 For the most people - the best lense you can get |
| Review Date: December 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ruslan Moskalenko, Pleasanton, CA United States |
There are a lot of reviews comparing every feature of the lense. They are long, detailed, but more perplexing than caring. So I'll try to keep it small.
Let's say you a predictable amature photographer. You take all kinds of pictures in all kinds of conditions. So what lense would be the best?
You can doubtless live with some minor distortions but not anything gives you as much freedom as a wide range zoom. If you shoot inside a room, you really need 18 m on a low end. The smaller the number the wider the angle and the more people you can squeeze into the frame from the other side of party table. Every mm here makes a huge variation. So 18 mm on the low end is pretty much a must have. On the longer end, well, the larger the better. Though, if you that also means heavier and it also means much harder to take excellent pictures since on a long zoom range the camera gets less light, it's sensitive to shaking hands and the lense distortion is getting worse. Also it's more expensive.
So bottom line is - if you can afford the Nikon 18-200 mm lense - go for it. That will be your single all around lense and you won't feel sorry. If it's too pricey - check out the 18-105 mm one. Reckon about it this way - there are a lot of specialized lenses but really only a few all-around ones. So 80% people really need to choose linking only 3: 18-55, 18-105 and 18-200 and the largest factor here is how much you can afford. So it's really not that complicated.
I few side notes.
It's tempting to buy a couple lenses instead of one. It looks like you're getting more for less, but in actuality changing lenses is not something people do often. The extra lense is heavy, it takes time to change, every time you take a lense off, there is a risk you can get dust inside the camera - there are a lot of reasons why having two lenses is not the same as one.
Other vendors. You can get much cheaper lenses from other vendors like Sigma etc. I heard mixed tales. Some people got lucky and got excellent glass, some were not. If you can try and buy, you may want to take a chance. But Nikon feature hegemony is pretty excellent, so there is not much risk there.
Protective filter. If you're plotting to spend many hundreds on a lense, please, don't forget to buy a excellent protective filter. Something like UV(0) or clear glass. Once you try to wipe out the glass on the lense, the microscratches on surfice will cause all kinds of image defects so you should never ever touch the lense glass. The filter is way more forgiving and it can be replaced easily. A terrible filter can ruine the feature, so don't be cheap, plot to spend somewhere in $50-90 range.
And finally, why would you not buy this lense?
1. Price. Most people say this lense is nice but too expensive. Since there are new better camera bodies for the same price coming out pretty much every year and the lenses hold value very well I'd suggest you to deliberate buying the best lense you can afford and maybe saving a bit on a cheaper body. The lense will likely outlast the camera.
2. Weight. This camera is heavy. No DSLR will fit in a pocket but this lense on a camera will require honestly large bag to carry and holding it on your shoulder for a day could literally be painful.
There could be some other reasons like if your requirements are very high and you need some specialized or professional grade lenses but if you're requirements are that high, I don't reckon that review will open your eyes anyway.
Hopefully this review will help you. |
Exceptional All-Around Architect
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| Review Date: December 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Dr. Norge, |
The 18-200 VR II is an all-around fantastic lens. While it is not "the best" lens available for any single role, it stays mounted on my D90 a large margin of the time. When I don't want to haul around a bag full of gear, this is the lens I take lacking a thinking twice. Visibly, Nikon had to make some tough choices in balancing the facial appearance of this lens, trying to fit a wide range of users and applications. Here is my take on where they finished up.
This lens IS:
- Remarkably versatile with an 11x zoom factor
- Surprisingly sharp at all focal lengths
- Very excellent for open-air sports in excellent light
- Useful for nearly-macro close-up work
- Solid enough to not require kid-glove behavior
- Usable in many indoor situations with the VR system
- Reasonably sized, taking into account the zoom range
This lens IS NOT:
- Very quick, especially racked out
- For low-light sports photography
- A pro-level all-metal "indestructable" lens
- Well-suited for low-light shooting
- Compact or lightweight
As noted by other reviewers, the minor distortion and corner fall-off is easily remedied via post-dispensation software. While many use Photoshop, I recommend DxO Optics Pro software. It has very unassailable custom modules for this lens and many Nikon DSLRs that work exceptionally well.
The most lovely surprise for me with this lens is how excellent it works for "nearly-macro" photography. I also have the heavy and expensive Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro, which is lacking a doubt the sharpest lens in my bag. Though, some of the best close-up shots of bees, Plants, etc that I have taken came from the 18-200, for two reasons. First, unless I am out on a "macro safari" I don't generally have the 105 mounted, so it isn't always "at the ready" for targets of opportunity. Second, with the 18-200 racked out to 200mm, it focuses about 8 inches from the front of the lens (which equates to just over 19 inches from the sensor), which provides a pretty decent close-in range. For lower light or extreme macro situations, the 105 is still the superior lens, but the 18-200 does much better than I had ever hoped for when pressed into macro service. |
The only lens you need
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| Review Date: October 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jdl8r, |
I owned the first 18-200 VR lens and adored it. It was the only lens I ever really needed to take with me on my photo shoots and personal travel. My only real issue with the lens related to lens-creep. As an active person who is accustom to slinging the camera around my neck and taking off - the first model lens would extend itself (a minor annoyance). The 18-200 VR II has a cam lock to preclude such.
This is a unusual lens that takes fantastic photographs throughout the zoom range and it has VR so there's no need for a tripod - just buy it and never worry about carrying around 2 or 3 lenses.
Check out Ken Rockwell's review - he knows his stuff and has been reviewing gear for years! Help support his site too! You'll have to google his namd as Amazon seems to remove the link when I attach it.
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Fun lens!
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| Review Date: October 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: W. Chin, California |
| We bought this with the Nikon D90 body. It's been fantastic so far. Like the usefulness. Photos are clean and crisp through the entire range. Regarding the lens creep, it is a slight issue if the lens is partially total and keen honest down. During "normal" use, this really has not open itself as an issue. Fully collapsed (at 18mm), the lens stay place; we never bother to lock the lens. Highly recommended! |
Fantastic usefulness
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| Review Date: October 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: A. GARCIA-PALACIOS, Chicago, IL |
| I've had this lens for less than a month. I replaced one Nikkor 18-55 and one Nikkor 55-200. Now I have more usefulness to take pictures lacking having to carry or change lenses, that unique picture not always waits. It's the first time I have a lens with such range (18-200). When using wide angle pictures are not distorted and when using 200 zoom it gives the depression you are using a 300. I use a Nikon D40x and works fantastic, and reckon about upgrading to another camera to fully take benefit of the feature and flexibility of this lens. The lens feels comfortable in the hand and is very silent. I'm very satisfied, it's pricey but well worth it. |
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