Nikkor 70-200mm Lens By Stacy Pearsall

Lens (mm): 90

ISO: 50

Aperture: 8

Shutter: 1/200

Program: Manual

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 Lens is a quality piece of glass to have in your camera bag.  For those who are shooting full frame Nikon cameras, I suggest photographers have at least these three lenses in their kit: 14-24mm, 24-70mm and the 70-200mm.

The 70-200mm in particular, is a critical length lens for all types of work. I’ve found that it’s tack sharp, whether I’m shooting portraits, landscapes, details or sports.

When it comes to shooting portraits, like the horse above, you can’t beat the compression and aesthetic quality of the blur – plus you have multiple options such as shooting close or medium like the above example.

Lens (mm): 200

ISO: 200

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/1600

Exp. Comp.: -1.7

Program: Aperture Priority

 

The 70-200mm gives you the ability to reach out and touch distant details. Perhaps the latch on a house’s shutter is too far overhead. This lens will be your ladder and your access pass.

Lens (mm): 116

ISO: 200

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/250

Exp. Comp.: -1.0

Program: Aperture Priority

 Even though it’s my longest lens in my “go-to” kit, it’s still light enough to carry in my shoulder bag. Weighing in around 54 oz. and measuring around 8 inches in length, logistically it takes up the most room in my bag. However, I won’t leave home without it.

Lens (mm): 175

ISO: 200

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/1250

Exp. Comp.: -1.0

Program: Aperture Priority

This is a fast lens at f/2.8 and I find I can’t go wrong with it’s ability to knock out the background – especially when I want to achieve eye pleasing shallow depth-of-field such as the flower above. There are many factors why this lens can do that, but one of the most important structural reasons is because it has a 9-blade diaphragm.

I prefer to give myself some distance between my camera and subject, so I achieve the right shallow depth-of-field look. However if you’d rather get in close, this lens will let you get within 4.6 feet of your subject.

Lens (mm): 140

ISO: 200

Aperture: 11

Shutter: 1/200

Program: Manual

The auto focus on the lens is solid, even when your shooting at 150mm or greater. Another great feature is your ability to retain subject-working distance through your entire focus range, without changing the length of the lens.

If you have poor upper arm strength like me and bob up and down while trying to shoot without a monopod or tripod, the Vibration Reduction (VR) really can be lifesaver. The VRII system gives you the ability to drop your shutter speed up to four-stops slower than perhaps any other previous lens in its class.

Not only does this help me when I’m handholding my camera, but also when I’m shooting with lights. Due to the fact that my sync speed is usually in the neighborhood of 1/200^th or less (unless I’m shooting high-speed sync), having the help of VR helps my stability and image sharpness.

Lens (mm): 70

ISO: 200

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/1600

Exp. Comp.: -0.7

Program: Aperture Priority

Like most professional photographers, color consistency and clarity are important to me. I haven’t had a problem with the 70-200mm. Some people attribute its ability to produce unfailing color with its engineering. This lens has seven extra-low dispersion (ED) elements, which is a fancy way of saying it reduces chromatic aberration.

What is chromatic aberration? Well there are two types – axial and transverse. Axial aberration happens if wavelengths of light focus at different distances from the lens. Transverse aberration occurs when wavelengths of light focus at different positions in the focal plane.

Lens (mm): 200

ISO: 200

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/500

Exp. Comp.: -1.0

Program: Aperture Priority

I know many of you may not know me, but camera gear goes to me to die. At least, that is what my husband, and fellow photographer, tells me. I’m rough on gear. Luckily the 70-200mm lens is built like a tank. The critical mount is metal and the entire lens is built to withstand a beating.

On a side note, I did crush a 70-200mm lens in a tank once. Not a fish tank, a real tank in combat. I had to man the “loader’s seat” in an M1A1 Abrams Tank during a combat mission. I was wearing a shooter’s vest over my body armor, which was filled with essential camera gear. My 70-200mm lens was in my left-front pocket. When the main gun on the tank activated, it pinched my pocket and my lens with it too! Surprisingly, none of the glass elements broke, cracked or shattered. I was astonished. I couldn’t shoot with it because it was bent like a rainbow, but I was still amazed that it survived with only a bend to show for it.

Lens (mm): 75

ISO: 200

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter: 1/4000

Exp. Comp.: -0.7

Program: Aperture Priority

At the end of the day, you can read reviews like mine all day but it’s really a personal preference thing. I suggest you buy this lens, try it for a few days and if you aren’t hooked, return it. I can almost guarantee you’ll keep it though.