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Nikkor
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX
Weight: 7.5oz
Filter Size: 52mm
It's light and it's all plastic. It's cheap and it is also surprisingly
sharped if stopped down. The AF is not particularly fast, and barely
qualifies as AF-S since there is no instant AF over ride; you have to
flip a switch on the body or lens. There is not a whole lot to write
about here, this lens comes in most as part of a kit with most consumer
Nikon dSLRs.
Charlie Center in the Crucible.
Nikon D200, Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G @ 32mm 1/800 F8 ISO 200
Build: 4/10 - Cheap plastic, it wont last more than a few years of class V.
Handling: 6/10 - Terrible focusing ring but the zoom ring is smoother than expected.
Performance: 7/10 - Sharp stopped down.
Value: 8/10 - It's cheap at ~ $120.
Overall: 7/10 - Performance better then cost..
Nikon may rule the roost for the best mid range kit lens. In many ways this lens makes sense for kayaking. Provided you shoot under bright sunlight and a DX format camera. If you get it near free in a bundle it's certainly worth it. If paying full price, the Tamron or Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 lenses would be a better investment, but are obviously much more expensive (offering better optics and similar AF performance).
Other Reviews
It's
more important to be
there then have the best equipment. A few years ago Kokatat used this
as the first ever whitewater cover shot on their catalog. Shot with
this humble lens.
Charlie Center in the Crucible.
Nikon D200, Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G @ 32mm 1/800 F8 ISO 200
It's sharp if you can
keep it around
f/8. 100% unsharpened crop.
Build: 4/10 - Cheap plastic, it wont last more than a few years of class V.
Handling: 6/10 - Terrible focusing ring but the zoom ring is smoother than expected.
Performance: 7/10 - Sharp stopped down.
Value: 8/10 - It's cheap at ~ $120.
Overall: 7/10 - Performance better then cost..
Practicality
for kayaking: 8/10
Nikon may rule the roost for the best mid range kit lens. In many ways this lens makes sense for kayaking. Provided you shoot under bright sunlight and a DX format camera. If you get it near free in a bundle it's certainly worth it. If paying full price, the Tamron or Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 lenses would be a better investment, but are obviously much more expensive (offering better optics and similar AF performance).
Other Reviews