Nikkor 18-55 f/3.5-5.6G VR lens unboxed
The only lens I had for the Nikon D200 which I bought recently was the Sigma 28-105 autofocus lens that somebody gave me for free at the beginning of last year (I didn’t have any Nikon camera then). Though it is not a bad lens, in my opinion a third party lens is a third party lens. Given the prices of the 18-105 VR, 18-135 VR and 18-200 VR, I opted for an 18-55 VR which is more affordable of the lot.
I wanted to keep the cost of my kit under INR 30,000 (approx. $545) and I successfully did. The approximate total cost of the kit has come to exactly INR 29,800 ($542).
After much looking around on the internet I found a local hobby photographer with the lens. Just yesterday evening I bought this unused, boxed lens for just INR 4,800 (approx. $87). Comparatively it is a damn good deal as the shop prices range anywhere from INR 6,500 to INR 7,200 (approx. $118 to $130). The lens came with the original box, manuals and warranty. By the way, this lens was bought in and brought down from the UK. Currently it is selling for $196 on Amazon. Shipping extra.
Nikkor 18-55 f/3.5-5.6G VR lens
Performance of the lens is typical of Nikon’s entry level kit lenses. Nothing too great and nothing below par, it will just do its job. I actually wanted to buy some third party lenses like Rokinon, Sigma, Tamron etc, but I was strongly advised against it as there is a possibility of compatibility/performance issues cropping up. I too didn’t want to risk it as I already faced the ‘Lone Wolf Scenario’ because of my Sony a200. The a200 by itself is not a bad camera, but the accompanying issues make Sony cameras a big NO. You go to shoot a wedding and neither your backup photographer nor the other party photographer will have your triggers, lenses, batteries, chargers. You end up being a Lone Wolf. They are okay for hobby photographers but not serious professionals.
Sony seems to be building its own camera culture and given their prices, it might take a long time for them to come into the Canon, Nikon league. I do appreciate Sony for putting fire under the chairs of Nikon and Canon, but aren’t you supposed to be start off on the right foot?
Sony seems to be building its own camera culture and given their prices, it might take a long time for them to come into the Canon, Nikon league. I do appreciate Sony for putting fire under the chairs of Nikon and Canon, but aren’t you supposed to be start off on the right foot?
So coming back to the lens, I am really not sure how effective is VR at 18-55 focal length. VR is mostly useful for telephoto/macro work. For normal photography, not having VR is not a deal breaker.
My Sony a200 shot with my Nikon D200 and Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR lens
The present 18-55 kit lens first debuted in 2005. The current version of the 18-55 with VR is actually the third. The first 18-55 came out with ED glass and Nikon launched the 18-55 with ED II in 2006. However the current 18-55 VR was launched by Nikon in 2007 and has no ED glass in it. The first and second versions of the 18-55 are reportedly a little bit slower in performance but produce excellently sharp images. The only issue with the current 18-55 VR is flare and ghosting as there is no ED glass to counter it. You can solve that problem with a proper ND or Polarizing filter.
By the way this is ‘DX’ only lens, meaning it can only be used on Nikon’s APS-C sensor cameras only and not full-frame. Using a DX lens on a full-frame camera can cause heavy vignetting and in some rare cases errors too.
By the way this is ‘DX’ only lens, meaning it can only be used on Nikon’s APS-C sensor cameras only and not full-frame. Using a DX lens on a full-frame camera can cause heavy vignetting and in some rare cases errors too.
The lens features a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for Autofocus. Sadly the lens mount is made of plastic instead of metal, so it is always advisable to mount and dismount the camera carefully. The filter thread is 52mm. Note that this is a ‘G’ lens, which means it doesn’t have any aperture ring. For the price you are paying I think you cannot expect a better lens. The body is made of not so very costly plastic and it shows. On the whole it weighs 265 grams and is very lightweight. It has 11 elements in 8 groups.
--Viisshnu Vardhan--