Nikkor 18-200 mm VR vs. 18-200 mm VR II??

[Michiyo-Fir]

Anyone had any experience with the 18-200 VR II lens?

Is it really a noticeable difference from the plain VR? Worth the extra money?


By the way, I won't be using a tripod too much so VR is a great idea for me, just wanted to know if I should spend the extra money on a newer version.

 

[Bad Andy]

I have the 18-200 VR lens. The only difference between the new model and the older model is the addition of the zoom lock, which locks the lens at 18MM. Both feature the newest (4 Stop) VR system.

It is a great "walk around lens", and provides decent photographs. If you are serious about landscapes or cityscapes, I would not recommend it. It has some very funky lens distortion that is not that easy to fix. Light does fall off in the corners of the lens if shot wide open. (It is not that fast a lens, so you shoot wide open frequently).

Overall, I would recommend it with the above reservations. If you are leaving the house, and not sure what you are going to encounter, it is great. The zoom range is great.

-Andy

 

[Garbz]

The VRII system adds about a stop to the already good VR system. As much as I hate this lens for anything other than holidays where you don't want to carry a complete kit, even the old one had an awesome VR system.

One thing to remember is that it's just 1 stop. That may buy you an extra 10 minutes or so at dusk, but in reality the difference is very marginal. Also the zoom lock is of limited value. 18mm is about the only position that this lens didn't creep, but I guess it's still aimed at the holiday user who really wouldn't want his delicate lens to extend while being tossed around in a backpack.

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

Thanks.

I guess I'm going with a regular VR then. It's almost $200 more for the newer version which doesn't seem to be worth the money.

 

[dhilberg]

Thanks.

I guess I'm going with a regular VR then. It's almost $200 more for the newer version which doesn't seem to be worth the money.

It's not worth the money. Definitely look for the older one. They are the same, except for the 18mm locking tab and the VR lettering on the barrel is a different color. As Bad Andy said, the original 18-200 had the VRII system from the beginning. Everything else is the same.

I had the original one but sold it recently. It's great for a do-it-all vacation lens, and the VR is helpful, but it has some heavy distortion and it doesn't correct in PS completely. Plus it's pretty soft at the extremes. Stop it down to f/11 and keep the focal length in the middle. It's quite sharp at those settings, but then again what lens isn't.