Review of the Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED-IF AF-S DX

www.nikon.co.uk RRP: £279 We recently looked at standard ‘kit lenses’, those that come supplied with a new camera. Most of these have a focal range around the 18-55mm mark, but Nikon currently also offers this 18-135mm lens with the Nikon D80 DSLR as an alternative. It can of course be bought separately and may appeal to punters looking for a standard lens with a bit more oomph. Specification As a DX lens, this optic is designed specially for Nikon DX sensors, in other words, Nikon DSLRs (as Nikon doesn’t make SLRs with full frame sensors). Its 35mm equivalent focal length is 27-202.5mm, making it a good, all-purpose lens, if not quite a superzoom. The lens has a plastic mount and, while some plastics may be tough enough to withstand space travel, on a camera, plastic is less desirable than a metal mount in our view. Still, it is built to a budget. The rest of the outer shell is also made of rigid plastic, which appears to be of good quality. The main external barrel has a large, rubber zoom ring and a smaller grooved focus ring, and as the zoom is extended, a further two plastic barrels extend. Within the optical construction are a pair of aspherical elements, and one element made from Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass. Focus is internal, so a polarising filter can be used, and a Silent Wave Motor is used to shift the elements quickly and quietly. Handling At 385g, the lens sits nicely on the smaller Nikon camera bodies, without causing strain on the mount, or on the user’s shoulder or neck. Like the Tamron 18-250mm lens the Nikon 18-135mm could hardly be said to be the fastest lens in the world, with a maximum aperture of f/3.5-5.6, but because of the shorter focal length range camera shake is pretty minimal in sunny conditions, though low light can cause problems with slower shutter speeds. Verdict This is a very useful lens range, covering wide angles and the mid-telephoto range without pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable. Compromises have been made to produce the lens on budget, but overall this could be a good longer-reaching replacement for the standard kit lens, without breaking the bank. What Digital Camera Score 87%