This has been hard to find at a reasonable price over the past several months. Currently, it’s in stock at Amazon for $749.
The 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor lens is a compact, lightweight, 11.1x zoom lens that is ideal for high-performance, everyday photography, and it incorporates advanced features such as Nikon’s Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass, Silent Wave Motor technology (SWM), and Enhanced Vibration Reduction (VR II) in a DX-Nikkor design engineered exclusively for use with Nikon DX format digital SLR cameras. With a remarkable 18-200mm focal length range (picture angle equivalent to a 27-300mm lens in 35mm format), the lens conveniently covers everything from wide landscapes to tight portraits and action photography. Advanced Nikon engineering has lent the lens a compact, lightweight design that offers excellent handling characteristics and superb optical quality.
Beyond the lens’s incredible optical versatility is the benefit of Enhanced VR II Vibration Reduction, an innovation that makes it possible to take substantially sharper handheld pictures at slower shutter speeds than would otherwise be possible. This provides the distinct advantage of being able to shoot more effectively in a much broader variety of challenging conditions. With the new Nikon VR II advantage, users can take pictures at shutter speeds as many as 4 stops slower than they ordinarily could shoot without the image-degrading blur associated with camera shake at slow shutter speeds. Nikon’s VR technology further enhances picture-taking potential with a choice of two modes to match most shooting conditions. VR Normal Mode primarily compensates for camera shake, and includes automatic panning detection, as well as automatic tripod detection. VR Active Mode effectively compensates for vibration in situations where it is more pronounced and more frequent, such as when shooting from a moving vehicle.
To further ensure outstanding optical performance, the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor features two Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements and three complex aspherical lens elements that provide for higher resolution, high-contrast images while minimizing chromatic aberration, astigmatism, and other forms of distortion. The lens also features Nikon’s compact Silent Wave Motor technology (SWM), which combines fast and precise autofocusing with super-quiet operation, as well as Internal Focusing (IF) construction that allows the lens to focus without changing its external size, improving balance and handling chrematistics. (description via Amazon)
[tags]nikon, 18-200, available, deal[/tags]
Jason Hudson says
This would be the perfect and only lens I would need at weddings, that is, if it were a fixed f2.8 lens. Unfortunately hand-holding this lens at 200mm at f5.6 in a low-lit Church which doesn\'t allow flash, would be very impractical. As soon as Nikon, Sigma, Tamron, etc. can make a 18-200 lens that is a fixed f2.8 lens, it would be \"the lens\" for every wedding photographer in the world! (Macro would be nice too!)
Jason Hudson says
This would be the perfect and only lens I would need at weddings, that is, if it were a fixed f2.8 lens. Unfortunately hand-holding this lens at 200mm at f5.6 in a low-lit Church which doesn’t allow flash, would be very impractical. As soon as Nikon, Sigma, Tamron, etc. can make a 18-200 lens that is a fixed f2.8 lens, it would be “the lens” for every wedding photographer in the world! (Macro would be nice too!)
Michael Warf says
With Sigma and Tamron now entering as competition for this lens (VR, same Aperture) I’m curious about the price point and quality comparisions. I agree that it would make an ideal wedding lens.
louis says
nikon would never make a 18-200 2.8 because they would loose a lot of money cuz they want you to buy other lenses like 14-24 24-70 and 70-200
and make billions out of all this purchases
if sigma tokina or other brand name makes it then they will make a lot of money and only this will push nikon to make a 14-200 2.8 or so
i just let you know that nikon has nice lenses that are the secret weapons
for example if canon make a 20-200 2.8 then nikon will launch it
they are just waiting to knock down the other company surprise
anyway if sigma or tamron or tokina makes a 18-200 for full frame i would pay up to 3500 dls or 4000 dls if the lens is good