Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsNot expensive but gives great quality images.
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2014
I am not easy to please when it comes to quality. I spent most of my career as a test/quality engineer in aerospace and capital equipment manufacturing and I can spot lemons from a mile away. This lens, however, does what it is supposed to do, and while the motor for the autofocus is a bit loud, at least mine is not so loud that I would hesitate to use it at a wedding or other event. I have taken and edited several dozen images today and I am amazed at the quality of the images I have taken, both in macro and in the normal mode.
Would I recommend this to a friend for their Nikon? Absolutely. This is the best aftermarket lens I have had since I got a Vivitar Series 1, 70mm - 210mm macro focusing, zoom lens, in the 1980's, for my Canon F-1. The price is right and it takes amazing quality photos. Good value for the money
Just a heads up here that I've noticed. When switching from macro to normal, put the zoom away from the 300mm or 200mm a bit or it will not want to switch back to normal. Outside of that little peccadillo, I have no complaints at all. The lens is not all that heavy and it seems to be well made. There are no indications of loose or sloppily assembled lens groups and this is a very versatile lens for the price. I love the way that the supplied lens hood can be mounted in the reverse position for storage. This takes up a lot less room in my gadget bag and protects the controls of the lens while being stored.
A general note about all lens purchases: I would recommend that anyone purchasing any lens buy a 58mm (or whatever size your new lens takes) UV Haze Filter and leave it on the lens at all times. The UV filter is a lot easier to clean, protects the objective of the lens and has no effect on exposure times, depth of field, etc. I would much rather replace a $20 filter than a high $$$ lens!
