Tamron Autofocus 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

by Tamron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 5 x 4 inches ; 14.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007WK8NA
• Item model number: Nikon AF
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 24, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Tamron's original development of proprietary core technologies such as Aspherical element production, Multiple Cam Mechanism and Integrated Focus Cam design lend to the creation of the world's lightest, most compact 11x zoom lens made for digital SLR cameras.

Zoom in for a macro shot

AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II Highlights

Di II
Lenses are designed for exclusive use on digital cameras with smaller-size imagers and inherit all of the benefits of our Di products. These lenses are not designed for conventional cameras and digital cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm.

Extra Refractive Index Glass (XR)

Special glass for better performance and more compact lens designs

Extra Refractive Index (XR) glass can bend light rays at steeper angles, thereby decreasing the physical length of the lens while enhancing imaging performance by minimizing optical aberrations. This has allowed Tamron to develop a line of shorter, smaller-diameter, lighter lenses without sacrificing lens speed, and actually upgrading image quality compared to older designs. XR glass is costlier than conventional glass but it yields enhanced optical power distribution, making possible many of the outstanding and innovative lens designs that bear the XR designation. XR glass, with its superior light-bending power, makes it possible to design a short-barrel lens with the same light-gathering ability (aperture value) as a long-barrel lens—even with a smaller lens diameter. By using this principle Tamron has been able to shorten the length of the entire optical system and produce lighter, more compact lenses of the same speed, and also to provide greater zoom ranges in lenses that are much more convenient to carry by hand.

Low Dispersion (LD)
Low dispersion (LD) glass elements in a lens help reduce chromatic aberration; the tendency of light of different colors to come to different points of focus at the image plane. Chromatic aberration reduces the sharpness of an image, but glass with an extremely lowdispersion index, has less of a tendency to separate (defract) a ray of light into a rainbow of colors. This characteristic allows the lens designer to effectively compensate for chromatic aberration at the center of the field (on axis), a particular problem at long focal lengths (the telephoto end of the zoom range), and for lateral chromatic aberration (towards the edges of the field) that often occurs at short focal lengths (the wide-angle end of the zoom range.)

Low Dispersion (LD) Glass for Greater Lens Sharpness

Internal Focus (IF)
Internal focusing (IF) provides numerous practical benefits to photographers including a non-rotating front filter ring that facilitates the positioning of polarizing and graduated filters, and more predictable handling because the lens length does not change during focusing. Even more important, Tamron’s Internal Focusing (IF) system provides a much closer minimum focusing distance (MFD) throughout its entire focusing range. In addition, IF improves optical performance by minimizing illumination loss at the corners of the image field, and helps to suppress other aberrations that become more troublesome at different focusing positions.

Zoom Lock
Another original Tamron mechanical engineering concept is the Zoom Lock (ZL), a simple convenience feature that prevents undesired extension of the lens barrel when carrying the camera/lens unit on a neck strap.

Product Description

The Tamron AF18-200mm high power zoom lens features an entirely new optical design using XR (Extra Refractive Index) glass in an innovative way in order to optimize the overall distribution of optical power throughout the entire zoom range. This design reduces various aberrations to the absolute minimum and achieves remarkable downsizing at the same time. In addition, three hybrid aspherical lens elements and two LD (Low Dispersion) glass elements are used to accomplish effective compensation of on-axis and lateral chromatic aberrations, a critical factor to enhance the optical quality in digital photography. As a result, the lens provides outstanding optical quality in a multi-purpose zoom lens. A glare-reducing flower-shaped lens hood is included as a standard accessory. The special hood provides optimum shading of superfluous light rays that enter from the rectangular frame outside the image field. It employs a new optical system designed to confine the changing angles of incidences of light rays reaching the imager within a certain scope over the entire image field from the center to the periphery, by considering the effects of variances due to zooming. Complicated mechanisms are built in the compact body thanks to new mechanical artifices. The lens is a multi-purpose zoom lens, yet excellent portability and ease of use are assured. A number of invisible engineering innovations required to downsize the lens, produce high precision parts and increase durability are incorporated in the new AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you can't find the Nikon VR lens, buy this one., September 3, 2006

By 

Wayne Kuban "Wayne K." (Goodyear, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tamron Autofocus 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

If you're like me, you can't find the Nikon VR lens anywhere unless it's being marked up 50-100% by businesses taking advantage of the shortage (supply & demand, right?).

After 2 months I got tired of waiting for the VR lens and bought this 18-200mm Tamron instead (vacation just days away). I have taken many dozens of walk around photos with this lens attached to my D200 getting a feel for it's capabilities. As a photo hobbyist rather than a real photographer, I produced some very acceptable results (and a few stinkers too).

At higher magnifications it is more susceptible to camera shake than say my 70-300 Sigma lens, and I believe that may be due to the Tamron being a "slower lens" requiring slower shutter speeds to get the same amount of light through it (at high zoom). I can see where the Nikon VR lens would win hands down here since it's faster AND has vibration reduction, BUT - Do not discount this lens as I have managed to, with patience & a steady hand, or a tripod in some cases, produced great results.

The Tamron is not all that noisy, and the auto focus is pretty quick. It does fail to autofocus in certain shady conditions so if you do most of your shooting in moderately dark shade you might run into trouble. It seems to do better with "contrasty" shade rather than dim grayish backgrounds where it really hunts for focus (mine anyway).

I can't seem to get consistent results with the Tamron using a flash indoors. About half of my flash photos are slightly out of focus despite my best efforts at hand holding the camera still. The clear pix are great however. I have yet to take any indoor pix using my SB-600 flash so all of my indoor shots to date are using the pop-up flash. That probably has no bearing on the fuzzy shots I've produced but I thought to mention it.

Overall I recommend this lens as a suitable outdoor walkaround lens. Nearly all of my outdoor shots are nicely sharp with great color and contrast. It's operation is smooth and feels good. For indoor shooting you MAY want to carry a faster lens like a fast, fixed (prime), or even the 18-70mm "kit" Nikon zoom which does significantly better indoors.

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great all around/travel lens, September 29, 2005

By 

S. Danczuk (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron Autofocus 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This lens is great!! It does everything I need in one small package. I am using it on a Nikon D50 and the pictures it produces are nice and clear. I had read many reviews that said to stay away from all-in-one zoom lenses, but I did not want to carry around two different lenses all the time. I think for the average person who doesn't want to bother with switching lenses this is a great choice. I am very happy with my purchase.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice zoom range, not so great quality, September 17, 2006

By 

J. Farrington (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron Autofocus 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This lens is great for what it is made for, being versatile in its zoom range.

That is about it for this lens. The quality of the images in a 4x6 are also fine, you can't tell the difference between that and the nikons I have, but only when you look at 4x6 prints. However, when you start to blow up the images you can really tell the difference of quality. The images are not sharp at all, and not because of a lack of focus.

If you are interested in this lens for professional photography, I would not recomend it, there is no way I would shoot a wedding or any other event with this lens. But if you want a cheap lens that has a pretty decent zoom range, this is not a bad choice...assuming you don't plan on enlarging your images past 4x6.