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Home → Reviews → Cameras and Lenses → Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR AF-P Review

Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR AF-P Review

By Václav Bacovský 55 Comments
Last Updated On January 26, 2024

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55 Comments
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Jay Dann Walker in Australia
Jay Dann Walker in Australia
January 3, 2024 7:03 pm

I must be one of the lucky ones – as well as unlucky. Which I will explain later.

I bought a d90 new in 2009. The 18-55 it came with worked until last month (December 2023, yes!) and then “passed away” quite suddenly, one moment it was working but the next minute, boom! gone. And missed.

Mine was extremely sharp at f8-f/11. I produced two books with my D90 kit and sold stock images (in those good old days when publishers bought such and actually paid reasonable $$ for them, alas now mostly gone) that reproduced in books and magazines as good as any taken with so-called “pro” gear.

I never did try that 18-55 on my D700 and D800, so I’ve really no idea if or how it would work, or even if it would. My bad.

Ah, the good old days, yes. when kit lenses came of age, and suddenly were worth buying. 2009 was a good year indeed for that.

Now my dilemma. We want to replace the 18-55, but they are like flies in sugar syrup on the online secondhand market and it’s virtually impossible to work out which will suit the D90. Vendors don’t seem to know Arthur from Martha where technical data is concerned, prices are reasonable (usually <AUD$100, so peanuts) and I'm reluctant to buy online only to find the lens I've acquired won't work on the D90.

That Nikon D90 is amazing, BTW. And the 18-55 of its era when used sensibly could (and did for me) produce images as good – well, almost as – as what I often see posted online today from more modern Nikons.

Your review was of great interest and, like everything else you post, well worth the time to read. I always learn so much from what you write. Please keep it up!

DANN

3
Reply
Fridtjof Cunow
Fridtjof Cunow
April 11, 2023 11:13 pm

The P- version works fine with my D800, though, which got a firmware update a month ago.
There is no difference to the D5600.
Thank you for this very fine review.

0
Reply
Yi Oh
Yi Oh
November 5, 2022 2:35 pm

Great review.

1
Reply
Chris Simos
Chris Simos
August 26, 2022 1:55 pm

This is an exceptionally informative review.
How would the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR AF-P compare to the Nikon 35 f/1.8 DX in low light / night shooting, mounted on a Nikon D7200?
The 18-55mm has VR, but the 35 f/1.8 is very fast.
All comments and advice would be greatly appreciated!

10
Reply
Tomas
Tomas
September 16, 2021 5:01 am

Great review. I have other dilemma: wich lens is better – oldy Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 G IF-ED DX or newer AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II? I dont’ need a stabilizer. Thanx!:)

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Ted
Ted
June 26, 2021 11:35 am

I think this is the only review I have seen that compares the various versions of this lens so it is very helpful for those trying to decide. True, they are not the greatest lenses that Nikon has made but they are small. light and inexpensive. All positive virtues.

I find the older non-VR versions are actually very good on the older DSLRs of their time, such as the D40. D50, D60 etc. Obviously they will start showing their limitations on newer higher MP bodies.

The real argument for the latest two versions is their super compact size and much better built quality.

4
Reply
nikos
nikos
May 20, 2020 10:23 pm

Hello, so helpful review. I need a lens for video combined with D780 for professional use for normal range 2-6 metes and i find this one as most silent focus system, is it worth?
Have you any other in mind? (for 4k video on gimbal) thank you

0
Reply
Václav Bacovský
Václav Bacovský
Author
Reply to  nikos
May 25, 2020 1:21 am

Yes, this is in my opinion the best option you have for the time being – focusing is quick and neraly silent while recording video.

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Reply
Kmonty
Kmonty
May 11, 2020 7:28 pm

Excellent review! I really appreciate your investigative work and your ability to draw the right conclusions. I used a Nikon D7200 last December with the 18-55mm AF-P VR lens on my trip to Italy and Spain. I had typically used the Nikon 18-105mm VR lens, but I decided to travel with something smaller and lighter (and one that didn’t have the lens creep of the 18-105.)
I obtained excellent results. Other than the loss of the additional zoom length, I had pictures that were at least as good with the 18-55 lens, compared to the older 18-105. In fact, due to the excellent focus motor of the AF-P lens, I had more “in focus” shots over the course of the trip than I would have had with the AF-S lens. I cannot stress how much better the AF-P focus motor works! My “kit” lens focuses faster and quieter than some of the expensive Pro lenses! What a bargain.

13
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Dr:Basavaraj
Dr:Basavaraj
April 11, 2020 5:54 am

Sir I am a big fan of your reviews.I own Nikon D 7100 and 18-140 lense.Two Questions I have got for you. First weather I should sell & get AFP 18-55 for better performance? Second is AFP 18-55is compatible enough to use on Nikon D 7100.?

1
Reply
Václav Bacovský
Václav Bacovský
Author
Reply to  Dr:Basavaraj
April 12, 2020 3:05 pm

Thank you! As for your question: my copy of the 18-55mm AF-P lens is much better than the 18-140mm, but I suspect my 18-140mm has some backfocusing issues, so I am not very confident in generalising my experience (I cant really fix it on my d5300 which I am currently using with it). The other question is easy though: no issues at all with D7100 paired with 18-55 AF-P, I had used this combo for 2 years! Vaclav

5
Reply
Luca
Luca
September 23, 2019 10:22 am

The pre-vr 18 55 dx hard 7 elements in 5 groups.
I dont think that they lacked in sharpness, please check your facts.

1
Reply

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