Does anyone have any photos of this new lens. I am interested in its depth of field, sharpness, colour, contrast, and background isolation capabilities. I am wondering if I should sell my Nikon 200mm F2 VR. Though i understand they are for different uses.
I do believe the only difference between the old and new are:
Better VR, get a stop or two more from VRII
Edge to edge sharpness on FX
New design of body
I think other then that. It is still a 70-200. Its going to be a sharp on DX or FX.
If you have FX and need edge sharpness, buy it. I wouldn't sell the 200 f/2 unless you think the 70-200 will be better suited for you.
Yes, you are correct. My Nikon gear is very limited at the moment. Thats because after buying D700 and Nikon 200mm VR, i was left with no money. I am currently saving for a Nikon 28-70. Thats another story.
Anyway, I heard that the new 70-200mm VR II comes very very close to the performance of the 200mm VR. If that is true, then it will better than every prime in the Nkon, Zeiss and Canon camp. That includes 85mm F1.2 and Canon 300mm F2.8 IS and non IS version (which i used to own).
I see you have a 200mm VR, so you know as well. Its a monster lens.
I have a few shots from some baby photos i did over the weekend. Mind you i generally make my photos look a bit softer so it may not be the best of examples..
I would not sell the 200mm. It is a very rare breed and a very lucky acquisition for you.
Don't fool yourself, the zoom is not better that the 105DC lens, 105 MicroVR or 135DC.
Personally, I would never sell my 200f/2 for a 70-200 VRII... but that's just because I use them both very differently. I have the 70-200 VRI, and it's serving me just fine on FX as I don't care as much for corner sharpness when most of what I do stays in the center at large apertures.
The 200f/2 is a classic but as you mentioned, the two lens serve different purposes. If the 200f/2 doesn't match your current needs or your future needs, then you may want to (God forgive me for saying this) sell it for the lens that match your needs. Don't know what the used market is in Europe, but for the cost of a used 200f/2 (approx. $3,900-$4,000), you can get a used 24-70mm and a 70-200mm VR and may still have something left over.
The other thing you may want to consider regarding the 70-200, is the upgrade of the VRII worth the added expense or would you be better served looking at the VR I?
Dpreview.com has posted up an in depth review of the new 70-200 VRII that may help you. Also there is a review on bythom.com on the new 70-200 VRII that addresses the close focusing issue that has been widely discussed. When I saw that review I was shocked at the difference between the old in the new in close focusing at the longer end of the lens. As far as the 200 2.0 is concerned, that is a really special lens and you would need to consider how much use it is getting and would you get more use out of the 70-200. There have been a couple posted on the buy/sell that will give you a sense of current value, etc for a used one. They seem to be around the $3,900 range. Good luck with your decision.
Jack
I will post a few photos later as I am out and about now. One thing for sure the sharpness and IQ on my D3x has blown me away. I was not so optimistic when I sold my older version and purchased VR II. I can honestly say the VR I which I owned and was very good is a dud compared to the new version. Shooting at 2.8 is once again a joy every shot is spot on, razor sharp, and the contrast this zoom produces excellent. The VR is top notch and much better then the any Nikon lens I have owned. Compared to the 200 f2 it would be comparable at f2.8.
