Gear: Go Everywhere Lens

Product name: 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR II Zoom-Nikkor

Made by: Nikon

Web Site: nikonusa.com

Traveling and photography has always gone hand and hand for me. Before becoming a professional photographer life was easy, you brought a simple point and shoot camera with hopefully a decent zoom on vacation and you captured all those perfect family moments. Now there seems to be so much pressure to be prepared for anything, so packing 25 pounds of camera gear becomes a normal thing.

However that much gear seems impractical and mostly unused, so I was very excited when Nikon came out with the 18-200 zoom lens. Now I pack my Nikon D80, with the 18-200 zoom lens, a battery charger with extra battery, and many memory cards in a simply camera bag on most of my adventures.

Since traveling for me can vary from remote canoeing adventures in Canada to train trips through Europe to expeditions to Antarctica, it seems most practical to limit my gear. The lens has afforded me opportunities I otherwise would have missed out on. I am now willing and able to capture moments on a stroll through Prague without making a big production out of hauling tons of gear and my tripod around.

The vibration reduction feature is very helpful to me since I have a natural shake and don’t like to use a high ISO to compensate. The lens focuses quickly and accurately. I shoot mostly on manual and love the instant option of seeing the shot from a wide angle and telephoto perspective. One downside is when wearing the camera strap around your neck or on your shoulder the lens tends to open all the way to the 200mm position instead of staying closed and compact.

I would recommend this lens to anyone who wants the option to take just one lens with them on their adventures and still capture a wide variety of images, especially when weight and bulk is an issue. It is also great to leave on at home ready to be packed into the car for all your daily outings.