Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Navigation
- In short
- History
- Differences from the previous version
- Main Specifications
- Assembly
- Focusing
- Full Frame Opportunities
- Image quality
- Sample Photos
- My personal experience with the lens
- All DX Series Lenses for Nikon Cropped SLR Cameras
- Results
- User Comments
- Add your review or question on the lens
In this review, the Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical lens I will call in abbreviation Nikon 18-55GII.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
In short
Nikon 18-55GII is a universal standard lens that was considered relevant from 2006 to 2016. Such a lens is also called 'kit' (from the English 'kit' - a set), that is, one that comes with some kind of camera. Nikon 18-55GII was first seen with a camera Nikon D40.
Nikon 18-55GII is light, compact, convenient, with good image quality for its class, but the kit lens is a very controversial and controversial thing.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
History
A line of standard (i.e. 'whale') class 18-55 / 3.5-5.6 lenses for cameras Nikon DX:
- Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical - first version. It was produced from 2005 to 2006. It exists in two colors - black and gray / silver. Announced with the camera Nikon D50.
- Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical - second version. It was produced from 2006 to 2007. There are no serious differences from the first version, the lenses use the same optical circuit. It exists in two colors - black and gray / silver. Announced with the camera Nikon D40.
- Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical - third version. It was produced from 2007 to the present day. Has a built-in image stabilizer (Nikon VR, Vibration Reduction). Unlike the first two, it does not have 'ED'-elements in its optical scheme. Announced with the camera Nikon D60.
- Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII VR II AF-S DX Nikkor - the fourth version. It has been produced since 2013. Unlike the third version, it has a new optical circuit and can be folded compactly for transportation. Updated stabilization system. For the first time he could be seen with a camera Nikon D3300.
- Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G - fifth version. Available since January 2016. It has a new optical circuit and a new stepper focus motor. Went on sale with the camera Nikon D3400.
- Nikon DX VR AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G - the sixth version. The same as the fifth version, but with a built-in image stabilizer. It was presented simultaneously with the fifth version. Went on sale with the camera Nikon D3400.
- Nikon Nikkor Z DX 16-50 1: 3.5-6.3 VR - seventh version, for mirrorless cameras such as Nikon z50... Available from Fall 2019. New optical design, foldable body, reduced aperture and built-in image stabilization.
Sigma at one time produced an interesting alternative to similar whale lenses in the face of a faster Sigma Zoom 18-50mm 1: 2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM.
Unlike the previous version
Key differences from the previous model Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical:
- the previous version has been released since April 2005, and the new one since November 2006
- reduced weight by 5 grams
- the body design has changed, first of all the lenses are distinguished by a silver ring near the front lens
- rubber insert for zoom ring has become narrower
- perhaps there are internal differences in the structure of mechanical parts.
In general terms, the new and old versions are not much different from each other, and the official MTF charts do coincide.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Main technical characteristics of Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical:
| Review Instance Name | Gold letters: Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED
In white letters: Nikon SWM ED Aspherical ∞-0.28m / 0.92ft ø52 MADE IN THAILAND + serial number Near the front lens: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR ED18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII |
| Basic properties |
|
| Front Filter Diameter | 52 mm, plastic thread for filters |
| Focal length | 18-55 mm EGF for Nikon DX cameras is 27-82.5 mm |
| Zoom ratio | 3.06 X (it’s customary to talk just about 3x zoom) |
| Designed by | for digital SLR cameras Nikon DX |
| Number of aperture blades | 7 rounded petals |
| Tags | focal lengths for 18, 24, 35, 45 and 55 mm, bayonet mount mark |
| Diaphragm | 18 mm from F / 3.5 to F / 22. 55 mm from F / 5.6 to F / 38. The lens is deprived of the aperture control ring, control is via the camera menu (G - lens type) |
| MDF | 0.28 m, maximum magnification ratio for macro photography is 1: 3.2 |
| The weight | 205 g |
| Optical design | 7 elements in 5 groups. The optical system includes 1 aspherical element (in the optical scheme the aspherical element is shown in blue) and 1 ED glass element (shown in yellow in the diagram). Hybrid asferica - glass base with layered plastic.
The image of the circuit is clickable. The same optical scheme used by the lens of the previous generation Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical |
| Lens hood | Nikon HB-33, bayonet type (not supplied, and must be purchased separately) |
| Manufacturer country | MADE IN THAILAND (Made in Thailand) |
| Period | From November 2006 to 2016 (according to the official website), subsequently replaced / supplemented by a lens Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical. |
| Price |
The Nikon 18-55GII is the latest in a series of 18-55 class lenses to incorporate a low-dispersion element, which is referred to in its name as 'ED'.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Assembly
Nikon 18-55GII was made only in Thailand.
The retractable frame of the body ('trunk') consists of 1 section, which is strong enough, without any backlash.
The entire lens housing is made of plastic, including plastic reinforcement bayonet. The zoom ring is rubberized, but the focus ring is not. The change in focal length is smooth. The plastic made the lens light enough.
The Nikon 18-55GII itself is small, with a standard filter diameter of 52 mm. All Nikon 18-55 whale lenses use 52 mm standard diameter filters and are very similar in appearance.
There is a bayonet mount mark on the case. The lens uses a plastic hood, which is fixed in special grooves located near the front lens of the lens. When you change the focal length, the lens hood moves with the front of the lens.
When changing the focal length, the rear lens moves in the middle of the lens body like a pump - it draws in and pushes out air. This behavior of the rear lens is called 'vacuum cleaner effect', which can increase the amount of dust that accumulates in the camera.
The number of aperture blades is 7 pieces. Moreover, they are well rounded enough.
There are no special complaints about the assembly.
Important: this lens was also supplied in a silver case, which combined well with the silver camera options Nikon D40.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Focusing
Ultrasonic focus motor integrated in the lens SWM (Silent Wave Motor) lets you focus on All Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, even on the simplest.
Nikon 18-55GII has a focus switch 'AM', to perform manual focusing, be sure to set it to the' M 'position, otherwise the focusing motor may be damaged. Unfortunately, the lens does not have a constant manual focus control mode - Nikon M / A.
When used on a camera Nikon D90 with unpretentious Multi-CAM 1000 focusing system the lens behaves well. With precision and clinging focus, I had no particular problems. The lens clings well to captured subjects, rarely re-focusing. The number of focus misses is minimal.
Auto focus speed average, comfortable for the vast majority of photo tasks. Focus speed is significantly lower than professional Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1: 2.8G ED IF SWM.
During focusing, the front lens rotates together with the filter and travels forward, which is the most inconvenient solution when using special filters.
During auto focus focus ring rotates and cannot be touched.
In manual focus mode, the focus ring rotates 60 degrees. Manual focus is inconvenient. When extreme positions are reached, the focus ring abuts and cannot be rotated further.
The minimum focusing distance is only 28 cm (the distance from the camera’s matrix to the subject). With such an MDF, the maximum magnification ratio is 1: 3.2. it good indicator for a similar lens. Thus, the lens allows you to shoot a good amateur 'close'.
When shooting at a maximum magnification of 1: 3.2, the distance from the subject to the front lens of the lens is about 15 cm.
Focus Features:
- There is little noise from autofocus.
- There is a small effect of 'Focus Breathing' (changing the viewing angle during focusing). During focusing towards MDF, the viewing angle increases.
- When changing the focal length, focusing is a bit confused.
- Nikon 18-55GII Macro does not have hard stop (hard infinity mechanical stop) which allows you to accurately and quickly focus the lens at infinity under any external conditions.
- Focus shift (shift-focus) was not noticed.
- Nikon 18-55GII has no focus problems in Live View (tested on Nikon D90 ), but it focuses slowly (the problem of the Live View mode on many Nikon cameras is more of a problem).
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Image quality
Nikon 18-55GII uses exactly the same optical design as its predecessor Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX Nikkor SWM Aspherical. Optically, the Nikon 18-55GII is a pretty tolerable lens.
Sharpness
- confident sharpness at open apertures in the center of the frame over the entire range of focal lengths
- low sharpness at the edges of the frame and open apertures
- at the edges of the frame, sharpness becomes acceptable after f / 8
- good / excellent resolution in the center of the frame on covered apertures (in the F / 5.6-F / 10 region) over the entire range of focal lengths
- the overall level of distortion is at a level typical for such lenses
- pretty strong distortion only visible at 18 mm
- distortion practically absent and imperceptible in the range of 24-55 mm
- in the wide-angle range, the nature of the distortion barrel-shaped
- the nature of distortion is unified, easily corrected in the editor
- general level vignetting is at the level typical for such lenses
- the strongest vignetting appears at 18mm & f / 3.5
- vignetting decreases with focus towards MDF
- vignetting almost completely disappears at F / 8
- vignetting easily fixable in the editor
Aberration
- the strongest chromatic aberration visible at 18mm & f / 3.5 at the edges and corners of the image
- general level HA is at the level typical for such lenses
Rest
- color rendering neutral
- pronounced effect of a 14-ray star on strongly covered diaphragms
- a small amount of glare in the backlight, a slight drop in contrast in the side light. Immunity is at a good level.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Full Frame Opportunities
Nikon 18-55GII in the range of focal lengths of 24-55 mm easily covers a full-frame sensor without perceptible vignetting. The reserve for frame coverage is simply huge. On the Nikon D700 this lens in the center of the frame is very sharp.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Sample Photos
Camera shots Nikon D90. On-camera JPEG from one of the readers of Radozhiva.
Jpeg source photos download from this link (77 photos, 230 MB).
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
My experience
Underestimated lens. Good for its time. FROM Nikon D40 in 2006 it was just a chic whale kit, which for a modest amount of money allowed to make a lot of good shots. It is very difficult to overestimate the convenience of such a lens.
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An accurate list of all Nikon DX Nikkor lenses
- 10.5 mm/ 2.8G AF Fisheye [gold ring]
- 35 mm/1.8G AF-S
- 40 mm/2.8G AF-S Microphone
- 85 mm/3.5G AF-S VR Microphone
- 10-20mm/4.5-5.6G AF-P VR
- 10-24mm/3.5-4.5G AF-S
- 12-24mm/4G AF-S [gold ring]
- 16-80mm/ 2.8-4IN AF S VR [gold ring]
- 16-85mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR
- 17-55mm/2.8G AF-S [gold ring]
- 18-55mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S [black / silver]
- 18-55mm/3.5-5.6GII AF-S [black / silver]
- 18-55mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR
- 18-55mm/3.5-5.6GII AF-S VR
- 18-55mm/3.5-5.6G AF-P
- 18-55mm/3.5-5.6G AF-P VR
- 18-70mm/3.5-4.5G AF-S
- 18-105mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR [Thailand / China]
- 18-135mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S
- 18-140mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR [Thailand / China]
- 18-200mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR [Japan / China]
- 18-200mm/3.5-5.6GII AF-S VR
- 18-300mm/3.5-5.6G VR
- 18-300mm/3.5-6.3G VR
- 55-200mm/4-5.6G AF-S [black / silver, Japan / China]
- 55-200mm/4-5.6G AF-S VR
- 55-200mm/4-5.6GII ED VR
- 55-300mm/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR
- 70-300mm/4.5-6.3G AF-P
- 70-300mm/4.5-6.3G AF-P VR
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical
Results
Nikon 18-55GII is a simple full-time lens included with some cameras. The model is outdated, but still is a good budget solution for simple amateur photo tasks.
- low cost in the secondary market
- convenient set of focal lengths
- light weight and compact size
- bayonet type hood
- special optical elements in the optical scheme (1 aspherics and 1 low dispersion element)
- good maximum magnification ratio for macro shooting, which is 1: 3.2
- ultrasonic built-in focus motor
- the presence of a lens profile in most popular RAW converters (certainly there is in ACR, Lightroom)
- fairly flat aperture at hidden values
- good optical performance (good sharpness on covered apertures in the center of the frame, normal sharpness on open apertures in the center of the frame, other parameters are within the normal range for this kind of lens)
10 main disadvantages
- small stroke of the focus ring, insufficiently convenient manual focus
- low focusing speed (at the same time convenient enough for a large number of amateur photo tasks)
- no image stabilizer (appeared in Nikon AF-S 18-55 / 3.5-5.6G VR)
- plastic mount
- no hood included
- rotation of the focus ring during auto focus and as a result there is no constant manual focus mode M / A or A / M or the like (appeared in Nikon AF-P 18-55 / 3.5-5.6G VR)
- lack of dust and moisture protection (for example, such SMC Pentax-DA 1: 3.5-5.6 18-55mm AL WR)
- optical design is not updated and is used from the lens Nikon AF-S 18-55 / 3.5-5.6G ED
- rear lens movement while changing focal length
- palpable barrel-shaped distortion 18 mm focal length, tangible vignetting 18 mm focal length, poor resolution at 18 mm in the corners of the frame on open apertures. Other optical flaws inherent in similar lenses
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval.
Apparently, the sharpest whale on Nikon) but) on Pentakov’s not an enemy, the front lens is not on one version, but all-weather gives sharpness as it costs 800 hryvnias) well, by the way)
Pentax is a great system.
Thanks for the interesting review. Now I will look differently at this lens.
PS. macro on this lens, really pleasing to the eye
The description is pretty good. All you want to feel - feel. Dyakuyu Arcadiy
I can't bevleie I've been going for years without knowing that.
Only nourishing what about ”Activi ED is cheaper nіzh VR, as in ED is another image stabilizer є?
http://kt-group.com.ua/?productID=1118456#2
http://kt-group.com.ua/?product_slug=nikon-d3100-kit-18-55mm-ed-1&productID=1120087
Because there are 3 types of Nikon 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6G lenses. Some ED lenses don't have VR, but all VR lenses have ED - and so it turns out.
In my opinion, the color reproduction and aperture ratio in this lens are simply terrible, and in daylight the detail of the image is low, in short, I think to change it. And I do not particularly recommend this lens. Although for a wide angle a good cheap option.
The detail of the image can be said only in the context of certain values of the f-number. Agree, for a start - a great option.
The color rendition is really disgusting ... All frames seem to be washed, vivid in + spoils even more ... In FS you can correct for hours, as a result, the picture in the brain says that everything was different anyway.
Thanks for the description.
Nice and beautiful everything is painted.
By the way, it’s not a problem to get a lens hood, a Chinese analogue of the original, about 50 UAH :)
Yes, I still have such a whale with a hood and it is for 50 UAH.
Arkady, well, why only for a start? -At what stage will he (18-55) begin to miss, and what exactly will not be enough?
As I understand it, the next step after this lens is not 18-105,55-200 or 18-200 (I mean the quality of the photo, and not the advantage in focal and versatility) ??
And, most likely, if a large focal range is not fundamental (we will add unimportant bokeh here), then it makes sense to change 18-55 only to more “correct” and high-aperture fixes (or zooms, but expensive, with a constant aperture) - I understand correctly ? Indeed, in its FR range, it copes well with tasks.
Another question: at the beginning of the article, you presented three varieties of 18-55, and you described them as one. So which one is better?
Is 18-55 really just enough for a start?
Will stop grabbing if you switch to full frame - Nikon D700, D3 (x, s) or try to shoot them on film. Also, depending on the needs, most likely there will be a need for a larger aperture for a portrait. Due to the distortion, a more or less “correct” portrait can be obtained at 55mm and F5.6, this may not be enough in low light conditions, as well as for artistic highlighting of the portrayed one. For example, Nikon's 50mm F1.8 has a 50mm aperture 16 times faster than 55mm at F5.6 (the difference between 5.6 and 1.8 is 4 stops, which gives a 16x shutter speed, or ISO). High-aperture fixes are also not a panacea, for the same portrait, you can use a telephoto lens, remembering that the depth of the sharply imaged space is proportional to the aperture and inversely proportional to the square of the focal length, therefore a dark telephoto lens will still be better than a dark whale lens for a number of tasks. The only major advantage of a kit lens is cost and wide angle.
The best of the three 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Nikkor by virtue of stabilizer. The article describes 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor
Thank you for the consultation :)
Thank you. I’m not going to go over to full :) For the portrait I’m using Arsat N (aka Helios 81N), it’s pretty good, if ideally. But I need a very subtle approach to it :) I’m thinking of buying 35 or 50 mm AF-S (t .k. there is no screwdriver) f / 1.8-a little more aperture, I think, and sharpness, well, about the convenience of autofocus generally silent.
By the way, how much do you think 35 mm can be universal (except for the inconvenience with the RF)? Thanks.
The sharpness of the Helios-81N is 2.0 more than that of the Nikon 50mm F1.8 D AF, I can not say about AF-S. The difference in aperture between 2,0-1,8 is not felt almost at all. 35mm is very convenient as a staffer for all occasions, very sharp, fast and not expensive.
Good day! Tell me, what will be better to shoot 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Nikkor or Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX 35 mm f / 1.8 G thanks in advance for the answer.
Nikkor AF-S 35mm DX will give the best result in the picture.
Thanks for the answer, and 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Nikkor will be a plus that it has zoom and VR
Great review. Tell me, what will give the best picture on a wide angle Nikon 18-55mm or 18-105mm?
I liked it exactly on the 18mm picture from 18-55
Thanks for the answer
Hello, it’s very interesting, everything is written here and informatively for beginners like me))) after reading an article about Nikon 3100 (I have one) which says that in order to unlock the camera’s potential it’s worth buying a 35mm lens, or for everything shooting 18-105 or 18-200. and now having read these things, she came to a standstill. get me out of it please))) which one to buy for this camera? I’m taking pictures for myself, and I really want to give the camera the opportunity to work in harmony with the lens, like who it is. (shoot macro, animal children movement, portraits)
This is a difficult question, I personally advise you to have two - a universal 18-105mm and some kind of 50mm 1.8.
Thanks for the answer, probably you can also take 18-135mm?
yes, it’s possible 18-135, just 18-105 comes with a stabilizer, but for zoom it’s quite important.
Arkady, does it make sense to buy an 18-105 with an aperture equal to the same objective as in the 18-55 kit? Isn’t it better to take for example a 28-70 token with a 2,8 aperture?
They have different focal lengths, respectively, different zoom ratios, for someone 18-105 will be much more convenient. I do not recommend supplementing 18-55 with 18-105, but as a replacement, 18-105 would be nice. The rest depends on the needs.
Hello! Thanks to your review, I purchased this lens. This is my first, took it to the Nikon D80, also my first DSLR. Very pleased with the quality, thanks for the review! What do you recommend taking next? I’m not going to sell this yet, I think I’ll take either 50 or 35mm. Wide-angle ones are also very interested. I want to make landscapes, city views, etc. Which is worth a look? Or maybe it is better to take a universal zoom 16-75 with a constant aperture and go only with it for all occasions? Or all the same, 2,8 can not be compared with 1,8 to 50mm? Often I shoot in a room under the most ordinary lighting, I have to turn up the ISO, noise appears. And the pictures are just needed without a flash. 2,8 will be enough for shooting in a room with lamp lighting without a flash at an acceptable (up to 400) ISO or is it still better to take 35 \ 50mm?
Best of all, shoot indoors at the aperture at F3.5 on your whale. See what iso and endurance you need. Then, just keep in mind that the shutter speed on F2.8 will be 1.5 times shorter and F1.8 will be 4 times shorter. Universal zoom 16-75 with a constant high aperture of 2.8 does not exist. For landscapes and for a wide angle, the whale also works. On the D80 I recommend a cheap option as Nikon 50mm F1.8D.
Oh, confused! Meant AF-S Nikkor 17-55. And I look at this fifty dollars, yes, thanks.
Please tell me, I just can’t understand, I’m doing a lot of test shots of the same thing on different apertures and focal lengths, but the picture doesn’t tell me anything. At what aperture values and at what focal lengths on this lens will the maximum sharpness be? I would be very grateful for the information.
The lens is the sharpest at F8-11 values. If you shoot with slow shutter speeds, you may not notice the difference.
Thank you!
I have been professionally engaged in photojournalism for 20 years. I shot only with Nikons and my own optics. I am spinning this “whale” in my hands and I don’t believe that “Nikon” has dropped so low ... Made in Thailand ... Cheap plastic. Frankly speaking, it doesn't look like a product from "Nikon" at all. Picture - I won't say anything. I advise everyone to try the manual series (non-autofocus) Nikkors, especially those released before the 80th year ... You will understand something!
Understand also correctly, it’s good for you with a 20 year experience to shoot on a manual, and to a person who bought father’s money for an amateur carcass try to explain the difference)
Tell me please. how to determine the diameter of a given lens is the one that you need to know when buying light filters. And is it enough to know whether the diameter is enough, or are there any other parameters that affect the "suitability" of the filter for a given lens?
Thank you!
It is enough to know just the diameter of the fart lenses of the lens. It is usually written on the rim near the front lens, or somewhere on the lens itself. This is enough to buy a lens. Typically, the diameter is from 49mm to 77mm.
Well, don't tell me. I bought my first DSLR camera with carefully saved money and it is very interesting to me. Thus, you can tell any newbie, they say, do not get involved in this business, you will not understand anything in it ...
Arkady, hello. Answer, please, from what sources did you find that ED glass is present in the third series of this lens, because this (unlike the first two) is not indicated either on the lens itself or in the instructions for it (it only refers to the presence of one aspherical structure lenses). Indeed, from this we can conclude that the optically latest modification is slightly worse than its predecessors, although the presence of VR is, of course, its advantage.
I will not answer, because the article does not say anywhere that the VR version has ED. And in the comments, I already noted in one of the questions that the third version does not have ED. In terms of picture quality, all three are very similar, but personally it seems to me that ED will still be cut. Maybe you just need to cross yourself :)