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 severe 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 or just don't understand what a walk-around lens is for. This is what we all hoped the old 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 three times 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! 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.
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. The latest version of this lens now has a LENS LOCK at 18mm, which allows you to carry it without creep. 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 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. 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.
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 D300. Search the forums for yourself.
This lens is simply a ton of fun for people who like to take pictures. Lens snobs need not apply!
This is the best walk-around lens for a DX body and it will focus on the D40, D5000 and D3000 cameras. HOWEVER, it is a DX design and will not work properly on a FX camera. D3 and D700 users should buy the Tamron 28-300 VC. It is actually superior to the Nikon 18-200 in every area except focus speed. So buy the Tamron for FX. My review of that lens is clickable above.
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 severe 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 or just don't understand what a walk-around lens is for. This is what we all hoped the old 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 three times 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! 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.
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. The latest version of this lens now has a LENS LOCK at 18mm, which allows you to carry it without creep. 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 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. 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.
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 D300. Search the forums for yourself.
This lens is simply a ton of fun for people who like to take pictures. Lens snobs need not apply!
This is the best walk-around lens for a DX body and it will focus on the D40, D5000 and D3000 cameras. HOWEVER, it is a DX design and will not work properly on a FX camera. D3 and D700 users should buy the Tamron 28-300 VC. It is actually superior to the Nikon 18-200 in every area except focus speed. So buy the Tamron for FX. My review of that lens is clickable above.
