Future Cult Classic

PROS (* indicates the ones that are very important to me)

Image Quality*--I am very pleased with the image quality of this lens. I have not yet had time to conduct tests in a controlled environment but my preliminary field tests indicate that this lens will give me the high quality images in outdoor sunlight, under studio lighting conditions, with the built-in flash unit, and with external flash units.
Focal Length*--18-55mm is a very usable focal length range. This range is good for the times when I only want to carry one DX digital SLR body and one lens.
Vibration Reduction*--This is my first lens for my Nikon with this feature.
Filter Size--The 52mm filter size is perfect for my filter inventory.
Close-Ups--Even though I did not buy this lens with close-ups in mind, it is comforting to know that at the 55mm focal length, this lens can fill the view frame with an object as small as 6cm.
Price*--Less than $100 for an auto focus zoom lens with vibration reduction was too good a deal to ignore. Plus, the low price makes this lens the one to use in a situation where a more expensive lens may be damaged, lost, or stolen.

CONS (* indicates the ones that are very important to me)

DX lens--This is the first DX lens that I have ever purchased and will probably be the only DX lens that I will ever own because I prefer FX lenses. I prefer FX lenses because I want all my lenses to work not only on my DX cameras but also on my Nikon film cameras and my future FX digital camera.
G Lens--I avoid buying G lenses because I cannot use them on my older Nikon film cameras that need the aperture ring to set the f/stop. This is only my second G lens. The 14-24mm f/2.8 was my first.
Bayonet Mount--Plastic! Now I have nothing against plastic. In fact, I would rather have a thick tough plastic than a thin weak metal. However, I have heard too many horror stories about plastic lens mounts breaking.
Aperture--f/3.5 to f/5.6 is too slow for a maximum aperture. Also, I prefer a zoom lens with a constant f/stop rather than a variable one.
Lens Barrel--The lens barrel does not rotate during zooming but it does during focusing. However, the barrel rotates so little that you can still screw a flower petal type lens hood into the 52mm thread.
Manual Focus--The small focus ring makes it very difficult to focus manually. I found it easier to focus if I tightly screwed in a lens hood and twisted the lens hood instead of the small ring.
Lens Distance Scale--None
Lens Depth-of-Field Scale--None
Vibration Reduction--I hate that little thump that happens when you press the shutter button half way to focus and then remove your finger because you decide not to take the photo.
Durability/Reliability*--​This lens does not feel like it was built to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use. Plus, the vibration control and the built-in auto focus motor are two additional moving parts that can break. However, the price of this lens is so low that if anything breaks, it is just as easy to replace the lens as it is to repair it.

Comments:

Many of the Cons I listed would have been major issues if this had been a high-dollar lens. Since the price of this lens is so low, and the performance of this lens is so high, these Cons can easily be overlooked. In fact, I thought this lens performed so well for the low price that I bought a second one so I would have a back-up to my back-up lens.

I highly recommend this undervalued, future cult classic lens.

Top Notch Nikon Lens

A quick round of shooting and comparisons to other lenses (in PhotoShop, at 200%) finds that the lens is a little soft at 12mm, f/4 - but is fully sharp by f5.6-8. It's as good as any other Nikon lens from there up, with best resolution achieved at f/5.6 to f/11. In comparisons at 100%, it is difficult to see any problems with this lens at any focal length or aperture. It has great acuity and contrast. Focus is fast and silent. A Hoyo Pro Digital UV filter or polarizer(5mm thick ring) does not pinch the corners of the image. However, when stacked, there is visible vignetting in the extreme corners. The build quality is in line with Nikon mid-priced lenses. I have seen numerous complaints about this... the "plasticky" feel, and that a lens of this price should be up to "pro" standards of build quality. I disagree. The new materials and construction are solid, work well, and cut lens weight. The last point is important to me. The lighter I can make my bag, the better. And the heavier, mostly metal lenses break just as easily. With this lens, we pay for the technology and the glass that went into producing a top-notch lens. Chromatic abberations are mentioned in some reviews, with the Nikon 12-24mm winning out against its off-brand rivals. Shooting with a D300, CA is automatically corrected in-camera, so this trait of all wide angles is not an issue. All-in-all a great addition to the kit. Get past the price, enjoy the quality, and make killer photographs with it.

Great lens for entry-level Nikons without AF body motor

Nikon has introduced a replacement lens 10-24mm DX AF-S F/3.5-4.5G ED. It is slightly wider and cheaper at introduction (~$800 vs $1100 for 12-24mm). The built quality is somewhat inferior (according to many reviews) and it does not have fixed aperture. So if you find one cheap - get the new one.

On the other hand this new lens creates a second hand market for the good old one! With cashback I was able to get used (but in great shape!) lens for under $600. No way I could get a 10-24mm lens for that price! If you can - go for the new model ( (10-24mm), the extra 2mm wide open are sometimes very important - additional 10 degrees of view (109 vs 99).

The above only applies to entry-level Nikons - D40, D40x, D60, D5000. These cameras don't have built-in AF motor. If you own D90 and higher - don't bother with Nikon. Go for Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 PRO DX which is wide, quiality made, fast fixed aperture and can be found for $600 new!

Fabulous Lens

This lens is an exceptionally useful lens and may well serve as the standard lens for a quick shot with guaranteed great results. The lens I bought was used by a professional and there was little evidence of wear after shooting scenes from some of the most picturesque spots in the world. I saw the shots before receiving the camera and was a little concerned about the wear factor. There was little evidence of use attesting to durability record of this brand long respected for fine optics. Nikon lenses remain the best with the help of the best focusing systems. This particular lens ranks with the best as the go-to pick one to the top three lenses needed for most situations. The only problem is the speed which I solve with a good tripod. Fast lenses are a dream for most Ebay shoppers.

Nice lens for an unfortunate situation

I dropped my Nikon. Yea, I'm a dodo. I have a Nikon D40 and thankfully, it's still working. However it landed square on the original lens that came with it (18-55mm Nikkor lens) and although it didn't break the glass, it has totally jammed the mechanism and would now cnnnot focus. I considered repairing it but figured repair plus parts would be around $100 dollars...easier to replace if I could find a adequate replacement.

Doing the research, I found the Nikon AF Nikkor 18-55mm VR lens as an update for the original lens that I had purchased with my Nikon. What was the differnce? Well the VR was a welcome addition. I have the 55-200mm Nikon VR and love the "Vibration Reduction" feature...Nikon claims that you can lower your shutter speeds a couple of stops...I believe it.

I'm not an expert but just an avid photography fan...and although I'm upset that I broke a perfectly good lens, this alternative at this price point was a great alternative to just a repair. I really don't know how Nikon can sell this lens at this price (I bought it for $99 dollars refurbished on ebay).

Yes I would much perferred to buy the 18-200mm VR Nikon lens but I'm sure you're aware of the price point of around $700 dollars. Instead, I've got two lenses for less than 50% of that price.

So, my feeling is, it's a great replacement lens for any of you who are intending on dropping your Nikon. However, I'm sure I never would have bought this lens if my lens didn't commit suicide. Great lens that now comes standard with some Nikon packages...but, in this case, just happened to fit my unfortunate situation.