Nikon 18mm 135mm lens – Nikon 18mm-135mm lens, a versatile zoom lens designed for everyday photography, caters to a wide range of photographic needs. This lens boasts a remarkable focal range that allows photographers to capture diverse subjects, from expansive landscapes to intimate portraits, all within a single lens.
Its compact size and lightweight design make it an ideal companion for travel and everyday shooting, while its impressive optical performance ensures high-quality images with sharp details and vibrant colors.
The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens is a popular choice for photographers of all levels, from beginners to professionals. Its versatility makes it an excellent all-around lens, capable of handling various photographic genres, including landscape, portrait, street, and wildlife photography. This lens offers a perfect balance of reach and portability, making it an excellent option for photographers who want to capture a wide range of subjects without carrying multiple lenses.
Introduction
The Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is a versatile zoom lens designed for APS-C format Nikon DSLRs. This lens boasts a wide focal range, covering perspectives from wide-angle to telephoto, making it suitable for a variety of photographic situations.
It is particularly well-suited for everyday photography, travel, and capturing landscapes, portraits, and even some wildlife.
The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens offers a versatile range, capturing wide landscapes and intimate portraits with ease. Its ability to adapt to various shooting scenarios mirrors the evolution of lens design, much like the recent release of the Leica Elmar 50mm f/3.5 elmar 50 3.5 release.
This new lens, a nod to classic design with modern advancements, highlights the ongoing pursuit of image quality and versatility in the world of optics. The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens, a testament to this same pursuit, continues to be a popular choice for photographers seeking a single lens to cover a wide range of photographic needs.
Key Features and Specifications
This lens features a versatile focal length range that encompasses both wide-angle and telephoto perspectives, making it a good choice for everyday photography. The 18mm wide-angle end is useful for capturing expansive landscapes or architectural shots, while the 135mm telephoto end allows for closer shots of distant subjects.
- Focal Length:18-135mm
- Maximum Aperture:f/3.5-5.6
- Lens Construction:16 elements in 12 groups
- Minimum Focusing Distance:0.45m (1.5ft)
- Filter Size:67mm
- Weight:480g (16.9oz)
- Image Stabilization:Yes, VR (Vibration Reduction)
Target Audience
The Nikon 18-135mm lens is a good choice for a variety of photographers, including:
- Beginner photographers:The wide focal length range and image stabilization make it easy to use and versatile, ideal for learning the basics of photography.
- Travel photographers:The compact size and lightweight design make it convenient for taking on trips, while the zoom range allows for capturing a wide variety of scenes.
- Everyday photographers:This lens is suitable for capturing everyday moments, from family gatherings to landscapes and portraits.
- Hobbyist photographers:It provides a good balance of performance and affordability, making it a popular choice for hobbyists who want to experiment with different types of photography.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This lens offers several strengths that make it a popular choice for photographers:
- Versatility:The wide focal length range allows for capturing a variety of subjects and perspectives.
- Image Stabilization:VR (Vibration Reduction) helps to reduce camera shake, resulting in sharper images, especially in low-light conditions.
- Compact and Lightweight:The lens is relatively small and light, making it easy to carry around and use.
- Affordable:Compared to other lenses with similar features, the Nikon 18-135mm is relatively affordable.
However, the lens also has some limitations:
- Variable Aperture:The aperture changes with the focal length, which can limit the amount of light reaching the sensor at longer focal lengths.
- Image Quality:While the lens produces acceptable image quality, it may not be as sharp or have as good bokeh as some other lenses.
Performance and Image Quality
The Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, known for its versatility and portability, offers a compelling blend of image quality and performance. Its wide zoom range caters to a variety of photographic needs, from expansive landscapes to intimate portraits.
Sharpness and Contrast
The lens exhibits commendable sharpness across its entire focal range. While it achieves peak sharpness at mid-range apertures, it maintains good detail even at the wider and narrower ends. This is especially notable in the center of the frame, where images display exceptional clarity.
However, sharpness may slightly diminish towards the edges and corners, particularly at wider apertures. The lens also demonstrates impressive contrast, producing vibrant and well-defined images. This is attributed to its multi-coated lens elements, which effectively minimize reflections and glare. The contrast remains consistent throughout the zoom range, contributing to a pleasing visual experience.
Color Rendition
The Nikon 18-135mm lens delivers accurate and natural color rendition. Its ability to capture subtle color variations and nuances enhances the overall realism of images. While it may exhibit a slight warmth in its color profile, this can be easily adjusted during post-processing.
Low Light Performance
Despite its f/3.5-5.6 aperture range, the lens performs admirably in low light conditions. Its built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) system effectively minimizes camera shake, allowing for handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds. While noise may become more noticeable at higher ISOs, the lens manages to maintain acceptable image quality even in challenging lighting situations.
Distortion and Chromatic Aberration
The lens exhibits minimal distortion, especially in the telephoto range. However, some barrel distortion may be observed at wider focal lengths. This distortion is generally manageable and can be corrected easily in post-processing.Chromatic aberration, or color fringing, is also well controlled.
While some purple fringing may appear in high-contrast areas, it is generally subtle and does not significantly detract from image quality.
Example Images, Nikon 18mm 135mm lens
- Landscape Photography:The lens captures expansive landscapes with impressive sharpness and detail, showcasing its ability to render distant objects with clarity. For example, a photograph of a mountain range under a clear blue sky would exhibit sharp peaks and valleys, along with well-defined clouds.
- Portrait Photography:The lens excels at capturing portraits with a pleasing bokeh effect, softening the background and emphasizing the subject. For instance, a portrait of a person against a busy city backdrop would showcase a smooth and blurred background, drawing attention to the subject’s features.
- Wildlife Photography:While not ideal for fast-moving subjects, the lens’s VR system can be helpful for capturing wildlife images in moderate lighting conditions. A photograph of a bird perched on a branch, for example, would benefit from the VR system’s ability to minimize camera shake, resulting in a sharper image.
Versatility and Use Cases
The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens, with its broad focal length range, is a versatile tool that caters to various photography genres. It seamlessly transitions from wide-angle landscapes to telephoto wildlife shots, making it a compelling choice for photographers seeking a single lens solution for diverse photographic needs.
Landscape Photography
This lens excels in landscape photography, capturing expansive vistas with its wide-angle perspective at 18mm. The wide field of view allows for capturing the grandeur of landscapes, emphasizing the vastness of the scene. Using a smaller aperture like f/11 or f/16 helps to achieve greater depth of field, ensuring that the entire scene from foreground to background is in focus.
The Nikon 18mm 135mm lens, with its versatile focal length range, is a popular choice for photographers seeking a balance between wide-angle and telephoto capabilities. However, for those seeking a more compact and pocketable option, the Sony RX100 series might be a better fit.
A detailed comparison of the Sony RX100 I, II, and III models can be found here , highlighting the improvements in sensor size, autofocus, and image quality across the generations. While the RX100 series lacks the flexibility of a interchangeable lens system, it offers impressive image quality and portability, making it a compelling alternative for photographers who prioritize compactness and convenience.
Ultimately, the choice between a lens like the Nikon 18mm 135mm and a compact camera like the Sony RX100 comes down to individual shooting preferences and priorities.
Portrait Photography
The lens’s telephoto end, at 135mm, offers a flattering perspective for portraiture. This focal length creates a pleasing compression, minimizing distortion and emphasizing the subject’s features. The lens’s aperture range, reaching f/3.5 at the telephoto end, provides flexibility in controlling depth of field, allowing for selective focus and blurring the background to isolate the subject.
Street Photography
The 18mm-135mm lens proves equally adept in street photography, providing a range of perspectives for capturing candid moments. At 18mm, the lens allows for capturing wider scenes, incorporating the environment surrounding the subject. At 135mm, it offers a more discreet approach, allowing for capturing intimate moments from a distance.
Wildlife Photography
While not a dedicated wildlife lens, the 18mm-135mm lens can still be effective for capturing wildlife subjects. The 135mm end offers a decent reach for capturing animals from a distance, and the lens’s autofocus performance ensures capturing fast-moving subjects.
Advantages of Zoom Lenses
Zoom lenses like the Nikon 18mm-135mm offer several advantages over prime lenses, primarily their versatility. The ability to adjust focal length without changing lenses allows for greater flexibility and adaptability in various photographic scenarios. This eliminates the need to carry multiple prime lenses, making it a more convenient option for photographers on the move.
The Nikon 18mm 135mm lens, a versatile tool for capturing a range of subjects, from sweeping landscapes to intimate portraits, often requires post-processing to achieve the desired look. This is where understanding the nuances of color rendering in digital photography comes into play.
Sony cameras, known for their vibrant and detailed color profiles, often benefit from fine-tuning in Lightroom, a powerful photo editing software. Learning how to optimize Sony camera colors in Lightroom can be a valuable skill for photographers using any lens, including the Nikon 18mm 135mm, as it allows for greater control over the final image and a more personalized aesthetic.
Design and Build Quality: Nikon 18mm 135mm Lens
The Nikon 18-135mm lens is a well-constructed and versatile lens that is designed for both everyday photography and more demanding shooting situations. It features a robust build, a user-friendly design, and a reliable autofocus system.
The Nikon 18mm 135mm lens, with its versatile focal range, is a popular choice for photographers seeking a balance between wide-angle and telephoto perspectives. Its ability to capture both expansive landscapes and intimate portraits makes it a true workhorse. While the Nikon lens boasts impressive optical quality, some photographers might be drawn to the compact and lightweight offerings from Olympus, such as the Olympus IS 3 DLX system.
Ultimately, the choice between these two brands boils down to individual preferences and the specific needs of the photographer. For those seeking a lens that excels in both wide-angle and telephoto photography, the Nikon 18mm 135mm lens remains a strong contender.
Physical Design and Materials
The Nikon 18-135mm lens is a compact and lightweight lens, making it easy to carry and use. It weighs approximately 485 grams (17.1 ounces), which is relatively light for a lens with this zoom range. The lens is constructed primarily from polycarbonate and aluminum, making it durable and resistant to scratches and other damage.
The lens’s overall design is sleek and modern, with a black finish that complements the look of most Nikon DSLRs.
The Nikon 18mm 135mm lens, a versatile tool for capturing a range of subjects, offers a unique perspective compared to telephoto lenses like the Canon 100-400mm. While the Canon lens excels in wildlife and sports photography, often requiring a longer reach, the Nikon lens thrives in situations where a wider field of view is needed.
The debate on which lens reigns supreme often boils down to the specific needs of the photographer. For those seeking a detailed comparison between the Canon 100-400mm II and its predecessor, a comprehensive guide is available here.
Returning to the Nikon 18mm 135mm lens, its adaptability makes it a valuable asset for landscapes, portraits, and even street photography, providing a balanced approach to image creation.
Build Quality and Weather Sealing
The Nikon 18-135mm lens is built to withstand the rigors of everyday use. It features a metal lens mount, which helps to ensure a secure connection to the camera. The lens barrel is also made from durable materials and has a weather-sealed design, making it resistant to dust, moisture, and splashes.
Autofocus System
The Nikon 18-135mm lens uses a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) autofocus system, which is known for its fast, quiet, and precise operation. The autofocus system is capable of quickly acquiring focus in a variety of lighting conditions. In addition to the SWM, the lens also incorporates an internal focusing mechanism, which allows the lens to maintain a constant length during focusing.
This is beneficial for shooting macro photography and other situations where the distance between the lens and the subject is important.
Focusing Ring, Zoom Ring, and Other Controls
The Nikon 18-135mm lens features a smooth and responsive focusing ring that allows for precise manual focusing. The focusing ring is located on the front of the lens barrel and is easily accessible. The lens also has a zoom ring, which is located towards the rear of the lens barrel.
The zoom ring is also smooth and responsive, making it easy to adjust the zoom range quickly and accurately. The lens also has a switch that allows you to choose between autofocus and manual focus modes.
Conclusion
The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens presents a compelling combination of versatility and performance, making it a strong contender for photographers seeking a single lens solution for a wide range of shooting scenarios. Its strengths lie in its impressive image quality, particularly in the sharpness and detail it captures across its focal length range.
This lens is also highly adaptable, covering everything from wide-angle landscapes to portraits and even telephoto shots.
Overall Assessment
The lens exhibits excellent sharpness and detail throughout its zoom range, with minimal distortion and vignetting. This makes it suitable for various photography genres, including landscapes, portraits, and even wildlife photography, particularly when paired with a crop-sensor camera.
- Sharpness: The lens consistently delivers sharp images, especially in the center of the frame. While sharpness may slightly decrease towards the edges, it remains acceptable for most photographic applications.
- Distortion: The lens exhibits minimal distortion, making it ideal for architectural and landscape photography where straight lines are crucial. This characteristic ensures that the image remains visually pleasing without any unwanted warping or bending of lines.
- Vignetting: Vignetting, the darkening of the image edges, is present but well-controlled, and can be easily corrected during post-processing.
The lens’s versatility is further enhanced by its relatively compact size and lightweight design, making it an excellent choice for travel photography and everyday use.
Ideal Use Cases
The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens is well-suited for photographers who:
- Seek a versatile lens that can handle various shooting situations, from wide-angle landscapes to portraits and telephoto shots.
- Prioritize image quality and sharpness, especially for capturing fine details and textures.
- Travel frequently and appreciate a compact and lightweight lens that is easy to carry and use.
- Are comfortable with post-processing techniques to fine-tune image characteristics like vignetting and chromatic aberration.
Concluding Remarks
The Nikon 18mm-135mm lens is a compelling option for photographers seeking a versatile and reliable zoom lens. Its impressive optical performance, combined with its compact size and lightweight design, makes it an excellent choice for everyday photography. While it may not be the absolute best in its class for every specific photography genre, its versatility and overall performance make it a strong contender for photographers who want a single lens that can handle a wide range of shooting scenarios.