Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR : Specifications and Opinions

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Lenses Nikon
Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR

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Timk2

sent on 15 Luglio 2015

Pros: Focal length range, reasonable max speed of f5.6 at 200mm

Cons: General Performance, Distortion, Handling, Manual focussing

Opinion: If this Nikon superzoom is about the best available and about the only one that can deliver any sort of quality, then help the rest, ie, the independents! It does have a reasonable reputation though and if this is the only lens you have with you, for instance, when travelling, it can turn in OK results. I always need to add a sharpness mask to all images though, not because they are necessarily 'soft', but that they become more alive and look better, without looking too artificially sharp. There are no terrible stages either, you'll get something reasonable at 200mm f5.6, which would be a real challenge to all such lenses. Distortion is fairly dire at 18mm, more pronounced barrel distortion than my Nikkor 10-24mm, at 10mm!! At the other end, the pincushion distortion is obvious. I am comparing this lens (probably unfairly) with the results that I get daily with my usual combination that (more than) covers this range, both about the best available, for their price - Nikkor 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 VR & Tamron SP 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC. The sharpness and contrast difference is obvious between these two and the 18-200mm, but of course, the very idea for a superzoom is that it's one lens to carry about, and use. I don't regret buying the 18-200mm, and won't sell it - I actually use it for community event photography, as the official photographer, where getting the shot is a must and where changing/carrying other lenses is not possible. As I said, with some time and care taken in Photoshop, images can look very reasonable and as most images only end up as a thumbnail on the organiser's website, absolute sharpness is not the most important thing. Again, compared to the shorter range and better built 16-85mm VR, the 18-200 is not nice to handle, with a definite resistance at about 70-100mm when zooming, which takes your mind off the subject and shot. Polarisers are a very fair 72mm and a non rotating front helps. Focus isn't quick but does the job, but at least is very quiet. The VR is quietly effective, too. Weight and balance on my D7000 is a little front heavy, especially when zoomed all the way out. Manual focus is not nice and not easy. As far as I understand, the replacement VRII has the same optics and thus performance, but with some minor cosmetic improvements, including the upgraded VR. These old 18-200mm's are now cheap secondhand and plentiful and they can get a bit tatty. I'm not sure that I'd spend the extra on the newer model, which has a much higher price. I've never tried any of the new generation 18-300mm's, but my experiences with superzooms so far, that range is just pushing the physical and optical limits too far, but no doubt, one day I will be proven wrong. So, in the meantime, I'm carrying my usual 3 lens kit for DX (Nikkor 10-24, 16-85mm & Tamron SP 70-300mm) when and where I can, but will reach for this 18-200mm if I have to. 6.5/10

The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Takeao

sent on 01 Settembre 2023

Pros: Lens that replaces all others

Cons: He doesn't excel at anything

Opinion: Bought used by private (never again I will buy from private: not because it was cheated but because the description corresponded only in part, better RCE, pay more, of course, but at least you have warranty and testing carried out and the description of all the components supplied ... anyway mine works!). What about this goal? If you take it on a trip you start only with this and the others leave them at home but if you want well-made photographs I say that the best is obtained only with "prime" optics (yet Ken Rockwell of this 18-200 speaks so well ...). Returning to this lens I say that it is not bad at all but on long focal lengths it begins to show the rope: too soft whatever aperture it uses. If you make giant prints better avoid. Thank goodness that, at least mine, the autofocus works very well, the VR, always mine, I do not put my hand on the fire. If I had to give a grade to say 68/100: we are well beyond sufficiency, right?

Behodwo

sent on 26 Febbraio 2020

Pros: Very versatile. Light, VR effective and good at f8.

Cons: Brightness, focus breathing and quality at maximum openness. Tents stretch with movement if not left specially stuck on 18mm.

Opinion: I've been using this lens for several years. And for a long time it was my only lens. Bought along with a D7000, which marked my return to Nikon after a few years of Minolta. For a while the "unique goal" solution seemed good to me. At least until I decided to invest something to buy fixed optics or classic zooms (70-200 2.8). At that point the quality limits emerged clearly. It remains a good combat target, but I wouldn't use that solution anymore. Don't get me wrong, I took thousands of beautiful photos using it, but then found that I could go further in terms of yield and flexibility.

Immaginidiluca

sent on 26 Febbraio 2020

Pros: Exit only with this lens

Cons: It's good for everything but it's not great at all.

Opinion: There's not much to say except that this lens does only one thing: mount it on the machine body and you are prepared for all the focal points. This is its convenience and its biggest limit together. My advice is: if I want to go out and shoot around without changing optics I carry it quietly already mounted. If you have specific uses in mind then take professional results out of your head.

Ale66

sent on 24 Marzo 2015

Pros: Very light and versatile, you have so many in a single focal lens, stabilizer, sharpness very good (in my opinion), weather sealed

Cons: It does not have the lock on the zoom, abnormal play during zoommaggio

Opinion: I purchased it for versatile perspective, when I report in my town and the demonstrations that demand the various focal and where events happen very quickly ... if I did not lose important images, many criticize these zoom with great excursion for the poor quality, but unfortunately these people would bring home half of the images that this view allows you to do. With the stabilizer and the maximum focal I am able to use even 1/20 sec. of getting sharp photos, so I think it's great. Sharpness I find it good at all focal lengths, even to 200mm I did very engraved portraits. I do not think I'll sell it ever ...

user36759

sent on 05 Luglio 2014

Pros: Versatile, wide range of focuses, lightweight and small in size, good at f8

Cons: Built bad, high price both new and used

Opinion: Taken used a month ago, I found it versatile. But the rubber ring for the zoom was a bit loose, maybe for use in the sun even though it seemed strange, and I got a bit bad. It also has a bit too much play, I think at 200mm , Which did not have the 28-200 G.rnAny generic amateur use may be fine; It solves different situations without changing the target. For professional use, well depends, but the optical quality is not excellent even though it is obviously justified by the extensive excursion. At the maximum focal point is rather soft. RnrnThese are the ideas I've been doing working on. Amateur is definitely a discreet purchase, if taken at a reasonable price. RnrnOnly better to zoom less.

Rusvelt2000

sent on 07 Gennaio 2013

Pros: Flexibility of use, good quality medium aperture

Cons: Lack zoom lock, slight vignetting

Opinion: It is a good compromise for a day when you do not want to carry around the entire arsenal, covering all areas. At the beginning had a 18-55 and a 55-200 which I used for the same purposes, not known much difference, if not in a greater brightness in favor of 18-200. The stabilized it well and also the sharpness is more than enough to average aperture (between f8 and f16). A 200mm is softer and also the stabilizer can not do miracles to these distances, but what is claimed by a scale so variable in one goal? rnNel Overall a good objective, practical and effective, I bought it used and the manual focus ring was slightly slow, but flows that are fiction and not betray when required in situations hasty. The only flaw is the lack of a zoom lock switch, because with the passage of time, the mechanisms, loosening, leaving stretch zooming when placed vertically when carrying over the shoulder, but mind you, not that it stretches forever, but can happen if solicited by one scossone. A simple zoom lock (present in the new version) would fix it with no problems.

Bargagnatura

sent on 03 Ottobre 2012

Pros: versatility of use

Cons: stabilizer noisy, the focal ring is not very fluid.

Opinion: Since switching to digital (2007) was my first goal, I use it almost anywhere with exception of special situations where you need an angle of view (I use the 10-20sigma.) The best results are obtained at f8 and f14 to from the focal length of 20mm up to 170mm where known better picture clarity without excessive distorzioni. A wider apertures loses detail especially at the edges and suffers from vignettatura.Se managed well during the PP you can get results soddisfacenti.Per Finally, the lens is to travel excellence, belonging to the new 18-300, however I do not will destroy this goal.

Sergio Ricca

sent on 10 Ottobre 2011

Pros: Flexibility of use

Cons: Rather delicate built = bad

Opinion: I find it a 'optic im very comfortable journey, in those moments that you do not know or can not predict that focus may be helpful to take a moment after something that we can no longer, or not worth the trouble shooting. Is very useful to vary widely, the focal length without changing the optics in very dusty-sand (Deserts, African tracks etc..). You can not say that it is an objective robust! I got out of hand as he slipped and fell on the damp ground and making a flight of no more than 60 cm. I found the lens open in TWO parts! The repair was going to cost me 50 euro in less than a new objective. Since I consider it very useful for the type of trip that I usually do, I bought another one. After about 2000 shots of the second objective autofocus stopped working. This time it occurred the warranty. To date, this copy I made a little less than 14,000 shots and sides of rubber rings which are the zoom and focus are loose (a bit like the rubber bands that eventually lose their elasticity). Perhaps this last is not a defect but is due intensive use.

Reviews
Lenses
Lenses Nikon
Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR