Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Review
It's easy to get a great telezoom if you have a lot of money to spend, and don't mind a big, heavy hunk of glass hanging off of your SLR.
But quality performance isn't always easy to get when you want a lightweight lens that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Enter the Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR ($399.95), which cuts cost, size, and weight with a narrow aperture design and an image circle that only covers the DX (APS-C) sensor format.
It delivers sharp images at every focal length, although it does lose a bit of resolution when pushed to 300mm.
Still, it's a strong option for photographers who don't use a full-frame camera, especially given its cost.
Design: Small and Light, With VR
The DX Nikkor 70-300mm ($396.95 at Amazon) isn't a big lens, despite being a telezoom.
It measures 4.9 by 2.8 inches (HW) when set to the 70mm position and weighs 14.6 ounces.
The barrel does telescope when zoomed in, extending an additional 3 inches or so when set to the 300mm position.
Nikon doesn't include a dedicated hood, but you can spend another $30 on the HB-77 hood if you prefer having one.
The front element supports the 58mm filter size.
The lens is finished in black, with gold accents, and housed in a polycarbonate barrel.
It lacks the fit and finish or pricier options—the mount itself is plastic, and the badge that identifies it is a sticker rather than raised and painted text you get on more premium Nikkors.
The zoom ring has a tough, rubber finish with a raised rectangular texture so it's comfortable to grip and turn.
It requires about a 90-degree throw to move from 70mm to 300mm, and has markings to let you know where it's set—70mm, 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, and 300mm are marked.
There's a very narrow manual focus ring at the frontmost part of the outer barrel—it remains in its position even as you adjust the zoom.
It's bare plastic, with a ridged texture, and is not coupled mechanically.
Instead it activates the internal focus motor to adjust focus, and there's very little throw to move from the close focus distance to infinity.
The result is a manual focus experience that isn't great, especially if you're a videographer looking to incorporate slow, smooth focus racks in your footage.
The speed of adjustments is controlled by how fast you turn the ring, and there's absolutely not tactile feedback.
For photographers who prefer the convenience of autofocus it isn't a concern.
There are no other controls or toggle switches on the lens.
This version supports VR—Vibration Reduction—which is Nikon's term for optical image stabilization.
I found it to be quite effective, netting consistently crisp results at 300mm at shutter speeds as long as 1/15-second—about 4 stops of correction.
That's especially important as the 70-300mm doesn't capture a ton of light, especially when zoomed in, so you may need to shoot at a longer shutter speed to keep the ISO low on your camera and the image quality at its best.
Nikon sells another version of the lens, the Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED, for $349.95.
It doesn't support image stabilization, and given the modest price difference, we recommend picking up the VR version of the lens instead.
You can always turn VR off in the camera menu if you don't want to use it for a particular scenario.
Focus is available as close as 3.6 feet (1.1 meter) from the image sensor.
You won't get true macro results from the 70-300mm—when zoomed all the way in and focused as close as possible it projects subjects at 1:4.6 life-size onto the image sensor.
But it's pretty decent close focus for a telezoom.
There's no focus limiter function, but the lightweight lens elements move quickly, so there's little delay in racking from the close focus to infinity.
Image Quality: Resolution Dips at 300mm
I tested the 70-300mm with the 20.9MP Nikon D500.
At 70mm f/4.5 it scores 1,939 lines on the center-weighted Imatest sharpness evaluation.
That's a bit better than the 1,800 lines we want to see at a bare minimum, but not as much resolution as we can expect to see from the D500's sensor at its best.
There's a bit of softness at the edges of the frame, but the 1,780 lines the periphery scores isn't anything to worry about for most shots.
Stopping down to f/5.6 moves the resolution from the acceptable to the very good range.
The lens shows 2,330 lines there, with edges that sharpen up nicely to 2,104 lines.
You get the best results at f/8 (2,453 lines) and f/11 (2,462 lines).
Diffraction starts to rear its ugly head at f/16, cutting resolution to a still-good 2,250 lines, but you don't want to narrow the iris anymore—we get just 1,870 lines at f/22.
{{ZIFFIMAGE id="152477" notable nopopup align="left"> See How We Test Digital Cameras
Zooming to the rough midpoint of the coverage range, we see an excellent 2,422 lines at 170mm f/5, with even performance from center to edge.
There's a nominal improvement at f/8 (2,521 lines).
You can feel free to make images at f/11 (2,447 lines), and results remain decent at f/16 (2,322 lines), but avoid using f/22 as the score drops to 1,875 lines.
Image quality takes a step back at 300mm, but it remains in the very good range—2,089 lines at f/6.3, with solid performance right up to the edges of the frame.
There's modest improvement at f/8 (2,131 lines) and f/11 (2,138 lines), but it never gets as sharp as we see at 170mm.
The zoom resolves 2,046 lines at f/16 and just 1,683 lines at f/22.
There's no distortion visible at 70mm, but we do see the pincushion effect when zooming in.
At 170mm there is 1.4 percent, and about 1 percent at 300mm.
Pincushion distortion causes straight lines to be drawn with a slight inward curve.
You won't notice it for most photos, but if it does distract from the clean lines of an architectural shot, it can be corrected using software—Adobe Lightroom includes a profile to remove it from Raw images.
You can enable in-camera correction when shooting JPGs if desired.
There is some darkening at the corners of the image.
We see -1.3EV at 70mm f/4.5, -2.1EV at 170mm f/5 and f/5.6, and -1.6EV at 300mm f/6.3.
It's not a heavy vignette, and it's gone by the time you narrow the aperture to the next full f-stop.
If you shoot JPGs and leave the default amount of vignette correction enabled you'll likely never notice it.
If you shoot Raw, the same Lightroom profile that corrects for the modest amount of distortion also compensates for the vignette.
Remember that the 70-300mm is a DX lens, covering only the image circle of models like the D3400 and D500.
If you own a full-frame Nikon, or plan on upgrading to one in the future, and want a lens of this type, consider instead the AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR.
It's a bit more expensive at $600, but won't display a big black circle around your images if you use it with a full-frame Nikon.
The image above shows what happens when you shoot with the DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR on the full-frame D850.
A Good Lens for DX Shutterbugs
The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR hits a lot of good notes for more casual use.
It's light, small, and affordably priced.
It includes image stabilization, which isn't available in its less expensive twin sibling, which is a feature that's more than worth the $50 premium it enjoys over the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED ($346.95 at Amazon) —the two extra letters, VR, are important to have.
If you don't see yourself upgrading to a full-frame camera, and don't need to shoot telephoto images in dim lighting, the 70-300mm is a good buy.
If you do want to future-proof yourself for an eventual upgrade to a full-frame system, consider instead the AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR ($596.95 at Amazon) , priced around $600.
If your budget is more flexible you can nab a telezoom with a bit more reach.
We like the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary as a light zoom with compatibility for both DX and full-frame (FX) cameras.
And if low-light shooting is a priority, consider giving up some zoom range and opting for the ultra-bright Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art, but remember that it's only for DX sensors and is priced at a premium, around $1,100.
But budget shoppers will be happier with the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm.
Especially if you're able to get a factory refurbished copy, which sells for around $180.
Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR
Cons
Narrow aperture.
Not great for manual focus.
Some distortion when zoomed.
Modest vignette.
Loses some resolution at the long end.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR is a low-cost telezoom lens for DX format SLRs.
It's light, compact, and delivers quality images as long as you don't zoom in all the way.
It's easy to get a great telezoom if you have a lot of money to spend, and don't mind a big, heavy hunk of glass hanging off of your SLR.
But quality performance isn't always easy to get when you want a lightweight lens that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Enter the Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR ($399.95), which cuts cost, size, and weight with a narrow aperture design and an image circle that only covers the DX (APS-C) sensor format.
It delivers sharp images at every focal length, although it does lose a bit of resolution when pushed to 300mm.
Still, it's a strong option for photographers who don't use a full-frame camera, especially given its cost.
Design: Small and Light, With VR
The DX Nikkor 70-300mm ($396.95 at Amazon) isn't a big lens, despite being a telezoom.
It measures 4.9 by 2.8 inches (HW) when set to the 70mm position and weighs 14.6 ounces.
The barrel does telescope when zoomed in, extending an additional 3 inches or so when set to the 300mm position.
Nikon doesn't include a dedicated hood, but you can spend another $30 on the HB-77 hood if you prefer having one.
The front element supports the 58mm filter size.
The lens is finished in black, with gold accents, and housed in a polycarbonate barrel.
It lacks the fit and finish or pricier options—the mount itself is plastic, and the badge that identifies it is a sticker rather than raised and painted text you get on more premium Nikkors.
The zoom ring has a tough, rubber finish with a raised rectangular texture so it's comfortable to grip and turn.
It requires about a 90-degree throw to move from 70mm to 300mm, and has markings to let you know where it's set—70mm, 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, and 300mm are marked.
There's a very narrow manual focus ring at the frontmost part of the outer barrel—it remains in its position even as you adjust the zoom.
It's bare plastic, with a ridged texture, and is not coupled mechanically.
Instead it activates the internal focus motor to adjust focus, and there's very little throw to move from the close focus distance to infinity.
The result is a manual focus experience that isn't great, especially if you're a videographer looking to incorporate slow, smooth focus racks in your footage.
The speed of adjustments is controlled by how fast you turn the ring, and there's absolutely not tactile feedback.
For photographers who prefer the convenience of autofocus it isn't a concern.
There are no other controls or toggle switches on the lens.
This version supports VR—Vibration Reduction—which is Nikon's term for optical image stabilization.
I found it to be quite effective, netting consistently crisp results at 300mm at shutter speeds as long as 1/15-second—about 4 stops of correction.
That's especially important as the 70-300mm doesn't capture a ton of light, especially when zoomed in, so you may need to shoot at a longer shutter speed to keep the ISO low on your camera and the image quality at its best.
Nikon sells another version of the lens, the Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED, for $349.95.
It doesn't support image stabilization, and given the modest price difference, we recommend picking up the VR version of the lens instead.
You can always turn VR off in the camera menu if you don't want to use it for a particular scenario.
Focus is available as close as 3.6 feet (1.1 meter) from the image sensor.
You won't get true macro results from the 70-300mm—when zoomed all the way in and focused as close as possible it projects subjects at 1:4.6 life-size onto the image sensor.
But it's pretty decent close focus for a telezoom.
There's no focus limiter function, but the lightweight lens elements move quickly, so there's little delay in racking from the close focus to infinity.
Image Quality: Resolution Dips at 300mm
I tested the 70-300mm with the 20.9MP Nikon D500.
At 70mm f/4.5 it scores 1,939 lines on the center-weighted Imatest sharpness evaluation.
That's a bit better than the 1,800 lines we want to see at a bare minimum, but not as much resolution as we can expect to see from the D500's sensor at its best.
There's a bit of softness at the edges of the frame, but the 1,780 lines the periphery scores isn't anything to worry about for most shots.
Stopping down to f/5.6 moves the resolution from the acceptable to the very good range.
The lens shows 2,330 lines there, with edges that sharpen up nicely to 2,104 lines.
You get the best results at f/8 (2,453 lines) and f/11 (2,462 lines).
Diffraction starts to rear its ugly head at f/16, cutting resolution to a still-good 2,250 lines, but you don't want to narrow the iris anymore—we get just 1,870 lines at f/22.
{{ZIFFIMAGE id="152477" notable nopopup align="left"> See How We Test Digital Cameras
Zooming to the rough midpoint of the coverage range, we see an excellent 2,422 lines at 170mm f/5, with even performance from center to edge.
There's a nominal improvement at f/8 (2,521 lines).
You can feel free to make images at f/11 (2,447 lines), and results remain decent at f/16 (2,322 lines), but avoid using f/22 as the score drops to 1,875 lines.
Image quality takes a step back at 300mm, but it remains in the very good range—2,089 lines at f/6.3, with solid performance right up to the edges of the frame.
There's modest improvement at f/8 (2,131 lines) and f/11 (2,138 lines), but it never gets as sharp as we see at 170mm.
The zoom resolves 2,046 lines at f/16 and just 1,683 lines at f/22.
There's no distortion visible at 70mm, but we do see the pincushion effect when zooming in.
At 170mm there is 1.4 percent, and about 1 percent at 300mm.
Pincushion distortion causes straight lines to be drawn with a slight inward curve.
You won't notice it for most photos, but if it does distract from the clean lines of an architectural shot, it can be corrected using software—Adobe Lightroom includes a profile to remove it from Raw images.
You can enable in-camera correction when shooting JPGs if desired.
There is some darkening at the corners of the image.
We see -1.3EV at 70mm f/4.5, -2.1EV at 170mm f/5 and f/5.6, and -1.6EV at 300mm f/6.3.
It's not a heavy vignette, and it's gone by the time you narrow the aperture to the next full f-stop.
If you shoot JPGs and leave the default amount of vignette correction enabled you'll likely never notice it.
If you shoot Raw, the same Lightroom profile that corrects for the modest amount of distortion also compensates for the vignette.
Remember that the 70-300mm is a DX lens, covering only the image circle of models like the D3400 and D500.
If you own a full-frame Nikon, or plan on upgrading to one in the future, and want a lens of this type, consider instead the AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR.
It's a bit more expensive at $600, but won't display a big black circle around your images if you use it with a full-frame Nikon.
The image above shows what happens when you shoot with the DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR on the full-frame D850.
A Good Lens for DX Shutterbugs
The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR hits a lot of good notes for more casual use.
It's light, small, and affordably priced.
It includes image stabilization, which isn't available in its less expensive twin sibling, which is a feature that's more than worth the $50 premium it enjoys over the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED ($346.95 at Amazon) —the two extra letters, VR, are important to have.
If you don't see yourself upgrading to a full-frame camera, and don't need to shoot telephoto images in dim lighting, the 70-300mm is a good buy.
If you do want to future-proof yourself for an eventual upgrade to a full-frame system, consider instead the AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR ($596.95 at Amazon) , priced around $600.
If your budget is more flexible you can nab a telezoom with a bit more reach.
We like the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary as a light zoom with compatibility for both DX and full-frame (FX) cameras.
And if low-light shooting is a priority, consider giving up some zoom range and opting for the ultra-bright Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art, but remember that it's only for DX sensors and is priced at a premium, around $1,100.
But budget shoppers will be happier with the AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm.
Especially if you're able to get a factory refurbished copy, which sells for around $180.
Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR
Cons
Narrow aperture.
Not great for manual focus.
Some distortion when zoomed.
Modest vignette.
Loses some resolution at the long end.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR is a low-cost telezoom lens for DX format SLRs.
It's light, compact, and delivers quality images as long as you don't zoom in all the way.
