To measure and compare the corner sharpness of the Nikkor 70-300mm VR, we photographed the Enhanced Digital Camera Resolution Chart with it and a number of rival lenses at their shortest and longest focal lengths using a D80 at various aperture settings. The D80 was set to Aperture Priority, Large Fine JPEG mode and the Optimise Image parameter set to Normal.

The crops are taken from the lower left corner of the chart and presented here at 100%. The crops which show a slightly larger area of the chart are due to minimum focusing distances forcing us to shoot from a little further away. No crops have been resized.

Zoomed-out to its shortest focal length, the 70-300mm VR captures sharp and undistorted detail in the extreme corners, but exhibits coloured fringing across its aperture range as seen below. It should however be noted this chart is photographed at relatively close distance, so be sure to also compare our real-life results with the lenses focused on more distant subjects

Zoomed-into its longest focal length, the 70-300mm VR is slightly soft with a little fringing in the corners, but nothing too dramatic. Again this is a test performed at relatively close range, so do also compare our outdoor results with the lenses focused at infinity. Now let’s see how the lenses perform in terms of fringing and macro.

Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR		Nikkor DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR		Nikkor DX 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6		Nikkor DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR
70-300mm at 70mm f4.5		DX 55-200mm at 55mm f4		DX 18-135mm at 18mm f3.5		DX 18-200mm at 18mm f3.5
70-300mm at 70mm f5.6		DX 55-200mm at 55mm f5.6		DX 18-135mm at 18mm f5.6		DX 18-200mm at 18mm f5.6
70-300mm at 70mm f8		DX 55-200mm at 55mm f8		DX 18-135mm at 18mm f8		DX 18-200mm at 18mm f8
70-300mm at 70mm f16		DX 55-200mm at 55mm f16		DX 18-135mm at 18mm f16		DX 18-200mm at 18mm f16
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR		Nikkor DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR		Nikkor DX 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6		Nikkor DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR
70-300mm at 300mm f5.6		DX 55-200mm at 200mm f5.6		DX 18-135mm at 135mm f5.6		DX 18-200mm at 200mm f5.6
70-300mm at 300mm f8		DX 55-200mm at 200mm f8		DX 18-135mm at 135mm f8		DX 18-200mm at 200mm f8
70-300mm at 300mm f16		DX 55-200mm at 200mm f16		DX 18-135mm at 135mm f16		DX 18-200mm at 200mm f16