Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm 1:4 G ED VR N Lens (f/4)

Overall Rating:

This made-in-Thailand lens is 13 years old and debuted at a price of $1400 (USD). It has nine aperture blades and a gold ring on it signaling that it is a pro caliber lens so there are high expectations for this lens. What stands out is that it is a constant aperture zoom with VR and in a very compact design. This lens was introduced when the 36MP Nikon D800/D800E camera was modern.

This lens is pictured with the optional tripod mount. No, the mount is not included in its $1400 price.

This lens is a varifocal zoom in that it changes focus as it is zoomed. It features three ED elements, one HRI element and no aspherical elements. It also features internal focus and does not change its size as it is zoomed. It is a constant aperture design but could it have been a 70-200mm f/3.3-4 (variable aperture) for a half stop improvement on the short end???

This lens is not really a replacement for another design. The lens closest in focal length and aperture is the Nikkor AF 70-210mm f/4 which is 39 years old.

This article will try to note all the aberrations in the design.

Compactness Compared

Breathing

This lens exhibits very little focus breathing, so a depth of field calculator may be used. A 55mm extension tube was used with the lens focused to infinity and then it was removed and the lens was focused on the same point.

Performance

There is very little color fringing and slight vignetting to be found. Concerning vignetting, the lens has some wide open but stopping down cleans it up. Stop down to at least f/5.6. Distortion is fairly heavy with both barrel on the short end (0.7%) and pincushion on the long end (0.7%).

It is razor sharp wide open until diffraction sets in around f/8.

Color fringing detail at 3-to-1:

This is a sharp lens even though it has some color fringing mostly in the corners and mostly at f=70mm.

The autofocus is fast and relatively silent... not a bad sports/action lens.

Note that the VR of this lens still allows for some "rolling" of the image when it is active. This is cleaned up by Nikon cameras with IBIS resulting in the image steadied at f=200mm.

Overall, it's a very nice performing lens.

This lens is compared to the Nikon Nikkor AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6 E ED VR and Nikon Nikkor AF 80-200mm f/2.8 D ED N lenses.

Using Teleconverters

Using the TC-20E III Teleconverter

Because this lens is so sharp wide open in the center and not too slow at f/4, it begs to be used with a 2× teleconverter for an effective f=140-400mm/8. While not as detailed as a f=400mm lens, some detail is recovered using the TC-20E III. The autofocus performance does take a hit with this teleconverter attached. Many Nikon DSLR autofocus systems support f/8 lenses, but Nikon mirrorless cameras do better with focusing this lens at f/8 no doubt due to the autofocus system not being behind a mirror.

It should be noted that this combination does lose some contrast, but it is negligible.

Using the TC-17E II Teleconverter

This teleconverter increases this lens to a f=119-340mm/6.7 — not bad! The TC-14E III teleconverter can also be used (see below) but gives only 80mm on the long end making for a f=98-280mm/5.6.

This teleconverter is a bit long in the tooth. Nikon need to come out with an improved TC-17E III (which would probably be for the Z-mount anyway).

The point of focus is the warning label on the transformer.

These teleconverters introduce a little color fringing into the edges of the image. The center is unaffected in this regard.

Using the TC-14E III Teleconverter

This teleconverter increases the reach of this lens to f=280mm with a maximum aperture of f/5.6. This is only 80mm more which is not that great. Sharpness degrades with this and all teleconverters it appears.

For wildlife, 300-400mm is the bare minimum needed. It may be better to buy a f=70-200mm/2.8 and use the TC-20E III teleconverter (see above) assuming image quality does not degrade as much as it does on the lens of this review.

TC-14E III, TC-17E II and TC-20E III compared

The below tree trunk images are focused to approx. 15ft/4.5m and focal length is 200mm.

While only slightly more magnified, the TC-20E III teleconverter is considerably less sharp than the TC-17E II teleconverter when used on this lens. And of course, the TC-14E III performed the best but was it good enough... maybe. The Nikon Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4 E PF ED VR N performed quite well in the center with all of these teleconverters.

TC-17E II compared to TC-20E III

Excluding the TC-14E III because of its small conversion... The below tree trunk images are focused to approx. 20ft/6m.

Ghosting & Flaring

Ghosting is fair and there is little flaring thanks to the Nano Crystal Coating.

Infrared

Rare is it to find a full frame Nikkor lens that does not exhibit infrared hot spots. This one does not appear to at least when shooting real subjects and not a blank wall. Hot spots are caused by the infrared light bouncing off the diaphragm and even though this lens has nine aperture blades it does not appear to present any problems.

Bokeh

The bokeh is fairly neutral. There is a very minor amount of longitudinal chromatic aberration, or LoCA.

Compatibility

Because this is a "G" lens, it is compatible with all Nikon DSLR's.

It is not compatible with older nikon cameras. It will mount and take pictures but only at one aperture.

Construction

This lens is compact for what it is — a constant aperture 70-200mm zoom.

This is an all plastic lens, however, it is very sturdy feeling. The manual focusing feels good and there is no slop in either the focus or zoom collars. It would be nice if the zoom ring had more of a fluid resistance to it as it feels kind of dry. The lens is weather-sealed and does focus beyond infinity one would assume to accommodate the UV wavelength (not sure, may really have to do with manufacturing tolerances).

This lens has a focus scale but no depth of field scale because it's a zoom. The focus scale is useful as it is not too small and has more travel than a prime but it could have more travel still. For example, the greatest indicator on it is fifteen feet which is not very useful at f=200mm.

The 67mm filter threads do not rotate.

Specifications

Images

Related links:

• Nikon Nikkor Lens Reviews
• All Lens Reviews