Nikon 18-55 VR vs Nikon 18-105 VR?
Who has the better image quality and sharpness between Nikon 18-55 VR and Nikon 18-105 VR?
18-55mm VR.
18-55. Why? Because it is easier to fine tune the optics to produce a better image over the smaller range of focal lengths. However the slight difference may not be that great if you find you need the extra reach of the 105. At the end of the day the 18-105 gives more convenience at the cost of slight image quality, cost and weight.
Sorry guys - wrong answer.
I have both the 18-55mm, 18-105mm, and even the 18-200mm lenses, and I can tell you that out of the three, the 18-105 is sharper. The 18-105mm came with my D90, my son owns the 18-55mm when he got his D3000, and I bought the 18-200mm for vacation travel. That is how I have come to own (or at least have access to) all thee lenses.
Here are two pages of the lenses I own that I did a sharpness test on. Look at the 18-55 @ 35mm vs. The 18-105 @ 35mm. The 105mm lens clearly has high sharpness throughout it's focal length, while the 18-55mm clearly has a problem at 35mm.
Of course, this may differ with the specific example, so there may be some variation. But it suggests to me that you get what you pay for, and with the 18-105mm significantly more expensive (and better build quality), these factors probably hold true for the optics as well.
Review of the 18-105mm lens:
http://www.althephoto.com/lenses/kitlens.php
Comparison between the 18-55mm and 18-200mm lenses:
http://www.althephoto.com/lenses/super-zooms.php
While it is generally true that lens quality goes down as the zoom power increases - that assumes everything else is equal. However this is NOT the case between these two lenses.
The 18-105mm lens is a superb, well manufactured lens, and has the better quality metal attachment ring on the back. In contrast, the 18-55mm lens is plastic through and through.
Besides, the 18-55mm, being a 3.05x zoom is not significantly different than the 18-105mm at 5x
Depends. When you get a good 18-55 it can really give a 18-105 a run for it's money. With the average 18-55 the 18-105 outperforms it slightly. Both are pretty excellent value for money.