I remember a while back there was a patent with Nikon for a 70-200 f/4 with maximum 1:2 reproduction. I'd consider losing the stop of light to carry that instead of the 70-200 and a dedicated macro lens. Though if the Tokina focuses to 1 meter, that'll be pretty close, around 1:3 reproduction right?

Good point also Jonnyapple I have been quite pleased for years now with the 70-300mm VR so it is still an option. If a new Nikon 70-200mm F4 is similar in terms of optics and yields higher quality in the 150-200mm range and is slightly faster, I'd be all over it. Nikon would have to price it in the $1200 range then though. I'm thinking it would be slotted into the 28-300mm price range.

This would be one I would have to wait and see what happens with it. I have been impressed with my Tokina 12-24 F4, but the price will have to be right on this one to make it worth while. If it is $1000 then I think I would save a little more money and get the Nikon VRI version. Also curious to see the VR of Tokina...this will be the first lens with it right? Wonder how it will perform and long term reliability of that system. Kind of up in the air until it hits the stores, but it still looks promising to me.

Yes, it's a good point. I would definitely wait. If the tokina wasn't tack sharp wide open, it would be a hard decision between the VR I version of the nikon or the 70-300 VR.

I believe so too. I think Nikon is just being very closed-lipped until their announcements. It would be a dream if they were released at about the same time so that we could get some immediate side by side comparison reviews of the two.

Be careful jumping at this release because I think the Nikon version will be right around the corner as there have been rumors about this lens for the past two years. This lens has been popular with Canon shooters for years its about time Nikon users can enjoy this product now too.

You're right, SkintBrit, but we'll have to see how it performs. The tamron I mentioned was tack sharp at f/2.8 everywhere below 150mm. If the tokina can match the tamron for sharpness at f/4, I'll probably get it. It would be worth it for the VR.

Or, I might just wait and get one of the Nikon 70-200s, since that's been on my list for a long time. The tamron was supposed to be a stop-gap while I saved up for that but turned out to be a stellar performer in a lot of ways so the 70-200 dropped in my priority list. I have talked about the tamron elsewhere, though: http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1576#post-27837

SkintBrit said:
True Jonny but a 2.8 at f4 is extremely likely to be sharper than an f4 at f4

I have the 24-120 f4 and use it wide open most of time, its sharp enough for me. cant see much differace when stopped down to f 5.6 or ever f8

I use my 70 - 200 f 2.8 wide open most of time so would not be interest in an f 4

but a 120- 300 f 4 pro lens might be useful if not too heavy

jonnyapple said:
I'm very interested in this lens. I sold my tamron 70-200 f/2.8 to get into a house last year and going through my exif data I see I was usually stopped down to f/4, anyway—9,000 photos out of 10,000 I took with it (I love lightroom's metadata browser).

True Jonny but a 2.8 at f4 is extremely likely to be sharper than an f4 at f4 of course. However if the price is right and it shows a nice set of MTF curves, I'm sure it will do well. Yes I think it would be good for Nikon to make a range of high quality f4 lenses as well.

I'm very interested in this lens. I sold my tamron 70-200 f/2.8 to get into a house last year and going through my exif data I see I was usually stopped down to f/4, anyway—9,000 photos out of 10,000 I took with it (I love lightroom's metadata browser).

This lens will make a lot of people happy!

Bland said:
Have to wonder if Nikon has plans to add a big brother to their F4 12-24 & 24-120? They're both $1,200 so that could be the price as well if they too come out with the F4 70-200.

120-250(300?)mm f4? That would be a NICE addition.

I like that Tokina is finally releasing a 70-200mm lens though. If Tokina had this lens out a few months ago, I would have probably bought that instead of my N70-200 VR1, not that I regret it. What's that saying again? Once you go N70-200 f2.8, you never go back? ;)

Anyway, I hope this makes Nikon reconsider their f4 line-up of lenses. Also, might we be greedy and hope that Tokina also has an f2.8 lens in the works? (*¬*)

I have suggested before that one offshoot of higher cleaner ISOs could be that the "new f2.8 is f4." An f4 lens could do what you used to need an f2.8 to do (other than produce an equally shallow depth of field). Thus, we could see more new lenses designed in a constant f4 size just as we saw more and more lenses designed for f3.5-5.6 a few years back when cameras were automatically able to adjust for a variable aperture.

Have to wonder if Nikon has plans to add a big brother to their F4 12-24 & 24-120? They're both $1,200 so that could be the price as well if they too come out with the F4 70-200.

It's an interesting lens, and I'm curious to see how well it actually performs. To be honest, for a lens in this category to be less than $1000, there are probably a lot of compromises, but one never knows.

Seeing Tokina finally having their own vibration reduction is a very exciting thing. I have the VR 70-200 f/2.8 but for the right price and if other specs are agreeable I would at least check this lens out. Might even use this in place of the f/2.8 for hiking or something.

Excited to see Tokina refresh / release new lenses with vibration reduction. Their 16.5-135 with VR would be a very cool crop sensor walkaround lens.

^^^ oh duh. I see the motor and antishake on the blog. I am on my phone so i am slightly handicapped.

as this what's written in the release it's gonna have a build in motor and stabilization. good to see such a lens in nikon family and hopefully the price will be right - $700-$800 IMHO

Interesting release. Looks like they are going to beat Nikon (if nikon was actually thinking about releasing one). Think it will have the built in AF motor? I am kind of interested to see how it comes out. If the price is right i might think about one.