NIKON 18x55 P vs Non P Lens: I have a Nikon D3300 with the standard 18x55 kit lens. Does it pay to upgrade firmware and buy a new P lens? Auto focus is supposed to be faster and...

bobishkan Loc: Fort Myers Sunny Florida

I have a Nikon D3300 with the standard 18x55 kit lens. Does it pay to upgrade firmware and buy a new P lens? Auto focus is supposed to be faster and quieter. Anyone have any actual experience with the two lens? Also when the firmware upgrade is made, will non P lens still work? Thanks Bob

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bobishkan wrote:

I have a Nikon D3300 with the standard 18x55 kit lens. Does it pay to upgrade firmware and buy a new P lens? Auto focus is supposed to be faster and quieter. Anyone have any actual experience with the two lens? Also when the firmware upgrade is made, will non P lens still work? Thanks Bob

It sounds like a good lens, but is there a forthcoming firmware upgrade? As for backward compatibility, I would guess yes. Otherwise, someone's lens collection would be rendered useless.

http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/nikon-aims-new-af-p-kit-lenses-at-entry-level-dslrs-and-video-1312323

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Assuming your speaking about the Nikon 18-55mm VR II DX AF-S G that would have been the standard kit lens, NO regarding upgrade. The existing lenses will run just fine after making the firmware change.

But what do you want to accomplish? Although the P version will focus faster and quieter, are you shooting video with your D3300? Are you shooting fast action and finding that you're missing shots because the lens doesn't focus fast enough?

bobishkan Loc: Fort Myers Sunny Florida

Thanks for the quick reply. You have the right lens. I don't shoot any video or anything that needs to be focused on that quickly. It seems that a quicker focus would always be real nice for anything. I just wondering just how much quicker focus in most situations is the P lens, 10%, 20%, 30% 75% etc! Thanks.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Rockwell's review says "instantaneous". Having handled a D3300 with the 18-55 VR kit, I don't remember thinking that config was "slow" where AF-P being instantaneous would resolve any usage issues.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18-55mm-af-p.htm

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

CHG_CANON wrote:

Assuming your speaking about the Nikon 18-55mm VR II DX AF-S G that would have been the standard kit lens, NO regarding upgrade. The existing lenses will run just fine after making the firmware change.

But what do you want to accomplish? Although the P version will focus faster and quieter, are you shooting video with your D3300? Are you shooting fast action and finding that you're missing shots because the lens doesn't focus fast enough?

For us ignorant bystanders, how does this standard kit lens, the Nikon 18-55mm VR II DX AF-S G, differ from the proposed replacement? A different motor?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

rehess wrote:

For us ignorant bystanders, how does this standard kit lens, the Nikon 18-55mm VR II DX AF-S G, differ from the proposed replacement? A different motor?

From Rockwell's link above:

- Stepper motor for ultrafast AF
- Instant manual-focus override; just grab the ring
- Silent operation ideal for movies.
- 12-element optical design, one more element than the old 18-55mm VR II.
- No switches; VR and AF/MF now controlled in camera menus (but you can just grab the ring any time for instant manual-focus override).

Nikon's 18-55mm P is extraordinary in that unlike every other 18-55mm kit lens, its new stepper autofocus motor lets it focus essentially instantly, even in near total darkness, even on the cheapest D3300 camera.

But, the new AF-P autofocus motor system only works on camera models originally introduced since about 2013. If your camera is too old and doesn't have a firmware upgrade available for compatibility, the AF-P focus system, even in manual mode, won't work at all, making the lens completely useless with no workaround.