The announcement of a new high-priced Nikon kit lens raises the possibility that a counterpart body is on its way

Image: The new 18-140mm lens from Nikon, an all-rounder that can function as wide-angle or telephoto

Nikon has announced a new DX-format zoom lens with a broad focal range and Vibration Reduction (VR) technology.

The AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is described by the firm as a ‘great all rounder’, with a reach from wide angle to telephoto as well as a lightweight compact build.

The wide focal range is complemented by the inclusion of NIkon’s VR technology, which the firm claims will allow photographers to use shutter speeds up to four stops slower without image blur, especially when shooting towards the telephoto end of the lens’s focal range. Nikon claims that the VR will actually enhance visibility when panning.

The optical design of the lens includes 17 elements in 12 groups, with one extra-low dispersion (ED) glass element and one aspherical lens element.

The announcement of this lens raises a few questions with regard to Nikon’s future product plans. At £579, this product is pretty dear for a non-specialist kit lens, and the fact that it isn’t being bundled with any currently existing DSLR leads us to suspect that a counterpart DSLR body may be soon in the pipeline. We’ll have to wait to find out.

The AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR from Nikon will be available from August 29th 2013.