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Nikon extend its range of zoom lenses with a brand new 18–300mm DX-format super-zoom (11.04.2014)
Nikon today introduces the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3G ED VR, a powerful 16.7x zoom lens with wide-angle to super-telephoto reach and remarkably compact build.
If you want a single lens that can cover every imaginable shooting situation and doesn’t weigh down your bag, this is it. Offering the same incredible reach as Nikon’s acclaimed AF-S DX NIKKOR 18–300mm f/3.5–5.6G ED VR lens in a much more compact body, this new NIKKOR is ideal for budding photography enthusiasts who want to lighten their load and still capture diverse perspectives. A truly versatile ‘all-in-one’ lens, Nikon's advancements in lens design ensure a remarkably compact build without compromising image quality: ED glass and aspherical lens elements deliver sharp, high-contrast images, and Nikon’s Vibration Reduction system ensures dramatically clearer still images and video capture even when shooting handheld at the super-telephoto end of the range. Perfect for travel as well as amateur sports or wildlife photography, this lens is a strong performer with remarkable reach.
Zurab Kiknadze, Product Manager, Lenses, Accessories & Software, Nikon Europe, says: “The NIKKOR lineup boasts a wide range of excellent lenses that excel in capturing specific subjects or situations, but the trade-off with such lenses is often versatility, and size or cost. With the new NIKKOR 18–300mm lens there’s no need to compromise: offering photography enthusiasts who want a flexible lens the same incredible reach as the current DX-format 18–300mm zoom lens in a much more compact and affordable package, the new NIKKOR 18–300mm super-zoom is a great addition to Nikon’s range of zoom lenses that really underscores the portable advantages of DX-format shooting.”
Incredible reach, compact build
The high-power AF-S DX NIKKOR 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3G ED VR puts practically any subject or composition well within your reach, while the surprisingly compact design makes this lens the smart choice when you want to travel with minimum kit. The incredibly versatile 16.7x zoom range goes from wide-angle to super-telephoto (35mm equivalent: 27–450mm), easily covering countless situations: from group shots to vast landscapes and exciting cityscapes; from distant sports action to wildlife photography, this is a super-zoom that has all the angles covered. Built to offer maximum flexibility and maximum portability, the lens’ sophisticated optical and mechanical design allows a compact body that doesn’t sacrifice image quality: by suppressing the open aperture at the maximum telephoto position to f/6.3, Nikon’s engineers were able to realise a much more compact body than the larger AF-S DX NIKKOR 18–300mm f/3.5–5.6G ED VR. As its smaller and lighter sister, this new NIKKOR 18–300mm VR lens answers the demand for a powerful, and more affordable, all-in-one lens that can go anywhere and tackle any kind of subject.
Smooth and steady
Equipped with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction system, this super-zoom delivers clear, blur-free images, whether you’re taking a wide-angle group portrait in low light, or zooming in to capture distant subjects. Designed to enable more stable handheld shooting, Nikon’s VR technology lets you shoot at slower shutter speeds, without the image-degrading blur that can be caused by camera shake. The optical VR system also stabilises the viewfinder image, enabling more accurate autofocus acquisition and framing, especially at the longer focal lengths of the 300 mm zoom range. In addition, Nikon's compact Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology delivers fast, accurate and whisper-quiet AF operation across the extended zoom range with intuitive manual override.
Strong optical performance
Crafted to draw stunning results from high-resolution DX-format D-SLRs, the optical design of the new NIKKOR 18–300mm VRlens features 16 elements in 12 groups. Three ED glass and three aspherical lens elements are employed to effectively manage the risk of aberrations that can occur with super-zoom lenses: Nikon’s extra-low dispersion (ED) glass elements minimise chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings, and the aspherical lens elements virtually eliminate aberrations.
Go light zoom
Weighing in at an economical 550g, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3G ED VR is incredibly light for a lens with this kind of range. The lens features a weather sealed lens mount and boasts a zoom lock switch, which prevents ‘zoom creep’ (the lens moving under its own weight when tilted during transportation) and maintains compact dimensions when not in use.
