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Home → Reviews → Cameras and Lenses → Nikon 28-300mm VR Review

Nikon 28-300mm VR Review

By Nasim Mansurov 346 Comments
Last Updated On July 2, 2020

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Table of Contents

  • Overview and Specifications
  • Optical Features
  • Lens Comparisons
  • Summary
  • More Image Samples
  • Reader Comments
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346 Comments
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Jakes
Jakes
April 13, 2023 3:56 am

This is an amazing lens. It might not be the sharpest of have zero defects, but create beautiful images. No wonder that Bob Holmes, Vincent Versace and other Nikon Pro’s love this lens for every day work. Mine have travelled all through Africa the past few yrs on my Z6 and have files some amazing images. Like the saying goes, the world does not need more sharp images, we need more art.

7
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Shane
Shane
January 10, 2023 5:06 am

You probably had a soft copy I’ve used mine for years found it to be very sharp beyond pixel peeping. Nikon 28 300 afs

2
Reply
Pete A
Pete A
Reply to  Shane
January 11, 2023 4:09 am

Shane, That was addressed, twice, in the review:

QUOTE from 2. Optical Features

One of our readers, Nicholas, was kind enough to send his copy of the Nikon 28-300mm VR that he believed was sharp — at least compared to the first one that he was not happy with. I ran a few more tests comparing my lens to his and I did not find major differences, as his copy performed very similarly.

QUOTE from 4. Summary

P.S. Some people criticized my original review of the lens by saying that I had a bad copy. As you can see from this review, the lens I had tested performed very similarly to another lens that was believed to be a good copy (sent by our reader).

1
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Orest
Orest
September 29, 2022 6:36 am

Been doing photography for a long, long time – about 50 years.. I have one of these. Use it a lot. This lens is a handy-dandy item for general purpose, walk around photography. It’s also a good choice for backpacking and other outdoor activities where total weight and bulk carried are an issue. As for the overall optics, what did you expect for the zoom range at this price point? Yeah, it could be a lot better – for several thousand more in price. It’s always a compromise. But it still blows the 24-120 away. As long as one knows, and understands, what one is getting, there’s no real problem. As for the whining about the “extra” steps in something like Lightroom, well now. Be happy that you can fix these little issues so quickly and easily using software. Try doing any of that with real film. Good luck. Unfortunately, Nikon has discontinued the lens as of July/August 2022. So it’s used from now on. I recommend this lens. Speaking of other great lenses,the Nikon 200-500 f5.6 is a great, amazing lens. Try it. Got one of those. Love it. And if you’re going to do serious macro work, get the 105 f2.8 Micro-Nikkor. Amazing lens. Great for portrait work too.

5
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Ian
Ian
June 19, 2021 2:20 am

I bought mine 7 years ago for a trip to South Georgia, where I didn’t want to be changing lenses in high wind and snow. I used a D600 on that trip, and the photos weren’t limited by any shortcomings of the lens. For long walks in adverse conditions with a variety of subjects it offers possibilities that no other lens does, for a good price. Macro performance is a bonus.

2
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Jason
Jason
January 20, 2018 3:09 pm

To All,

Just wanted to say thanks for all the information and talent on this site! Doug, wow, great pics. Haven’t read everything here and probably can’t but found this particular page after purchasing this lens at a Best Buy today. I was in the mood for a new lens and just wanted a good bang for the buck. I came home and had doubts (after looking at Nasim’s review) but am leaning toward keeping (and opening) it (after discovering Ken Rockwell’s review). It’s obvious Nasim knows what he’s talking about but as an amateur this lens should serve my needs. I’m now following Photography Life on Facebook. Can’t think of anything else to add at this point…

Cheers!

2
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Jason
Jason
January 20, 2018 11:30 am

Hi Nasim,

I just bought this lens today for my D3400. I couldn’t decide between this and the Nikon 18-300mm. I’m a newbie and this is a fairly big investment. I just want to go with the better lens. According to your ratings for both, it looks like this one is just slightly better. I’m gleaning your reviews for both now but would appreciate any advice, if you get this soon. I haven’t even opened it yet and do have 15 days to return it.

Thanks

0
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Orest
Orest
Reply to  Jason
September 29, 2022 6:42 am

Getting an FX lens for a DX body is not a good idea unless you’re planning to eventually switch to an FX body. The 18-300 has good reviews – see Ken Rockwell’s site. Generally, it’s better to use lenses designed for the body.

0
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Steve
Steve
November 6, 2015 12:58 pm

I have only one non-pro lens in my gear, and this is it! I have the full set of 2.8 zooms, and a bunch of very fast primes, but I still use this lens quite a bit. I bought this lens just to try it out, and my sales rep knew that I was planning to return it. However, after using for about a week, I could not part with it. It really blew me away how great many of the shots were. I have this lens mounted on my camera just for something quick to grab in unplanned shots. I have even used some of the photos with this lens on some of my annual calendar shots.

It is small, light, and allows for a very broad range of focal lengths. I have never been a fan of the super zoom, and never owned the 18-200, due to the poor quality. However, this one is a keeper for me. For general purpose … it is a solid resource.

3
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Trishul
Trishul
August 15, 2015 9:14 pm

Hi Nasim,

Great review as always.

Am a bit confused by the terminology. Is the VR on this actually mean VR II ( some listings on the net mention VR II ) ?
Also, is it safe to buy refurbished from Nikon store?

Thanks for your time !

Regards,
Trishul

0
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John Hunt
John Hunt
March 30, 2015 3:38 pm

Hi all I have owned the 28-300mm for about 3 years now, I find it an excellent ‘go to’ lens. I bought this lens after reading and looking at a video by Jay Maisel I have the 16-35mm for landscapes and find this excellent as well. In truth I cannot tell the difference between the two for quality. I shoot with a D600. I would have no hesitation in recommending the 28-300

3
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Jacobus DeWet
Jacobus DeWet
March 6, 2015 1:29 am

Reviews are good so you understand the good and not so good of the lens. However, I met a Lady who is a Nikon Professional Ambassador who shoots for National Geographic visiting places such as India, Afghanistan etc doing documentaries. She only use a D700 and the 28-300 with stunning results. She has now replaced the D700 with a Df due to size and fantastic ISO performance. Yes IQ has improved greatly with modern equipment but the results remain in the hands of the user. I have used this lens on a trip to Italy 3 months ago. Df with this lens, the best travel kid if you want to carry DSLR. I also Like the 24-120f4 as a travel lens and many more. Mt 24-70f2.8 is fantastic but big heavy and limited range for travel. I am at a point were I search for photographers using non professional equipment like the 28-300 to see the level of work they produce. I am stunned and realise that a lot of amateurs or enthusiasts spend to much money on expensive equipment.

0
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