Nikkor 18-300mm Zoom FirstShots

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We  gave RainyDayPhotography readers a quick FirstLook of the brand new AFS-DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens yesterday. Today, we thought we would show some of the results we got when we mounted the lens on a D90 and pointed it out the window.

We are fully aware that every zoom lens is a compromise between a host of competing requirements. This lens is no exception. By understanding its sweet spots and boundaries, we should be able to use this new lens to its full potential. We hope to have a better understanding of what this new Nikkor lens is capable of over the next few months. In the mean time, click on any of the images for a larger version and check out the quality of the pics at the various focal lengths. We think you will be surprised. BTW, all of these images were shot hand-held and with VR feature active.

All of the images shown have been resized from 4288 × 2848 to 1029×684.

• 18mm– f5.6, 1/100
• 25mm– f5.6, 1/200
• 65mm– f10, 1/50
• 95mm– f10, 1/640
• 155mm– f10, 1/50
• 300mm– f5.6, 1/125

The two images below were taken at the extreme ends of the zoom range (18mm, 300mm). We cropped the central portions and shown them at full resolution (18mm, 300mm) to illustrate the quality and detail owners can expect from this zoom.

Readers looking for a more techical analysis should rest assured that the Web will soon be flooded with reviews of this new Nikkor lens. They will have distortion and colormetric data made using grid patterns, standardized color/grey cards, and under controlled lighting conditions. We urge readers to check them out when they are posted. However, those interested in this lens may want to grab one now before the news get around. Once it does, finding one to buy may be difficult. Don’t say we didn’t give you a heads up.