Comments on: Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II now available for pre-order

By: geoff

geoff — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:43:39 +0000

The old lens will be a bit sharper at 200mm on DX, the new lens will be a bit sharper at 70mm on DX. However, the bokeh of the new lens will be a lot better, even on DX. That said, if you shoot on a DX body and don’t plan on going FX anytime soon, buy the old one – the difference is minimal!

By: geoff

geoff — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:36:40 +0000

No, it’s a measure of distance.

distance = speed * time
1 light year = speed of light * 1 year

By: SoCal Dave

SoCal Dave — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:53:53 +0000

However, on a DX sensor which only goes out to the 15 line, doesnt it appear that the old version is actually superior?

By: William Blake

William Blake — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:52:05 +0000

Simon, you shall explain us why some users find their 70-200 sharper on their D300 than on their D700 and why MTF charts always give better results when lenses are tested on apsc sensors…

By: Simon

Simon — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:18:00 +0000

We will find out how this new Nikon lens perform in due course when online reviewers get their hands on it. I would ignore Nikon’s MTF charts and all its claims because the company has a history of exaggerations and double talks.
I wouldnt trust Dpreview as they are Nikon bias and maximising all its good points. Photozone reviewed Nikons new 50mm f1.4 and dont consider it that great an improvement optically and an average performer wide open.

By: Rich L

Rich L — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:56:35 +0000

B&H usually only have a notification e-mail sign up, not a formal pre-order process… When they get them, they send out a batch of e-mail and the lucky folks who are online at the time get the item.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:41:56 +0000

MTF between different manufacturer can’t be directly compared, but it doesn’t mean they can’t roughly be told which one looks worse or better. Especially, when lines aren’t quite close or splitted far apart.

Btw, Canon’s MTF graphs are based on calculations not from actual measurements.
“Canon’s MTF charts are based on theoretical calculations used in the design of the lens, while some other manufacturers use actually measurements.”
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-mtf.shtml

And
“Real lenses are always a little worse than the calculation of the optical design program.”
http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A8003B8B6F/EmbedTitelIntern/CLN_30_MTF_en/$File/CLN_MTF_Kurven_EN.pdf

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:04:03 +0000

why isnt B&H taking preorders yet?

By: Leping

Leping — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:50:39 +0000

These are silly, rude, and uncivilized replies usually associated with Canonians. I shoot the both systems, and had to return the Canon 70-200mm/f4 IS because of hot spot problems with infrared photography I am known of. But otherwise the f/4 Canon lens is a steller performer over the visual spectrum. Canon and Nikon AF systems are different and the Nikons can not be adjusted easily (until someone figures the way out) for IR compensations so for IR I have to shoot Canon even I hate them and if you search my records on dpreview.com I has been a rigor Nikon promotor. For more about the IR focusing issue check out diglloyd.com’s digital IR guide to which I was a contributor.

Thanks for the constructive replies.

By: Rob J

Rob J — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:32:47 +0000

thanks a bunch. that made my life easier right there.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:04:22 +0000

You are comparing APS-C with fullframe, no wonder your D700 look sharper than your 40D.

By: RThomas

RThomas — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:36:57 +0000

Looking at the photo on the Nikon USA website,. it appears to have a third ring towards the front of the lens (in the same general place the AF buttons used to be). I once owned the older version of this lens, and found the buttons were never where I wanted them; a ring would solve that problem nicely.

By: D40-owner

D40-owner — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:38:40 +0000

Read my August 4, 2009 at 8:59 post, above.

By: Lawliet

Lawliet — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:01:44 +0000

Mr. Einstein makes this a not so easy thing.
Something along the lines of “as long as you don’t move that relation works – but it won’t get you anywhere”
But then if anything moves it gets quite counterintuitive anyway.

By: William Blake

William Blake — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:04:00 +0000

I’ll add that beeing a Canon shooter for years I shot concerts with a Canon 40d and the Canon 70-200 2.8 L IS, now I shoot Nikon with a D700 and a Sigma 70-200 2.8 HSM and my pics seem clearly sharper with the nikon system, even in all day photography, even if the lens is said to be worse than the canon. I suppose with the new nikkor my pics would look much sharper than with my 40d plus the Canon Lens.

By: William Blake

William Blake — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:57:48 +0000

MTF charts are not comparable between different systems. Specially between Canon and Nikon, first sensors are different, and specially the high-pass filter on thé sensor… (or maybe it’s a low-pass filter, excuse my mistakes I’m french).
So the MTF are only comparable when you compare two nikon lenses or two canon lenses.

Source : Photozone, and other sites who measure lense’s MTF

By: STJ

STJ — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:11:41 +0000

Now that really is a silly comparison…..

By: low

low — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:17:52 +0000

why not just shoot canon?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:56:42 +0000

I think MTF of New Nikon 70-200 looks better than Canon’s. (black = wide open, blue = f/8)
- Canon’s solid lines and dotted lines start to split quite early.
- center at 70mm, Nikon is sharper than both Canon’s at f/8

Canon 70-200 f/4L IS
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=14260

Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7469

By: SimonC

SimonC — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:06:53 +0000

You’re comparing the MTF’s @ f2.8(Nikon) vs. f4 (Canon). Perhaps a better comparison is to have the Nikon’s MTF’s @ f4 compared with the Canon’s (or compare it against their f2.8 zoom).