Nikon 70-300mm VR Review

This is an in-depth review of the Nikon AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR lens that was released back in August 2006 together with the Nikon D80. The Nikon 70-300mm VR lens is targeted towards sports, nature and wildlife photographers that need a lightweight, versatile telephoto lens with great optics and vibration reduction technology, at an affordable price. The lens works on both Nikon FX (full-frame) and DX (cropped) sensors and has an equivalent field of view of approximately 105-450mm on DX sensors, which makes the lens particularly good for reaching distant subjects. The Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ID-ED VR lens features two “ED” (extra low dispersion) glass elements that are used in all Nikon professional lenses, providing higher contrast, lower chromatic aberration and higher resolution, due to less air bubbles and glass deformities within the glass elements. In addition, the lens sports the latest vibration reduction “VR II” technology, giving up to 4 full stops of advantage over non-VR lenses at low shutter speeds. Vibration Reduction, especially the latest VR II generation, makes this lens particularly useful for hand-held shooting while hiking and traveling. Autofocus is practically silent, thanks to the Silent Wave Motor (AF-S) within the lens.

In this review, I will do my best to provide a thorough analysis of this lens, along with some image samples and comparisons against other Nikon professional telephoto lenses.

1) Technical specifications

1. Mount Type: Nikon F-Bayonet
2. Focal Length Range: 70-300mm
3. Zoom Ratio: 4.3x
4. Maximum Aperture: 4.5
5. Minimum Aperture: 32
6. Maximum Angle of View (DX-format): 22° 50′
7. Minimum Angle of View (DX-format): 5° 20′
8. Maximum Angle of View (FX-format): 34° 20′
9. Minimum Angle of View (FX-format): 8° 10′
10. Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 0.25x
11. Lens (Elements): 17
12. Lens (Groups): 12
13. Compatible Format(s): FX, DX, FX in DX Crop Mode, 35mm Film
14. VR (Vibration Reduction) Image Stabilization: Yes
15. Diaphragm Blades: 9
16. Distance Information: Yes
17. ED Glass (Elements): 2
18. Super Integrated Coating: Yes
19. Autofocus: Yes
20. AF-S (Silent Wave Motor): Yes
21. Internal Focusing: Yes
22. Minimum Focus Distance: 4.9ft.(1.5m)
23. Focus Mode: Auto, Manual, Manual/Auto
24. Filter Size: 67mm
25. Accepts Filter Type: Screw-on
26. Dimensions: (Approx.) 3.1×5.6 in. (Diameter x Length), 80×143.5mm (Diameter x Length)
27. Weight: (Approx.)26.3 oz. (745g)

Detailed specifications for the lens, along with MTF charts and other useful data can be found in our lens database.