Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 2162 18-135mm

The Nikon 18-135mm DX is a versatile, lightweight zoom that covers almost everything you'd need for everyday shooting. Image quality is solid for the price, and refurbished units are a steal, especially at the low end of the USD 178-381 range. No stabilization and a slow variable aperture are the trade-offs, but for daylight walkaround use, this lens is hard to beat.

Optically, this lens sits right around the middle of the pack in our database, which sounds like faint praise until you factor in the price. The 15-element design with one ED element keeps chromatic aberration mostly in check, and sharpness is solid through the center at most focal lengths. The corners get a little soft wide open, especially at the long end, but stop down to f/8 and things clean up nicely. Autofocus is the AF-S motor, so it's quiet and quick enough for everyday use, though it won't keep up with fast action. The 7-blade diaphragm produces decent bokeh for a kit-class zoom, and the 448mm minimum focus distance means you can get reasonably close to subjects. The lack of stabilization is the real limitation here, and it shows in the 36th percentile ranking for that metric. On a bright day, no problem. Indoors or at dusk, you'll feel it.

Stacked against the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, the Nikon loses on stabilization, which is a real advantage for Canon shooters. But the Nikon is lighter and typically cheaper on the used market. The Tamron 28-300mm VC offers more reach and stabilization, but it's bigger, heavier, and pricier. The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 is a completely different animal, a fast prime for low light and shallow depth of field, but it can't touch the Nikon's versatility. If you want one lens for everything, the Nikon's 96th percentile versatility ranking tells the story. If you need stabilization or speed, look elsewhere.

Here's where this lens gets interesting. Prices on the refurbished market swing from USD 178 to USD 381 across just two US listings, which is a wild spread for the same glass. The cheaper listing is an absolute no-brainer if you can find it in stock. Even at the higher end, you're getting a versatile zoom for less than most modern primes. The GBP 109 listing in the UK is similarly tempting. For a DX shooter who wants one lens that does most things, this is hard to beat on value.

The Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G DX is one of those lenses that quietly does a lot of things well without making a fuss about it. It's an APS-C zoom that covers a genuinely useful range, from wide-ish 18mm to a short telephoto 135mm, which means you can leave it on the camera for most of a day and not feel like you're missing shots. The refurbished units floating around are mostly in great shape, and at the prices we're seeing, this thing is a steal for anyone still shooting Nikon DX bodies.

It's not a speed demon. The variable aperture drops to f/5.6 by the time you zoom in, and there's no stabilization, so low light means either cranking ISO or keeping your hands steady. But for daylight walkaround shooting, travel, and casual portraits, it punches well above its price tag.

If you shoot in low light or need stabilization for handheld video, this lens will frustrate you. The lack of VR means slower shutter speeds are a gamble, and the f/5.6 max aperture at the long end doesn't help. Wildlife and sports shooters should also look elsewhere, the autofocus and reach just aren't there. And if you're on a full-frame Nikon body, this isn't your lens, period.

This is the lens for Nikon DX shooters who want a single, affordable zoom that handles most everyday situations. Travel, family photos, casual portraits, even some landscape work, it's all doable. The refurbished units we've seen are in excellent shape, and the image quality is genuinely good for the price. Just don't expect it to freeze action in dim light or give you buttery bokeh at 135mm. For the money, especially at the low end of that price spread, it's one of the best values in the DX ecosystem.