Processing, haptics, basic technical data
Nikon offers a good but not perfectly crafted lens, which provides for the amateur photographer and opportunity sufficient optical qualities. The mechanics is ok but already here and there carelessly or acts not as professional as in the expensive lenses made by Nikon, somewhere logical at this price.
With 420 g it is not too difficult, the plastic bayonet seems not trustworthy, but so far does his work properly. A lens hood is supplied. The objective is, as I said, made entirely of plastic and feels even so, haptic not necessarily a pleasure, but neat. With a focal length range of 18 to 105 mm suitable for everyday use focal length range is well covered and sufficient for vacation travel. As I see very beneficial to the built-in Silent Wave autofocus motor and VR image stabilization, which significantly raises the rating in this discipline.
For processing, material quality, equipment and mechanics = 3 stars.
Imaging performance - image quality
It is a not very strong light (from 3.5 to 5.6) Konsumerobjektiv. However, the optical quality of the lenses used is basically not bad.
Now I do not have a laboratory, my test and measuring instrument is the eye and the PC. Nevertheless, the differences with other lenses are very clearly perceptible. But first things first:
For me, now a major issue when it comes to imaging performance, is the freedom from distortion or how high the Verzeichnungsfaktor an objective. Now I can already hear the critics propose alarm that you can correct those unsightly factor PC with appropriate programs. Sure, you can. Mach I, too, but let's face it, the better the basic image data, the better I can later edit and on the PC. "Must straighten, sharpen and denoise" If I only consuming each image I get a neck. Except for the time factor. Certainly a good software for such corrections is the offer of DxO (for bargain hunters - better than nothing), professional, of course Photoshop, well another topic.
The 18-105er "shines" with partly violent distortion. Particularly pronounced in the 18mm wide angle, a "mega-ton" offends the eye. To "howl" beautiful bends ... For landscapes, highly defensible, but in architecture or urban images this distortion is very cumbersome because abundantly clear. Legal distortion a good piece, however, is surprisingly the 24 mm range, from 35 mm it beats in a violent "cushion" to what remains to 105mm thus obtained. As I said, it comes more into play when shooting in the town or buildings in the background. Even the in-camera distortion correction (D 90) is not able to iron out these errors. For this achievement, I forgive only 2 star, too bad.
One area, which dissolves the lens is very good, the sharpness figure. In all focal areas the part shines with very good knack sharp and high-contrast images, the autofocus (the composite camera D 90 + lens) works great, the VR mode helps considerably to minimize camera shake, for 5 star!
Chromatic aberrations keep pleasing in boundaries only for large magnifications from A4 color fringes are clearly visible, but 3 stars.
Another sub-theme in the field of image quality are vignetting, thus shadowing the edges. Clearly they are noticed me only at full aperture in the focal border areas at 18 and 105 mm, and then only if the background of uniform texture and lighting was. As well, I found the image quality and no longer visible to my eye shadowing, at aperture 8 and about 3 stars for it.
In terms of bokeh, well what can I say, because there is really more appropriate lenses. Ever a reasonably Bokeh is important to get with this lens difficult, but that's often the case with zoom lenses. (I leave it at this discipline without rating).
In summary, in terms of image quality: 3+ star (for the amazing sharpness, the extra plus)
Price-Performance
Given the quite reasonable price at ordinary processing and optical quality can be awarded with a clear conscience 4 stars in this sector.
End-Result:
3.3 stars and an extra "+" for sharpness
A good everyday Zoom the Konsumerliga, quite robust, despite high proportion of plastic and cheap plastic bayonet, yet meticulously crafted, mechanically so far ok, Very well equipped, it is a reasonable good value offer for entry into the Nikon SLR photo world. Ambitious amateurs will change objectively technically at times to get more out of their SLR`s out. Why not 4 stars, 3 stars in and despite extra "plus"? The rather strong distortion over the entire focal length range and the cheap plastic bayonet have a 4 star rating simply not allowed, sorry. Still, it's worth the money, no question.
