Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

We have here the Nikon 18-55mm kit lens that is seemingly designed to do one thing: make you want more. I received mine as part of my kit package with my Nikon D40. It is a decent lens that cuts corners all over to keep price down, and doesn't really do anything great. However, for those first starting out, it's light as a feather, simple to use, and at least for the initial month or so, all you need to get out and start capturing memories.

As expected for the price, it is of relatively low-grade plastic construction, to include the mount (the part at the rear that connects to the camera), however the optics are uncharacteristically sharp. While it is an AF-S lens (focusing element in the lens and not the camera), it doesn't benefit from full-time manual override found on other AF-S lenses (that is, you're able to make manual adjustments after the lens has focused). I'm sure that Nikon did this as a cost-cutting measure. For users of this lens, this shouldn't be an issue as you can always switch over to manual focus anyway via a switch on the lens or camera (save the D40/X which doesn't have an internal focus motor and as such no switch on the camera). However, more experienced users will find the manual focus ring quite distasteful. Also, since the front element rotates, use with a polarizer will be annoying.

With a variable aperture of 3.5-5.6 you can easily get available-light shots for outdoor daylight photos, and well-lit indoor photos without jacking up the iso too high at the wide end, but near the long end, you're going to need to use a flash unless you use a relatively slow shutter speed or high iso setting. You're going to get some vignetting (darkening of the corners) on the wide end, as with any wide-angle lens, but this can be corrected with most post-processing software, like Photoshop. Also, there will be CAs or purple fringing with high contrast images.

The range is quite short, though not as bad as say the 17-35 or the 35-70 (which outclass this lens in every way, shape and form), and will definitely have you wanting for just a little more reach at the long end. The Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ($199.95 Amazon) is an excellent compliment to this lens, or if you can afford it, the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR ($473.32 Amazon). The difference between 55 and 70 is fairly small and won't be missed (but the difference in price will hurt a little more). 18mm will most likely be plenty wide allowing you take large group, landscape shots, and even some fun distorted portrait shots due to the barrel roll at the wide end.

All in all, this is a lens to get you started, but leaving you wanting for more. More range, faster light gathering, better construction, etc. Its cheap construction is enough to keep price down, but won't take very much abuse. Also, being a kit lens, you'll be hard pressed to sell it unless packaged with the camera if you ever upgrade lenses in the future. It is what it is, with the only alternative at this price being the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D ($109 Amazon) aka, the nifty fifty.

We purchased the D40 kit just over a year ago. I have been thrilled with the camera and lenses it came with. Until--I was shooting pictures of the kids and the lens locked up for no apparent reason. Turns out the lens is pretty much shot (we think the motor in the lens went bad) so we have no choice but to buy a new one. The Nikor lenses come with a five year guarantee, IF YOU RETURN THE CARD WITHIN 10 DAYS OF PURCHASE. Unfortunately we just realized this so no luck with the warranty. I recommend everyone returning the lens warranty card in case this happens to you. Other than that this has been a great camera.

It feels cheap compared to my older SLR Nikon lenses, but DOES work great. It is a sharp lens, reasonably fast and with minimal distortion. It zooms easily while focusing silently (unlike my older lenses). It's light weight (Good), but the bayonet mount is plastic (Bad) - probably OK if you don't change lenses often.

i have 3 lenses so far for my nikon, this one (the 18-55mm), the one i bought it with (an 18-135mm), and a 50mm non-zooming lens. i bought this lens to have more managable lens for when i was going on a trip where i felt the 18-135 would be too bulky or get a bit heavy. this lens fits the bill well, the only things i would point at are this:
while yes, this is lighter and a little smaller than the 18-135mm lens, its not much shorter (if at all), and feels a little less solidly built than it. however, it is -noticably- lighter.

the only complaint i would mention is that this lens seems to be louder when auto-focussing than the 18-135mm is. im not exactly certain why, but it is something i noticed immediately. it doesnt seem to affect anything, obviously.

despite those things, i do still feel this is a good lens to own as a less bulky, light-weight alternative to the larger 18-135mm lens, and is obviously more versatile than the non-zoom 50mm lens.

For experienced shooters, don't expect much. For those just starting out with digital SLR photography, it's the best kit lens to use. This lens can really deliver great pictures. Provided you know what you're doing. That simply means understanding how to use aperture, shutter speed, white balance, ISO, and lighting among other things to achieve the best results. That also means you have to minimize using "toink" (auto) mode to learn. Not that the different auto modes don't take great shots. They actually do, except, they don't always come out the way you want them to. I use this along with a D40x body. And most of the time it has helped me take great pictures. I say most of the time only because this lens does have its limits. When you understand this, you should be just fine. For shooting distant objects try the 55-200mm VR lens. For shooting objects in low light conditions try the 50mm f/1.8D lens. In any case, hope this helps.

I got this lens as part of a package with a Nikon D40x camera. While the 18-55mm range is a bit short for my taste, I do like using this lens.

Pros:
-very light weight
-reasonably fast auto-focus
-high quality image resolution

Cons:
none

There is a vibration reduction ("VR") version of this lens, but at this focal length I don't miss it.

The Auto-Focus feature of this lens started to lock-up after about 6 months. It was one of two Nikon lenses that I use. The other lens works fine. Sent it to Nikon for service 3 TIMES (yes 3) and each time they sent back the same lens and said nothing was wrong with it. After the 2nd return I went to my local camera shop to try a duplicate lens on my camera body, no problem. Pop on my original lens and it locks up after a few shots. Tried my lens on a another camera body in the store and it locks up on that body. Nikon does not stand by their warranty. This has dragged out over a period of two months and many phone calls. Nikon told me before sending the camera back for a 3rd time that they would replace the lens. They didn't. NIKON IS NOT THE COMPANY THEY USED TO BE.

This is the standard lens that comes bundled with many entry level kits. It is not a bad lens. The pictures were crisp and evenly lit. It focused fairly fast when it was new. It is very light, adding little weight to the camera. It is amazingly dust resistant for a cheap lens. No noticeable dust accumulation inside, even after heavy use. For light, full auto use, this lens is probably great. For other uses - not so much. Here are the main problems:

* Cheap, flimsy construction: the silent wave motor on this lens is a cheap budget edition. The gears are plastic (so is the rest of the lens). They wear out which becomes noticeable by the camera having an increasingly harder time to focus.
* Manual focus is unusable: The lens hes an auto/manual switch, but focusing is done by means of a tiny ring at the end of the lens which is hopelessly imprecise. (it only moves 1/4 of a turn)
* Filter mount turns when focusing: forget using polarization filters.
* Fragile: do not apply (any) pressure to the front of the lens. I accidentally snapped the AF gear shaft by placing the camera lens down in a camera case.

If you don't move your camera a lot, this will make a great all-purpose lens. Or use it as a disposable lens for sandy or dusty environments where you would not want to use an expensive lens.

This is a light, quiet, fairly fast focus lens that has low distortion for the price with seven diaphragm blades which are rounded at the larger apertures (this is good). It will focus at around 11" which is better than some lenses costing more than $1000.00! The sweet spot is around f/5.6 - f/8 as you get some diffraction at smaller apertures.

The A/M switch is on the side of the lens with a very small focus ring at the very front so it really is intended for more auto-focus operation. Zoom operation is smooth and light.

There is some barrel distortion (lower than some more expensive lenses) that can easily be corrected in PhotoShop.

You can't really beat it for the price and it works well with the D200!

I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good wide-angle for general use.

Great pick for your first lens. Works well on my D80. Its affordable and takes great pictures in a variety of settings!