The unloved AF-S 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR – hidden gem?
When this lens first popped out of the shute at the Nikon works, as the new kit lens on the D90, it was mostly greeted with yawns, shrugs and ho-hums. It was just another cheap plastic zoom, the kind Nikon does so well. It wasn’t that cheap at the time, mind you, at US $300 when bought with a camera kit or US $400 plus on its own.
Why bother?
The 18-105 VR raised some obvious questions when it was released: Do we really need another mid-range zoom? Given that we already have the 18-55 VR, the 18-70, the 18-135, the 17-55, the 16-85 VR and the 18-200 VR? Isn’t half a dozen enough? And why didn’t Nikon just add VR to the 18-135, given its more useful zoom range?
Few of the reviewers got excited about this new lens. ‘The plastic-mount 18-105mm VR,’ Ken Rockwell said, ‘is a decent enough general-purpose lens for people who are in the price range of the D90 with which it is kitted but, for $400 ($300 in a kit with the D90), I'd rather buy something else.’
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18-105mm.htm
Thom Hogan was just as dismissive: ‘18mm is weak. Wide open you've got vignetting, softish corners, and lots of barrel distortion. And it’s feature stripped. No VR II, no Active VR mode, no real autofocus override, plastic mount.’
http://www.bythom.com/Nikkor18-105lensreview.htm
Photozone was on the same page as well: ‘On the downside there're rather pronounced distortion and CAs. The build quality is Ok but not really something to rave about either. Given the very moderate price tag it's certainly an attractive offer if you can live with or work around its shortcomings.’ http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/410-nikkor_18105_3556vr?start=2
Not a great start, is it? And Thom Hogan was right in asking why Nikon hadn’t bothered with VRII. But hold the phone: Nikon UK’s press release claimed that this lens’s ‘... built-in Vibration Reduction II system provides the equivalent of a shutter speed three stops faster than standard lenses, offering an extraordinarily high reproduction capacity. The high-performance optical system features a single ED glass element and one aspherical lens optimized for use for digital SLRs. This allows you to make high resolution, high contrast images, and minimising chromatic aberration. The ultra-compact built-in Silent Wave Motor ensures silent, fast and efficient autofocus operation, and the refined external design with leather-tone texture will appeal to Nikon users as it will match their camera bodies.’
Sorry, I got carried away with the flow there ... I’m still looking for that leather-tone texture.
The Price is Right
So why am I writing about this unremarkable lens under the heading of bargain Nikon lenses? For one, you can now pick a Nikon factory refurb up for about US $250 at Adorama or B&H, or you can win one at cametaauctions on eBay for around $200, give or take $20. They’ve been auctioning one of these refurbs every day for some months now – anyone know why there are so many of these floating around?
I bought one of the refurbs and it looks and works like a new one. And here’s the second reason this review: like Wagner’s music, the 18-105 VR is better than it sounds (Mark Twain).
Nothing wrong with these images, and they’re the kind of high contrast shots the Panasonic Lumix GF1 had so much trouble with (see my story here http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2011/02/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gf1-evil-fun-part-2.html ). So let’s have a closer look at this unloved lens.
The Basics
Format DX
Zoom range 18-105 (28-157 equivalent in 35mm terms)
Zoom ratio 5.8
Min Aperture f/3.5 – 5.6
Construction 15 elements, 11 groups, 1 x ED, 1 x asph
Switches VR, MF/AF
Min focus distance 45cm
Filter size 67
Dimensions 9cm x 7.6cm
Weight 420g
Construction
About middle-of-the road for Nikon consumer zooms, not as good as the 18-70, more like the 18-135. It has a plastic lens mount, which puts some people off even though it means very little because of the tough plastic used. Two inner barrels extend about 4.5 cm or just under 2 inches in toto. There’s no slack and no lens creep.
Handling
The 18-105 VR is a fraction bigger and heavier than it should be for the range it offers. It’s a G – type lens so there’s no distance scale and, in current Nikon fashion, the small, loose focus ring is squeezed between the big zoom ring and the camera body. The zoom ring is firm and smooth in operation. It’s an IF design so the barrel doesn’t move when zooming or focusing. The lens feels well balanced on a D5000.
Performance
The AF-S is fast, accurate and silent. With the AF switch on, there’s no manual focus override (not unusual at this price point), and the minimum focus distance is pretty poor. This isn’t a great lens for getting down close to things, or a macro lens. The tele-end is a bit short – 135 would’ve yielded a more useful reach. The VR seems to work as advertised in poor light and/or action shots.
Image Quality
This is where the lens shines: the images are super-sharp in the centre, and not much less so as you move toward the edges. And it’s sharpest between f/5.6 and 8, in the most common focal range. Colours are very accurate and contrast is handled well. You couldn’t ask for more in a consumer zoom. Sure, there’s a lot of distortion at the wide end, and some in the middle, but nothing you can’t take care of with a good photo editor. As usual with lenses that are built to a price, chromatic aberration and vignetting rear their heads at times but it’s not that serious.
Real World
I reckon the 18-105 VR does what it says on the tin, and then some. It’s pretty close to the perfect walkabout zoom. Yes, it has obvious flaws but they’re easy to work around. Yes, it could be a little longer at the tele-end and yes, it could be a little smaller/lighter. Yes, it could be a little faster – f.2.8-4 would be nice, or even F/3.5-4.5 - but let’s do a quick reality check: Nikon’s much more expensive 16-85 VR is also F3.5-5.6. Lens speed is becoming less of an issue as DSLRs are performing ever better at high ISOs – viz the D7000.
Bottom Line
This lens fulfils its design brief perfectly. It’s a kit zoom that goes hand in glove with Nikons’s consumer DSLRs, and it will delight most users at that level with simple operation, fast autofocus and effective anti-shake technology. Throw in sharp, punchy images at most apertures and focal lengths, and a street price that’s easy on the pocket, and you have yourself a bargain.
Lenstip is a Polish site, not well-known but very thorough in its lens reviews. This is what they said in summing up the 18-105: ‘We got a less solid construction [than we would’ve liked] but at a very affordable price. Perhaps we shouldn’t carp about it too much because the lens’s fabulous performance places it among one of the best kit lenses I’ve ever tested. I think that everybody, who plans to make a purchase of a Nikon D90 should seriously consider buying it together with the Nikkor 18-105 VR.
Kim
Hum...
First, your camera - lens combo has back focus!
Second, on f 8.0 all lenses look about the same.
Third, a second hand 17-35 2.8 AFS or 18-55 2.8 DX AFS go second hand fore around €500,--or €650,-- Safe and than spend some extra money en this will excel all the rest.
Fourth going Nikon SLR never be realy cheap if you want to go for the technical best (witch they make by Nikon) oké. Else buy G12 or P7000.
Fifth Buy Nikon to take pictures an therefore thanks for this article! More pictures will be taken by this nice 18-105 then ever will be by the multidollar 600mm f4.0.
Posted by: Michael de Gunst | 02/09/2011 at 08:27 AM
Yes, there are better Nikon lenses, but I'm picking over the bargains. And you're right: theses lenses are the ones most of use most of the time.
Kim
Posted by: Kim Brebach | 02/09/2011 at 09:36 AM
Nice pictures!! I like this post. I feel fairly strong about this and would like to read more. Stay up the good work!
Posted by: מנהלת חשבונות | 02/18/2012 at 12:33 AM
Thanks for the feedback, mate.
Posted by: Kim Brebach | 02/18/2012 at 04:49 PM