home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

I have a D5000 and am wondering what the community thinks of the Nikon 18-300mm f3.5-5.6 af-s ed vr ii telephoto zoom.

Is the 28 oz weight an issue?

The Amazon web site has 22 used ones for sale. To me that seems like a large number of un happy users.
The reviews all over from the best ever to unusable.
Comments please?
thanks

barryb Loc: Kansas

It really depends on what you are desiring to shoot. I used to have my 18-200 on the camera all the time, till I moved to a faster lens 28-75 2.8, and now the main time I use the 18-200 is on vacation and other times I don't want to be changing lenses frequently. Some might have moved to a faster tele, like a 2.8 200, or possibly gone to a longer tele, up to a 400 or 500. Each range has its own purpose.

wcobon Loc: Chester County Pennsylvania

I used a Nikon AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR II on a d3100 & now on my new d7000. And while I really like this lens for it versatility, (it also takes pretty good pictures too) there have been times I would have liked a different lens for wider or closer shots.. That said I chose my lens because of the reviews I read on line from Ken Rockwell. Here is a link to his website if your so inclined.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/70-300-vr.htm

Good luck and most of all have fun - Photography is an awesome hobby -made even more fun with all of the digital technology we have today!

Bob

riverlass Loc: northern California

I have the Nikon 18-300 on my D5100 camera. I love it. The only drawback is the weight (It is heavy.) but I'm getting use to it because I don't have to change lenses and I have more flexibility on vacations.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Sometimes it can be difficult to get a good impression of a lens from reading multiple reviews. Depending on the lens, there could be both good and bad opinions. Read reviews of the 70-200mm F/2.8, and you won't find too many bad comments because that is an excellent lens. The 18-300 covers a very wide focal length, so there are bound to be compromises in its design

You have to decide if the images it produces are good enough for you, and if the weight is something you can tolerate. Try some shots with it on a tripod at a smallish aperture and see how sharp the images are. Then decide if it meets your standards.

The link below compares images from the 18-300mm with the 18-200mm. Click on the little white arrow to move from one lens to another. Change the focal length and F/stop, too.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=797&Camera=614&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=667&CameraComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0