Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

Nikon
85 Overall Score
vs
Canon L-Series RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM 20mm

Canon L-Series RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM 20mm

Canon
54 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

85 out of 100 medium confidence 12 reviews

This Nikon 18-300mm lens is widely praised for its versatility, sharpness, and value. Users love the all-in-one zoom range that replaces multiple lenses, especially for travel, events, and photographing kids. A few note the autofocus can be slow or imprecise, and some received the wrong item initially, but overall satisfaction is very high.

Pros
  • Versatile all-in-one zoom range
  • Sharp images across zoom range
  • Great value for money
  • Lightweight and compact
  • Effective vibration reduction
Cons
  • Autofocus can be slow or imprecise
  • Some units shipped with wrong lens
  • Not sharp at full zoom (past 150mm)
  • Plastic build feels cheap
  • Autofocus not silent
👍 Versatility 6
👍 Image quality 7
👍 Value for money 5
🤔 Autofocus performance 4
🤔 Build quality 4
👍 Vibration reduction 3

Canon L-Series RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM 20mm

84 out of 100 high confidence 40 reviews

This Canon RF lens lineup receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, with users praising exceptional sharpness, fast and silent autofocus, and a lightweight, compact design that is ideal for both photography and video. Many reviewers highlight its outstanding performance for astrophotography, noting minimal coma and excellent star rendering wide open. A few criticisms mention heavy reliance on digital corrections, noticeable uncorrected vignetting, and some distortion, but these are generally seen as acceptable trade-offs for the size, weight, and price. Overall, it is considered a significant upgrade over older EF lenses and a top choice for hybrid shooters.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Fast and silent autofocus
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Excellent for astrophotography
  • Minimal coma and aberrations
Cons
  • Heavy reliance on digital corrections
  • Noticeable uncorrected vignetting
  • Some distortion and color fringing
  • No image stabilization
  • Loose, clunking elements (one report)
👍 Image quality 25
👍 Autofocus performance 12
👍 Weight and size 15
👍 Astrophotography 8
🤔 Digital corrections 6
👍 Build quality 5

Scores

Portrait
Nikon
88
Canon
56
Video Cinema
Nikon
84
Canon
61
Budget
Nikon
82
Canon
47
Street
Nikon
81
Canon
53
Landscape
Nikon
75
Canon
60
Travel
Nikon
72
Canon
44
Professional
Nikon
71
Canon
64
Macro
Nikon
69
Canon
53
Wildlife Sports
Nikon
65
Canon
49

Specifications

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VRCanon L-Series RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM 20mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min16 mm20 mm
Focal Length Max80 mm20 mm
Elements1715
Groups1311
Aspherical Elements3★2
ED Elements4★3
CoatingNano Crystal and Super Integrated CoatingsCanon SSC (Super Spectra Coating); SWC (Sub-Wavelength structure coating; ASC (Air Sphere Coating); Fluorine protective coating on front element
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/16
Min Aperture2.8-4f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades711★
Build
MountNikon FCanon RF
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed—✓★
Weight0.50 kg★0.52 kg
Filter Thread72 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAF-SVCM
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance350 mm200 mm★
Max Magnification0.22x★0.19x

Pros & Cons

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

  • Strong optical (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong versatility (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile

Canon L-Series RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM 20mm

  • Strong optical (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong build (68th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR is ¥148,593 cheaper (1.6x less).

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

Canon L-Series RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM 20mm

Verdict

★ Winner: Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR

Scores 85 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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