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.
3 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?