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

by Nikon

• 5.5x Telephoto Zoom lens,Filter Thread: 58 mm
• Nikon VR II Image Stabilization; Tripod Detection Mode
• HRI (High Refractive Index) Lens Element
• 2 Extra-low Dispersion (ED) Elements
• Exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 3 x 3 inches ; 1.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B003ZSHNCC
• Item model number: 2197
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (332 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #7 in Camera & Photo > Lenses > Camera Lenses
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 17, 2010

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Compact 5.5x DX-format telephoto zoom lens with High Refractive Index lens element. ED glass and VR II image stabilization is Ideal for capturing distant subjects at athletic events, family pictures, dramatic sunsets, travel and more.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens Highlights

Sample image take with the Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens.

5.5x Telephoto Zoom lens
Ideal for capturing distant subjects at athletic events, family pictures, dramatic sunsets, travel and more. Angle of view equivalent to a focal length of 82.5 to 450mm in FX/35mm format D-SLR.

Nikon VR II Image Stabilization
Vibration Reduction, engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens, enables handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and video capture.

Tripod Detection Mode
Reduces vibration that may occur due to shutter release when mounted on a tripod.

HRI (High Refractive Index) Lens Element
HRI lens element is essential to keeping the lens compact while offering high contrast even at maximum aperture.

2 Extra-low Dispersion (ED) Elements
Effectively minimizes chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings.

Exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
Enables fast, accurate and quiet autofocus.

Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC)
Enhances light transmission efficiency and offers superior color consistency and reduces flare.

Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
Renders more natural appearance of out-of-focus image areas.

What's in the box

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens, 58mm Snap-On Lens Cap, LF-1 Rear Lens Cap, HB-57 Snap-on Lens Hood, CL-1020 Lens Case and 1-Year Worldwide Limited Warranty, Plus 4- Years Complimentary Extended Service Coverage valid in the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

541 of 551 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Addition to the DX Line-up September 4, 2010

By Jim

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

257 of 265 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good lens for the price September 6, 2010

By Avi Shrestha

Amazon Verified Purchase

Pros:
+ Excellent Image Quality
+ Solid build with metal mount
+ Significantly better in all ways than the Nikon 55-200mm VR

Cons:
- Slight long (but that's expected for a telephoto like this)

I've owned (and subsequently got rid of) the Nikon 55-200mm and Sigma 18-250 OS. This lens beats them both significantly. The Sigma 18-250 OS was pretty nice when I needed to take only one lens with me, but that situation is rare.

I hardly shoot telephoto, but when I do, I'm glad I can turn to this new Nikon 55-300mm VRII lens. Low light focus hunts a little bit, but that's expected - and it's significantly better than the Sigma at equivalent low light.

This lens is much better than the older Nikon 55-200mm VR often sold as part of the kit. That lens feels like a toy with a plastic mount and cheap plastic feel. This lens has a much better build quality. Consequently, it's also more expensive.

If you're debating about the Nikon 55-200mm vs. this lens, I highly recommend you get this lens. I've been very happy with it.

164 of 171 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Skip the 55-200mm VR and get this! September 7, 2010

By Emko San

Amazon Verified Purchase

I know it's twice as much but it's well worth it. I took about 150 shots with it this weekend and was blown away. Bokeh is beautiful and it is sharp from 55-300mm. I had the 55-200mm VR and this is a significant step up. It's more solidly built and the results are excellent. It's a huge lens, and heavy, but the shots speak for themselves. Great, great lens!