Nikkor Lens AFS DX 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

Product Information

Vibration reduction is generally recommended when the camera is mounted on a tripod, although you may prefer to turn it off depending on shooting conditions and the type of tripod. The very best protective filter is the Hoya multicoated HD3 55mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints, and is also multicoated. This can make applying manual focus adjustments trickier than with a smoother, better damped system. The lens performs quite well when the sun is actually within the frame, showing an overall loss of contrast plus a few coloured flare patches even stopped right down to F16.

Even if the barrel distortion at the short end is quite heavy, correcting it via software during post-production is not very difficult in Lightroom (or any similar software). Nikon's new P series of NIKKOR lenses use a pulse motor (utilising stepping motors) to focus smoother and quieter than previous drive systems. An impressive performance at 35mm, where sharpness is high across much of the frame at F8, contrasts with a rather less desirable set of results at 55mm. When vibration reduction is active, the image in the viewfinder may jiggle after the shutter is released.Bokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is pretty good.

So just pay attention to other indicators (such as the camera beep – which I hate, or the blinking circular control in the viewfinder). The most difficult thing for a zoom to do well is to be sharp at its tele setting wide-open, and here the 18-55mm AFP is wonderfully sharp.It's also worth noting that this performance is essentially identical to that which we obtained from the much more expensive Nikon 18-200mm VR, showing that no corners have been cut given the relatively low cost of the 18-55mm VR. I assume this is why Nikon included one extra aspherical element in the new third-generation design. They are also sold as standalone products, and hence they are some of the most used lenses in the Nikon line-up. The Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR delivers a 35mm full-frame equivalent field of view and stands out due to its small size and weather-resistant build. Select NIKKOR lenses have a focusing mode which allows switching from automatic to manual focusing with virtually no lag time by simply turning the focusing ring on the lens.

This 18-55mm VR focuses closer than either of the more expensive lenses, weighs less, is smaller and has less distortion at the long end. The worst thing is you might break the mount and drop an expensive heavy camera like the D2Xs if you pick them up by grabbing the lens. Nikon claim that the 18-55mm's Vibration Reduction system allows handholding at shutter speeds three stops slower than normal when shooting at 55mm focal length, and real-world shooting suggests that this is a pretty reasonable estimate. The focus ring can also be used to focus the camera if the shutter-release button is kept pressed halfway (or if the AF-ON button is kept pressed); this is known as “autofocus with manual override” (M/A).A true 'carry-anywhere' lens, the body weighs just 195 g, so you'll barely notice you're carrying it.

Overall this newcomer is clearly a completely different beast to the old lens, and as the old 18-55mm had an unusually high reputation for image quality (for a kit lens at least), we will be interested to see if the new version maintains this standard. It has a traditional mechanical diaphragm actuator, not an E diaphragm, so its diaphragm works on all Nikons.

The manual focus ring is flush to the part of the lens that extends when unfolded and is not damped at all.