; and Internal Focusing (IF) for faster autofocusing.

Protect your valuable camera investment with this Nikon Brand multi-compartment camera carrying case.

A spare rechargeable battery is an essential accessory. No power, no pictures!

The CTA Mini Rapid Multi-voltage Charger charges your battery in approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

The Nikon Lens Cleaner Kit includes 1 fl. oz. Spray Bottle of Liquid Lens Cleaner, Pack of 3 Moist Lens Cleaning Cloths and a Microfiber Cleaning Cloth.

The Nikon Lens Pen Cleaning System has a soft retractable brush and a non-liquid compound on a natural chamois tip to remove fingerprints, dust and grit from any lens.

The Precision Design Deluxe Hurricane Blower's super air stream blows off dust particles, even those attracted by static electricity.

Clean the LCD monitor safely and completely without smearing with the Microfiber Cleaning Cloth.

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Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have the original 18-55mm AF-S DX which came with my D40 kit and love it - it weighs nothing, performs brilliantly, and focuses so close that I can use it as a macro if I want. I decided to get this since I do quite a bit of indoor photography without flash, and wanted some extra stability in low-light, longer-shutter speed situations from the Vibration Reduction which I have on my 18-200mm VR but don't use on my D40 (I use that on my D300, and it almost never comes off). It's performed brilliantly under such circumstances; I can get sharp shots at 1/20, 1/10 and even 1/8 if I'm really stable at the time of the shot - something I couldn't reliably get from the non-VR version. It also helps in the long end (55mm) in uneven light and other times when the VR becomes necessary. In terms of sharpness, light falloff, distortion, and all the other metrics, this lens is as good as, or slightly better, than the original non-VR version. It is also a bit heavier and seems a bit more solid in construction, with a tighter zoom ring and differently-sculpted manual focus ring (with more recessed plastic indentations compared with the original model). I think the addition of VR makes it the perfect lens for the D40, D40x or newly-introduced D60, since its performance is so much better in all metrics and tests (particularly distortion and sharpness) than some of its would-be step-up replacements (i.e. the 18-135, the 24-120, etc.)
If you generally do lots of flash or outdoor photography, and don't tend to experience slower shutter speeds due to lighting issues, or take most of your shots at the wider end of the scale (i.e. 18-25mm) this lens is probably an upgrade that you can either do with or without. In the end the investment is quite small for those few times that VR might save the shot, so I would get one. Granted, VR at this level (i.e not 200 or 300mm) is less about hand shake in daylight, but more about low lighting conditions and longer shutter speeds. As for some reviewer's comments on the default lens speed, etc. - this is a $200 prosumer lens, not a $1,500 17-55mm pro wide-zoom with f/2.8 costing 8 times what this lens costs; for the money, you can't get anything better for a Nikon with this kind of performance.
Additional notes: There is some clunking sound from the VR occasionally when focusing, and there is no hood or lens pouch included, but that's less of an issue if, as most people do, you have a camera or lens bag, and as for the hood, I've never used one and never had a problem; if there's sunglare, I can cup my hand around the lens (since it's so light) and have no issues. I think some people use lens hoods to somehow show off that they're "photographers" or "hobbyist-pros" rather than for the reduction of flare and glare when outside in bright sunlight (sometimes direct, etc.) or under sharp lighting. Honestly, I've seen guys taking indoor shots of artwork exhibits under soft lighting with the hood on.

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Nikon 18-55MM F3.5-5.6G DX VR (2176)

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

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)By now there are enough pro reviews out there for experienced shooters to read the handwriting on the wall. No, this is not a 17-35 and 70-200 wrapped into a tiny package. You can't have that for any amount of money. The 18-200VR is NOT meant to challenge the exotics like my 70-200VR or the 200-400VR. It's not even meant to take on a prime. It's designed to be the ultimate one lens solution when you don't want a bag full of heavy glass along for the ride. It features moderately fast (but not very) optics, vibration reduction and a lot of work to keep CA and distortion down. This it achieves with some success, but distortion is still obvious at 18mm. Distortion is sever enough at the wide end to require correction in post (easy to do), but this is NOT lens for those who shoot architecture professionally. This type of distortion is TYPICAL for a lens of this type.
I'm sorry, but those who have panned this lens either got a bad one (quite possible with early batch issues reported) or just don't understand what a walk-around lens is for. This is what we all hoped the 24-120 VR would be, but unlike that lens it gets much more done for just 200 dollars more. Anyone who says there are lenses like this for less...well where? No other superzoom is this sharp, has so little CA and throws in VR II as well...and in a small package!
Now...how good is it in the real world? VERY GOOD. It's a match for the sharp little 28-200G which means it's only a bit less sharp than the 70-200VR which costs twice as much. My first images with this lens were stunning, detailed and fairly sharp to the edges above F5. Close focus gives near macro results and again this lens is SHARP! Focus speed is quite fast of course, but I feel that the 18-70 kit lens is a hair quicker. You could shoot all day with this miracle and do it all without feeling like you need a giant lens. If, like me, you find yourself shooting mostly in the 35-200mm range on a DSLR, this lens makes a lot of sense. It also displayed deeper color saturation and contrast than either the 28-200G or 50mm 1.8. Did I mention that I'm impressed?
Build quality is good, but not great. It's hard to be impressed with any lens build when compared to the 70-200VR. The 18-200 zoom is a bit stiff, the manual focus a bit loose. I suspect Nikon dialed up the zoom stiffness due to early problems with lens creep early on. It's not creeping at all. The size of the lens is only a bit bigger than the kit lens, perhaps as bulky at the Tokina 12-24 if you have one of those.
VR II exceeds all expectations I was able to shoot sharp shots at 1.10th sec exposure. But remember this is NOT fast glass. A moving object in dim light will be blurred at such slow shutter speeds. Thus far this is an impressive effort from Nikon. Even an experienced shooter could find this lens on the camera most days and be happy. "Average" shooters will need nothing more because this lens is that good. The only areas for improvement given the real limits of optical design are in the build quality, which could be a bit better. In the end, even at 700 dollars plus, this lens is pretty hard to resist.
And no, this is not a "kit lens with VR." The kit lens only reaches to 70mm. The kit lens also can't do near macro work as this lens can. The kit lens is also not as sharp. And of course this lens has the latest version of VR that works superbly. There is simply no other lens like this on the market currently. Again, if you're thinking that this lens should be perfect and doesn't require compromises to achieve it's design goals, please do your homework before buying. If you need a zoom to cover this range at F2.8, with no distortion and small size please call Mr. Scott aboard the Starship Enterprise.
For those who question the sharpness of this lens, be aware that there are online tests showing it's even sharper at the corners than the legendary 17-35 2.8! Against my 70-200VR I see a SLIGHT sharpness advantage with the 70-200, but only visible with a 100% crop. Or to put things even more in perspective, this lens works nicely on a D200. Search the forums for yourself. Most D200 owners are reporting great sharpness even with pro bodies.
This lens is simply a ton of fun for people who like to take pictures


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

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Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This lens is sharp even at wide apertures, the VR (image stabilization) works great, autofocus speed is more than acceptable, and it it is very light and compact. The fact that it costs $250 and has effective VR is pretty amazing - no other company offers a lens with this feature for anywhere near this price.
As for image quality, search the various internet photo sites, such as dpreview and nikonians for sample photos taken with this lens by real users. The results are impressive! My copy produces similar results. The previous reviewer must have a bad sample.

Of course, the lens is slow (like almost all consumer zoom lenses), in that its widest aperture is smaller than a professional zoom or prime lens, so it's not a good choice for action photography in lower light conditions (like indoor sports without flash or outside sports at dusk). But a fast telephoto zoom will cost at least three times as much and weigh a ton.
I give the lens 5 stars based on a combination of image quality, value, and compactness/lightness.

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Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Zoom Nikkor Lens

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