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

• Groundbreaking lens

  
  By A37X41DY8NH5CV on 2006-05-14
  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 challenge the exotics like my 70-200VR or the 200-400VR. It's not even meant to take on a prime. It's designed to be the ultimate one lens solution when you don't want a bag full of heavy glass along for the ride. It features moderately fast (but not very) optics, vibration reduction and a lot of work to keep CA and distortion down. This it achieves with some success, but distortion is still obvious at 18mm. Distortion is sever enough at the wide end to require correction in post (easy to do), but this is NOT lens for those who shoot architecture professionally. This type of distortion is TYPICAL for a lens of this type.
  I'm sorry, but those who have panned this lens either got a bad one (quite possible with early batch issues reported) or just don't understand what a walk-around lens is for. This is what we all hoped the 24-120 VR would be, but unlike that lens it gets much more done for just 200 dollars more. Anyone who says there are lenses like this for less...well where? No other superzoom is this sharp, has so little CA and throws in VR II as well...and in a small package!
  Now...how good is it in the real world? VERY GOOD. It's a match for the sharp little 28-200G which means it's only a bit less sharp than the 70-200VR which costs twice as much. My first images with this lens were stunning, detailed and fairly sharp to the edges above F5. Close focus gives near macro results and again this lens is SHARP! Focus speed is quite fast of course, but I feel that the 18-70 kit lens is a hair quicker. You could shoot all day with this miracle and do it all without feeling like you need a giant lens. If, like me, you find yourself shooting mostly in the 35-200mm range on a DSLR, this lens makes a lot of sense. It also displayed deeper color saturation and contrast than either the 28-200G or 50mm 1.8. Did I mention that I'm impressed?
  Build quality is good, but not great. It's hard to be impressed with any lens build when compared to the 70-200VR. The 18-200 zoom is a bit stiff, the manual focus a bit loose. I suspect Nikon dialed up the zoom stiffness due to early problems with lens creep early on. It's not creeping at all. The size of the lens is only a bit bigger than the kit lens, perhaps as bulky at the Tokina 12-24 if you have one of those.
  VR II exceeds all expectations I was able to shoot sharp shots at 1.10th sec exposure. But remember this is NOT fast glass. A moving object in dim light will be blurred at such slow shutter speeds. Thus far this is an impressive effort from Nikon. Even an experienced shooter could find this lens on the camera most days and be happy. "Average" shooters will need nothing more because this lens is that good. The only areas for improvement given the real limits of optical design are in the build quality, which could be a bit better. In the end, even at 700 dollars plus, this lens is pretty hard to resist.
  And no, this is not a "kit lens with VR." The kit lens only reaches to 70mm. The kit lens also can't do near macro work as this lens can. The kit lens is also not as sharp. And of course this lens has the latest version of VR that works superbly. There is simply no other lens like this on the market currently. Again, if you're thinking that this lens should be perfect and doesn't require compromises to achieve it's design goals, please do your homework before buying. If you need a zoom to cover this range at F2.8, with no distortion and small size please call Mr. Scott aboard the Starship Enterprise.
  For those who question the sharpness of this lens, be aware that there are online tests showing it's even sharper at the corners than the legendary 17-35 2.8! Against my 70-200VR I see a SLIGHT sharpness advantage with the 70-200, but only visible with a 100% crop. Or to put things even more in perspective, this lens works nicely on a D200. Search the forums for yourself. Most D200 owners are reporting great sharpness even with pro bodies.
  This lens is simply a ton of fun for people who like to take pictures
  
  
  

• Awesome lens

  
  By A2S2B44CQTFFI9 on 2006-01-03
  I ordered the new 18-200mm vr lens after using a Nikon 70-300mm lens with my Nikon D70 camera to photograph my daughter's graduation. I used the camera handheld at a speed of 1/20th of a second or less due to available light. Camera shake was evident in most of the photos I took due to the high magnification, available light, and speed I needed to shoot at without a tripod.
  
  I received the new lens on Dec. 27th, and I really put it through its paces. It is lightweight and has a very compact size. The sharpness of the lens is excellent and the vr works flawlessly. I am able to shoot at full magnification @ 1/20th of a second and slower without any distortion. The lens is very quick and quiet as it focuses. The photos are beautiful.
  To be able to shoot from wide angle 18mm - telephoto 200mm without changing the lens is too good to be true.
  This lens is a great investment in versatility, quality, and convenience.
  
  
  
  

• Best walkaround lens ever made.

  
  By A114WE1URT580Y on 2006-02-12
  My thoughts:
  - It's sharp at the center at all apertures and at all focal lenghts, however it falls short on the edges ("sweet point" at f10 or f11, IMO)
  - It's a very contrasty lens.
  - The VR system works very very good (Im able to get steady handheld shots even at 1/1.3s)
  - It's well-built, solid and reliable.
  - The autofocus speed is very fast and accurate.
  - does the lens creep? Yes, it does (sometimes) but I really dont mind it.
  - The 11.1X zoom is unbeatable, better than any zoom ever made, and it's faster at long end than the Sigma or Tamron ones (f5.6 vs 6.3)
  - It's a highly recommendend lens, no doubt on it.
  - Some sample images at full resolution taken with D50 can be found on the link below:
  
  http://www.pbase.com/afukuda/cusco_puno
  
  

• Do Not Get This Lens!

  
  By A2HN5RGDQZ517I on 2006-03-06
  There are several reasons why you should not get this lens. First is that I have gotten a reputation for taking great pictures. How will my reputation last if people find out it is really just the lens? Second is that it replaces so many other lenses that it is sure to cause unemployment around lens factories in Thailand, Malaysia, and China. You don't want that on your conscience do you? If you use this thing to zoom in or out to frame pictures, when will you get exercise by walking long distances and climbing over things so that you can "zoom with your feet" like a prime lens user? Getting this lens will also mean that you will have wasted your investment in tripods because the VR-II makes them almost always unnecessary, and you don't want that do you? The VR-II provides four stops of stabilization, one better than VR, which means that you can shoot at exposures 16 times longer than without it. Not having to worry about shaky hands will reduce your incentive to cut back on the Starbuckaroos, will it not? It also increases the effective speed of the camera so much that you can use polarizers more frequently to shoot through windows and water which is sure to ruin the privacy of mannequins and fish. Even if you are wrongheaded enough to buy this thing in spite of all these good reasons not to, at least have the decency to wait until I have unloaded my old Nikon 24mm-120mm VR lens on Ebay before you do, so I still can get something for it. There is some vignetting at 200mm and barrel creep when the lens is extended, which of course is intolerable. It is also horribly expensive, almost half as much as the Nikon 70mm-300mm VR lens it replaces, among many others. If you are fool enough to get this thing, don't say I didn't warn you.
  
  
  P.S. The only thing this mutt won't do is shoot at very shallow depth of field because its maximum aperture is f/3.5. The solution forced on you by this huge shortcoming is to carry a Nikon 50mm f/1.8. Being forced to carry that supplemental lens will cost you in excess of $90 and weigh you down with several ounces of otherwise unnecessary burden for one of the sharpest lenses available. Don't do it.
  
  

• Not the "Perfect Lens", but close

  
  By A212MDP6K4VJS5 on 2006-06-10
  I waited 6 weeks for mine to arrive and used it almost immediately at an airshow featuring the Blue Angels. I took about 3 gigibytes of pictures at that show. I used the lens with a D50 in sports mode to capture the fast moving planes. It was a great day with not a cloud in the sky. When I later looked at the pictures I was dismayed to see significant light fall off or vignetting on the shots taken at 200mm with the lens wide open at f5.6.
  
  This light fall off is the most significant problem I have noticed with this lens. I contacted Nikon and they said it was normal. Since the lens is made for the smaller DX sensor the diameter of the lens is smaller. This causes mechanical shadowing at long zoom lengths with the lens at the wide open settings of f5.6 until about f11. All lenses have light fall off, to some degree, at the edges. When you use a regular lens made for 35mm with the smaller digital DX sensors the fall off is outside the sensor and not seen. The light fall off was especially noticable with the blue/uniform background. If the background was "busy" the falloff would be less noticable.
  
  Vignetting/light fall off is also usually seen on the wide side of zooms like this. I have not seen any with this lens. I do use a Hoya Pro 1/2 thickness filter so that a shadow is not made when shooting wide angles of 18mm - 28mm or so. I saw a technical review of this lens that noted it had significant outer distortion on pictures taken at 18mm but I have not seen that.
  
  Pros
  
  -Light weight for range
  -Large range
  -Vibration Reduction
  -Sharp, crisp pictures with vibrant colors
  -Fast Focus with manual focus adjustment ring for fine tuning
  
  Cons
  
  -Light fall off at long telephoto settings and large f stops
  -Vibration Reduction helps with handheld shots but does not stop subject motion in low light, you still need a fast lens for that
  -High price and limited availability
  -Might get light fall off at wide angles unless expensive 1/2
  width filter is used
  -Lens Creep (but most telephotos have this to some extent)
  
  I have since used the lens to shoot the Special Olympics. The outside track and field photos are excellent. Inside shots where hit and miss with subject movement in low light being the biggest culprit (was shooting no flash at 1600 iso).
  
  For about the same money you can get a Nikon or Sigma 2.8 lens that covers approx. 80-200mm. I have read several opinions that you will still have fewer bad pictures with the VR of this lens and I believe that is true. It is not a perfect lens, but it takes great pictures once you know its limitations.
  
  One tip - If you get this lens, when you use it on a tripod turn VR off, it will actually cause your photos to be blurry.
  
  
• WONDERFUL lens... NOT a cure all
  By A3VDSGNIS92OVZ on 2006-04-27
  NOTE: I changed this review on May 15, somewhat to respond to some of the other comments.
  
  Some of the reviews you've read on the internet are a little over-hyped. And some of them, or at least some portions of them, are not. I'm using this lens on a D50... Great results so far.
  
  Well, you know the specs by now. two ED elements, three aspheric, Silent Wave Motor, VR II, Internal Focusing (NO movement of the front element!) and great zoom range (beware, this thing gets obnoxiously huge when zoomed in to 200. It just looks plain silly, especially with the lens hood, which I left in the box anyway.)
  
  I am not going to go into detailed specifics of the distortion, since that's been dealt with better by Ken Rockwell, Thom Hogan and others (EXCELLENT reviews... seek them out...). But it's severe enough at the wide end that you will probably want to correct it (as best you can) in Photoshop. In real-life shooting, it isn't a huge deal. (UPDATE: In real life shooting of hundreds of images so far, I've found NOT ONE SINGLE INSTANCE where I wanted to bother "fixing" it. I repeat... There is distortion, but it is NOT a problem.) I find that when I zoom in to 24 it is totally usable to all intents and purposes, and if I REALLY want to use something you shot at 18, unless there are some REALLY straight lines in it you might have no need of correction. So, in short, the distortion is there, but so what. It's bound to be in a lens of this range.
  
  Some other reviewers report better resistance to flare than I am experiencing. It is still pretty good in a lens of this many elements, but it is hardly "nonexistent" as some have reported. (UPDATE! I have had only ONE image "ruined" by flare. It was pointed at the sun. Flare is excellent on this lens!) Mine is made in Thailand and earlier ones in Japan. I hope that I got the same quality as the lucky early adopters, but this could account for that difference. I still don't use the lens hood because I step the filter threads up to 77 and don't want to take off my UV filter ever time I use it.
  
  I actually find I can stack my polarizer on top of my UV (which is on a 72 - 77mm step-up ring - Curse you Nikon for not making the threads 77!) and STILL use this lens with no real vignetting at 24 and above. Now I REALLY want a 12-24, but that's a whole other story (don't have the dough).
  
  Focus is LUDICROUSLY fast, either manually or auto. The AF-S seems to be the real deal in this lens, with a real Silent Wave Motor, unlike some "partial" AF-S lenses NIkon has been selling lately. (Low light is a problem sometimes... duh...)
  
  Now, I took two stars off for the distortion (necessary, I admit), and the slight chromatic aberrations I'm getting on slight over-exposures, and the reduced speed as you zoom out to 200, but it gets BOTH of those back easily for the INCREDIBLE VR technology and the fact that I have had NOTHING but excellent images come out of it. It kinda eats batteries for lunch compared with not using VR, but it's still usuallly lasting me at least 300 exposures with an external SB600 as flash. (why haven't you gotten a backup battery yet?!?). I actually shot some indoor 1600 stuff hand-held all the way at 200mm (300 equiv) and 1/40 or 1/50. AMAZING! I understand it works well in low light at the wide end too. Haven't tried any available darkness landscapes yet, so I can't say.
  
  So... It IS a do all and be all lens! Maybe not for the pro, but certainly for the guy who wants to take some great shots and especially the guy who doesn't want to miss a shot because he's changing lenses (and letting dust into his camera...)
  
  I tried to change my review to 5 stars, Amazon won't let me. :-(
  
  It's a great lens. Just buy it!
  
  
• A breakthrough! A high quality lens that almost all Nikon users will want
  By A2XRMQA6PJ5ZJ8 on 2006-03-27
  This lens is quite literally a miracle of technology. It provides sharp, decent performance as a 18mm to 200mm zoom lens. (It provides a 27-300 focal range on a Nikon digital camera due to the 1.5 sensor crop). This is a DX lens, and therefore is designed only for Nikon digital cameras, not film cameras. The fact that it is a DX lens also enables this lens to be lighter and smaller than a conventional "full crop" lens. I have been told by pros that this lens would be a "monster" in size were it not for the fact that it is a DX lens. As it is, it is small and light, and feels great mounted on my D70s.
  
  This is not a cheap lens. It is capable of providing professional-level quality images throughout its range, although it is certainly not the best lens at a given range--no zoom lense is that. The fantastic (yes, I mean it, fantastic) thing about this lens is that over an incredible focal range from wide-angle to telescopic, it provides sharp, bright images. Oh, many prime lenses can produce brighter images, and the much more expensive and larger, heavier 70-200 VR Nikkor provides brighter images with better bokeh, and many wide-angle Nikkor zooms outperform this lens at the other end of its range, but no other lens I know of can touch this lens for its overall range. This lens is capable of producing pleasing, bright, and vivid images througout its range.
  
  One big feature of the 18-200 VR is the Vibration Reduction technology that is built into the lens. This stabilizes the lens and allows it to take good photographs in much dimmer light than would otherwise be practical, and to some extent VR does the same thing that a tripod would do, i.e. stabilize the camera. The VR works, too, contributing to the sharpness of the images. VR is not a substitute for fast glass, which is one reason that very serious photographers will not be junking their heavy professional lenses (such as the incomparable 70-200 VR zoom, for example, or the wonderful 17-55 zoom). A discussion of the shortcomings and advantages of VR is beyond the scope of this review, but suffice to say that the VR on this 18-200 VR lens contributes to its ability to produce very sharp images.
  
  This is the ultimate "walking around" lens, and it is absolutely the lens of choice in many/most situations in which it is simply impractical to either change lenses, or bring along more than one lens. Almost all users of Nikon digital cameras will want to consider this lens. I am blown away with the images that I have been able to achieve using the 18-200VR.
  
  
• Good lens, but you may need an external flash unit
  By AQJPHHWVGRESB on 2006-03-08
  No question about it this is a great lens. But be aware that if you plan on using it with your built-in flash, at wide angle there will be a dark spot on the bottom of your pictures because the flash is so close to the lens. This is not a problem for hot shoe mounted flash units such as the SB-800. So while this lens as often is touted as a good "travel lens" you may still have to carry a flash unit along. Not a big issue, but something potential buyers should be aware of.
  
  Also, you may want to purchase thin lens filter (e.g. Hoya Pro series) to avoid vignetting of wide angle shots.
  
  
• Not the greatest
  By A23SN5Y7D2NAPB on 2006-06-28
  Sure it has a wide range but there is a lot of what I call distortion in my 18-200. I took several pictures of some old houses at 35 to 75 MM. The uper sides of each house, at those ranges, are bowed inwards like they were made of clay. Vertical edge lines are not a strong suit for this lense. Huge amounts of distortion. I guess that is fine for those who do a lot of processing in Adobe, those arcs can be straightend. But at that price and that hype I expected more than that. I would have thought this lense would produce acceptable images without the need for the additional processing.
  
  
  
• I love this lens!
  By A1E1LEVQ9VQNK on 2006-03-19
  I bought this lens with the Nikon D200 DSLR. After only two weeks, I absolutely love it. Other than my wide angle 12-24mm lens, this is the only lens that I will carry around with me now.
  
  I haven't made any large prints yet, but the images look very sharp on the monitor, even when cropped and enlarged.
  
  Best of all, the VR really works as advertised. Although I was skeptical of Nikon's claim that the VR is worth 3-4 stops, I'm a believer now. Turn off the VR, zoom to 200mm, and focus on something. Visible shake. Now turn on the VR and focus on the same object. The shake is noticeably less. Amazing.
  
  So far I'm 100% satisfied with this lens. I was using the Nikon 24-120mm VR as my regular lens, but I'm so happy with the 18-200mm lens that I've already sold the other lens.
  
  
• Outstanding lens but keep this in mind ...
  By A2A37CA2585XG7 on 2006-08-11
  As of now, this lens is out of competition. Canon doesn't have 18-200 zoom offer and some other vendors don't match the Nikon quality and features.
  
  The lens is fast, quite, VR works great so this is an outstanding product without any doubts.
  
  A lot of people plan to use it as their primary day to day lens, but keep in mind, it feels pretty much as heavy as Nikon D50 camera itself. So if you plan to carry it casually for a day on your shoulder, it might be less enjoyable then you expect.
  
  Also, it's an expensive high quality glass, so you should consider keeping some high quality filter all the time as a protective measure.
  
  Overall - it's probably by far the best all purpose lens for Nikon DSLRs you can get in this price range. In fact, if you are trying to decide between Canon and Nikon low/mid range DSLR, that lens could be a crucial factor to go with Nikon D Series.
  
  
• Nikon Admits Lens is Defective
  By A1I969PGHPEXE1 on 2007-10-02
  This lens is seriously flawed. There is not enough friction on the zoom. If you are taking a picture looking up or down, the zoom will not stay where you set it. I have contacted Nikon about the problem, and I was told to carry masking tape with me. Once I set the zoom where I want it, I am supposed to tape it in place. I sent it in to Nikon for repair, and I was told that there is nothing wrong with the lens because all Nikon 18-200mm AF-S VR DX Zoom lenses behave this way. In other words, all of their lenses are defective! I know a professional, studio photographer who grudgingly tapes his lens, but I use my camera in the field. The last thing I need is to carry a roll of masking tape with me - nor do I have the time to tape the lens before every shot.
  
  
• great lens
  By A3DNH905708EGL on 2006-02-11
  I have just returned from four weeks in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma. Received this lens two days before my trip, and took about 3000 pictures with it. Use it with my Nikon D2h. For travel with one lens this is the best. Works geat under almost every light condition. Great pictures throughout the range. Better than my Nikon 18-70DX. No need to travel with three or four lens again. Color is good, sharp throughout the whole range from 18 through 200.
  
  
• Great for what it is meant for!
  By A2990FZGDYFB60 on 2006-02-21
  The positives:
  
  The 18-200 zoon range is unbeatable and unbelievable. VR II works great (most of the time), although you should still follow the good rules of holding the camera steady... no sloppy shooting. Lens very sharp for a zoom, not just zooms in this range.
  
  The negatives:
  
  Most of the negatives are typical of a big zoom. There is noticeable barrel & pincushion distortion, about 90% of which is fixable using Photoshop or PTLens (free) software. Vignetting at the corners is observable. I have not noticed considerable CA, although other reviews do mention it. I also noticed light fall off at the corners in certain situations. But the distortions are considered better than all the zooms of this range.
  
  Verdict:
  
  If you need just one walkaround lens and dont mind the minor distortions (and have the dough to spend), go for it. The only problem seems to be the endless wait in stores everywhere.
  
  
• Disregard the last three (bad) reviews!
  By A2Q204DY2L7YRP on 2006-05-05
  I have sampled this lens on a D200 (I was blown away by its speed and unexpected sharpness) and immediately got in line to get my own. Make no mistake, this thing has drawn the attention of Digital Nikonians everywhere for more than mere hype.
  Whoever these folks really are, I doubt very seriously that they actually have this lens. My suspicion is raised not just because they give the lens bad reviews (which is extremely odd, since virtually every professional reviewer has given it good/great marks), but mainly because they appeared out of nowhere in short order to bring the rating lower. See for yourself - click on the link to all their reviews and you'll notice that they either only reviewed this lens (out of the blue), or they reviewed another item in the same short time frame. Basically, this is a calculated hit-job. Why? I cannot say for sure, but it may have something to do with the fact that this lens is massively backordered and so much interest in it is killing lens sales for a number of brands.
  
  
• Very Nice Amateur Lens, Sharp, Small, Quiet
  By A3CJ7MHAS9IMAM on 2006-09-14
  I have to chuckle to myself when I read some of the reviews for this lens. It has inspired fans to heights of ecstasy - praising its qualities to the sky. We all know that photographers can get emotionally attached to their art and a good lens really does ignite a spark in the soul.
  
  I like my 18-200 a lot and it is one of the most versatile lenses out there. It is usually the glass I reach for when I plan to travel light. It covers so many focal lengths (about 28-300 in 35MM world) that you would have to be doing specialized work to need a wider or longer range. It focuses smoothly and quickly on both my D70S and D200. But the proof of the pudding is in the pictures and this lens makes sharp pictures with good color.
  
  The VR is useful for dampening out the shake from the photographer but remember, at 1/20 of a second, your subject's motion can affect the image's sharpness as well - example, wild flowers in a breeze. 1/20 sec won't freeze motion.
  
  A few nits to pick - because it's an amateur lens (no insult intended), it is relatively slow with only an f:5.6 max at 200mm. Also, when you zoom, the lens grows. Not only does that make the lens clumsy to use but it exposes the barrel to dust and moisture (I had a heck of time keeping mine dry on a whale watch boat). And my lens, after only a few months, has loosened up enough to "zoom out" by itself while I carry it. I think that's almost unacceptable.
  
  So, on the plus side we have, ED glass, big zoom range, VR technology, Nikon quality and a good price. On the negative side we have slowness and an extending lens barrel. Overall, it translates to a winner for me. I don't think it's the best lens Nikon has ever made but if it is the best lens for your kind of shooting then you are a lucky photographer.
  
  
• A Walk Around Town Lens
  By A2HYRS7A1NRRUY on 2006-07-11
  So here's the deal with the lens. An awesome lens for those who don't do critical work and want to minimize the amount of lenses they need to carry. Personally, after having shot with this, the aperture, vignetting, and noticeable distortion are a little too much for critical work and prints. This is definately one of those lenses that i would use when i go somewhere that i can't or don't want to bring alot of lenses and gear and i'm not shoting anything critical, let me mention though that this is a perfect lens for the photoblogger. This with my D200 is a nice match but like i said. For critical work stick with the finer zooms or even primes. I use a Tokina 12-24 f/4 which is reviewed BETTER than the Nikon equivalent and use a nikon 35-70 f/2.8 zoom paired with a 70-200 at the long end. That is my setup for serious shooting. For a day in the park or a stroll down the street, the 18-200 is definately nice though. THe distortion that is present is easy to correct in photoshop unlike some other zooms that leave terrible unfixable distortion, and the vignetting is also no problem for photoshop or any of the other decent photo editing apps. overall i would give this lens a 4-5 because of it's versatility, easy correction of distortion and vignetting, and the VR capabilities which work nicely.
  
  
• Versatility at expense of distortion and light fall-off
  By A1RBC5UQCUXEQR on 2007-05-20
  This lens has great versatility with such a zoom range, no doubt about it. But the prospective buyer should realize that this level of versatility comes at the expense of image quality:
  -strong barrel distortion at 18mm, strong pincushion distortion at 50mm
  -light fall-off in corners ("vignetting") at the larger apertures will be noticeable if the picture has a uniform background like a blue sky
  
  Also this lens has the unfortunate tendency to collect dust particles on the inner glas elements. A few small dust particles will not affect image quality at all; however the accumulation of dust particles over years of use could become problematic and require professional cleaning.
  
  
• Japan vs Thailand
  By A2I2Y5S3C6PSWC on 2006-07-25
  I bought this lens just a couple of days ago, and had problems with right away! The light fall off at any F stop, near the 4 corners was bad! In fact I took it back to the store, where we took extra test shuts with the lens on 2 of my cameras D2X and D70. Then we switched to the store demo, same cameras, same test shuts, no corner vignetting, so it was a lens that was not inspected for qulaity as it should have been. Since the store had no other lens, due to the extreme demand and waiting list for this 18-200 zoom, I exchanged it for the demo model. The lens I bought originaly was made in Thailand! The store demo was made in Japan! So it was very obvious: the quality of the the same lens manufactured in two different places varies a great deal! So check just which lens you get and from where: stick with the made in Japan one if you can find one at all!
  
  
  
  
• Vibration Reduction is Awesome
  By A33KOI9H4HE5YZ on 2006-03-17
  I was shooting with the 18-70 D70 kit lens and the 70-300 ED lens. I love not having to change lens anymore. The 100mm you lose is nothing compared to the convenience you gain. You won't miss your shot because you have to change lens. That was what initially got me interested in this lens.
  
  But what really sets it apart is the Vibration Reduction (VR) system. It's a miracle! It works so well. At night I was able to get some good, sharp shots in without the typical night time camera shakes.
  
  I'm not an expert, but I love the photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tinou/) I've taken with the 18-200 VR lens. BUY IT.
  
  
• Good value, good results
  By A2BN67MBQQ23G1 on 2006-08-02
  When I received this lens, I initially was surprised at the light weight, and almost immediately decided it must be flimsy and not worth the rather hefty price tag. Then I mounted it on my D200, and immediately was won over. Yes, this lens doesn't have the same heft and apparent build quality of Nikon's (more expensive) 17mm-55mm f.2.8 DX lens, but it does not disappoint when it comes to results.
  
  It is, quite simply, the most versatile walk-around lens ever produced. Its 18mm-200mm zoom range extends from the full-frame equivalent of 27mm out to the same field of view as a 300mm lens, which covers most of the focal lengths you really need for a lot of everyday shooting. While the maximum aperture is a slow f/5.6 at the telephoto end, remember that the VR allows you to increase the shutter speed one or two stops for non-moving subjects. So, instead of exposing a 200mm shot at 1/200th second at f/5.6, you can get away with 1/100th second at a more reasonable f/8 (or, often, 1/50th second at f/11.) Alternatively, you can shoot wide open (this lens is fairly sharp at maximum aperture) and get steady shots in low light levels without boosting ISO. (Keep in mind that VR doesn't prevent blur for moving subjects.)
  
  The VR and autofocus is fast, the lens is compact and very portable, and uses internal focusing and low-dispersion glass. I think this is an all-around useful lens for anyone who doesn't need the utmost in maximum aperture and wants a long zoom range.
  
  
• Very disappointed....
  By A3F8FC1CWI6KMX on 2007-08-27
  I have read all the reviews on many sites, about how poor image quality issues are related to "operator error". The Nikon 18-200 VR does everything, but nothing very well. Most images are good, but not sharp, and they don't "pop". I just bought the Nikon 18-135, and it blows away the 18-200. I'm going to keep my 18-200, but I work so hard, to get fairly good quality pictures. I just bought the 70-200 VR, and my God, it's awesome!
  
  
• Great as a "one-stop shop", but consider carefully
  By A31Q3UHUYK14C6 on 2007-12-13
  I have had this lens for ~2 months and use it on my D80. I also have a few other lenses, two primes and one wide-angle zoom.
  
  Before purchasing this lens I would encourage anyone to search online and read the technical reviews of it. I agree with their consensus which is:
  
  - if you want a very flexible zoom that gives you VR and a wide range of focal lengths without too much weight or bulk, and if you don't want to be switching between lenses, then this is the lens for you. It's good enough to cover most shots in a range of common conditions. If you want the quality of SLR but only one lens then go for it.
  
  - if you want great optical quality (ie low distortion etc), and/or wide enough aperture to give low light ability/fast shutter speed, then the design compromises in this lens make it a questionable choice for you.
  
  In short, the designers have definitely preferenced this lens's amazing flexibility at the cost of other attributes found in higher quality (though less versatile in some respects) photographic glass.
  
  This design balance may suit you brilliantly or it may not suit you at all. It all depends on what you are buying the lens for, and what sort of use you intend to have for your photographic equipment.
  
  I'm happy with mine as a flexible "one-stop-shop" tool, especially when I'm travelling light and don't exactly know what I'm going to come across. It does give pretty reasonable images all told, and a fantastic "advanced point-and-shoot" capability.
  
  But does it spend much time on my camera when I have all my other gear on hand and when I want to take a specific high-quality, technically thought out shot? No.
  
  PS: a general-use alternative that a number of people recommend is a 2-lens kit made up of the 18-55 and 55-200. Both come in VR these days and are inexpensive yet arguably better optical quality. Bottom line is you get the same total focal length range and slightly better optics for about 2/3 of the cost of 18-200, with the only downside being the need to switch between the lenses.
  
  
• Whoever dislikes this lens lives in some kind of laboratory
  By A2BTRBE3NRJE79 on 2006-05-28
  If you live in a lab and all you do is perform scientific comparison's between "item A" and "item B" then you could probably find fault with this lens (or ANY lens for that matter). However, if you use your camera to take great photos, than this lens is a GREAT addition to your collection. The VR is very useful and the width of the zoom is without peer. I own a D200 and I have this lens along with the 12-24, 70-300 and 50 1.8 prime and that is all I can see that I will ever need. Conclusion, great lens if you are a PHOTOGRAPHER.
  
  
• Nikon 18-200mm VR DX Zoom
  By AJOJI6LAC8BBE on 2006-06-05
  This lens is AMAZING! I have had it for 3 days and have already shot over 3000 picture. Buy it now, you will not regret it.
  
  I am one of those people who resists the fad purchases and the latest photographic gadget (generally not difficult since photography is a hobby AND my hobby budget is limited). Quality photos are more about talent than equipment. A friend let me try his lens and I was impressed enough to start pinching pennies for my own. I purchased mine at a local camera shop ($100 less than available on Amazon.com) It took two months from order to receipt.
  
  What is so great about the 18-200mm VR? The sharpness just pops out at you. My spouse noticed it immediately and she takes only "family/people" shots. I cannot say she is the most discriminating critic but she was able to correctly identify 7 side by side examples of identical landscape shots (I used a tripod and both my Nikon 18-70mm and my 70-300mm G in the comparison). More importantly, you can't tell the difference between shots that are handheld from the shots made when the camera is mounted on a tripod.
  
  I am lightening my outfit bag replacing my 18-70mm and 70-300mm (and my tripod)with this lens, improving my photos with the VR, and don't have to hastle with changing lenses (or exposing my sensor to dust). Again, it won't make you a better photographer but the sharpness of your photos will be markedly improved.
  
  
• Wonderful lens, used 90 percent of the time now on my D200
  By A3FPSY1M6G7XIB on 2006-08-11
  What a wonderful lens. Couple this with the D200 and you have all you need for excellent photography. Lightweight and well-built, the 18-200VR is a terrific walk-around lens. There is some barrel distortion at 18, but exactly the same as that on the Nikon 18-70 and other lenses in this range, completely within exceptable limits. Smooth operation, sharp color saturation, and the VR works like a dream. Goodbye to blurry pictures because your hands are shaking, or your boat is moving. Well worth the long wait for the lens.
  
  
• Great for outdoors or well lit indoor shots. 4.75/5
  By A2EKS1CEHLPHW9 on 2007-03-19
  I have had this lens for about two weeks. It is solid with respect to both build quality and performance. I am using it with a Nikon D200 and I am very happy with it.
  
  It seems to really work well outdoors. Let me say that again - it works really well outdoors! With a fair amount of light outside, this lens delivers. I am able to shoot 5fps of my son riding his bike and almost every shot is in focus and is a potential keeper. As it gets a little darker, it starts to struggle with moving subjects, which is to be expected. I wish I would have had this lens for the past trips I had taken to Europe. As a walk around lens, it is great.
  
  The VR functionality will help you get shots that are only possible on a tripod with the same lens, settings, etc., while shooting hand held, even at 200mm (300mm effective). Search on Flickr for "DVD Player VR" to see some shots I took of the text on my DVD player at in a poorly lit room. VR works, and it works well. Since I am not a great photographer, this helps out a lot. You can see the VR correction happening in the viewfinder when you are zoomed out to 200mm and autofocused on a still subject.
  
  Now I give this lens a 4.75/5 mainly because the indoor performance isn't always great. It isn't a super fast lens so it needs a bit more light. I will be doing some more experimentation with adjusting the shutter speeds, but overall if you can afford a faster lens for indoors you won't regret it. If the kids are running around the lighting isn't very bright, VR isn't enough. Now, for shooting portraits, this lens works great. I will stick to my 50mm f/1.8 for indoor "around the house" shots. If I am leaving the house, and I don't know if I will be in a coffee shop, an airport, or stopping to take a nature shot on the side of the road - the 18-200 is the lens I'll take. If I know I am going to be indoors, the 50mm wins every time.
  
  At 18mm with the lens hood on and using a D200, the lens is not useful with the built in flash for indoor shots. The flash will cast a massive shadow that will enter in the bottom third of your picture. Take the lens hood off, use another flash, or zoom out a bit and you'll be fine. Minor annoyance.
  
  Because this lens is approaches f/5.6 as you zoom out to 200mm, this is not a great lens for shooting indoor sports such as hockey or basketball without a flash. With a flash, it works well, but flashes can be distracting and sometimes are not allowed. Don't get this lens if you think you are going to be able to sit in the stands and shoot your kids basketball game and get perfect results. For that, you'd have to spend some money getting the 70-200mm f/2.8 or a faster fixed lens. I will likely buy a 85mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 to fill the indoor sports needs. My son is young so the fields are small, and 85mm should do the trick for me.
  
  I struggled if I should give this lens a 4 or a 5 (4.75 if I could). My would be docking of a quarter star really is more of a reflection of the lens' usefulness. Even though this thing has incredible range, I still need at least one more lens in the bag, mainly for low light indoor shots. Some of the reviews (on other sites) have this lens walking on water, but as good as it is, you will likely still need to buy some other lenses at some point.
  
  Having said that, this lens does perform exactly as you would expect it to perform based on the specs. I feel it performs slightly better than a f/3.5-5.6 lens should because of VR. But just remember that VR is not going to get you the same results that a f/1.4 or f/1.8 will when the lighting isn't ideal. VR will not make you ready to work for Sports Illustrated.
  
  If you can only choose one lens, this is about as good of choice as as you could make if you can afford it. It is a bit pricey, but it will make you a little better than you are if you are a beginner. It isn't magic, but the technology and solid build of this lens make it a winner.
  
  Should it be a 5/5? Maybe. I just don't want people to read the other reviews and think that this lens will turn them into a pro, magically add lighting to every shot or reverse global warming trends. It is a very very good lens, but isn't a substitute for knowledge and experience. I don't have much of either yet, but I am having fun gaining both while using this lens.
  
  
• Versatile lens, especially coupled with flash!
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-06-25
  You've read it all before. This has a very good zoom range, superior optics, in a reasonably easy to carry design. The Silent Wave lens is very fast and quite, and allows for manual focusing in an instant. And the VR is great for available light photography.
  
  But the VR should not be undervalued for flash photography as well. Many indoor flash photos suffer from the "card board cut-out" look, where the flash exposes the subject properly, but the background is much too dark (an obvious problem for wedding photographers). The VR allows you to shoot at a slower shutter speed, thus getting a better exposure of the background, while the flash lights up the foreground. Additionally, the flash exposure will be cut back slightly due to more available light falling on the subject. This gives our subjects a much more natural look.
  
  Perfect lens? No. We'd always like them to have larger apertures and greater range, but this is a fantastic start for Nikon shooters!
  
  
• Lives up to the hype
  By A3DQR00Q5UIZSS on 2006-12-16
  Word about Nikon's 18-200mm VR lens spread fast, and even now, over a year after its introduction, the lens is quite hard to get and typically sells for $50-$300 above its list price. One naturally wonders (1) can one lens really do everything that well and (2) is this lens worth the money and the wait?
  
  In the year I have had mine, it has done just about everything that well: wildlife, room interiors, social events, close-ups (macro), climbing shots, landscapes, even performances shot flashless in dim venues. About the only thing it can't do well is flashless sports indoors or at night. Yes, the lens is worth it and yes, it does live up to the excitement. It has replaced every SLR lens I used to own.
  
  Now that I finally have an all-in-one lens worth using, I find myself freed in ways I never imagined. No more gadget bag. All my equipment now fits in the camera holster. No more hauling multiple lenses into the mountains. No more lens changes at awkward moments or opportunities lost during the change. At first, the inability to go wider than 18mm (28mm equivalent on film) seemed a drawback, but now when I shoot ultrawide--usually static shots anyway--I shoot the scene in sections and stitch them into a panorama (see my guide on this website "So you'd like to create panoramas with your photos").
  
  The lens delivers sharp, contrasty photos at every focal length. Color is vivid and on target. The lens is very flare resistant. The longer half of the range has vignetting and moderate pincushion distortion, both easily fixed by the lens-correction tools in many photo editing programs. The wide end has moderate barrel distortion which, like most modern zooms, is complex and harder to correct completely. Fortunately, an inexpensive program named PTLens, downloadable off the web, corrects it--and the other aberrations--easily and perfectly, making the lens suitable for architecture.
  
  VR (anti-shake) really does extend the effective aperture by 4 stops as claimed. Good for anything except constantly-moving subjects, it lets me leave my tripod at home and also shoot where flash is ineffective or inappropriate. At 18mm, 1/8 second is easy and 1/4 not hard. At 200mm, I routinely shoot at 1/30 and can even pull off 1/8 by taking multiple shots in order to get a couple steady ones. I will never again buy equipment without anti-shake.
  
  At 200mm the lens focuses amazingly close: within an outstretched handspan of the subject. That yields about 1/4 life size in the sensor and 1.5x life size in a 4x6 print, making for good macro capabilities. You might expect even more magnification, but this is not the case because of the way internal focusing mechanisms work.
  
  The lens is light and compact but decently made. Focusing is fast, silent, and--unlike my former 70-210mm--free from focusing errors. The filter does not rotate, which simplifies use of polarizers.
  
  The Nikon 18-200mm is not cheap, but it does replace multiple lenses. Furthermore, in the digital age, lenses go out of date slower than the cameras they are on. This one may well outlast two or more cameras. I had second thoughts about spending the money, but now I can't think of going back to a lesser lens. I highly recommend it.
  
  
• Not quite what it claims to be, but a good lens nonetheless
  By AD8ZIWR0A6K0Q on 2007-08-30
  This lens is very flexible, an excellent travel and walkaround lens. It also focuses fairly closely. However, it is not an 18-200mm lens, unless it is focused at infinity. At close distances it is more like an 18-135mm lens. This is an inherent limitation in the design. Making the lens 18-200mm at all focusing distances would have made it a lot heavier and maybe even impossible.
  
  The lens does suffer from zoom creep. Pointed down, the lens will slowly zoom out its full length. You cannot set a particular focal length and expect it to stay there. There is also some roughness in the zoom ring at about 70mm.
  
  Image quality is good for a lens with a 12x zoom ratio. Distortion is evident at the extremes of the zoom range, but it is not noticeably bad. Sharpness is better than anyone has a right to expect in a lens of this price.
  
  The VR is useful at long focal lengths and distant subjects, but it can actually make your pictures a little bit fuzzy at wide angles or close subjects. It works as advertised. There is no question that lens based stabilization works better than sensor stabilization.
  
  The long plastic tube that appears when the lens is fully extended is surprisingly hardy. The lens hood is easily dislodged from the lens. I have lost (or broken) and replaced three lens hoods and a lens cap. Best to get spare hoods.
  
  This lens gets 4 stars, but just barely. In fact, it is the lens that I use the most. A set of better lenses that would replace the range that this lens gives you would easily weigh ten pounds.
  
  

• Tiffen 72mm Color Graduated Neutral Density 0.6 Filter
• Tiffen 72mm Circular Polarizer
• Tiffen 72HTND6 72MM Digital HT ND 0.6 Titanium Filter
• Tiffen 72HTDUC 72MM Digital HT Ultra Clear Titanium Filter
• Tiffen 72mm Neutral Density 0.9 Filter

• Tiffen 72mm UV Protection Filter
• Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D200, D300, D700 and D80 Digital SLR Cameras
• Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-135mm AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens
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