Nikon AF-S 55-300 used #9163012

The Nikon AF-S 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a telephoto zoom lens that is suitable for Nikon DSLR cameras and is particularly impressive due to its versatile focal length range of 55 to 300 mm. It offers excellent performance in a wide range of photographic applications, from nature and wildlife photography to sports and travel photography.

Optical features:

1. Vibration Reduction (VR):
   Vibration Reduction (VR) technology helps to minimize camera shake at longer exposure times, which is particularly important when shooting at long focal lengths (such as 300mm) or in low light situations.

2. VR enables sharper images without the need for a tripod.

3. ED glass (Extra-low Dispersion):
   The lens contains ED glass elements that reduce chromatic aberrations. This minimizes colour fringing, which leads to better image quality, especially when using long focal lengths and in high-contrast scenes.

4. The ED technology ensures high sharpness and clear colors.

5. Super Integrated Coating:
   Nikon uses a multi-layer coating on the lenses that reduces stray light and minimizes ghost images. This coating ensures a better contrast ratio and helps to achieve clear, vivid images even in difficult lighting conditions.

Autofocus:

1. Silent Wave Motor (SWM):
   The Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures fast, quiet autofocus. This is particularly useful for videography and when working in quiet environments where a noisy autofocus could be distracting.

Construction and handling:

1. Compact and lightweight design:
   With a weight of just 550 g and a compact design, the 55-300mm VR is ideal for mobile use. Photographers on the move will appreciate the light weight and easy handling of the lens.

2. Zoomring:
   The Zoomring is smooth-running and enables precise adjustment of the focal length, while the focus ring is easy and intuitive to use for manual focus adjustment.

Image quality:

• The lens delivers good sharpness and high contrast across the entire focal length range. Especially in the medium range (approx. 100-200 mm) it shows excellent sharpness. At maximum focal length (300 mm), slight blurring may occur in the corners, but this is quite normal for this price range.

• Colours are vivid and true to life and highlights are well rendered, resulting in an overall pleasing image quality.

Areas of application:

1. Animal photography:
   The focal length range of 55-300 mm is ideal for taking pictures of animals from a distance, especially in zoos or in the wild.

2. The lens allows animals to be photographed without disturbance.

3. Sports photography:
   With its fast autofocus speed and stabilized image quality, the lens is well suited to capturing fast movements at sporting events.

4. Travel photography:
   Due to its compact size and versatility, the lens is an excellent companion for travel photographers who need to respond to different subjects up close and far away at the same time.

Compatibility:

The Nikon AF-S 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is compatible with all Nikon DSLR cameras with an F bayonet mount. It works with both full-frame and APS-C sensors. On an APS-C camera, the crop factor (approx. 1.5x) results in an effective focal length range of 82.5 to 450 mm, which offers even more reach for wildlife and sports photography.

Conclusion:

The Nikon AF-S 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is an excellent telephoto zoom lens that is ideal for photographers looking for a versatile, lightweight and affordable solution for longer focal lengths. With Vibration Reduction (VR) and fast, quiet autofocusing, it offers solid performance in a variety of photography types, from wildlife and sports photography to landscape and travel photography.