Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens

The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens is a compact, affordable standard zoom lens designed for Nikon’s DX-format (APS-C) DSLR cameras, released in 2007 as an update to Nikon’s earlier 18-55mm kit lens, adding Vibration Reduction for sharper handheld shooting. It’s commonly bundled as a kit lens with Nikon’s entry-level DX-format bodies, covering an approximately 27-82.5mm full-frame-equivalent field of view well suited to everyday, travel, and general-purpose photography.

Optically, the lens covers an 18-55mm focal range with a variable maximum aperture of f/3.5 at the wide end narrowing to f/5.6 at full telephoto. The 11-element, 8-group optical design includes one aspherical lens element to help control distortion and spherical aberrations, along with Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating to suppress internal reflections, flare, and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy in strong lighting conditions. A rounded 7-blade diaphragm contributes to the lens’s background rendering.

Autofocus is handled by a compact Silent Wave Motor (SWM, denoted “AF-S”), delivering reasonably fast and quiet autofocus performance across Nikon’s DX-format DSLR lineup. The manual focus ring rotates during autofocus operation, so Nikon advises against touching it while the lens is set to AF to avoid potential damage to the motor. The zoom ring rotates 85 degrees clockwise from wide to telephoto, with markings at 18, 24, 35, 45, and 55mm.

Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) system is the defining addition over the earlier non-VR version of this lens, rated to allow handholding at shutter speeds up to three stops slower than would otherwise be possible, particularly useful at the 55mm telephoto end where camera shake is more pronounced.

Build quality is lightweight plastic construction typical of Nikon’s consumer-grade DX kit lenses, with a minimum focusing distance of 0.28m (0.92 ft.), yielding a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.31x, and a 52mm filter thread. The lens weighs approximately 265g and measures approximately 73 x 79.5mm, and does not include weather sealing.

As a DX-format-specific lens, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR is designed exclusively for Nikon’s APS-C DX-format DSLR cameras.

Key Features
– 18-55mm standard zoom for Nikon DX-format (APS-C) DSLR cameras
– Approximately 27-82.5mm full-frame-equivalent field of view
– Maximum aperture f/3.5-5.6 (variable)
– 11 elements in 8 groups, including 1 aspherical element
– Super Integrated Coating
– Compact Silent Wave Motor (AF-S) autofocus
– Vibration Reduction (VR), up to 3 stops of shake correction
– Rounded 7-blade diaphragm
– Minimum focusing distance of 0.28m (0.92 ft.)
– Maximum reproduction ratio of 0.31x
– 52mm filter thread
– Lightweight plastic construction (approximately 265g)
– Not weather-sealed
– Designed exclusively for Nikon DX-format DSLR cameras