Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR review

The Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR has a generous zoom range but not a travel-friendly weight

Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
(Image: © Nikon)

Digital Camera World Verdict

With a high-quality optical line-up, effective Vibration Reduction and fast ring-type ultrasonic autofocus, this is a premium ‘superzoom’ lens for Nikon’s FX (full-frame) DSLRs. Naturally, it also works on DX (APS-C) format DSLRs, on which it gives an effective zoom range of 42-450mm, with proper super-telephoto clout. Image quality is pretty respectable but not a patch on that of Nikon’s newer Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR lens for mirrorless cameras. It’s also pretty weighty for a travel lens.

Pros

  • +

    Generous zoom range

  • +

    Optical VR

  • +

    Fast autofocus

Cons

  • -

    Limited viewing angle width

  • -

    Image quality isn’t the best

  • -

    Pretty heavy at 800g

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The Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a superzoom lens for full-frame cameras, which is something of a rarity compared with superzooms for crop sensor bodies. The extra quality enabled by an FX rather than DX format camera comes at the cost of extra weight and increased price. With a bigger image circle required to fill a full-frame sensor, this lens has a larger diameter and is hefty at 800g. It’s therefore less than ideal as a ‘travel lens’.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.