Last but not least today, we have the announcement of a replacement for Nikon’s aging 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens. This was always a disappointing optic on FX cameras, and this new version is a complete redesign, being slightly shorter but also heavier than the old model.
VRII vibration reduction system is claimed to deliver 4 stops of extra hand-hold-ability, and the lens also gains Nikon’s Nano-Crystal lens coatings.
More information here.
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5 Comments
Your assertion that the original 70-200 f/2.8 VR "was always a disappointing optic on FX cameras" is absurd and beyond ill informed. This lens is widely considered to be one of the finest pieces of glass ever attached to a camera body.
While the newer VRII is very likely a better lens, any suggestion that the previous version is anything but stellar is simply ridiculous. Many of the most iconic photographs of the the 21st century have been shot through one of these "disappointing" lenses.
Thanks for your comment, Mark. However as an owner of the 70-200 I do know that it's simply a flawed lens, which is exactly why it's been replaced. I'm not saying it's awful - far from it - but performance in some situations simply isn't up to par for a lens of this price.
I'm not the only one to think so.
Dear Admin,
I followed the links that you supplied in support of your argument that the original 70-200 is a flawed and disappointing lens. I can easily offer numerous links in support of my argument, many of which are from actual professional photographers, not nerdy, pixel peeping website editors.
What lens is at it's best at it's most extreme setting?
I agree with the ADMIN statement concerning this lens. While this lens is definitely on of Nikon's "Iconic" lens, it was designed many years ago when the FX type of DSLR was in it's infancy. Will this lens work of a FX DSLR camera? Of course so, but chances are you will also notice vignetting near the corners. This vignetting can be taken care of in Post processing, but props to Nikon for reintroducing this GEM that will perform even better for the FX users like me. I can hardly wait to push the enter key that say's ORDER, when they become available online here in the FALL of 2009. Thanks Nikon for improving an already ICONIC lens.
I don't think that is the main reason why the original 70-200 VR is being replaced. Nikon has had a history of updating their zooms periodically. Going back to the first AF 80-200 zoom which had a rotating/moving front element, this was replaced after several years with an updated version which housed the front element to give a faux internal focus appearance. Both lenses had the push-pull zoom and was later on replaced with the rotating zoom collar. Then in came the 80-200 AF-S lens which after several years was replaced by the 70-200 VR. The Original 80-200 AF-S had a flawed tripod collar which was then replaced with a smoother rotating one on the new redesigned lens. Of course forward compatibility of these lenses although pretty broad, can still encounter some issues here and there. A firmware upgrade can be done if available and in most cases, an overall improvement on the quality becomes a better choice. I would likewise disagree that the 70-200 was a disappointing lens. This one promises to be better. If it does, then it's going to be in my shopping list. Otherwise, I'm sticking to my old 80-200 AF-S which has given me a lot of images worthy of being printed in magazines.