Diamond41 Loc: St. Louis, MO

Looking for feedback on a lens:

Nikon Nikkor 18-140mm F/3.5-5.6 G DX AF-S VR Autofocus

Considering this for purchase. I mostly do birds and family so I want to good all around lens and this seems to fit. If anyone uses it. Please post likes and dislikes. Thanks

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Decent walk around lens. On the short side for birds/wildlife. Several thousand shots and replaced with similar quality Tamron 18-400 that is much better for wildlife. Used with D3100 and D7100.

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

I have both the Nikon 18-140 and the Tamron 18-400. As soon as someone mentions birds, however, I am going to grab the Tamron 18-400. I like the Nikon 18-140 for generally walking around as it is lighter, but for wildlife you would miss the much longer reach of the longer zoom. BTW what are you shooting now--camera and lens?

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

For birds consider the Nikon 200-500. Super sharp lens.For walk around, family the Nikkor 18-140mmis great.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I hardly think that my 200-500 is a walk around lens and the price is significantly more.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I said,and you are taking out of context.For walk around, family the Nikkor 18-140mmis great.

200-500 I said was for birds. 200-500 can be hand held, but I use mine on a monopod.

mcmama

I recently bought the 18-300mm because I wanted more reach than my 18-140 gave me, although I loved the performance it gives me. I don’t shoot wildlife, so the 18-400 wasn’t even a consideration. It is very light, and because it is, my 18-140mm stays home.

But if you don’t want more reach, the 18-140 will do you well.

Diamond41 Loc: St. Louis, MO

I have a D3300 and hopes to change that but in the mean time looking for walk-around type lens. Looking for a walk around lens with some reach when I want it.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

140 is not long enough for birds. I suggest the Tamron 18-400 or a mega-zoom camera like the SX60HS. I have the SX50 HS and have gotten fantastic shots with it.

update: You would be hard pressed to get the same magnification with a DSLR or mirrorless full or APS-C or Micro 4/3 camera. The SX60 goes to 1365mm, 35mm equiv.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I have the 200-500 and several other lenses. I don't shoot birds as a matter of routine, but have captured some hawks and other avian subjects over the years. I do not casually carry my 200-500 around for general purpose photography. It seems to me that the problem here may be trying to combine a birding lens and an all around lens in one package. The requirements are just too different.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Agree 100 Percent

Keen

To each his / her own. You seem to want the convenience of an all in one sort of long zoom. This does that, within limits. This lens is a DX lens, which I would not use, even on a DX camera. An FX lens works better, as it can be used on the DX camera you have today, and the FX camera you may have in the future. The more power a lens has, magnification wise, the lower the image quality it provides. A 3 power, or less, lens is better....where the top focal length is 3 times, or less, the lower focal length. That would mean an 18-54mm lens would be better. The closest they make is 18-55mm, I believe. Even that in DX is not the best. 18-140 is a 7.77X lens....round up to 8 power....nearly 3 times what I would consider maximum magnification. For birds a Prime (non zoom) lens of at least 300mm would be better. An 800mm would be even better. Such cost, though.

Consider a used Nikon AFS 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR zoom lens for the birds. A used Nikon AFS 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED, would make a good general, walking around lens...moderate wide angle to moderate telephoto. Carry one camera with the bird lens on it, and another camera with the walking around lens on it, and resist the urge to get by with one camera and one lens. If image quality means less to you than does carry convenience, try a bridge camera with a non-removable super zoom lens....something like a Nikon B700, or P1000 camera.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I missed the part where the OP was thinking about two lenses.

I have many miles of walking with the 200-500 and using a mono or body-pod, but it is not a preferred venue for many.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

The Nikkor 18-140 is a great lens for all around/walk about lens. Well worth the cost. If you're going for birds but can't afford the price of entry for the Nikon 200-500 or one of the 150-600 lenses, it'll be hard to beat one of the super zoom bridge cameras. The Nikon P900 zooms all the way out to 2000mm (35mm eq) and has amazing image stabilization. It's not that expensive, and it actually doubles as a pretty good all around camera as well.

CO

I avoid superzoom lenses. Most lenses that start at wide focal lengths and go into telephoto usually have a lot of barrel and pincushion distortion. You can see the barrel distortion here at 18mm and pincushion distortion at 140mm.

Barrel distortion


Pincushion distortion