D200 18-200 VR lens

Hi all, has anyone played with the 18-200 VR lens that comes with the D200? It looks like it could be a really nice travel lens.

Cor

I've just ordered one - so should be able to tell you in a couple of weeks. But check out http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200.htm

got mine, pretty versitile, great all around lens, optics good, only negative is when shooting down, the zoom travels, have to hold the zoom ring in place. VR works great.

gets really long in length, so I suspect it wouldn't be ideal to house for underwater use.

I have one. Its very fast and convenient. It has replaced the kit lens on my D70. The VR helps to improve sharpness and I find that the extra zoom range is the biggest help with my photography. "Get Closer" is still the most important thing you can do even topside and the extra zoom range really makes it easier to do that.

I look forward to backpacking with this lens. In the past I've lugged around the kit lens and a 70-300mm but now I think I'll be fine with just one. Take wide scenic shots, midrange portraits, land wildlife closeups with one lens? Great!

I don't have a problem with zoom creep. If anything the zoom is quite stiff--very different feel than other Nikon zooms I own. This isn't really a problem you just use a bit more force than you arte used to. The only problem I have had is when using the pop-up flash. With the lens shade reversed on the lens or the lens extended it casts a nasty shadow in the frame. Since I have this lens on the camera most of the time for grab shots of the kids often indoors, this is a bit of a problem. Using the SB800 is safer with this lens.

I don't plan to take this lens underwater. I think it could work in the longer dome ports like the Ikelite #5503.55 as long as you are careful to restrict the zoom range. I haven't tried it. The extension on this lens is huge--hence the shadow problems with the built-in-flash. I think it would be tough to get a dome port to fit this lens for the entire range.

Looks like I'll be buying this lens. Im still missing a good light travel lens, and this seems to have it all. Now to get on the 5 year waiting list

If there was any confusion, I wasnt suggesting to use it underwater.

Cor

I have one, too, and it is my primary walk around lens. The VRII works very well and gives me some very clear pics at slow shutter speeds.

SD

Agree with everyone else. For topside, this is the lens that is on my camera for walk around lens. Wish it can focus a bit closer but otherwise no complain.

UPS says mine will get here Friday. I am VERY excited to try it out on the white pelicans down at University Lake, in the morning fog (Local weather forecast: fog near water and in low-lying areas -- like, you mean, in all of South Louisiana, right?).

I was surprised by the amount of barrel distortion on the wide end.

This was shot at f11, 1/125 zoomed out to 18mm. I've PS'd in the

red level line where the horizon should be.

Sure, this isn't a good choice for architecture. Distortion is probably the only significant weakness to this lens. But I'll take it in exchange for the zoom range. Ok its not a fixed aperture 2.8 but now we're just dreaming. Sharpness is a bigger deal to me and while there are sharper lenses out there this one is pretty darn good. Coulple that with the sharpness boost you get from VR to cancel out my shaky hads and I think its great.

Flexibility is the lens's strong suit and I don't think there is any other lens that delivers on flexibility with so few compromises optically. Even the shot you show is excellent and I don't think that it was ruined (or even noticable without the refrence line) by the distortion. The bigger problem IMHO would be the slight bit of flare in the shot. Did you use the hood? Perhaps a bit of shading from your hand could have helped here.

I agree and really like the versatility offered by the zoom range and the VR,

The barrel distortion ws about what I might have expected to see on the longer

vertical line, just surprised to find it that evident on the shorter horizontal side.

Regarding the sun flare, my bad, didn't have the shade on. I did get a few other

shots without the flare but they weren't showing the horizon as this one did.

Just got the 18-200 , looks quite nice sofar.

Cor