AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

I purchased this lens by mail order based on specifications and Nikon reputation without trying it. I had hoped to replace my 18-55mm lens as an everyday walk around lens. In general it works very well but I have experienced two issues that always make me think twice before using it. The first issue I encountered was very noticeable distortion in some images. At 27mm I took a picture of the ocean with about 1/3 water and 2/3 sky and the water line was disturbingly concave. I´ve also encountered significant vignetting when shooting in the range of 18-25mm (this is without aschroud but I do have a haze filter mounted). I need to test without a filter to make sure the vignetting is from the lens. My final bone of contention with Nikon is that this lens does not come with a shroud, the shroud must be purchased separately. To make it worse, the major retailer I purchased from did not have them in stock and it took several weeks to arrive. If this was a bare bones lens I would understand but this is a few steps up the ladder price-wise.

This lens is slightly bigger than most standard kit lenses, but it is very well loaded. The 18mm focal length surprises me because of how wide angle the shot can be which is a huge plus. The vibration reduction (VR) works very well and has improved my photos when I need to zoom in without a tripod. I have taken the same photo with VR on and VR off, and it makes a huge difference. I bought this lens with the Nikon D5300 and I am pleased with the capabilities of this lens. The best part is that it is 50% off when you buy it with the D5300. The bokeh looks great and the focusing motor is pretty close to silent. It is much quieter than other standard motor Nikon lenses that I own. I would highly recommend purchasing this lens to anyone, even if you are buying it without the initial purchase of a camera. Great build, Nikon!

We got the 18-140mm lens with our purchase of the Nikon D5300 camera. We wanted one zoom lens for general photography. The choice was between the 18-140mm, the 18-55mm, and the bigger DX zooms like the 18-200mm or 18-300mm. We wanted one lens so we wouldn´t have to carry a lot of gear around with us. The goal was for a light and relatively small camera outfit.

The 18-55mm just didn´t have the reach at the telephoto end and it has a plastic mount ----- I HATE the plastic mounts and would never buy a lens with a plastic mount. I´ve heard plenty of stories of the mount breaking off.

The 18-200mm and 18-300mm zooms would have a great range of focal lengths, but were both bigger and heavier than the 18-140mm lens. The 18-140mm has a very useful range for shooting from wide-angle to moderate telephoto for a DX sensor camera; it´s the equivalent of 27-210mm in FX format. So we went with the 18-140mm lens and we´re very pleased.

I own a D800 camera with some fine high-end lenses, but I´m very happy with the 18-140mm on the D5300 camera. Of course, it´s not as good as some of the lenses I use on my D800 --- but it´s still an excellent lens for a DX camera. It isn´t a terribly fast lens, but you can compensate somewhat for that by using a higher ISO setting.

If you´re looking for a DX lens at a relatively low price, with a very useful range of focal lengths, very good image quality, lightweight, and small size ---- I´d recommend the Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G. We got ours for around $300 when purchased with the Nikon D5300 camera. At that price it´s a GREAT lens.

Attached are some images shot with the 18-140mm lens mounted on the Nikon D5300 camera. The pictures are all handheld with VR turned on. The lens seems ideal for travel photography, scenics, and most general subjects ---- it´s a very versatile lens.

This definitely has a wide range of focal distances to choose from, and more than plenty for what I need. If you´re looking for a lens to have mounted most of the times for a wide-range of photographic opportunities, I recommend this; especially now that this is offered as a kit lens. I got this as a kit lens with my D7100, and I could not be more satisfied.

Something to take note of is that there is *very* minor distortion around the edges, and it´s really only noticeable if you look for it and zoom in all the way. Easily fixed with software, not a problem for most shots.

The plastic mount on my 18-105 VR broke when a friend stuffed his luggage by my camera bag. The 18-140 has a metal mount that I can trust, so it stays on the camera in my bag, ready for impromptu shots.

The lens is very sharp; noticeably sharper than my 18-105 VR, which most folks think is sharp. It´s not as sharp as my 35mm f1.8 lens, nor is it ever going to be as sharp as a pro lens--it wasn´t designed for that. DXO Mark rates the 18-140 as being sharper than the 16-85 and 18-105, at least for my D7000. When you look at the DXO scores, make sure that you select the correct camera, because the 18-105 is sharper than the 18-140 on some cameras.

The better range is why I picked this lens over the Sigma 17-70 OS C. The ´´C´´ is, by many accounts, sharper than the 18-140, but, with the way I shoot (family events, walkabout), I need the range. The ´´C´´ also is faster (f2.8), and I also shoot a lot of indoor photos, but the photos I take don´t need a narrow depth of field. Therefore, f3.5 is fast enough, especially with the high-ISO capabilities of the D7000. I also use bounce flash often, but not always.

The Sigma 17-70 C and the Nikkor 16-85 are supposed to distort less than the 18-140, but distortion can be managed either in-camera (jpgs) or via software (esp. Capture NX2).

Think of this lens as being the VR version of the 18-135.

Cons: The zoom ring is stiff; I don´t know if this will smooth out in time. Other than that, the distortion is a minor con, because it fixable--although that means taking time to fix the distortion when you wouldn´t need to do so with another lens. Distortion is one of the prices you pay to have the tremendous range and versatility that this lens offers.

Got this lens as a kit lens for the D7100. Still has some awesome bokeh even though it is a f/3.5. Awesome lens for the price!

I wanted a lens that I could keep on the camera most of the time. This one fits the bill. The 18-55 kit lens is sometimes too short. The 55-200 kit lens is sometimes too long. This lens spans almost the entire range, while still only about the size of the 55-200mm lens. The focus is very sharp.

A good length for portraits - wide enough for group shots, and long enough to get shots without getting in too close.

I was thinking this would be the perfect kit lens, and I see that Nikon has started offering it as a primary option in kits

I have 7 other lenses that work on my DX cameras, but I think this one will be mounted most of the time.