The new Nikkor VR lens hands-on

MashiMaro · 12th March 2003

Hi guys,

I know that the new *take a deep breath* AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED

was shipped in limited numbers until next month or later. I was one of the lucky that has been able to get it. For the past week, I have a great time snapping with this sweet lens.

If any of you who are interested to try it out with your own camera, I can meet you guys at the SEED. I am not free every Wednesday evening; I’ll do my best to be in the food court at 6.15pm sharp, whilst having my dinner you all can play with it, I must leave for my appointment by 7.15pm.

BTW this will be my first SEED, so be nice to me please.

Until then, take care!

PS. Please don't ask me how much I paid for it. There was two shops got the lens with two different price tag. I will bring my TC-20E II along.

Larry · 12th March 2003

i'm there!!!!!!!

pcman · 12th March 2003

Have you tried the lens?

Quote:

Originally posted by Larry
i'm there!!!!!!!

Viewfinder · 12th March 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by pcman
Have you tried the lens?

i've tried the lens, woo .. it's lovely, sweetness.

Knighthunter · 12th March 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Viewfinder
i've tried the lens, woo .. it's lovely, sweetness.

Feel the difference in AF speed? Smoooth and faaassstt........

pcman · 12th March 2003

just call my bank for my account balance hehehe

Any pic taken for a view.

Quote:

Originally posted by Knighthunter
Feel the difference in AF speed? Smoooth and faaassstt........

Jed · 12th March 2003

Frankly, the difference in AF speed is noticeable but it's not all that dramatic. The older lens was good enough for everything you could probably want to throw at it AF wise. Many of my colleagues still use the one touch AF-D. These days it's more the AF intelligence that's the problem rather than drive issues.

YellowTang · 12th March 2003

MashiMaro
Thanks for letting us try out the lens. Amazing and cool...especially the VR very useful....

Thanks again

Knighthunter · 12th March 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Jed
Frankly, the difference in AF speed is noticeable but it's not all that dramatic. The older lens was good enough for everything you could probably want to throw at it AF wise. Many of my colleagues still use the one touch AF-D. These days it's more the AF intelligence that's the problem rather than drive issues.

The biggest difference is in AF tracking speed, I tried to track moving subject (a jogger) at Macritchie reservoir then I compared to my 80-200 f2.8 two touch tracking same subject......I feel big difference (at least to me).

Viewfinder · 12th March 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Knighthunter
Feel the difference in AF speed? Smoooth and faaassstt........

yup, u bet. Before I notice or hear anything, it's AF Lock On.

Jed · 12th March 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Knighthunter
The biggest difference is in AF tracking speed, I tried to track moving subject (a jogger) at Macritchie reservoir then I compared to my 80-200 f2.8 two touch tracking same subject......I feel big difference (at least to me).

Well I can honestly track a jogger just as well with an AF-D as I can the AF-S or the new VR. All of them would do it flawlessly although the AF-D would appear to be more jerky.

There is a big difference in "feel" between that and the two touch AF-D, I'm not saying there is. I was comparing between the AF-S 80-200 and the 70-200, there is also a difference there.

But like I said, the major factor these days is the AF intelligence, not the drive speed.

Larry · 12th March 2003

yah, thanks MashiMaro for letting us get our grubby hands on that piece of glass. it's very, very nice. just trying to figure out the pros it has over the AFS 80-200.

weight and the VR comes immediately to mind, optics wise i can't comment (still gotta develop the half-roll i snapped off on it). the rest seems pretty similar to the AFS 80-200.

sebastiansong · 13th March 2003

Thnx to MashiMaro for brought the lens and let everyone have a good time getting a feel of it. I managed some candids

http://www.pbase.com/image/14223028

http://www.pbase.com/image/14223031

SniperD · 13th March 2003

Sweet lens....

really fast AF and image lock with VR.
*Amous, post the photos leh*

sigh.. if only Canon would launch a cheap promo set for the EF70-200 f2.8L IS USM....

agape01 · 13th March 2003

I guess now that Nikon has released its answer to the Canon EF70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, I guess it would really really be a good fight for both lenses from now on...

BTW, I do own the 70-200 f/2.8L IS and I do have to admit that it is worth every dollar that I have paid for.

CANON RULES...CANON RULES....

Watcher · 13th March 2003

Troll, *SMACK* , Go away.

For those interested, I've posted two links for the review on the above in the Nikon forum.

Knighthunter · 13th March 2003

Here some images comparison between 70-200VR+2xTC and 80-400VR at 400mm end with VR on. These pic are cropped at center section.
Images are courtesy of Mashimaro, he took this pics at Macrithie Reservoir. Look closely and the image speak for itself, setting I am not sure. May be Mashimaro can give me the shutter speed and ISO setting since I lost the EXIF data after I download from my e-mail (strange).

At f5.6

70-200VR+2x TC

80-400VR

At f8
70-200VR+2x TC

80-400VR

I attached wrong Image sequence, now all images are correct at their position.

SniperD · 13th March 2003

looks pretty good @ f8.0

Viewfinder · 13th March 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by SniperD
looks pretty good @ f8.0

yup, tat's rite

kingpin · 13th March 2003

Good effort, thanks for posting the images. The images at f8 is telling. AFS70-200VR + TC20E is a good combination compared to 80-400VR. Prob get lens from HK. Too high a price here. Thanks knighthunter n mashimaro.

12th March 2003	#1
MashiMaro Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 566	The new Nikkor VR lens hands-on Hi guys, I know that the new take a deep breath AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED was shipped in limited numbers until next month or later. I was one of the lucky that has been able to get it. For the past week, I have a great time snapping with this sweet lens. If any of you who are interested to try it out with your own camera, I can meet you guys at the SEED. I am not free every Wednesday evening; I’ll do my best to be in the food court at 6.15pm sharp, whilst having my dinner you all can play with it, I must leave for my appointment by 7.15pm. BTW this will be my first SEED, so be nice to me please. Until then, take care! PS. Please don't ask me how much I paid for it. There was two shops got the lens with two different price tag. I will bring my TC-20E II along.

13th March 2003	#14
SniperD Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Behind the viewfinder... Posts: 5,954	Sweet lens.... really fast AF and image lock with VR. Amous, post the photos leh sigh.. if only Canon would launch a cheap promo set for the EF70-200 f2.8L IS USM.... __________________ EYE-DEAS

13th March 2003	#17
Knighthunter Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pigeon Hole in Mandalay Posts: 1,003	Here some images comparison between 70-200VR+2xTC and 80-400VR at 400mm end with VR on. These pic are cropped at center section. Images are courtesy of Mashimaro, he took this pics at Macrithie Reservoir. Look closely and the image speak for itself, setting I am not sure. May be Mashimaro can give me the shutter speed and ISO setting since I lost the EXIF data after I download from my e-mail (strange). At f5.6 70-200VR+2x TC 80-400VR At f8 70-200VR+2x TC 80-400VR I attached wrong Image sequence, now all images are correct at their position. __________________ S&S RDX-500D Set, S&S DX-1G, S&S YS-110 Alpha Last edited by Knighthunter; 13th March 2003 at 12:36 PM.

13th March 2003	#18
SniperD Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Behind the viewfinder... Posts: 5,954	looks pretty good @ f8.0 __________________ EYE-DEAS

12th March 2003	#2
Larry Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: singapore Posts: 6,097	i'm there!!!!!!!

12th March 2003	#7
Jed Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,081	Frankly, the difference in AF speed is noticeable but it's not all that dramatic. The older lens was good enough for everything you could probably want to throw at it AF wise. Many of my colleagues still use the one touch AF-D. These days it's more the AF intelligence that's the problem rather than drive issues.

12th March 2003	#8
YellowTang Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 90	MashiMaro Thanks for letting us try out the lens. Amazing and cool...especially the VR very useful.... Thanks again

13th March 2003	#13
sebastiansong Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 979	Thnx to MashiMaro for brought the lens and let everyone have a good time getting a feel of it. I managed some candids http://www.pbase.com/image/14223028 http://www.pbase.com/image/14223031

13th March 2003	#15
agape01 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Somewhere Out There Posts: 2,256	I guess now that Nikon has released its answer to the Canon EF70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, I guess it would really really be a good fight for both lenses from now on... BTW, I do own the 70-200 f/2.8L IS and I do have to admit that it is worth every dollar that I have paid for. CANON RULES...CANON RULES....

13th March 2003	#16
Watcher Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The heart of the Abyss Posts: 2,319	Troll, SMACK , Go away. For those interested, I've posted two links for the review on the above in the Nikon forum.

13th March 2003	#20
kingpin Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,414	Good effort, thanks for posting the images. The images at f8 is telling. AFS70-200VR + TC20E is a good combination compared to 80-400VR. Prob get lens from HK. Too high a price here. Thanks knighthunter n mashimaro.