Nikon 70-200 mm AF-S, VR Review

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Introduction

This is the most expensive lens I've ever bought...

It duplicated focal lengths I already owned...

It's far from perfect and at times I both hate and love it...

But you'd have to prize it from my cold, stiff fingers to get it away from me now! There are simply some situations where nothing else can equal the combination of performance, build and handling that this lens offers.

This review is based on hard earned experience and lessons learned since I began using the 70-200 AFS VR in June 2007. No punches pulled - the good, the bad and the ugly of one of Nikon's flagship optics.

I've always liked this focal length range and I find it really useful for my documentary style photography.

I upgraded from Nikon's older 80-200mm AF ED and I'm confident I made the right decision - in summary here's why:

◆ Ease of switching between manual and auto focus due to AFS

The autofocus on this lens is so accurate and fast that I now use it for the majority of the time but I still depend on manual focus for certain situations. The fact that I can grab the huge focus ring at any time and manually focus is a big advantage. The greatest benefit of the AFS is that focus control is now consistent across all three of the lenses I use (see bottom image). By keeping controls consistently simple there's no need to remember different focussing methods for different lenses and that helps eliminate missed shots. Since using the 70-200 the number of in focus images with fast action subjects has been far higher than when I was using the 80-200.

◆ Vibration Reduction

This was Nikon's first lens to combine both a silent wave motor and VR and although battery hungry, VR delivers great results.

◆ Stealth

The physical size of this lens means it can be visually obtrusive but the silent wave motor does make it very quiet (far more than non AFS lenses). In certain situations working quietly is crutial. The greater control allows me to work far quicker and more efficiently with people, so I don't get in their way - this goes a long way to establishing a good raport. The focal length range means I can work from a comfortable distance if necessary without causing a distraction to the people I'm photographing.

◆ Greater control when zooming compared to the 80-200 AF ED

The rotating zoom ring allows finer control than the push pull mechanism of the 80 - 200 (shown left) although is a less intuitive way of zooming having become used to a sliding zoom ring.

◆ Build quality

This lens is constructed to Nikon's highest standards from die-cast magnesium giving it strength combined with reduced weight.

◆ Image Quality

The 21 elements include five made from ED glass with additional coated elements to maximize quality. Given the optical redesign necessary to include the VR module it was essential to maintain basic optical quality, otherwise the benifits of VR would have been lost.

◆ Speed

I needed a lens that would allow me to shoot fast action more effectively and this lens delivers just that - with a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range and images at f/2.8 look great (based on my use with a D200).

◆ Bokeh

I've found out of focus areas are rendered very pleasingly thanks in part to the 9 bladed aperture diaphragm and optical construction.

◆ Ergonomics

The zoom and focus rings fall well to hand and the lens is well suited to manual focussing. Nikon have also reduced the barrel diameter in comparison with the 80-200 AFS design improving handling.

◆ Range

The 70-200 mm zoom range is great for a host of subjects and translates into a very useful 105-300 mm focal length equivalent on a DX sensor. The additional 10 mm at the wide end compared to Nikon's other 80-200 lenses is a useful bonus (see part 2).

◆ Versatility

This lens provides coverage for film as well as DX and FX sensors. Although there's a hefty initial outlay, this is an optic that maintains compatibility across Nikon's range of camera bodies and is likely to remain a front line performer for some time to come.

My current lens line-up (from left to right): 17-35 mm AF-S, 28-70 mm AF-S and 70-200 mm AFS VR - the 70-200 dwarfs the other two lenses, both in size and expense

The 80-200 AF ED (left) who's optical design includes 16 elements in 11 groups and the 70-200 VR (right) with 21 elements in 15 groups

This review of the 70-200 AFS VR Nikkor is based on a single version, model number 343xxx. I've owned this lens since June 2007 and have used it in a variety of situations - this review describes my experiences to date with this lens on a D200 body. Note: performance on an FX sensor may vary considerably from these observations.