Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR IF-ED Lens

Pros: High quality optics, Vibration Reduction.
Cons: Some distortion, Cost, Build Quality, reversed Focus & Zoom rings.

INTRODUCTION The Nikkor 18-200 mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF, AF-S VR DX zoom lens is almost an alphabet soup of designators for a lens that has both many admirers and numerous critics. It is a lens that generally retails in the U.S. for anywhere ...

Pros: Unrivaled optical quality and picture definition, super-tough construction
Cons: only provides 1:2 ratio (true macro 1:1 with PK-13), works on most SLR auto-focus cameras

I started writing a review of this lens about two years ago, shortly after I became an epinions member. Then I decided against it (and deleted it from my draft), based on my reason that it is such an old lens and not many people would be interested in ...

Pros: Useful and extensive zoom range, optical performance, close-up performance, compact size, light weight
Cons: Light fall-off performance

Nikon 18-200 VR Review Occasionally, everything you read on the Internet about a product turns out to be true. This is not one of those occasions. On the subject of the Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IF-ED, not only is half of ...

Pros: Inexpensive, contrasty, user friendly lens. A bargain at this price point.
Cons: Some barrel distortion, plastic lens mount.

This is another of the NIKON 'G' lenses that are manufactured without an aperture ring for use on Nikon's AF cameras that control controls electronically through the master control dial. For some of us old-timers who are accustomed to aperture rings, los ...

Pros: fantastic zoom range, excellent sharpness and fair speed. Great price point
Cons: average construction, distortion , 72mm filters, reversed zoom and focus rings

Purists would balk at the idea of a single zoom that covered all the usual focal lengths from wide angle to telephoto. Its been tried many times in the past, often with disastrous results. There is good reason why most top-shelf zoom ...

Pros: Compact size, Great zoom range, Vibration reduction technology
Cons: Variable aperture means this is not as fast as a professional lens

As Digital SLRs come down in price, more of them are in the hands of amateurs who don't want to carry around a bag of lenses. Thus the popularity of Nikon's first "super zoom" with built-in vibration reduction technology. For those who can afford it, ...

Pros: Massive zoom range, good center sharpness until beyond 100mm
Cons: Corners aren't great, distortion, sharpness suffers past 100mm

This is part of my 3-part series on Nikon consumer-grade DX lenses: 16-85, 18-105, and 18-200.A lot of people are scratching their heads over the consumer-grade VR lenses on the market from Nikon right now, and I have had the privilege of using ...

Pros: Versatilty and Sharpness
Cons: Lens Distortion at the wide end Price is too high

Out of the box, the lens looks well built and finished. The wide zoom range will mean that couple of aging lenses can now be retired. (especially my 18-35 Nikor which has too short a zoom range) Having a multi purpose wide to tele lens will reduce the ...

Pros: Compact size, Great zoom range, Vibration reduction technology
Cons: Variable aperture means this is not as fast as a professional lens

As Digital SLRs come down in price, more of them are in the hands of amateurs who don't want to carry around a bag of lenses. Thus the popularity of Nikon's first "super zoom" with built-in vibration reduction technology. For those who can afford it, ...

Pros: VR, autofocus speed and accuracy, center sharpness, contrast, relatively compact, low flare.
Cons: Light fall-off, corner softness, slow (at f/5.6 max at tele), distortion, cost, manual focus.

Being the first to review the lens here puts some responsibility on my shoulders :) I've used this lens for the past month or so in a variety of conditions on my D70s. Images come-out with good color and contrast as they tend to with most good quality ...

Pros: 1. Vibration Reduction 2. Zoom range 18-200mm
Cons: 1. Zoom Creep 2. Light fall-off with filter

I love VR, I like the versatility of zoom lenses, and needed a wide angle; so, this lens looked like a dream lens. However, after four months, several outings, and experiences with this lens, I find it is not a lens for everyone. Two design features ...

Pros: Quality glass, VR actually works, crisp and quiet focus
Cons: Price, limited availability has prompted dealers to gouge

I was expecting compromises with this lens (after all, what zoom is ever as good a prime, right?) but I've never been more pleased with the quality of my pictures or the compactness of my DSLR setup. I was turned off initially by the high price--and ...

Pros: VRII phenomenal Sensor dust exposure minimised Good size and weight Distortion & softness mostly correctable
Cons: Distortion appalling on some examples Zoom creep Focus depth affects focal length Moustache/wave distortion unfixable

As stated in the previous review distortion on this lens can be extremely noticeable, and in my case horrific. Also the softness at 35mm is almost unusable even stopped down - but again, this is only on MY lens. Having spent a lot of time reading ...

Pros: Sharp, lots of range, great contrast, VR, close focus
Cons: Build just a tad sloppy compared to premium models

By now there are enough pro reviews out there for experienced shooters to read the handwriting on the wall. No, this is not a 17-35 and 70-200 wrapped into a tiny package. You can't have that for any amount of money. The 18-200VR is NOT meant to ...

Pros: Vibration Reduction; covers all the focal lengths I need
Cons: Not sealed (getting some dust specks in between front elements)

After getting the D40 over a year ago, my original plan was to get the 55-200mm to compliment the 18-55mm kit lens. But when I found the 18-200mm VR for a bit over $600, I couldn't pass it up...especially since Circuit City and Best Buy both had it for ...

Pros: forgiving and fast, sharp pictures
Cons: extra weight, but not too bad

If you can afford this lens, it is truly a must have. I own a D50 and I just bought this lens about 4 months ago. Previously, I was using two lenses. I had a wide angle (18-55)and a zoom lens(28-200). It is a pain to have to carry two lenses and ...

Pros: 18-200mm Zoom with Vibration Reduction is a great combination.
Cons: Lens can extend / contract if held vertically.

I purchased the Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens in May 2008 for use with my D50 and have been very pleased.  This has become my go-to lens and I rarely have need for another lens.  I have used it during visits to Disney World, trips to ...

Pros: One lens convenience. Fast. Brilliant pictures.
Cons: Of course, the price is steep.

I had been wanting this lens since I first bought my D40X camera last Summer. I am not a pro, so I was not too concerned with the questions of image quality on the edges of the lens's range. Just wanted to get closer to the kids' soccer games. When I ...

Pros: Lengthy zoom, vibration reduction, can leave on a camera body
Cons: Heavy, expensive

I purchased this lens in late summer of 2007 and am thrilled with it! While it was a big hit in my pocketbook, I purchased this along with my second Nikon D40x body. I wanted to have a lens I could leave on a camera all the time, and the zoom ...

Pros: Zoom range, warranty, optics, VR, ease of use.
Cons: none for me, worth the price.

If your looking for a one act show, this is the lens to buy. I no longer have to lug around three lenses on vacation. This lens eliminates that. I bought a Nikon D200 with the intent of using my legacy lenses but this zoom replaces them all. The ...

Pros: Convenient, VR image stabilization, quick focus
Cons: price, distortion,

So in ways the zoom lens has become almost the standard lens people think of buying when they get an SLR. Obviously there are significant drawbacks such as the price, worse aperture, more moving parts which leads to other problems. However on a whole the ...

Pros: Good optics.
Cons: Poorly designed zoom lens.

When I bought this lens, one year ago, it did not creep. After light use (family/hobby), the lens now slides open from 24mm to 200 when in a vertical position. Nikon tells me this in an inherent characteristic of this lens due to the heavy weight of the internal components. They cannot hold it in place as it extends. Why make such a lens?
I sent it back to Nikon for repairs and they tested/cleaned and returned it to me saying it was within specifications. I guess a full gravity slide is still within their creep specs.
After more complaints, I have resent it to them to tighten some "nut" in the lens to make it creep less. In one year, I expect to be in the same position.
So much for a 5 year warranty on a poorly designed lens.
With polarizing filter and lens set at 18mm, corners of pictures contain round black edges.

Pros: -pretty cheap-VR Vibration Reduction-zoom range-light -3.8-5.6 competiton: 3.8-6.5

Cons: -not the sharpest tool in the shed

Took it to Mexico, and it did the job. Not a pro lens, but walk around. Worth the money. Would buy it again. I use it with Nikon D300. If you can use it at f11. The sharpest apature. Sharpest images between: 80mm-130mm. Took weddign pictures, and came out great. Church pictures/ dark places a little poor even when using SF-600 flash. After all, great lens for the price!

Pros: The true miracle lens. It's all good!
Cons: OK, it costs a pretty penny. But it's worth it.

This is beyond outstanding. I bought based on a glowing review on read by David Pogue (the technology columnist for the NYTimes). You can find his review on their site in the tech section. He called it the "Miracle Lens" and I agree. I never use anything else. Why would I? It does it all. Superb telephoto, outstanding wide angle (the only thing better is a fisheye) and I don't have to carry anything else.

With the vibration reduction I was able to take photos inside cathedrals in Spain and Italy which found more light than the naked eye. I shot action shots of whales in Alaska that caught everything from up close to far away. It is truly unbelievable. I have shot more than 5,000 pictures with this lens and it was worth every penny. Sell you kit lens on e-bay and buy this one. You won't use anything else unless you are the most serious of pros.

Pros: Great zoom range. Takes awesome photos. Priced right.
Cons: None

I purchased this lens on a recommendation of the person that sold me my Nikon D80 camera. After using the it, I realized that I made a great decision to upgrade to the 18-200mm. I am not a professional photographer but I could be with this lens. It takes great photos and has a great range of zoom. A good all around lens for most photography. I would have preferred to have the f-stop be continuous throughout the zoom but that costs a lot more money. I would recommend this lens to anyone that is looking for an all-around lens with versatility.

Pros: Vibration reduction really helps camera shake. Sharp Lens. Great focal length range.
Cons: Heavy (19.75 oz). Not the fastest lens (f/3.5 - 5.6).

This is a great lens especially if you are looking for an all purpose carry around lens. The range from 18-200 is fantastic. I have found it to be pretty sharp at all ranges. A little soft at 18 and 200 but extremely sharp through the rest of the focal length range. The vibration reduction (VR) is an unbelievable feature. It allows you to hand hold a lens about 2 to 4 shutter speed stops less than you normally would be able to. Great lens for walking around amusement parks, parties or anywhere else where you don't want to change lenses.

Pros: Fantastic zoom range, fast auto focus and bloody marvellous image stabilisation
Cons: cut-off of the built-in flash at wide zoom angles

1300 photos in 4 weeks has assured me that this is a great lens (even at the premium prices currently being asked).

Show me another lens that lets you get consistently good images hand held at 1 second and more (@18mm).

I was a little hesitant to go for such a wide zoom range, being from the old school that said if its greater than a 3 times zoom you must be sacrificing something.

I'm pleased to say that it won't be coming off my new D80. I'll probably buy another body to hold a 12~24 zoom

Pros: Zoom In Quite A Ways. Professional Quality & Look
Cons: If Faced Upwards Lense It Will Close Itself.

Anyone Can Use This Lense For Anything. It Zooms In Very Far. Its Works Great To Take Pictures Of Moose.

Pros: My favorite lens.  Great range.
Cons: Broke once in first year.

I have been using this as my primary lens for about 1 1/2 years and it is really good.  I have shot thousands of images and taken the lens through some tough situations.  It has the best range that I have seen without sacrificing too many f-stops.  You can go from wide angle to close focus in the blink of an eye.  The auto-focus is pretty fast, but I did have a problem with this.  My auto-focus motor broke about a year in, but it was covered under warranty.  I didn't like being without the lens for the time it took to fix it though.  I would still recommend it as one of the best out there.

Pros: easy assembly
Cons: the cons were that the picture was a little fuzzy when taking pictures.

My experience with this product was difficult to use. I found that the picture quality was lacking the right view for my purpose.

Pros: Sharp, contrasty, excellent VR, parafocal across huge zoom range, lightweight, nice macro capability, decent price.
Cons: Harsh bokeh, zoom creep, odd 72mm filter size.

I have been remarkably surprised by the sharpness and clarity of this lens. Photos are crisp, constrasty and have great color. The zoom range is absolutely luxurious, and the lens is now on my D200 99% of the time. The VR is excellent, quiet and about a stop better than the older version. The lens is lightweight, and excellent for travel. It focuses quickly and reliably, and contrary to specs as close as 10 inches, and keeps focus as you zoom in or out. The zoom does creep, bokeh is harsh, and the 72mm filter size is odd. Distortion is no worse than other superzooms, and not as noticable as many claim. Overall, and excellent lens and real surprise. At $750 its not cheap, but its 1/3 the price of the Canon superzoom "L" model.