Nikon has been making optical lenses since before World War II, and they currently have a long line of lenses – sold under the Nikkor brand name – specifically designed to work with DSLR Nikon digital cameras. But which of their lenses is considered the best?

If you consider the number of units sold, the ongoing demand, and how long Nikon photographers are willing to wait to get one, the clear winner has to be the Nikon 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF DX VR zoom lens. This lens is not cheap; it retails for around $750, but is often out of stock for weeks or months at a time. Therefore it’s often sold at a premium of $150 to $200 on eBay and by some camera retailers that are fortunate enough to get some of these lenses on the shelves.

So this lens costs hundreds of dollars, and still photographers are willing to wait a long, long time for their backorders to be shipped… What makes this lens so special?

• First and foremost, the optics are world-class. Across this lens’ entire focal range, the quality and sharpness of the image sent through to the camera’s sensor is unsurpassed. The two ED glass and three aspherical lens elements minimize chromatic aberration and other distortion while maintaining high resolution, color accuracy and contrast. Nikon’s Super Integrated Coating offers excellent color reproduction while eliminating flare and ghosting.
• The broad 18mm to 200m focal range will cover almost any shot, and the 11x zoom capability brings distant images right up close. For many Nikon DSLR photographers, this is the only lens they carry.
• The built-in VR II (vibration reduction) system allows super-sharp pictures, even in low-light conditions. This system gives a photographer the equivalent of 4 f-stops faster.
• The DX mount allows this lens to work with almost all of Nikon’s top-of-the-line DLSR cameras, and the built-in, silent wave motor allows fast and quiet auto-focusing.

All in all, this one lens will handle almost 100% of any photographer’s needs, and will produce images of peak quality, color and sharpness. If it’s in your price range and you can afford to wait, this is the lens to own.

Ritz Camera (online at RitzCamera.com) has the Nikon 18-200mm lens for MSRP, although as mentioned earlier, it is frequently backordered. If you absolutely have to have the lens right away, other retailers may carry it, but be careful to buy from a reputable vendor; there are many gray market camera products that are being sold online.

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