Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
Tamron Di AFA037N700 17-35mm
What Buyers Say
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
This Nikon 18-55mm lens is widely praised for its sharpness, light weight, and excellent value for money, especially as a kit lens. Users highlight its vivid colors and quiet autofocus, though some note the plastic build feels fragile and the barrel can wobble at extended focal lengths. Overall, it's considered a fantastic starter lens that outperforms its modest price point.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Lightweight and portable
- Excellent value for money
- Vivid color reproduction
- Quiet autofocus
Cons
- Plastic build feels fragile
- Barrel wobbles at extended focal lengths
- No image stabilization
- Loose tolerances can affect focus
Tamron Di AFA037N700 17-35mm
The Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD lens is highly praised for its sharpness, especially in corners, and excellent value for money. Users love it for landscape and astrophotography, noting good color, contrast, and flare control. Some drawbacks include lack of VR, no distance scale, and plastic build, but these are often overlooked for the image quality. A few users reported firmware issues with certain camera adapters.
Pros
- Excellent corner sharpness
- Great value for money
- Lightweight and portable
- Good color and contrast
- Effective flare control
Cons
- No vibration reduction
- No distance scale
- Plastic build quality
- Firmware issues with adapters
- Barrel distortion and vignette
Scores
Specifications
| Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm | Tamron Di AFA037N700 17-35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 17 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 55 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 7 | — |
| Groups | 5 | — |
| Aspherical Elements | 2★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Super Integrated Coating | protective fluorine compound |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | 2.8-4 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon F | Nikon F |
| Format | APS-C★ | — |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.20 kg★ | 0.46 kg |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | pulse stepping motor★ | OSD |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 55 mm★ | 280 mm |
Pros & Cons
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
- Strong macro (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile
Tamron Di AFA037N700 17-35mm
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
- Strong versatility (74th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 8 of 21 specs.