Melville, NY—Nikon Inc. added two lenses to its Nikkor lineup: the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR and the AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lenses. The 18-300mm VR is a compact, 16.7x all-in-one superzoom DX-format lens; the 24-85mm VR is a standard zoom for FX-format photographers—for both still and video capture.
“Whether a pro on assignment, a photo enthusiast or an indie cinematographer, all Nikon users appreciate and rely on the vast selection and reliability of Nikkor lenses for all of their imaging needs,” said Bo Kajiwara, director, Marketing, Nikon Inc. “The new AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm VR and AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm VR lenses are fully optimized to capture stunning images and videos while meeting the growing needs of photographers of all levels around the world.”
Both lenses employ a variety of exclusive Nikkor core technologies, including Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) II image stabilization system, which provides the equivalent of a shutter speed approximately four stops faster. Built-in VR will help photographers create blur-free images and video while shooting handheld and in challenging lighting. Two focus modes, manual-priority autofocus (M/A) and manual focus (M), can be selected in both lenses. When either lens is in manual-priority autofocus mode, users can switch from autofocus to manual focus operation by rotating the focus ring, even during AF servo operation.
Additionally, both lenses feature an internal focusing system to help provide fast focus without changing the length of the lens while retaining working distance through the focus range, and Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology designed to deliver fast, accurate, quiet AF performance. The lenses also use Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating to provide accurate color reproduction and color consistency as well as reduce flaring.
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. This new VR lens is Nikon’s longest focal range ever, with a 16.7x ultra-high-ratio range. The DX-format lens covers from wide-angle 18mm to super-telephoto 300mm (27-450mm equivalent in FX/35mm format). At the 300mm setting, the lens’s f/5.6 aperture enables photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds with shallow depth of field. The lens is also geared for recording HD video as it can be used for wide establishing shots, medium close-up shots and extreme telephoto sequences when users want to separate the subject from the background.
It’s constructed of 19 optical elements in 14 groups with three extra-low dispersion glass elements to minimize chromatic aberration and three aspherical lens elements to eliminate aberrations at wide aperture settings. It also incorporates a nine-rounded-blade diaphragm to help achieve a natural-looking separation between subject and background. It also features: a dedicated zoom lock switch to secure the lens barrel at its minimum length and prevent the lens from sliding during transportation; a 1.48-foot minimum focusing distance at 300mm; and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:3.2x. $999.95.
Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR. For photographers seeking an FX-format standard zoom lens, it covers the frequently used focal length range of 24-85mm for shooting stills of landscapes, architecture, head-and-shoulder portraits, candid shots or group shots. For HD video shooters, the compact, lightweight lens is a choice when filming landscapes, large groups of people or when wide field establishing shots or medium close-ups are needed.
In addition to the lens’s built-in VR technology, it features auto tripod detection, which recognizes when the camera is mounted on a tripod, even during HD video recording, to help deliver specialized VR correction, and it’s constructed with 16 optical elements in 11 groups, including one extra-low dispersion (ED) glass element, three aspherical lens elements and a seven-rounded-blade diaphragm. $599.95. nikonusa.com
