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Nikon Z 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR S: Probably the best 70-200 mm zoom in the world
Versatility is the watchword of the 70-200 mm lens: it‘s great for everything from action sports and wildlife photography to weddings, events and more besides. Nikon has made some superb examples of the breed over the years – but the latest S-line lens for Z-mount mirrorless cameras is the best yet.
There‘s certainly no shortage of high-tech glass packed into the Z 70-200 mm. 21 elements are arranged in 18 groups and include two aspherical elements, no fewer than six ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, a fluorite element and an SR (Short-wavelength Refractive) element.
High-speed autofocus is a basic requirement nowadays but this lens pulls out all the stops, featuring two separate, synchronised drive units, both based on stepping motors. As well as ensuring spectacular speed and highly consistent accuracy, the autofocus system is virtually silent.
Handling feels entirely natural and intuitive. The mechanical zoom ring and electronically-coupled focus ring both operate with smooth precision and, unlike Canon‘s competing 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens for its mirrorless EOS R-series cameras, the physical length remains fixed throughout the zoom range.
Performance
Throughout most of the zoom range, levels of sharpness are absolutely stunning, right across the frame and into the extreme corners, even shooting wide-open at f/2.8. The only noticeable drop-off is in the 150-200 mm sector of the zoom range, where corner-sharpness becomes ‚merely‘ excellent.
Living up to its promise, the lens delivers spectacular performance in every respect. The autofocus system is super-fast and unerringly accurate, while VR proved itself with five-stop effectiveness in our tests, right out to the longest focal length.
Specifications
Mount: Nikon Z
Lens construction: 21 elements in 18 groups
Angle of view: 34-12 degrees
Diaphragm blades: 9
Minimum aperture: f/22
Minimum focusing distance: 0.5-1.0 m
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.2x
Filter size: 77 mm
Dimensions: 89 x 220 mm
Weight: 1,360 g (1,440 g with tripod mount)
Price: $3.280 / 2.800 €
