Reviews on the Nikon 28-300 mm f3.5-5.6 ED-IF AF-S VR vs VR II

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I apprehend some lens. It seems that this super-telephoto lens is absolutely accepted amid both Nikon DX and FX photographers. Bodies analytic to shop for a biking super-telephoto lens and don’t appetite to backpack abounding lenses, the Nikkor 28-300mm lens seems like a acceptable choice. However, the 28-300mm lens is not the alone option. Nikon additionally has the “walk around” 18-200mm VR II lens that is actual accepted amid abecedarian photographers. I apprehend abounding bodies debating whether to shop for the 18-200mm or the 28-300mm telephoto lens.

Nikon 18-200 mm VR vs. VR2

Nikon has two 18-200 mm lenses: the AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED (ESP $785) and the AF-S DX NIKKOR18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II (ESP $850). Alike admitting that the earlier 18-200 mm adaptation carries the VR II name, both lenses apply Nikon’s most recent Vibration Reduction II angel stabilization system. The VR II agency that you get four stops bang acceleration advantage analyze to a non-VR version. Aboriginal I anticipation that the earlier 18-200 mm lens appearance an earlier VR mechanism, but allegedly this is not the case. The fresh 18-200 mm lens has a tab to lock the zoom at 18mm and the VR belletrist are corrective in gold vs. red in the earlier version. Besides that, there is no aberration amid them.

I’ve apprehend in abounding forums that the Nikon 18-200 (both the aboriginal and the new) acquire their drawbacks. Abounding bodies appetite to analyze the Nikon 18-200 VR vs VR II, acquisitive that the VR2 adaptation will acquire added acceptable angel quality. As far as I’ve read, there aren’t any differences amid them. Some columnist appear that the fresh 18-200 affection abundant stiffer zooming apparatus that prevents it from creeping.

In abounding cases, accustomed aloof one lens can be absolutely comfortable. You don’t charge to backpack 2-3 altered lenses, alone one. The 18-200 VR2 does ache from some abundant lens distortions and ablaze abatement off in the corners back shoot advanced open.

Luckily, Nikon has addition walk-around lens that can be an addition for bodies who capital to shop for the 18-200 mm lens. The Nikon 28-300mm FX-format lens (AF-S NIKKOR28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR) amount about $1050 (ESP). It costs $200 added than the 18-200 VR2 and allegedly can bout and alike exhausted the angel affection of the 18-200 VR2. Back you aboriginal attending at the lens, you ask yourself what it the bribery for accepting such a continued zoom range. You acquire the actuality that the 28-300 mm lens is not a fast one (3.5-5.6), but you apperceive that you appetite a airing about lens.

The are some catechism that you ability ask yourself afore affairs the 28-300mm lens:

* Is the Nikon 28-300 mm is added acceptable again the 18-200 VR2?

* How acceptable is the 28-300 mm angel affection in general?

* How the lens performs at 300 mm ?

* Is the VR2 absolutely able and offers 4 stops advantage as Nikon claims?

* Does the 28-300 mm suffers from abundant distortions as the 18-200 mm?

* Is there any acceptable reviews about the 28-300mm?

* Who is the 28-300 mm lens acceptable for, for what purposes?

In adjustment to accept amid the 18-200 mm VR2 and the 28-300 mm, you allegedly should get an acknowledgment for some of those questions, so let’s continue…

Who is this lens for?

When you shop for the 28-300 mm over the 18-200, you absolutely giving up 10mm at the added end for added 100mm at the continued end. If you already own the 18-55 lens, that shouldn’t bother you that much. The 300 mm ambit can be actual advantageous for Safari, Candid, Every-day Biking and Street photography. From what I’ve apprehend in forums, blog comments and review, the 28-300 mm IQ comes as a big surprise. You should additionally apperceive that the 18-200 mm is a DX lens, whether the 28-300 mm is not a DX lens, alike admitting that you can arise it on both FX and DX DSLRs.

18-200 mm performs appealing well, but..

I acquire apprehend a abundant analysis on mansurovs.com which has done a actual acceptable allegory amid the 18-200 and the 28-300 mm. In the 5th folio you can acutely see that the Nikon 18-200 mm acutely outperforms the 28-300 mm at 28mm at the centermost of the frame. At 50mm they are about identical. Back acclimated at f/5.6 you can see that the 28-300 mm alpha demography the lead. Activity to 105mm, you can see the anniversary allotment of the 18-200 m, area the 28-300 mm acutely outperforms the 18-200 at 105mm alike at the corners. The 5th folio after-effects are done on a DX camera.

Nikon 28-300 mm sharpness

The editor who fabricated the analysis additionally compared the 28-300mm vs Nikon 24-70mm on both DX and FX cameras (page 6). If you watch the allegory you will allegedly save added money to aloof get the 24-70 mm. The 24-70 aloof put the 28-300 mm to abashment back it comes to sharpness. However, wait, afore you jump and shop for the 24-70, bethink that is costs about $1900. The analysis absolutely shows why photographers adopt cutting with beneath zoom ambit lenses or alike shop for prime lenses. The aberration in angel affection is absolutely obvious. However, if you don’t analyze the 24-70 mm vs the 28-300 mm ancillary by ancillary at their corresponding focal range, you can see that the 28-300 mm images attending actual impressive. The accurateness is appealing acceptable at f/5.6, but there is a barter off back you shoot at lower f-stops.

OK, we are not actuality to allocution about the Nikon 24-70 lens, I aloof capital to accomplish a point and absolution you apperceive that if angel affection is actual important for you, maybe allotment the Nikon 28-300 mm lens is not the best option.

But wait, afterwards account Ken Rockwell’s analysis on the 28-300mm, maybe you shouldn’t appear to a fast cessation about the sharpness. According to Ken Rockwell, the Nikon 28-300mm VR and I quote: “is about as aciculate as Nikon’s best of the best from all time.” (read the analysis here). Ken Rockwell didn’t aloof put words into the air but brought an example. He has army the 28-300mm VR on his 12MP FX D3 Nikon DSLR and photographed a account of a flag. The after-effects are aloof amazing. You can see that the accurateness of the Nikon 28-300mm VR is absolutely amazing.

I don’t apperceive from which analysis to adjudicator the angel quality, but Ken’s crop angel looked appealing absorbing indeed!

Bokeh

When comparing the Bokeh (background blur) of the 28-300 vs the 18-200, you can see that the 28-300 isn’t bland as the 18-200 version. Addition analysis done by Ken Rockwell shows somehow altered results, while the Bokeh looks appealing acceptable actually.

Very Acceptable angel affection at 300mm

After watching a allegory at mansurvos.com amid the 28-300mm vs. 70-300mm lenses @f/5.6, you can see that the 28-300mm performs actual able-bodied and alike outperforms the 70-300mm at the continued end (300mm). It seems that this lens performs abundant added acceptable than photographers accepted for this blazon of lens. On paper, the Nikon 70-300mm should exhausted the 28-300 mm, but allegedly this is not the case.

You are allegedly cogent yourself: “This is alone one test, it doesn’t say anything.”. Well, because you are allegedly absolutely skeptic, actuality is addition Nikon 28-300mm analysis one thephototourists.com which absolutely shows the backbone of the lens. According to the analyst and I quote: “At 300mm, the lens is bright and sharp.”. You can see 100% crops angel allegory amid the Nikon 28-300mm vs. 24-70mm vs 20mm (prime). Back watching the allegory images at thephototourists.com, I was absolutely afraid with the after-effects (in a absolute way). The analysis was with the Nikon D700 FX camera. It seams that on Nikon FX DSLRs, the lens performs acutely well!

More reviews and sample photos: here, actuality and here.

Should you Shop for It?

The 28-300 mm is additionally added (796g) and bulkier than the 18-200 mm due to the lens optics. By activity through some reviews about the 28-300 mm VR, it seems that this lens is a actual acceptable all-around lens. It is sharp, has actual acceptable adverse and performs actual able-bodied at 300mm. I can additionally see that the lens is added recommended for FX cameras than DX cameras. Ken Rockwell absolutely admired this lens, but he wasn’t the alone one. If you aren’t planning to shop for some big-ticket lenses and you aloof appetite an accomplished all-around super-telephoto zoom lens, the 28-300 mm seems the best way to go.

Some reviewers do not acclaim affairs it for Nikon DX cameras because it is abundant and bulky. So if you already got the Nikon 18-200mm lens, you should ask yourself it the added 100mm account the advance and the actuality that you will backpack a added beefy lens with you. For FX shooters, the 28-300mm is awful acclaim beyond the web.

I’ve apprehend acceptable and bad analysis on the 18-200 mm lens. It seems that this is not a lens for everyone. It suffers from abundant distortions and ablaze abatement off in the corners back advanced open. If you are debating whether to shop for the Nikon 70-300mm VR or the 28-300 mm VR, it seems that the 28-300 mm VR alike outperforms the 70-300mm @300mm. The 70-300mm has a faster AF according to some comments I’ve read, but all-embracing I would allegedly get the 28-300mm if I had to accept amid them.