Since I'm still waiting patiently for my early Christmas presents, I was definitely encouraged to read this writer's take on the D3s and new 70-200VRII.
As I've said many times around here, I loved my 70-200VRI, except for the fact that I spent the vast majority of my time on FX shooting it at 150-200mm, where - at least my copy - suffered IQ drop off from what it produced at 70-150mm. I was really hoping the new version would be much sharper at 200mm, and from this review it sure appears that it is. Great news. Looks like it's also pretty darn sharp wide open - continuing the good trend set by the 80-200 AF-S and VRI models.
Also encouraging to me is the high ISO capability of the new D3s. Not sure I buy into the whole two-stops-better praise, but it certainly looks one for sure, which is most impressive since the bar was set so high by the D3.
At any rate, pretty nice blog entry and comments from a wedding shooter if anyone's interested in taking a look.
Wow! Im speecheless. Now I gotta start collecting bottles and cans until I reach $2,400. . Ive had my trusty 70-200VRI for 6+years. It just got back from the Nikon Hospital for some minor repairs and cleaning. Man they do good work. During the 6 weeks it was gone man did I feel naked. The D3s looks awesome but I dont need it. I want it but I like glass more I will be thinking hard about the new 70-200VRII. Right now my wide open shots come from 85f1.4 and 105DC, two lenses that I love. Man this will be hard when everyone who has one starts posting, Geeze
All I can say is, "that's great", although I would add that I think Louis's 70-200 VR Mk I might have been a touch out of alignment, because I shot thousands of sharp images at the 200 end with mine (ƒ2.8–4, mostly) for John Deere and they liked them.
Nonetheless, Louis's review is very convincing for the improved high ISO, and the improved VR, too; both are extremely welcome. I am hoping that the improved performance makes its way to the next version of the D700.
My 70-200 v1 was also extremely sharp at all focal lengths and wide open, even with the 1.7x TC attached. I sure miss it... I have an 80-200 AF-S covering that slot for the moment, but it's outta here the instant I can get a 70-200 v2.
And Andre does not want a 300/2.8. He shoots for pleasure and joy, not for profit... so he wants the 200-400, which will give him a lot more of both since he can use it in so many more situations where 200mm, or 400mm, or anything in between might be required. Now, that's the lens he wants.
So Im about to rebuy the 70-200VR that I regret selling so much, BUT:
I have the 70-300VR I which works pretty well in good light,
AND
Im a bit worried that the 70-200VR I mkt will fall even more,
AND
If I dont get the 70-200VR I, which I would use a fair bit, I can probably swing a 300mm f2.8 II, not the VR, but the AFS II and I can continue to mess around with the 70-300VR as a walk around/general purpose lens.
Im using a D2H (again) so Im limited by two things: light and resolution.
My choices:
70-200 VR I plus Nikon 1.4 - should produce nice pics at 300mm around f4 - not too bad.
300mm f2.8 AFS II - I wont use it much, but man do I want to give this puppy a go. Am I correct in thinking its essentially identical to the 300mm VR with the VR turned off?
Handheld ONLY. Would use in dim settings, including arenas, ice shows, my kids school concerts, etc....Having a D2H limits my ability to crop, so I cant really use the 70-200VR without the 1.4 in a few of the settings that I intend to shoot at.
And yesterday I succumbed to a bout of nas and picked up a second hand 85 f1.8 and found myself pretty excited about its sharpness and bokeh.... but the absolute gentle creaminess in the bokeh of the new 70-200 as shown is just beyond belief
One day, one day, one day, maybe one day....
Probably not
Get the lenses you're going to use. And try to get lenses that you're going to keep. Selling and buying to either upgrade or downgrade gets expensive real quick.
You seem to be yearning for something optically better than the 70-300 VR, and that's the 70-200. You get the low-light capability at f/2.8, fantastic quality still at 280/4 with the TC (and I'll tell you that the 340/4.8 you get with the 1.7x TC is unbelievably good too), and you get the flexibility of the zoom. The 70-200 v1 is ideal for DX, and I've put maybe 50,000 clicks through one... loved every minute of it. Instant AF, great balance, sharpness you can shave with.
You've said you wouldn't use the 300/2.8 much, and it is a prime so either you have a use for it or you don't. That's a lot of money to spend on something that won't get much use. So spend it if you got it, and you want it, and you won't miss the cash that's parked in the lens. It's the only way you're going to get f/2.8 at 300mm, so if you need it, then you need it. But if you don't need it... it's an awful lot of dough.
Resale value should not be a major concern, because you should be buying it to use it, not to sell it. Besides, the lens will hold its value much better than the camera will, way better than your car will, and orders of magnitude better than your computer will.
Seriously: get what you're going to use and keep. In the end, you will know better than anyone else what that is.
I sure do miss that awesome 70-200VR that I had, but that was with my D300 and I could crop for reach; I cant do that anymore with the D2H! So that is why I was thinking about going straight for the mother ship - the 300/2.8. I would use it half a dozen times a year though - so you're right.
Im supposed to get my next 70-200VR in about a week. Just debating before I pull the trigger again.
BioBanker wrote:
Im a bit worried that the 70-200VR I mkt will fall even more,
Call me a cynical 70-200vr owner, but I don't think this will be the case at least for a while. As long as the new version is selling for 2300+USD, I think it's reasonable that the old version could still command 1500-1600. Had they placed a retail price of $1799 on the ver II, there would be some bargain used lenses for sale.
monochrome wrote:
Just think how much you could save yourself, getting the 70-200VR2 and shoot your own wedding...
Perfect wedding gift for your wife, a 200-400 VR!
You can tell her its the perfect lens to take pictures of your future children, which you love already and wouldnt want to miss something as important as capturing all those special moments. Nothing but a 200-400VR will do for your kids, they deserve the best!
. Ive had my trusty 70-200VRI for 6+years. It just got back from the Nikon Hospital for some minor repairs and cleaning. Man they do good work. During the 6 weeks it was gone man did I feel naked. The D3s looks awesome but I dont need it. I want it but I like glass more 
