All I can say is WOW!!
Pros:
GREAT Sharpness, FAST focusing,Vibration Reduction, Quality build, good Handling, and Wide aperture
Cons:
Heavy, EXPENSIVE, a bit of flare/ghosting in bright lighting
The Bottom Line:
Expensive, but the best things in life aren't free.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Absolutely the best lens, of any type, that I have used. I have owned over 50 different types of Nikon compatible lenses, from 55mm f1.2 AI lenses, to 24-120 zooms, to 135mm-F2 fixed length primes. This one tops them all.
Three things that are critical to a good lens.
1.) sharpness: This lens is as sharp as the best Nikon prime (135mm f2). Images pop of the paper in sharpness.
2.) Distortion & Image Quality: I see very little distortion in the architecture shots I have taken. A bit of pincushion at 200mm, and perfect at 70mm. Image quality is excellent, with great high contrast colors, and exceptional detail. The Vibration reduction really works, and allows detailed images as low as 1/8 second shutter speed at 200mm. The fast aperture allows you to capture moving objects at higher shutter speeds, and the VR just improves the images.
3.) Handling: This lens is BIG, and heavy. Not the type of lens you want to carry as a go-everywhere lens. But, for all its size, it handles beautifully. The zoom ring falls just where your hand expects it to be. The zoom is exceptionally smooth, and the focusing is FAST! This is the second AF-S lens I have owned, and both are far faster focusing than the old style AF systems. With this lens, the focusing becomes as good as the camera system will allow. I have used this lens on a D100, and a D70S with exceptional results. I look forward to using it on my new D200 whenever it comes in.
The included lens hood is big, and scalloped, and is the only really plasticy feeling thing on the lens. It is needed because this lens does have one minor flaw. It does get some ghosting/flare when photographing brightly lit objects, or views with bright lights just out of the field of view. No more ghosting than what I get with the 24-120 zoom, but something to mention. The lens hood helps minimize this ghosting/flare.
Overall, if you can't take exceptional photographs with this lens, you shouldn't be taking pictures.
Not a problem to date. The included soft case is handy for carrying the lens to sites, but I prefer a full camera bag for a lens of this size and cost.
