Compact, affordable and powerful zoom lens. Features high quality optics designed for use with Nikon DX Format digital SLRs and a 5.8x zoom that delivers superb versatility for a wide variety of shooting situations. Equipped with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VRII) system and exclusive Silent Wave Motor (SWM), it offers advanced performance in low-light, delivering steady images to both the sensor and viewfinder, and features fast, quiet autofocus.
Powerful DX format 5.8x zoom lens with 18-105mm focal range (35mm and Nikon FX format equivalent: 27-157.5mm).
Wide to telephoto zoom range – perfect for everything from portraits to interiors, architecture and landscapes.
Vibration Reduction stabilization system enables more flexible hand-held shooting and lets you use shutter speeds that are up to 3 times slower.
SWM (Silent Wave Motor) for fast, whisper-quiet autofocus.
Excellent vacation lens, Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I use this lens on my Nikon D60. I originally bought the kit with two VR lenses: the 18-55 and the 55-200. After using these two lenses during a few major vacations, I noticed that I was changing lenses frequently during the day, and the weight of an extra gadget bag was causing a pain in my back. When the D90 kit lens came along, it seemed that a lot of buyers were jettisoning it for the heavier and softer 18-200 VR. Bucking the trend, I was able to buy the new 18-105 kit lens for just under $300. It solved my vacation problems at a reasonable cost. I found its image quality to be functionally equivalent to the two lenses it replaced, and more than adequate for my purposes. I have not missed the loss of long zoom, given that I vacation in cities or villages, where the long end accounted for a small percentage of my pictures. Later, I bought a 70-300mm VRII on the niggling fear that I was missing something in my photography. I made the mistake of taking it on vacation once. Although I found the longer range useful for picking up architectural details, and in daylight stadium sports events for picking up action on the field, it was nevertheless too bulky and heavy to justify these specialized advantages. The real revelation came when I purchased a Sigma f3.5 10-20. It opened up a whole new world of street photography to me. Now these are the only two lenses that I take on vacation. I've noticed that I favor the short lens increasingly as I move on with my photography.
This lens is not for the specialist. Unless you have specialized hobby needs, don't bother spending your money to get a long zoom that will break your back and your bank, even though everyone else seems to be doing it. This lens is more than adequate for most vacation scenarios. With the money you've saved, and two-hundred bucks more, you can buy a quality short lens that will entirely change you perspective on photography. You won't look back.
pretty good and sharp lens for the money you pay, Friday, 16 July 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I bought this wonderfull lens with my D90 and I must say Nikon did it big time. for the money you pay you are gettin a really good started lens which provied sharpness and quikly AF speed.
Why should you care what I think?
My relationship with this item: I own it Where did you buy this item?: B&H photovideo, NEW YORK When did you buy this item?: march 2010
Conclusions at a glance
Would you recommend this Item: Yes Pros: sharp and fucosing really quickly Cons: maybe the plastic buint
I agree with the other reviewers who give this lens a poor rating because its mount becomes loose and also breaks so easily. I've had two of these and BOTH had both problems! The last one broke when I had the camera around my neck and jumped down from about 3 feet. The simple jolt was enough to snap the lens off!! Even before that, and again for both lenses, the mount had gotten loose (after only about a year of off-an-on use) so that the electrical contacts didn't always work so that I would have to hold the lens against the camera body and twist it a little to make it work. We are very disappointed with this lens.
Picture quality is great, but what use is that if the lens breaks?
I had this lens for 6 months, paired with my d5000. This is my first Nikon lens (having shifted from Canon). For the price, focal length, built and image quality, its just right for an enthusiast. I used to crave for longer focal lenght but have realized that most of my shots were never past 100mm. This lens surely fits the budget and I am planning to buy a 35mm 1.8 as a compliment to this lens. During my recent trip to HK, I was able to take great shots with this gear and I'm very happy and satisfied with it! If money is not an issue, an 18-200 would add more versatility though but the only advantage of it is the extra long end (as I have compared pics using my friend's 18-200). Quality wise, performance, reliability, they are pretty much the same. Now with the plastic mount, its not really an issue for me. SInce I'm not a pro, a little distortion and light falloff is acceptable. Both this and the 18-200 has these imperfections. Overall, this is a good buy!
Forget the 18-55 and 18-200 - This is the one you , Wednesday, 09 June 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I bought a D5000 that came with the 18-55 but I thought it was way too wide even at 55mm. A month after buying the camera I realized I was never using the 18-55 so I sold it and bought the 18-105. The 18-105 not only has a serious reach advantage over the 18-55, but also allows you to manually focus without flipping the focus switch to manual. It's also just a more convenient and sturdy lens. The 18-55 is sharp and all, and if you're certain you don't need the extra reach then it might be the way for you to go. But for nature and many other kinds of shooting, I want the most reach I can get. This lens + my 70-300 VR is all I need for my nature shooting. You can generally get both of these lenses for about the same price as the 18-200, but with the two lenses you get 50% more reach and sharper images. The convenience of one lens is nowhere near enough of a reason (at least for me) to sacrifice reach and sharpness.
So even though review sites are more critical of this lens than they are the 18-55 and 55-200, I think it's one of the best in Nikon's DX lineup. I just wish I would have bought this from the get-go with the D5000 body-only instead of getting the 18-55 kit lens. Oh well, I'm good now!
Landscapes and portraits, yes; action, no, Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
2.8
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
3.0
I upgraded to this lens from a the kit 18-55mm DX (non VR) lens that I had with my D40 (which I sold). I needed a short range lens for my D90 and read good reviews about this lens.
The portrait and lanscape clarity and image quality is on par with or a little below the 18-55mm. The principal benefit here is the extended range.
I most shoot pictures of a perpetual motion machine, my border collie, and I have yet to get action shots that I am consistently happy with. If I think I am going to shoot an action shot, I need to put on the 55-200mm DX lens, which is an outstanding budget lens.
If I had it to do over again, would I buy this lens? I am not sure. If I shot more DX, I might investigate 16-85mm Nikkor lens. But I shoot mostly FX on big bodies with pro lenses, and the D90 is a just a walk-around for me.
So when I am out wiht my D90, it is the 18-105mm for portraits and landscapes and a reluctant switch to the 55-200mm for action. I had hoped to get more of an all-in-one for the 18-105mm range, but unfortunately it didn't turn out that way.
For people who are primarily shooting landscapes and portraits, I would give this lens 4 stars and recommend it. For those like me who are more concerned with action photos, you might want to investigate some alternatives before settling on this lens.
Serious flaw in materials used for mount, Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
2.0
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
2.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
3.0
Of the dozen or so Nikon lenses I've owned, this is the first I've been unhappy with. Features vs. price isn't a problem, but quality of materials has turned out to be a huge issue. To save money or weight (or both) Nikon has used thin, cheap plastic instead of metal for the bayonet mount. I didn't notice just how thin and fragile this plastic was until shooting in 28 degree weather last month, when the lens literally fell off the camera body as I was zoomed in on a subject.
Inside the body I found a tiny shard of black plastic that turned out to be all that ever held the lens on the body. Comparing the shard to the remainder that had NOT broken off the lens, I was shocked to see just how thin this very important of plastic had been on the day the lens left the factory -- what I mean is, I wasn't looking at a mount worn thin by repeated use: this was original material and workmanship with no signs of abuse or wear in the 10 months since I'd purchased it new.
The lens is on its way to Nikon repair now but the only thing I fear more than them NOT fixing it for free is that they'll replace it with another poorly-made lens that's going to fall apart on me in the middle of an important shoot. I don't "baby" my equipment but I do take care of it and I expect it to last for years as a result. This used to be what Nikon stood for and I'm still using Nikon lenses purchased over 20 year ago. Corners were obviously cut to produce this lens cheaply and in looking at how it's made, I'm not surprised it fell off the camera body and into a snow bank during normal use. This lens does NOT represent a commitment to quality. Unless you plan on never removing it from the camera body, I would look elsewhere...
I got this as the kit lens when I purchased my Nikon D90. It's a good all around lens with very convenient focal range. Fast focusing with the D90 and the vibration reduction works as advertised. Ocassional the photos are a little soft, but easily fixed with software. Doubt I'd pay the full price for this as an "additional" lens but perfect as a kit lens. As far as the plastic lens mount, just be careful.
Definitly better than its reputation on expert sit, Thursday, 14 January 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
4.0
I got this lens with my D90 kit. I am also a fan of Ken Rockwell, his reviews and deep expert knowledge about cameras, film and digital. Especially his expertise with Nikon over the past 30 or so years helped me a lot to be smarter about equipment and take better pictures. Ken is not the biggest fan of this AF-S 18-105 VR lens and that would naturally lead many people to caution. I have done my own comparison and truly believe he is too negative about this lens.
What I have: Nikon D90 (SOLD - great cam but I am eventually getting the D300s - Need a better/faster autofocus system to capture fast moving kids) Nikon D40 (My all around favorite - For everyday "grab-it-and-go" use as well fast flash photography) AF-S 35mm f/1.8 prime (you MUST get this one) AF-S 18-105 VR (This review - I actually kept this lens when I sold the D90 body because I like it so much) AF-S 18-55 VR D40 kit lens AF-S 55-200 VR (My travel zoom) AF-S 70-300 VR (Tripod wildlife shots and similar)
What is good about the AF-S 18-105 VR: - Very versatile! Great zoom range for most of your photography needs. - Better AF "hit rate" than the AF-S 18-200 VR - Sharp, well exposed pictures with really great colors all the time. - Still "relatively" portable for the zoom range it provides. - Probably the best bang for the buck AF-S DX VR lens!
What could be better: - The plastic lens mount is my biggest complaint and the only reason I gave it 4 stars. Nikon has to cut somewhere, I get that ... but the lens mount? C'mon ... this is a real goof by Nikon and in my book inexcusable. - The lens has a good Bit of Barrel Distortion at 18mm, but then again all super zooms have this issue. Correct in Photoshop is easy if you must. Pincushion distortion is there but much less noticeable. - No distance range scale/window on lens. Not a must but would really be nice. - For my liking this lens already on the heavy side of the range, while probably still considered "light" for these now so popular "all around" wide range zooms. Weight is the enemy when it comes to photography. It really changes the dynamics of handling the camera and your entire photography when you have one of these fat primadonnas mounted (they actually handle better on heavy bodies like the D300s than lighter bodies like the D40 since the lighter cams get very "front heavy"). I can only imagine how it might affect your photography when you put the even much heavier AF-s 18-200 VR on you D body. This is also a reason I prefer the D90 over the D300s. I however will need the D300s for its better autofocus capabilities since I you shoot fast moving objects (= kids!). Now if you don't shoot fast moving objects ... by all means get the D90! It does really everything the D300s does IF speed (AF and FPS) is not the issue. So as you can see that personally I am not a big fan of heavy super zooms and, when needing a zoom, prefer to shoot as much as I can with the super light AF-S 18-55 VR which has also a better optical and image quality than both the AF-s 18-200 VR and this AF-s 18-105 VR. If more zoom is needed I take out the AF-s 55-200 VR which is an excellent lens while still very light. When travelling I take my D40 body (super light!) with the AF-s 18-55 VR and the AF-s 55-200 VR most of the time (these two lenses together weigh less or no more than a single AF-s 18-200 VR!). When indoors I try to use the 35mm prime because it is much, much faster than the zooms and has excellent image quality. - Front lens cap is a bit fiddly to put on as others have noted here, but that's not a biggie.
Bottom line: For those of you thinking about dropping three times as much or more on the (in my opinion) overhyped and very heavy AF-S 18-200 VR ... THINK HARD ABOUT IT and try the AF-s 18-105 out first if you need a super zoom. I would not pay the huge premium for the AF-S 18-200 VR for several reasons: - When I compared, and contrary to Ken Rockwell's comments, I find the image quality with the AF-s 18-200 VR poorer than the AF-s 18-105 VR and all other lenses I have (above). Other technical online reviews such as dpreview also support this observation. The AF-s 18-200 has a fuzzier image and more distortion which (contrary to the AF-s 18-105 VR) is also present across a wider zoom range. - In addition ... think of it this way: With a little shopping you can get the AF-S 18-105 VR, the AF-S 70-300 VR and the must-have AF-s 35mm f/1.8 for the same or just a little more money than a single AF-S 18-200 VR lens. Even better! If you substitute the excellent but a bit pricey AF-s 70-300 VR with the fantastic and ultra cheap AF-s 55-200 VR you'll pay actually less for this entire kit than you will for a for a single AF-s 18-200 VR lens. Almost a full DX system for the price less than one AF-s 18-200 VR lens to which I would only add a super wide angle such as the fantastic (but pricey) Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX. Unfortunately the AF-S 18-105 VR is often underrated and therefore cheap on the used market as people flock to the AF-s18-200VR. I cannot duplicate the concerns around softness in the corners or fuzziness Ken Rockwell is noticing on this lens. It is an excellent budget lens for a do-it-all if you need that and a real bargain. The only real drawback being the plastic mount. Give it a try before you disregard it or get my budget Nikkor DX "system suggestion" above which is still better than either of these (AF-s 18-55 VR plus a AF-s 55-200VR). I think you'll agree with the other lens owners here!
Super People Shooting Lens, Monday, 04 January 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
If I know I'm going to be shooting people, you know, a wedding, bar mitzvah, baptism, birthday party, especially one with children and clowns, then this is the lens I use. If I take both bodies, I'll have a wide angle on the other one, so I can get good group shots inside. The 16-85mm range of the camera translates to 24-127mm in real world photography and that'll give you good wide angle shots and allow you some pretty good closeups from across the room or yard, plus the 80 to 120mm range is perfect for portraits.
This lens isn't all that expensive and you're buying better than excellent optics, Nikon quality (the build on this lens is as good as you'll find on any lens made today) and VR that works (it's almost like going a couple stops lower).
You might wonder why I'd opt for this lens for people shooting events over the very nice Nikon 18-200mm or the Tamron 18-270mm, well this lens weighs less, focuses faster, takes sharper photos and I've never ever wished I'd had a longer lens at an event, well once, when I shot a wedding in Huntington Beach. It was a beach side condo and there was some good surf action going on, great waves, but that had nothing to do with the wedding.
If you want a longer range than the kit lens, this could be a good walkabout lens and there have been days when I've used it for that, though I prefer the more compact Nikon 18-55mm for everyday use and one of the above mentioned wide to long telephotos for vacations. Still if you shoot a lot of people or are planning to, you'll find this lens will serve you well.
A great upgrade and overall excellent lens, Saturday, 26 December 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I want to say that when I first got this lens for Christmas I was utterly disappointed, not because it wasn't a good lens, but I had my heart set on a prime lens. Well, I pushed my sadness aside and mounted it on my D60. The first thing I noticed about it was the size, it was significantly larger in every way possible over the 18-55mm kit lens that came with the D60. The only thing that didn't change was the f-stop. It was sort of heavy mounted on the D60's tiny body but that is something that is easily overcome. The picture quality and the overall use of the lens is where it started to win me over. I was shooting inside all day with f/3.5, ISO 800 and shutter speed of 1/6 of a second. The pictures came out crisp and clear with the aid of the vibration reduction, whereas my 18-55mm would be a hit-or-miss. I found it great that I could go from shooting wide angle shots to mid-range telephoto shots without having to switch between lenses. I began to see a difference between the quality of my old 18-55mm and the 18-105mm. The 18-105 is the older brother of the 18-55mm kit lens, and it is more useful/ The focusing ring on the lens can override the auto focus. If you are someone in my situation with a three point AF D60, then this comes in handy considering that the focus isn't always where you want it to be. The feel of the lens was different. It felt like it was made of plastic and rubber on the outside, which isn't bad and doesn't inhibit the ability of the lens to do its job, it just feels sort of cheap if you are obsessed with having the best built thing possible. The feeling of cheapness, isn't something to be concerned about, so long as you realize that the lens is meant for picture taking and not groping. The sheer portability of the lens doesn't seem to be an issue, it is just bulkier then the 18-55mm, especially on the puny D60. The lens is the kind you want to have if you enjoy having versatility in your range but don't want to put more money towards the 18-200mm lens. I look forward to using this lens a lot more and seeing what it can do. Like everything else, it's flaws are just something that the user will have to learn to overcome. But if you are looking at buying D40, D60 or D5000 I strongly suggest buying the bodies only and buying this lens.
Bought this for a short vacation, Friday, 11 December 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I originally got a 18-55mm lens with my Nikon camera and decided to buy the 55-200 as my second lens but found that changing out the lenses was a hassle. When I decided to take a short vacation that was about 2000 miles away, I didn't want to deal with carrying the different lenses around so I bought the 18-105mm. It was one of the best things I ever did. I almost feel like it is the only lens needed for general photography. I chose this particular one because the customer reviews were so good. All my photos with this lens are wonderful. They look professional and that is the point when you buy a good lens from Nikon.
Great all-purpose at the right price, Wednesday, 09 December 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
Seems like everyone recommends the 18-200 mm VR lens, but at a cost of over $600-700!
Instead, this lens for about half the cost will cover most of the useful range of the 18-200. The VR works great on this lens, especially at 105 where the lens performs admirably.
A very good upgrade to a kit lens with more versatility, a more solid feel and VR to make your telephoto shots much better.
I had been looking for the perfect lens for portraits. This lens covers the exact zoom length I need, while retaining the wide angle. I was nervous about getting a refurbished camera lens. No problems at all. In fact, you would never even know it's a refurb. It's not a "fast" lens. But, you won't get a fast lens with VR. That's ok. It's easy to make up the difference with shutter speed. And for doing photos in a church, where it's rude to use a flash, it opens up enough. Again, shutter speed helps there. Plus, shooting in RAW makes all the difference in the world. Lenses are personal. Just do your research, and figure out what you need.
Got a refurb for $ 250 for my D3000. Definitely worth the price. I would love the 18-200mm VR but considering the ridiculous asking price ($ 700 plus) and the added weight, this is a better deal. Besides, the resale value on ebay is around $ 300, So I might make money if I ever decide to sell this lens and upgrade to something else.
I use the 35mm f/1.8 for indoor without flash. It always gives me great images and forces me to frame my pictures better. But 18-105mm VR is definitely more fun and practical for daily use. And with VR I can get good hand held shots at night.
