Nikon AF‑S DX 18‑105mm f/3.5‑5.6G ED VR verdict
Summary
Let’s get this straight from the start. The Nikon AF‑S DX 18‑105mm f/3.5‑5.6G ED VR is a low-cost kit lens with average but acceptable optical performance and plastic build – it even has a plastic lens mount. So why do I rate it so highly? This is where performance and specfications meet real-world handling. This a very ordinary lens, technically, but it’s light, really nice to use and has a great focal range. I can’t help but like it.
The AF‑S DX 18‑105mm f/3.5‑5.6G ED VR is a cheap, plastic kit lens with a difference. It has an extended zoom range which makes it vastly more useful than the average 3x kit zoom. It was typically bundled with cameras like the Nikon D7200 and D7500 where its longer zoom range made it a kind of added-value proposition for enthusiasts.
You’ll often see it bundled with cameras on the used market too, and you can buy it on its own from used gear resellers like MPB at prices that suggest it’s little more than plastic junk.
Let’s see if that’s true.
Specifications
| Format: | APS-C |
| Focal range: | 18-105mm (28-160mm approx equivalent) |
| Maximum aperture: | f/3.5-5.6 |
| Construction: | 15 elements in 11 groups inc one ED element and one aspherical |
| Stabilization: | Nikon VR |
| Min focus distance: | 0.45m throughout zoom range |
| Filter size: | 67mm |
| Size: | 76 x 89mm |
| Weight: | 420g |
Features
This is a variable-aperture zoom, so by the time you get to 105mm the maximum aperture is down to f/5.6. But that’s actually not bad at all by kit lens standards. There are many other variable aperture kit lenses, especially in the modern mirrorless age, that are slower still.
It’s the zoom range that’s most interesting. It’s easily overshadowed by superzoom lenses with a 10x zoom range or longer, but this is lighter, smaller and easier to handle (and cheaper) than any superzoom. The 27-168mm equivalent zoom range is extremely versatile, far more so than the average 3x kit lens. I’ve been on many shoots with this lens and rarely missed a superzoom’s extra reach.
Like most Nikon DSLR lenses, this one has VR (Vibration Reduction) optical stabilization which you can switch on and off on the lens barrel. There’s also an M-M/A switch for manual focus or AF with direct manual override.
And that’s pretty much it for this lens’s features – except that it is supplied with a lens hood, despite its budget price point. Canon take note!
Handling
It’s hard to explain this lens’s appeal, except to say that even at 420g it doesn’t feel heavy, and the zoom action is light with just the right amount of friction. It’s a really pleasant, light, undemanding lens to use.
The less said about the manual focusing ring, though, the better. It works exactly as it should, but it just feels a bit rough and cheap. However, this is really just a casual walkaround lens and not meant for precise and demanding work, so this doesn’t feel like a major sin.
Performance
The optical performance of this lens can best be described as good for the price. That sounds like a veiled insult, but it’s not. It really is unexpectedly good for a cheap lens with this kind of zoom range. The edges are distinctly soft at 28mm and the sharpness and contrast are on the wane by 105mm, but this only really becomes apparent when you zoom in to 100% or 200% on-screen.
The autofocus is not completely silent but it’s still quiet, and pretty fast too. The VR helps keep images steadier at marginal shutter speeds, though I don’t think it’s quite as effective as a good IBIS system. I do like that the minimum focus distance stays the same across the focal range – too many modern lenses have a variable minimum focus distance, which leaves you having to change position if you change the zoom setting.
Verdict
The Nikon AF‑S DX 18‑105mm f/3.5‑5.6G ED VR is not the best lens in the world optically, but it’s better than the average kit zoom and is fine for walkaround photography. What really stands out is its handling and usability. It’s just a really likeable, practical everyday lens.