[jogiba]

Nikon has launched the AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, a 16.7x superzoom for APS-C DSLRs. The 18-300mm offers the highest ever zoom ratio for a Nikon interchangeable lens, giving a 27-450mm equivalent range on one of the company's DX-format cameras. The lens is a much more complex design than the existing 18-200mm - utilizing 19 elements in 14 groups and, at 120mm long, is 23% longer. It features a 77mm filter thread and will be available from June 2012 at a price of around $999.

The NIKKOR 18-300mm VR Lens: Nikon’s Longest Focal Range

Building on the popularity and versatility of Nikon’s telephoto zoom lens lineup which includes both the NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 and 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lenses, the new 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is Nikon’s longest focal range ever, with an astounding 16.7X ultrahigh-ratio zoom range. The DX-format 18-300mm VR lens is surprisingly compact, lightweight and covers a focal range from wide-angle 18mm to super-telephoto 300mm, equivalent to a focal length of 27mm to 450mm in FX/35mm format. At the 300mm focal length setting, the lens’ large f/5.6 aperture enables photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds with shallow depth-of-field. This new super telephoto zoom lens is ideal for taking stills when travelling and for all around general photography including landscapes, portraits and distant subjects. The 18-300mm lens is also excellent for recording HD video as it can be used for wide establishing shots, medium close-up shots and extreme telephoto sequences when the users want to separate the subject from the background.

The construction of the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens consists of 19 optical elements in 14 groups with three Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements that effectively minimize chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings, and three aspherical lens elements that virtually eliminate aberrations at wide aperture settings. The new lens also incorporates a nine rounded blade diaphragm to help achieve a natural looking dramatic separation between subject and background.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR also has a dedicated zoom lock switch which secures the lens barrel at its minimum length and will prevent the lens from sliding during transportation. Additionally, the 18-300mm VR lens is ideal for capturing close-ups with great detail, as it offers a 1.48 ft. minimum focusing distance at 300mm, as well as a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:3.2X.

Nikon launches AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR superzoom lens: Digital Photography Review

[benhai]

So Nikon is trying to make DSLR to compete with super zoom of P&S

For so many years, this strategy never works well.

[jogiba]

So Nikon is trying to make DSLR to compete with super zoom of P&S

For so many years, this strategy never works well.

They will never come close to the zoom ratio of P&S superzooms like the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 pocket size superzoom with 20x (24-480mm eqiv) lens or the larger DSLR style with up to 42x zoom.

Vimeo

Vimeo

Vimeo

[rawr]

or the larger DSLR style with up to 42x zoom

That must be the Nikon Coolpix 510. 24-1000mm is impressive!

Now that Nikon is doing a 18-300, expect Tamron or Sigma to do a 18-500 now. It probably wouldn't be too hard for Sigma in particular to make the Bigma start at 18mm. But what a monster it probably will be.

It's interesting that the Nikon media release for the lens makes such a big play on its utility for video. As video is such a big deal nowadays, I half expect Pentax to re-introduce power zoom on it's lenses.

[Medium FormatPro]

Sigma 50-500mm F/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens for Pentax 738109

Here's one I've rarely seen.

I personally have no problem with the size and weight of the lens. And let me point out a downside to the Pentax K-01...

It's the aperature range of the lens. The Pentax K-01 does not normally focus quite as well as a K-5, but also has issues when one goes into this type of aperature range - specifically 4.5 to 5.0 starting range. Plus there are the optical issues of a lens with a ten power zoom ratio - ouch

[jogiba]

For Pentax Full Frame DSLR Cameras

Sigma 50-500mm F/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens for Pentax 738109

FF K-mount DSLR , bring it on.