Photography by Tom Zeman - REVIEW: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor

For a while, the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor was almost impossible to obtain. The demand was so high, and the initial supplies so low, that it had a lot of hype to live up to. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one fairly early on, and I have to say that I have been very impressed.

As this is a DX lens, which means that it is designed to cover only the sensor area of a Nikon digital, not a 35mm without vignetting, it functions as the equivalent of a 27-300mm lens, in a very small, light package, that is ideal for traveling. This range covers the majority of typical shooting, especially when supplemented by a 12-24mm for real wide angle.

Its image quality is superb, and the VR functionality is truly a miracle. Good technique and proper camera support still apply, but the VR has allowed me to get some images in low light when hand holding was the only option. The conventional wisdom is that you should turn VR off when shooting off a tripod, but I always leave it on. This helps compensate for ground vibration, wind motion, etc.

You’re not going to get pages of statistics here; you can get those any place. The real question is, "Does it live up to the hype?" The short answer is yes. Like many photographers, I own many lenses for different uses. Even the simplest shoot was usually at least a “three lenser”. A typical trip usually required at least five. These days, I normally have two (or maybe three lenses, if I also need a super telephoto).

It won’t do everything, and it won’t necessarily do those things better, but it does a lot, and a lot more conveniently, without the extra weight and lots of lens changes. The 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor is as close to a real general purpose lens as I have ever had. It is the lens that is always on my camera, unless I need to swap it out for something longer, wider, or some other special purpose.

Here are a couple of sample images. If you browse through my Galleries, virtually all of the images from Paris were shot with this lens. The image below on the right was shot handheld. I've made excellent prints of this image as large as 30 inches by 40 inches. The fine detail in the image is amazing, with incredibly clear vehicles, pedestrians, etc.