Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Cameras

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Cameras

from: Nikon Amazon.com's Price: Too low to display as of 11/23/2009 19:59 EST Used Price: $698.00 Third Party New Price: Too low to display Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Binding: Electronics Brand: Nikon EAN: 0018208021925 Item Dimensions:4001000125400 Label: Nikon Manufacturer: Nikon Maximum Focal Length: 200 millimeters Minimum Focal Length: 18 millimeters Model: 18-200 VR II MPN: 18-200 VR II Publisher: Nikon Studio: Nikon Features: One-lens solution adept in a wide variety of situations Nikon VR II (Vibration Reduction) image stabilization Two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) elements; three aspherical lens elements Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC); exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM) Focus to 20 inches for extended versatility Accessories: Sigma EX DG 72mm Multi-Coated UV Filter Zeikos ZE-FLK72 72mm Multi-Coated 3 Piece Filter Kit (UV-CPL-FLD) Tiffen 72mm Photo Twin Pack Filters Tiffen 72mm UV Protection Filter Tiffen 72mm Color Graduated Neutral Density 0.6 Filter Related Items: Nikon D300s 12MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Nikon D90 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) 72MM Nc Filter Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD (Body Only) Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D200, D300, D700 and D80 Digital SLR Cameras, Part 25334 see more Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Product Description: f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX wide-angle to telephoto zoom lens * Vibration Reduction II allows in-focus shots with longer exposure times (up to four stops slower shutter speed) * 35mm equivalent focal length of 27-300mm * contains two ED (extra-low dispersion) and three aspherical lens elements for high resolution and contrast * Silent Wave Motor for fast, quiet focusing * Customer Reviews Average Rating: Rating: - Fun lens! We bought this with the Nikon D90 body. It's been great so far. Love the versatility. Photos are clean and crisp through the entire range. Regarding the lens creep, it is a slight issue if the lens is partially extended and pointed straight down. During "normal" use, this really has not presented itself as an issue. Fully collapsed (at 18mm), the lens stay put; we never bother to lock the lens. Highly recommended! Rating: - Great versatility 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 versatility to take pictures without having to carry or change lenses, that special 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 impression you are using a 300. I use a Nikon D40x and works great, and think about upgrading to another camera to fully take advantage of the quality and flexibility of this lens. The lens feels comfortable in the hand and is very silent. I'm very pleased, it's pricey but well worth it. Rating: - Still a Creeper Sad to say this new lens still creeps the lock only works at 18mm which to me is useless since when the lens is down to 18mm there is no creeping. Rating: - A very good lens at a reasonable price I believe it was Thom Hogan who described this lens as not perfect but really good at everything. That's the review in a nutshell. This is what I would term a prosumer lens. It certainly is not cheap yet it does not have the build quality of Nikon's top-of-the-line. The barrel, for example, is plastic rather than metal. I fear that a drop would be catastrophic and even a hard bang on the edge of a table might do serious damage if the lens was fully extended. On the other hand, this lens is a lot less expensive than those in the Nikon pro line. In addition, the lens is much lighter and easier to carry than it would be were it made entirely of metal. It is my understanding that the only meaningful difference between this lens (the VR II) and its immediate predecessor is the addition of a cam lock to prevent lens creep. My own sample doesn't creep at all, even with the cam unlocked but apparently that has been a significant irritant for a number of buyers. The use of "VR II" in the name is potentially misleading because it may lead shoppers to believe that the VR system has been improved over the original model. This is not the case. Both the original 18-200 and the new version contain Nikon's second generation VR system. Some have suggested that Nikon's marketing is a bit shady on this point while others counter that the "II" simply designates a new model. Sharpness is less than absolute across the entire range but more than adequate for anything that an amateur, or even most professionals, is likely to need. There is mild to moderate distortion, more marked at the focal length extremes but scarcely visible in the vast majority of images and readily correctable in Photoshop, DxO, or other post-processing software. Contrast is crisp and I find the lens surprisingly free of flaring and ghosting. No one should buy this lens thinking that it will make him/her a better photographer. Good photography is in the mind and the eye, not in camera. What the 18-200 will do, though, is provide a one-lens solution to the great majority of focal length needs, minimizing the need to tote a hefty bag full of lenses. It happens that, as a long time Nikon user, I have such a bag. Despite all the choices at my disposal, my 18-200 probably stays on my camera 85-90% of the time. Folks who are obsessed with numbers, charts, and MTF curves will probably fret over the 18-200, taking delight in pointing out every little defect. For the rest of us, the only significant downside that I see is that the lens is not ideally suited for extended service in rough environments or adverse weather situations. Since most of us seldom shoot in such circumstances, this should not be much of a problem. I heartily recommend the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G AF-S ED VR II (whew! what a mouthful) to any advanced amateur or professional seeking a highly usable wide range zoom. Rating: - The only lens you need I owned the original 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 original model lens would extend itself (a minor annoyance). The 18-200 VR II has a cam lock to prevent such. This is a phenomenal lens that takes great 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 equipment 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.