saichiez Loc: Beautiful Central Oregon

There is a definite bias against kit lenses that runs throughout this post, and certainly on this forum.

This lens is an example of that anti bias. In many cases, kit lenses are made less expensive in the area of plastic vs metal mounts, more plastic in the barrels, but often with the same optics as up grade lenses.

The lens being attacked here is one of those lenses, both Ken Rockwell and others have reviewed this lens and given it an "excellent" on optics and sharpness.

When I find these kinds of thing in reviews on lenses that I seem not to be getting results I desire, but see good reviews, I start looking at what I may be doing wrong....

I usually find it.

I think the crux of the matter in this case is revealed in the OP's own words......

"Basically I want to replace the kit lenses with something better. Advice please?"

I do have a question... This is a long lens... I didn't see any mention of a tripod or some physical stabilization from most? The one question about a tripod did get panned.

Anti kit lens bias is alive and well on UHH, as is the common, "I'm too good for a tripod, or, I can handhold 1000mm in the dark and get the shot".

I don't use a tripod all the time, but I always have one in the car. Secondly, I never condemn any lens without seriously testing it on a tripod, at various focal lengths, using a remote or cable release.

If you are going to throw this lens away, throw it in this direction. It has received some redeeming reviews by people who do this on a regular basis.

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

I take your point, Saichiez. I always use a tripod with big zooms and/or if a slow shutter speed is required. When I did my tests, it was a bright sunny day. Anyway, I have good news & I apologise to all, including Nikon. I have solved the problem, which is me.

When I did the first test, I used auto exposure & manual focus, as I wanted to make sure that the focus was spot on.I repeated the test today, using the full zoom range on each lens, but this time I used Auto Focus. I took 28 pics in all, uploaded them, & spent 10 minutes enlarging & inspecting them.

I was completely surprised. There was not one photo that was not acceptable & a couple were really sharp. When I did my first lot, I think my friend Jack (Daniels) might have been interfering with my focusing ability. They're not as sharp as some of the bird shots I've seen on UHH, but they're not too bad.

Any way, I've just ordered a Sigma 70-200 f2.8, but I'm not going to bury the kit lenses.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

The 18 to 300 DX Nikon lens is fantastic. I bought one last August when they were released in the U.S. and mounted it on my D300.It performed flawlessly on our two week Mediteranian Cruise in September. The stabilization allows hand holding even in lower light conditions without added support. It also allows indoor photography in buildings like churches without flash. The lens is a bit heavy, but compared to the backpack of f2.8 optics I left at home it was a wonderful walkabout lens.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

The 18 to 300 DX Nikon lens is fantastic. I bought one last August when they were released in the U.S. and mounted it on my D300.It performed flawlessly on our two week Mediteranian Cruise in September. The stabilization allows hand holding even in lower light conditions without added support. It also allows indoor photography in buildings like churches without flash. The lens is a bit heavy, but compared to the backpack of f2.8 optics I left at home it was a wonderful walkabout lens.