Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR
by Nikon
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: NikonModel: 2197
Product features:
- 5.5x Telephoto Zoom lens
- Nikon VR II Image Stabilization; Tripod Detection Mode
- HRI (High Refractive Index) Lens Element
- 2 Extra-low Dispersion (ED) Elements
- Exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR
Customer Review: The Grad Ceremony Special!
Summary: 5 Stars
Got the lens from Amazon, and was a bit surprised how much bigger it was compared to the 55-200mm. The newer lens is about 3.5" diameter, and 6" in length, zoom retracted.
The box itself was 9.5 x 4.5 x 5", or about the size of the 18-200mm VR's carton.
That said, the 55-300mm has a nice, solid feel to it. Not plasticky at all. It feels 'right' in the hand, and weighs 'just right'(about 1 lb) so that it balances well with a small DX body, like the D40/D60/D3000.
The switches click nicely and the zoom is nice and tight - initially sticky at the 300mm end, but got better with use and some elbow grease.
The auto focus speed is about the same as the 55-200mm, and tends to hunt in low contrast and low light situations, but no biggie. I just switch to 'M' and look at the camera's green dot focus indicator.
The extra 100mm comes in handy for those Graduation Ceremony snaps coming from the bleachers kind of situation. On a DX camera, 300mm translates to a whopping 450mm in FX terms, so that's pretty much out-there.
The big plus, is that you can zoom back to a normal 55mm without needing to change lenses. Cool if you want to swing back and shoot the crowd reaction or something a little over arms length (it won't focus any closer than an arms-length, though).
So in the graduation scenario, you can zoom down to 55mm, and hand the camera over to a hapless bystander to take your mug with the graduate.
Is it sharp? I don't have test targets or scientific proof, but it's certainly sharper than my older AF-D consumer zooms from 15 years ago (24-50mm AF-D)using the eyeball method. It's not as tack sharp as an 80-200mm/70-200mm f/2.8 - but it's nowhere near the weight & price of these two either.
If you're miffed about the f/5.6 widest opening, consider using it with the newer DX cameras (especially the upcoming D7000) where you can crank up the ISO to ridiculous, and still keep the noise at bay. Or a really strong Speedlight.
Overall, a pretty good package for a reasonable price. If you're clear on what you want to do with it and know it's limitations - it won't disappoint.
More Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR reviews:
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