Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras

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A fantastic lens at a killer price. Surprisingly light for being a 300mm! Yes, it is costly, but consider what youre getting: amazing range and capability delivering professional quality shots in what could actually be your 24/7 go-to lens. I am a novice photographer and was delighted to jump into the intimidating world of large(r) lens photography. Takes some getting used to if youre accustomed to a point-and-shoot type lens, but once youve adjusted, youll be amazed at the quality of photo youll be able to capture from a great distance! Im attaching a few photos so that youre able to see the caliber of images this baby delivers.

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I got this lens for $300 and change years ago, so its popularity mustve brought the price up. Ive shot through everything from 35mm f1.4 up to 200-400mm f4 and quite frankly this is the best bang for your buck in the DX range especially. Im not a huge fan of a telescoping lens compared to an internal lenses, but its certainly not the end of the world. Out at 300 you lose a bit of sharpness, but around 200-250 this lens shines. Pros: -Great Value -Useable Focal Length -Mid Range Light Speed -Decent Build Cons: -Telescoping Body -Loss in Sharpness

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I have a 55-200 mm lense. I wanted a longer zoom for an upcoming trip to Alaska. This is a great lense that still allows me to shoot relatively close and far away without changing lenses. Works well with the auto focus on the camera, but can be turned off for manual focusing. Great buy used.

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Took my new 55-300mm Nikkor lens out for a test spin recently, and I have to say that I love it. Compared to my older Sigma 18-200mm lens, this one produces a much more crisp image (i.e. little to no chromatic aberration) requiring far less processing in Photoshop to clean everything up. I also appreciate the extra reach with this length so that I dont have to be super close to whatever wildlife Im photographing. Although, the subject definitely needs to be the (approximately) 5 feet of distance from the lens for it to focus. Another aspect I like about this lens is that although the auto-focus motor may not be the fastest, when the lens focuses it does so in a definite manner. Basically, my Sigmas motor was fast, but it got confused a lot as to what it was supposed to be focusing on. The Nikkor lens and Nikon body (D3300) communicate much more clearly, so to speak. And the focus holds, whereas my Sigma would constantly be searching (and in the meantime Id be missing shots). The only drawback to this lens is the fact that it doesnt feature a locking mechanism to prevent lens creep. I didnt actually experience any creep when I tested this out so it may be a moot point, but I was concerned about creep when Id stop to take notes (letting the camera hang). Honestly, though, I seldom let the camera actually hang down anyway. Mostly I just hold it at the ready while hiking around because I dont like it to swing wildly from my neck and Im likely to miss a shot if its not ready in my hands. Overall, this lens is fantastic for the price.

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This is a great lens, I have used it for only about 200 photos but I love it. I can capture the moon easily and I am able to get stellar portraits! Obviously from my pics you can tell Im a new photographer so please excuse my quality.

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I recently treated myself to a new Nikon D5300 camera and rather than go with the kit lenses that I already had, I chose to get a bit of an upgraded long lens. I take a lot of pictures of RC airplanes flying around the model airfield and this lens gives me the reach to bring them up close. When paired with the high pixel count of the D5300 Im able to zoom in and then crop in my photo editor to make the picture appear even closer. Photos are sharp and clear. The autofocus is fast and I get crisp shots even in burst more when the target is moving fairly fast. Id say this is an enthusiast-level lens. Its sized for the DX cameras and a good performer for a reasonable cost.

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This has been a good purchase. I have used this a lot for my nephew and nieces soccer games.I wish the f stop was smaller, but at this price, I knew not to expect too much. I did use this in very low light environment with a spot light, and after tweaking the ISO, I was able to get a few really good shots. I think that is really the only time I use this lens, I am still in love with my 35 mm prime. For the price and the functionality of capturing our kids little league game, I would recommend this lens. Actually, probably would not recommend it for basketball or other indoor sports. Update: It has been more than a year with this lens. I will still give it four stars and I am still happy with my purchase. The update I want to add to my original review has to do with ISO. When the soccer games go into dusk and evening light, despite the soccer fields having bright lights, the camera and lens bump the ISO setting past the 2,000 mark. I try my best to keep my ISO at 100, so anything over 1,250 I start bugging. This lens has done a pleasantly good job at capturing kids high school level soccer and volleyball. And when the photos are seen on digital devices the high ISO is not really noticeable. I think I see it more, because I am looking at those numbers and just fixate on them. I understand that is a hang-up of mine, but wanted to share in hopes this review-update will help.

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Got one used like new from Amazon warehouse deals. I just purchased a Nikon d5300 and this lens is amazing. It was the perfect price and performance is great too. So far i have only shot in day times with it but it focuses quickly and takes great images with the right settings on the camera. I am by no means a pro, maybe slightly above novice. This is the perfect pair to my 18-55 kit lens. I have attached some sample action shots so you can be judge of the image quality paired with the d5300.

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Okay so, this was one of those purchases that I put in my cart and kept it there for about a month; and every other day Id pop open my cart because "today is the day Im going to blow $400 on something I dont really need!" Im in no way a "professional" photographer (a professional wouldnt cuss at tourists when they see you are taking a photo and walk in front of you anyway) but I do love getting out, in and around the National Park to take photos. Ive used the 200mm lens mainly over the last year and it worked great, but just didnt have enough umph! Last weekend I missed a few photo ops due to the zoom. It was then I came home, popped open my Amazon cart, held my finger on the "checkout" button for 15 minutes and finally said "screw it!" Arrived quickly and I took it out for a test yesterday. What can I say? I love it! Its not a HUGE difference, but some shots I wouldnt have normally gotten with the 200mm lens I actually had to zoom out to catch everything in frame. I always read the reviews on here before buying anything and for those who say its too long, what did you expect? For those who say its too heavy, sure its got a little weight to it, but if youre a dude and are whining about how heavy this is, I suggest you go to Walmart, buy some weights (start out with the pink girly ones) and get some strength built up! Straight up, Im glad I hit the "purchase" button!

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I really like this lens. I am no pro by any means, but using the right tool makes all the difference in the results. My one caveat, it is NOT any more silent than any of the other Nikkor lenses. If you use it for video youre still going to pick up the sound of the auto-focus motor. All the sample pictures below were taken using this lens at maximum zoom using the Nikon D550s default settings..

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