Photo Review Reviews section

AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Lens

8.5 Rating

Nikon’s first ultra wide-angle 16-35mm FX-format compatible zoom lens with built-in vibration reduction technology.The AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR lens provides a lower-priced (though still expensive) alternative to Nikon’s other wide zoom lenses, which are a full f-stop faster. Designed to meet the performance demands of the company’s FX sensor DSLRs, it is also fully compatible with DX-format cameras and has the distinction of being the first wide-zoom lens to include VR II vibration reduction technology.

AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G ED Lens

9 Rating

A fast, high-performance, wide-zoom lens for professional photographers and photojournalists.Designed for both ‘full frame’ FX and ‘APS-C’ DX cameras, Nikon’s new ultra-wide angle AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G ED zoom lens offers a combination of speed and performance that will suit professional photographers and photojournalists. The f/2.8 aperture is usable throughout the focal length range as is the closest focusing distance of 28 cm. On a DX-format Nikon body like the D300 we used for this review, this lens covers a focal length range equivalent to 21-36mm.

AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED Lens

9 Rating

An affordable telephoto zoom lens for Nikon’s DX-format DSLR cameras.Designed as a second lens for DSLR kits, the AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED offers an affordable option for owners of Nikon’s DX-format bodies who want a medium tele zoom lens. Compact and light in weight, this lens is made almost entirely from plastic – right down to the mounting plate. Fortunately, overall build quality is good for a plastic lens and, coupled with the 18-55mm kit lens, buyers will get a very useful range of focal lengths without adding much weight to their equipment.

AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G VR Lens

8 Rating

The standard kit lens offered with Nikon’s new D5000 DSLR camera body.Nikon has matched Canon in offering a stabilised lens as the kit lens with its latest DSLR camera, the D5000. The AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G VR lens covers a focal length range equivalent to a 27-82.5mm lens on a 35mm camera. Equipped with a Silent Wave Motor drive and built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) technology, this 3x zoom lens will focus down to 28 cm across the entire zoom range.

AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED VR Lens

8.5 Rating

A lightweight, 5.5x telephoto zoom lens with built-in VR stabilisation for Nikon’s DX camera bodies. Photographers looking for a telephoto zoom lens to complement the 18-55mm kit lens supplied with Nikon DSLRs will doubtless be drawn to the new AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED VR lens. Designed specifically for Nikon’s DX-format cameras, where it covers a focal length range equivalent to 85-450mm, it offers some attractive features plus a decent price/performance ratio.

AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

9 Rating

A well-build general-purpose lens with above-average performance for Nikon’s DX-format cameras.Designed for use with Nikon’s DX-format cameras, the new AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens will be offered in some Nikon DSLR kits – including with the new D90, which was used for our tests. Covering angles of view equivalent to 27mm to 157.5mm, it represents a good general-purpose lens for everyday photography and is priced accordingly. Nikon’s internal focusing system enables the lens to be used with angle-critical filters, such as polarisers, while a Silent Wave Motor focus drive ensures autofocusing is fast and quiet.

1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

8.5 Rating

A standard-range zoom lens for Nikon’s new CX-format cameras.The 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 is one of two lenses offered with the new Nikon 1 camera bodies. Covering an angle of view equivalent to 27-81mm in 35mm format, this lens is suitable for all kinds of general photography, including family snapshots, scenery and portraiture. It features a retracting design, similar to the Olympus 14-42mm kit lenses (which cover the same 3x zoom range).

1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 Lens

8.3 Rating

The kit tele-zoom lens supplied with the new Nikon 1 cameras.The 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 provides the tele-zoom lens in the twin-lens kit offered with the new Nikon 1 camera bodies. Providing a 3.7x zoom range, it covers an angle of view equivalent to 81-297 mm in 35mm format and is suitable for photographing sports and wildlife, with some value as a portrait and close-up lens.

Vivitar ViviCam X60

8.5 Rating

A keenly-priced, high-resolution digicam with plenty of user-adjustable controls.Vivitar’s new ViviCam X60 packs a lot of sophisticated functions into a very compact body. And at $599 for a 10-megapixel, 6x optical zoom camera with P, A, S and M shooting modes and plenty of other adjustments, it represents a genuine bargain buy. No viewfinder is provided, but the LCD is slightly larger than many competing cameras offer and the control buttons, though quite small, are sensibly located. However, the comprehensive menu system is a bit fiddly to use.