Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR lens review

For those looking to go beyond what a kit lens has to offer their Nikon dSLR, there's Nikon's AF-S DX 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR. Compatible with all Nikon DX digital SLRs including the D300, D60, and D40, there's an awful lot to decipher in its name.

Providing the 35mm-equivalent angle of view of a 24-127.5mm lens, it delivers a useful zoom range, and its features make it a great everyday lens capable of scenics as well as portraits. Given that it has a rather narrow maximum aperture of f3.5, though, its near-$600 price tag seems relatively hefty.

Design
• Solid construction with a quality feel to it, including a black crinkle finish with a metal lens mount and base for added durability.
• Weighs 17.2 ounces, measures 3.3 inches long with a 2.8 inch diameter, and accepts 67mm screw-on filters. The filter does not rotate while focusing.
• Knurled wide rubber zoom ring at the front of the lens, with a smaller but very useable manual focus ring toward the base of the lens.
• Large, easy-to-read zoom markings at 16mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, and 85mm. Distance scale window that reads in meters and feet, good to have when setting focus manually.

Features
• Working focal length of 24mm to 127.5mm on a Nikon DX-based body (1.5x magnification factor)
• Variable maximum aperture from f3.5 to f5.6 and a variable minimum aperture from f22 to f36
• Vibration Reduction optical stabilization system for sharper handheld photos at slow shutter speeds, especially in low light. The VR compensates in real-time for shake and vibration with no degradation to the image. Besides the normal setting, it has an active mode that is useful if the photographer is moving.
• Nikon's exclusive M/A (manual/auto) mode provides full-time autofocus with instant manual-focus override by just turning the focus ring. Also has a full-time manual-focus mode.
• Nicely accessorized with a lens hood (HB-39) and a lens pouch (CL-1015) for safekeeping.