Today I got my hands on the brand new Nikon 200mm F2 VR2 Lens at Allen’s Camera 215.547.2841. This is an extremely expensive prime lens that is incredibly sharp and colorful. Checking in at $6,000 this is not a lens that you will see in everyones bag. This lens is not a small lens, being that it is a 2.0 there is a huge amount of glass which adds to the weight. I hand held this lens while capturing the sample images below and a sample video.
Who is this lens for. Well first off its for a full time working professional who can afford it. It will be killer for portraits in and out of the studio, indoor sports, product shots, concerts pretty much anything you can think of including low light shooting. Of course one of the draw backs to this lens is its weight, hand hold will take a lot of strength and stamina but in my mind is worth the pain of a sore arm. This will be a killer lens for capturing video for what ever your purpose is.
The VR seemed to work very well for me as I hand held the camera at 1/100th of a second and still got an extremely sharp image. The focus is quiet, fast and very responsive. There are a lot of switches on the outside for various reasons including a different way of turning VR on compared to most other lenses. You have you turn a ring to on to engage the VR. The push button on the ring seemed to be the only build quality concern that I had.
Overal, if you can afford this lens by all means welcome it to your family with open arms. To purchase one please call Allen at Allen’s camera 215.547.2841 and ask for the FRO PRICE or you can find it
To see the full res JPEG’s exported out of Lightroom from the RAW files please click the image below.
Jared, I wish I could afford that lens, but I have a question about it: How would you compare this lens vs. the 85mm f/1.4 in their ability to separate the subject from their background? I only ask because that’s what I’m looking for and the 85 is much more within reach financially.
Thanks!
@brian The 85 1.8 is nice the 1.4 is even nicer with that said, most people will not know the difference between the background of the 200 f2 and the 85 1.8/4. You just have to compose your image properly with the idea that you are trying to blow the background out and make it happen. The 85′s will definitely give you some nice backgrounds.
Jared,
I have the same question as Brian! I have to admit its a thing of beauty!
Cheers
Stu
She’s a beauty! The lens is sweet also.
Thats a beuty both of them and that goes for Greg to.
but I bought me a NIKON D700 today and I love it!
Just want to tell everybody its geting cold in Sweden
I ALSO SHOOT RAW!
// Rob
@Jared Thanks for the comparison. I think we’d all love to have the 200 f2, but I need to be realistic at the same time!
Nice. Thanks for writing this. It is always cool to see someone educate the community.
Jared, you said the aperture difference between the 200 f/2 and 70-200 f/2.8 was 1/4 stop or so, its actually 1 full stop. Don’t know if you caught that or not.
Also the 200 f/2 is a must have for indoor sports where f/2.8 is not fast enough to stop the action. 1/250 at f/2.8 = 1/500 at f/2. Holla!
@Stan There was a pop-up on the top left of the screen right after he said that where he corrected himself. And you’re absolutely right about needing that extra stop to freeze the action, but I’ll have to keep on using high ISO’s until I can afford that bad boy!
@Brian Didn’t see that popup. I always view the videos with popups disabled as I find them distracting. My mistake.
Us lucky Canon users, (Canon Vader inhale and exhale), can have the 135 f/2 gem for $1k. This is my go to lens for indoor sports and I always find myself at f/2, 1/500, ISO 6400.
Jared, can you briefly explain on what you mentioned not to shoot below the focal length of a lens. What is not to shoot below the focal length of a lens?
Seems to be an awsome lens. Just slightly to expensive for me.
2Jimmy: if you don´t have VR and you want sharp pictures when hand-held, you should keep your shutter time faster then 1/Xs, X is focal lenght of your lens (for 200mm lens it is 1/200s, for 50 is 1/50s etc.)
@Gigi is that true for crop 1.6 cameras I have been wondering that for awhile or is it- 50mm like 1/80 or so.
thanks for the info.
I don’t care about the lens! (Mostly because I can’t afford it.
)
What I want to know is WHERE I can buy a RED “I shoot RAW” t-shirt?!?
@DJ. If you are on crop you have to factor in the crop factor. 50mm on a 1.6x crop = 1/50 x 1.6 = 1/80 sec.
This would be a great wedding photographer lense, of course, I can’t really afford the price right now!
I just ordered mine from the Local store I walked i with cash and said I would like to order the 200mm 2f VR2 they laughed like yeah right I’m dressed in mt construction gear all dirty then I pulled out 7000.00 Cash and they said HELLO! and I said its my Christmas Gift too me
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Just got my new Nikon 200mm 2f! wow what a barrel good balance people think you are a pro just by the look of my D3 with this beauty on the end of it!