Nikon 55-300mm DX VR Lens

What a fantastic $399 lens.($330 discount price at ebay) It has metal (not plastic) mount as a few DX lenses available in this price bracket are plastic. I am, really pleased to discover that it has a metal mount with a nice sturdy feeing. The zoom is smooth and there's been no issues involving lens creep when composing at downward angles. Even pointing the camera and attached lens downward and shaking it, it doesn't creep.

My initial images are turning out nice - especially nice. The crispness is astounding and the lens creates a smooth bokeh. The auto focusing on this lens seems quick, smooth, silent and very right on. It quickly locked on a subject when set to aperture priority mode at f/5.6, f/1000 sec

The VR of this lens is all one could ask for. The detail obtained while hand-holding just amazing. It features Nikon's VRII which even includes a tripod detection feature that reduces any shutter release vibrations while mounted on a tripod. All colors are accurately rendered while the contrast is crisp even at the maximum aperture settings. For a 300mm it's compact and lighter than my 18-200mm which is my regular go-to lens. I have a feeling this new 55-300 could well become my go-to lens quite often also.

Things not to like: The Zoom sticks a bit at the long end and it's not quite as effortless as the 70-300mm nor the 55-200mm lens. The auto focus is really slow, similar to the 55-200mm although slower than the Nikon 70-300mm. Manual focusing is not nearly as effortless as the 70-300mm and more difficult to get accurate focus, plus there's no instant override on the autofocus, you must move a switch.

Feb 6, 2011

The fact that it's an APS-C, Nikon did a marvelous job with this lens - especially considering the cost. It's an appreciated supplement to the DX lens line makes me happy to have in my camera bag.

5.5x Telephoto Zoom Lens perfect for acquiring distant scenes at sporting events, family get- togethers, polarizing sunsets, vacations and more. The equivalent angle of view is 82.5 to 450mm in FX/35mm format.

AF-S Autofocus lens featuring a Silent wave, coreless, integrated, focus motor (unwrapped in 1996). Basically an updated AF-I Autofocus-Silent sporting a "Silent Wave Motor" (ultrasonic) to focus near silently and fast.

DX - NIKKOR - Compact and lightweight Nikon DX lenses feature a lesser image circle and are specifically created and optimized for the Nikon D-series, digital SLR camera bodies. An ideal option for photographers and enthusiasts who require shooting of expansive landscapes with Nikon DX DSLR

Two ED- (Extra-low Dispersion Glass Elements)
a necessary element of the Nikon telephoto lens Nikon engineered Extra-low Dispersion optical glass to facilitate the manufacture of lenses that provide superior color correction and sharpness by diminishing chromatic aberrations

G - labeled after the f-number. All the newer AF lenses, including AF-S and specifically G, are also D. Nikon no longer makes an effort to mark the D. G-lenses contains no aperture ring, therefore aperture may only be electronically controlled by the camera and only autofocus camera bodies featuring function dials have the capacity to control G lenses

HRI - High Refractive Index lens Featuring a refractive index exceeding 2.0, a single HRI lens can provide effective equivalents to those acquired with a number of standard glass elements which can counterbalance for both spherical aberrations and field curvature .

RD- Rounded 9 Blade Diaphragm
Soft-focus images of point light resources create accepted polygonal shapes that mirror the form of the cavity produced by the diaphragm blades.

SIC - Nikon Super Integrated Coating
Nikon uses an elite multilayer lens coating to augment the operation of its lens elements which also helps diminish ghosting and flare to minute levels. Nikon Super Integrated Coat also accomplishes several purposes,

SWM- Silent Wave Motor
Nikon AF-S engineering is yet one more rationale why professional photographers like Nikon telephoto optical lenses.

VR II Vibration Reduction system
Provides the equivalent of employing a 4 stops faster shutter speed This second generation VR is known as VR II, that was engineered to provide an additional 1-stop improvement over the initial VR

Tripod Detection Mode - A function of select NIkon VR lenses, Tripod Detection reduces shutter release vibration automatically when the camera tripod mounted

Zoom Lock Switch - Lets photographers fasten down the lens barrel to its shortest length,

Focus to 4.6' at Any Focal Length
This extends the flexibility of this lens

• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens
• Front Lens Cap
• LF-1 Rear Lens Cap
• HB-57 Snap-on Lens Hood
• CL-1020 Soft Lens Case
• 1-Year Worldwide Limited Warranty, Plus 4- Years Complimentary Extended Service Coverage valid in the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands