Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18 300mm F 3 5 5 6G ED VR Review | 54 Data compared

The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a versatile, high-end "all-in-one" lens featuring a massive 16.7x zoom range, fast/quiet autofocus, and a relatively fast f/5.6 max aperture at 300mm. While offering solid build quality with weather sealing, the lens is notably large and heavy. Performance trade-offs include extreme distortion, soft results at 300mm, and less reliable VR at the long end.

The Photography Life review defines the Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G VR as a versatile, yet average consumer lens, praised for its extreme 16.7x zoom range that suits casual shooters seeking an all-in-one solution. Key benefits include effective Vibration Reduction (VR), a quiet Silent Wave Motor (SWM), and acceptable center sharpness at the wide 18mm end. Conversely, the review describes the lens as heavy and unbalanced (830g), creating a "monstrosity" on most DX-format bodies. Serious optical flaws are noted, including heavy vignetting, strong distortion, significant focus breathing, and a drastic drop in resolution at the telephoto end (beyond 105mm), leading to a recommendation for alternatives like the 18-200mm or 18-105mm lenses.

The ePHOTOzine review identifies the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR as a highly versatile, all-in-one superzoom lens featuring good center sharpness, a robust build, and effective VR II stabilization. Conversely, the lens suffers from significant chromatic aberrations, high distortion at both ends, and weak edge/corner sharpness.

Ken Rockwell calls the Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR a versatile "do-everything" lens for DX-format cameras, highlighting its massive 16.7x zoom range, effective four-stop VR, and fast autofocus as key advantages. It is noted for being 10 ounces lighter and smaller than its predecessor, offering excellent close-focusing capabilities, and acting as a convenient all-day travel option. However, the lens suffers from extreme geometric distortion, with strong barrel distortion at 18mm and heavy pincushion distortion throughout the telephoto range, although this can be largely corrected in-camera. While its aperture is slightly slower (f/6.3) at 300mm compared to older versions, this is considered a reasonable trade-off for the improved weight and size.

The AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a powerful superzoom lens designed for DX-format Nikon DSLRs, offering an impressive 16.7x zoom range that makes it a highly convenient, all-in-one option for travel and general-purpose photography. Its standout pro is its massive focal range, providing an extra 100mm of reach over traditional 18-200mm lenses, which proves highly useful for spontaneous wildlife and distant shots. Additionally, the lens features a solid, high-quality build and an effective vibration-reduction system with normal and active modes that significantly improves the success rate of sharp, handheld shooting at the maximum 300mm focal length. However, this massive zoom capability introduces several notable cons and performance compromises. Optically, the lens suffers from severe barrel distortion at 18mm, pincushion distortion at 300mm, visible vignetting when shooting wide open, and noticeable chromatic aberrations in raw files. Furthermore, resolution and image contrast drop significantly at the 300mm end, requiring users to stop down to f/8 or f/11 for the sharpest results. Finally, the lens is physically heavy at 830g—making it a burden to carry around the neck all day—and...

The Focus Review of the Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX VR Nikkor evaluates this "vacation zoom" lens as a highly versatile, all-in-one travel companion that eliminates the need for mid-trip lens changes. Tested on a 24-megapixel Nikon D3200, the review highlights several major pros, including its incredibly massive 17x zoom range (equivalent to 27-450mm on a full-frame sensor) and its surprisingly compact, lightweight 12 cm form factor,. Optically, it delivers high center sharpness across almost all focal lengths and sufficient corner resolution once stopped down. Furthermore, the lens shows low vignetting and distortion overall, effectively mitigates chromatic aberrations through in-camera JPEG processing, and features excellent flare resistance at longer focal lengths,. Conversely, the reviewer details a few distinct cons and optical compromises inherent to such a massive zoom range. The lens physically doubles in size to 21 cm when zooming out to 300mm, creating a noticeable "air pump" effect. Its variable maximum aperture is limited to f/3.5-5.6, which provides too much depth of field and results in a busy, less attractive bokeh effect. Performance drops at the extreme 18mm...

The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a highly versatile zoom lens featuring an expansive 16.7x zoom range, which provides a DX-format focal length equivalent of 27-450mm. A major benefit of this lens is its ability to maintain a maximum aperture of f/5.6 at the 300mm telephoto end, matching the performance of shorter 18-200mm models. Additionally, its optical design incorporates 19 elements in 14 groups—including three aspherical lenses and three UD glass elements—to optimize image quality. Photographers can also benefit from built-in VR image stabilization, a quiet SWM ultrasonic autofocus motor, and a short 45cm minimum focus distance that yields a 1/3.2x reproduction ratio suitable for close-up detail and macrophotography. However, this extensive focal range and wide maximum aperture come with noticeable trade-offs in physical size and cost. The lens is notably heavy and bulky, weighing 830 grams and measuring 120mm in length with an 83mm diameter. Budget is another significant drawback; launched at 979 euros (tax included), it is priced 100 euros higher than the 18-200mm VR II and matches the cost of full-format 28-300mm FX...

The Nikkor AF-S DX 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR is a highly versatile super-zoom lens designed for Nikon’s APS-C (DX) format DSLRs, offering a massive 16.7x zoom ratio equivalent to a 27-450mm lens in full-frame terms. A major benefit of this lens is its relatively bright f/5.6 maximum aperture at the 300mm telephoto end, which is faster than most third-party alternatives. The build quality is decent, utilizing a solid metal mount and a polycarbonate lens tube that exhibits almost no wobbling despite significantly extending via a dual inner tube design during zooming. It is equipped with an internal focusing (IF) mechanism that prevents the front 77mm filter thread from rotating, a virtually silent AF-S motor compatible with all DX cameras, and a VR II image stabilization system featuring dual "normal" and "active" modes to compensate for up to four stops of camera shake. However, these structural and range advantages come with significant compromises in terms of bulk and handling. Priced at a steep 850 EUR / 1000 USD, it is far from an budget-friendly option. The lens is notably large...