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

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.9 x 2.9 x 3.1 inches ; 9.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000ZMCILW
• Item model number: B000ZMCILW
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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  Camera & Photo > Lenses > Digital Camera Lenses

• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 26, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
The Nikon Total Digital SLR Imaging System includes world-renowned optical quality from Nikkor lenses. Ongoing research and development of Nikkor lenses allows Nikon to continuously provide Nikon digital SLR photographers with additional choices and even greater optical performance.

Nikon is pleased to add to the lineup the new AF-S DX-Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR, a lens featuring a built-in Silent Wave Motor and Vibration Reduction (VR). The AF-S DX-Nikkor 18- 55mm f3.5-5.6G VR is an affordable, and compact, 3x zoom lens with amazing versatility. This new lens provides enhanced shooting flexibility as the latest addition to the Nikon DX-Nikkor lens lineup.

Feature and Performance Highlights

• 3x zoom lens covering the most frequently used focal range of 18 to 55mm (picture angle is equivalent to focal length from 27 to 82.5mm in Nikon FX or 35mm format)
• Vibration Reduction enables sharper pictures while shooting at shutter speeds up to three stops slower than would otherwise be possible (as determined by Nikon performance tests)
• Optical design, optimized for use with Nikon digital SLRs for superior performance
• Hybrid aspherical lens element minimizes various types of lens aberration
• High-performance Nikon Super Integrated Coating offers superior color reproduction while substantially reducing ghosting and flare
• Nikon's exclusive Silent Wave Motor ensures fast, quiet autofocus operation
• Rounded seven-blade diaphragm opening makes out-of-focus elements appear more natural
• 0.28 meter/0.9 foot closest focusing distance throughout the entire zoom range
• Accepts 52mm filter attachments
• Comfortable lens barrel features rugged construction; separate zoom and focusing rings provide the smooth operation preferred by professionals

What's in the box:
Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom lens, LC-52 front lens cap, rear lens protector

Product Description
Designed fror use on your Nikon Digital SLR camera body, this lens provides a 3x zoom from 18mm wide-angle to 55mm normal perspective. For landscape and general photography, this is one of the most ideal lenses to own. The lens has Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to help consumers snap sharper photos than ever before, even while shooting handheld. This compact and lightweight, and affordable lens is an optimum lens to use with Nikon DX- format digital SLR cameras. It offers the ideal focal length as a "first lens" to capture life's day-to-day moments from wide perspective landscapes to pictures at home and around. It is is engineered to exacting standards to meet the demanding needs of digital photography. This digitally optimized lens features hybrid aspherical elements to minimize chromatic aberration with Nikon's Super Integrated Coating. Rounded seven-blade diaphragm opening makes out-of-focus elements appear more natural Close focusing distance to 0.9 feet (0.28 meters) throughout the entire zoom range Focal length - 18-55mm Maximum aperture - f/3.5-5.6 / Minimum aperture - f/22-36 Lens construction - 11 elements in 8 groups (with one aspherical lens element) Closest focus distance - 0.9 ft.(0.28m) (throughout the entire zoom range) Maximum reproduction ratio - 0.31x Number of diaphragm blades - 7 (rounded) Filter attachment size - 52 mm (filters are optional) Focusing - Autofocus with built-in Silent Wave Motor and manual focus Separate zoom and focusing rings ensure responsive operation Diameter x length - Approx. 2.9 x 3.1 in (73 x 79.5mm) / Weight - Approx. 9.3 oz (265g) Supplied accessories - LC-52 52mm snap-on front lens cap, rear lens protector

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent incremental improvement over an already-excellent lens, February 26, 2008

By	Scooter "SRD" (United States) - See all my 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.

29 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Upgrade over the kit lens except for one important thing..., March 12, 2008

By	atomic240 (Baton Rouge, LA United States) - See all my reviews

I agree with other posters that this lens is an upgrade over the non-VR version. It is quite sharp, and the VR is effective, especially at the longer focal lengths. However, I tend to take pictures in very demanding eenvironments with low light and very high contrast, for example, night scenes with street lights as this is one of my typical shooting environments. I noticed something in the shots made with this lens that I never noticed in the kit lens. Ghosting and flare. If it is present in the non-VR version, it is not present in an objectionable amount. People may argue that I expect too much from such a low budget lens, but the non-VR lens doesn't exhibit this. I noticed in the product description that there are no ED elements in this lens compared to the non-VR version. This may partially explain this. I returned the lens and now await the new 16-85mm VRII lens that was just announced as I see the value of VR in this range for the type of shooting that I do. However, if you don't shoot in the above mentioned environment, you will have no issues with this lens and will do fine with it as it is priced quite well. For me, the ghosting and flare was a deal breaker and I don't feel like spending time in Photoshop to fix it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Lens, April 25, 2008

By	Victor Tinney - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am very happy with this lens on the D40. It is so light and with the VR and the D40, hand held shots are a breeze below 1/15 second.