What’s the difference between Nikon’s 18-55mm kit lens options for the D3100?
Asked 9/13/2011
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I’m comparing two D3100 kit options and want to understand what the lens differences mean:
- AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
- AF-S VR DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G
I believe VR means vibration reduction and ED means extra-low dispersion glass. Is that correct? For a small price difference, which kit lens is the better buy?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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The biggest difference between these lenses is the VR - vibration reduction. This means you can shoot static subjects at slower shutter speeds and not be affected by hand shake as much. It's a real technical improvement and well worth the €20 difference in my opinion.
"ED" is to be seen as a marketing term in this context - ED glass is very important in high-performance telephotos and the like. In the case of these slow consumer zooms, you're not giving up any performance by forgoing it. In fact, the VR makes the slow max aperture less of a liability, making more photos possible.
Originally by user3114. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3114
14y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes: VR is Nikon’s vibration reduction, and ED refers to an extra-low dispersion glass element.
Between these two, the more important real-world difference is VR. Vibration reduction helps reduce blur from camera shake, especially when handholding at slower shutter speeds with static subjects. On a slow kit zoom like an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, that’s usually more useful than the ED label.
The non-VR ED II uses a simpler optical design and includes an ED element, while the VR version uses a more complex optical formula and drops the ED element. That doesn’t mean it’s worse; the optical redesign appears to make the ED element unnecessary.
So for a small extra cost, the VR version is generally the better buy because stabilization will help you get more keepers in everyday shooting. The ED marking here is less important than the practical benefit of VR.
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