Learn & Explore Tip of the Day

May 24, 2013

Ask people to write down their e-mail address on a piece of paper and take a photo of that paper along with their photos. That way you’ll always have their e-mail address on file. Send them a copy of the photo as a thank-you for their time.

May 23, 2013

Keep an eye on your LCD after you take photos of people, and when you find a particularly flattering shot, show it to them. Nothing makes a person relax like knowing that the photos you’re taking make them look good.

May 22, 2013

Planning to take a vacation by the beach? Look for a compact digital camera that’s waterproof, such as the Nikon COOLPIX AW100, AW110, S30, S31 or get an underwater housing for your camera. You’ll be able to take your camera under water and capture what goes on below the surface.

May 21, 2013

When shooting nighttime landscapes, use a low ISO (400 or below if possible) while working from a tripod. Open your aperture to F/4 or F/5.6. This will allow you to have a shot full of detail and of good quality. Remember that night shots need a subject, just like day shots.

May 20, 2013

Don’t forget to bring your camera to holiday barbeques so you can capture all of the fun. Take pictures of the food being grilled, games being played, as well as groupings of friends and family.

May 19, 2013

Wait until the camera has finished writing the photo(s) to the memory card (green light is off) before turning off the camera or removing the card. You can lose pictures if you do either before the camera has had time to download the file(s) from its internal memory to the card.

May 18, 2013

You should format the memory card in your camera on a regular basis. By using the camera’s built-in “Format” function, found in the menus, you lessen the chance of having card problems in the future. Doing so is better than just deleting the images using the camera or the computer.

May 17, 2013

When you’re at a parade take photos of the parade goers, especially your children and the looks on their faces. You’ll see a lot of smiles and excitement.

May 16, 2013

Take a self-portrait each day for a week or month (or a year). It’s harder than you think to take an attractive photo of yourself, and if you do it for long enough you’ll have an interesting series that shows how you’ve changed over time.

May 15, 2013

Everyone loves a parade. For more interesting photos, look for details like the band’s uniforms, a cheerleader’s colorful pom-poms or a bright red fire engine.

May 14, 2013

When shooting groups of five or more people, make sure you stagger them. Put tall folks in the back and the shortest ones in front. It may seem simple, but blocking out just one face can ruin a group portrait. Always tell them, “If you don’t have a clear view of me, the camera can’t see you.”

May 13, 2013

Posing a bride and groom for photos is sometimes difficult. Concentrate on close shots of just the two of them, with clean backgrounds. Then create a fun group shot having them in the center, with others gathered around them. Just make sure no one gets in front of them. After all, it’s their day.

May 12, 2013

Take plenty of photos during your Mother’s Day celebrations. Remember to print multiple copies, so everyone can have their own photographs of mom to cherish.

May 11, 2013

Use a polarizing filter to lessen or eliminate reflections from glass. This works really well on windows of stores or cars. But the trade-off is that your exposure will be a bit longer, as the light is cut down by almost two stops.

May 10, 2013

Capture the hustle and bustle of the city at night. Place your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure (slow shutter speed) to blur the movement of cars and people. Try shooting for about 10 seconds first, and then adjust creatively to catch the motion of the lights and the feel of the city.

May 9, 2013

Make a great team picture. Get the team together in front of a nice background—maybe the goal, the net or the team logo on the field or floor. Shoot the ordinary, and then let the kids have some fun, making faces or funny poses. That’s the one they will always remember.

May 8, 2013

Try shooting panoramas if you’re at a sport stadium, beach or park, for more interesting images. Some Nikon Digital Cameras have an Easy Panorama mode or a Panorama Assist mode, which make these photos easy to shoot.

May 7, 2013

When photographing animals of any kind—pets, birds in flight, animals at the zoo—try to zoom in as close as you can or use a longer lens to isolate the animal from its background. By getting a close-up view you have a greater chance of capturing a wonderful expression on the face of the animal, which will give you a more interesting photograph.

May 6, 2013

Want a unique video of sports action? Use the slow-motion mode that many Nikon digital cameras offer. By shooting the action faster than normal and played back at normal speed, your subject’s movements are slowed down and look more deliberate.

May 5, 2013

When celebrating Cinco de Mayo, take plenty of photos of the colorful decorations in addition to candid photos of everyone having a great time.

May 4, 2013

Change your white balance during a sunrise or sunset. Take your camera off auto white balance and switch to Cloudy or Shady white balance. This will add more strength to the reds, oranges and yellows. Auto White Balance tries to keep colors neutral.

May 3, 2013

To get a shot of someone at sunset, turn on your flash and place the person with the beautiful sunset behind them. With the flash on, they will be illuminated. With the flash off, they will be silhouetted.

May 2, 2013

Spend a day capturing images only in black and white. You have to look at the world differently to take a good-looking photo in black and white, and that will help sharpen your artistic skills.

May 1, 2013

May is National Photo Month! Celebrate by taking photos every day. Give yourself an assignment such as taking a self-portrait each day of the month, or photographing an object every day.

April 30, 2013

If your camera can capture images in both RAW and JPEG format, do so even if you don’t work with RAW images now. These RAW files have the highest image quality possible, so you can edit them years from now and be sure you’re getting the best looking image possible.

April 29, 2013

Set your Speedlight to Rear Curtain Sync. This fires the flash at the end of the exposure, not the beginning, and can create interesting streaks and effects in moving subjects. Experiment with the different flash modes your camera and Speedlight offers.

April 28, 2013

Pick a day and use a fixed focal length lens instead of a zoom (or only one focal length on your zoom, like 35mm). By practicing moving you and the camera to re-frame your images you’ll become more engaged with your subject.

April 27, 2013

If you are photographing out of the window of a plane be sure to keep from touching the window, walls, armrests or other parts of the plane. The vibrations caused by the engines are transmitted through the fuselage and can make your photos blurry. Instead, sit up in the seat and hold the camera as still as you can, close to the window.

April 26, 2013

Arbor Day, which celebrates the planting and caring for trees is celebrated across the USA at different times of the year. Some states celebrate in February while others celebrate the holiday in April, so we decided to celebrate it twice! Use this holiday to take some cool photographs of trees.

April 25, 2013

Frame your storm photograph before it happens. Remember that the sky is your subject, so dramatic clouds are what you’re framing for, and then you hope that lightning will happen in that space. Keep the horizon in the lower third of the frame with the sky the top two-thirds.

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AF-S DX NIKKOR
55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Compact 5.5X DX-format telephoto zoom lens with High Refractive Index lens element and ED glass is Ideal for capturing distant subjects at athletic events, family pictures, dramatic sunsets, travel and more. VR II image stabilization for handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and stable video capture.

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AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR2197

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$399.95

Product Number: 2197

Authorized Dealers

Key Features

Compact DX-format zoom lens with High Refractive Index lens element, ED glass and VR II image stabilization
Expanded photo and video opportunities that's designed to bring the action closer to the photographer.

Nikon VR II Image Stabilization
Vibration Reduction, engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens, enables handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and video capture.

HRI (High Refractive Index) Lens Element
HRI lens element is essential to keeping the lens compact while offering high contrast even at maximum aperture.

Exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
Enables fast, accurate and quiet autofocus.

Minimum focus distance to 4.6 feet at all focal lengths

5.5X Telephoto Zoom lens
Ideal for capturing distant subjects at athletic events, family pictures, dramatic sunsets, travel and more. Angle of view equivalent to a focal length of 82.5 to 450mm in FX/35mm format D-SLR.

Tripod Detection Mode
Reduces vibration that may occur due to shutter release when mounted on a tripod.

2 Extra-low Dispersion (ED) Elements
Effectively minimizes chromatic aberration, even at the widest aperture settings.

Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC)
Enhances light transmission efficiency and offers superior color consistency and reduces flare.

Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
Renders more natural appearance of out-of-focus image areas.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Specifications

Mount Type

Nikon F-Bayonet

Focal Length Range

55-300mm

Zoom Ratio

5.5x

Maximum Aperture

f/4.5

Minimum Aperture

f/22

Format

Maximum Angle of View (DX-format)

28°50'

Minimum Angle of View (DX-format)

5°20'

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

0.28x

Lens Elements

Lens Groups

High Refractive Index Elements

Compatible Format(s)

DX
FX in DX Crop Mode

VR (Vibration Reduction) Image Stabilization

Yes

Diaphragm Blades

Distance Information

Yes

ED Glass Elements

Super Integrated Coating

Yes

Autofocus

Yes

AF-S (Silent Wave Motor)

Yes

Minimum Focus Distance

4.6 ft. (1.4m)

Focus Mode

Auto/Manual

Filter Size

58mm

Accepts Filter Type

Screw-on

Dimensions

(Approx.) 3.0 x 4.8 in. (Diameter x Length)
76.5 x 123mm (Diameter x Length)

Weight

(Approx.) 18.7 oz. (580g)

Supplied Accessories

HB-57 Snap-on Type Lens Hood
LC-58 Snap-on Front Lens Cap
LF-4 Rear Lens Cap
CL-1020 Soft Lens Case

*Supplied accessories may differ depending on country or area.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

**Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
***Refer to the product manual or the Compatible Lenses Specification for additional details.

CL-1020 Soft Lens Case$17.50

HB-57 Snap-On Type Lens Hood$33.50

LC-58 Snap-On Front Lens Cap 58mm$17.00

LF-4 Rear Lens Cap$4.50

58mm Circular Polarizer II$128.00

58mm Filter NC$51.00

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*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR 4.3 5 72 72

Great All in One Lens This lens can do it all. I used to carry and swap the 18-55mm lens with this one. The lens is very light by the way. After a while I noticed that most of my shots were at least 6 to 10 feet away. Perfect for the low end of the 55-300mm range of this lens. Plus when I take it to sporting events the 300mm allows me to stay in the bleachers. Alot of our friends have the 200mm lens and have to get alot closer for the same shots. The image stabilizer allows for crisp action photos at any distance. October 17, 2011

Can't beat the price I really recommend the this over it's 55-200mm counterpart. It's beefier and feels more rugged. The metal attachment ring elevates it outta the "cheap" category IMO. The 300mm really comes in to play at this end, Wet lands, parks and wild life take on a whole new meaning when you can fill the frame from a considerable distance. Not to mention just walking around street photos. it's not ridiculously big that it draws attention to yourself, OK a little but not a crazy amount. This lens actually has VR2. In practice IMO you still need to be steady, and at 300mm in low light at f5.6......forget it, you need a tripod or something to rest the camera on. Images are sharp and look great, focus is quick and accurate. Unless your some kinda serious pro this lens is more than gets the job done. I recommend totally. One last thing it comes with the simple round hood, I wish it came with the cooler looking "flower" type, that's a oh well whatever not gonna sweat that little point. June 21, 2012

Fantastic Range shot, excellent VR.. Love it & Grab it!!!! I have had the 55-300 for a couple of weeks now and have used it quite a lot on my D3100. This lens I can say pure Class. I do not understand why its rating is so low, the lens should deserve 4.8 at least. The range is better than others, starting at 55mm rather than 70. It is very sharp from 55 through about 200 and better than others at 300. The VR is Great. My D3100 seems to meter very well with it and color is excellent. I highly recommend this lens.. June 18, 2012

Outdoor wildlife I love the ranges of this lens. I love shooting wildlife pictures, and find it exactly what I need for fast beautiful photos. May 18, 2012

one of the best lense i used!! i have used this lense and also compared it with other lenses of this class.but when ever i use my nikon dslr d5100 i use this .it gives me the perfect zoom and crisp pictures that i want ....with this lense i have captured pictures just the way i like it......this is my third lense and i found it to be being used all the time May 3, 2012

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AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

6 Answers

Will a lens take photos inbetween focal lengths?

Jul 1, 2011 by

Anonymous

on AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

+3points

3out of 3found this question helpful.

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Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens Review

AF-S DX NIKKOR
55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR