Here's the conclusion page:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_...r_n15/page7.asp

I'm in the process of switching from DX Nikon cameras to a 5D and just sold my 70-200 VR. After reading this I'm kind of glad I didn't go the D3 route. The 70-200 VR would have been one of the primary lenses that I wanted to use on the D3.

From what I've heard, the Canon equivalent on the 5D is a great combo. It will be interesting to see if dpreview finds similar issues with the 70-200 IS.

Interesting! When I was thinking about switching brands from Nikon to Canon, a Canon rep told me what this review says, as I was considering a D3. I didn't believe him but now I see he was right.

I currently own a 5D and a 70-200 IS and there is a little vignette at the edges but it is nice, as far as softness...haven't found it to be soft anywhere.

The reason i the 70-200 2.8 VR is a G lens designed for dx sensor digital. It wasn't designed to work full frame. I can only imagine the trouble it would cause. For the D3 you will need some old school, full frame glass. Any D lens should rock. G lenses just won't work unless you are in crop mode on the d3.

Good luck

The "G" designation has nothign to do with the sensor you are using. You are thinking of the "DX" designation. DX lenses are used with DX cameras, and others with FX cameras. DX lenses can be used with the D3 in crop mode. The G means the lens will communicate with the camera body, and let the camera body set the aperture, and compute distance for flash metering.

The 70-200, like any other lens, is softer at it widest aperture, but if you stop down a couple steps it sharpens up. The corners are where the softness is most noticeable, but the center tends to be pretty sharp even wide open.

Anybody that has an issue with the 70-200 is welcome to trade it for my 80-200.

Careful passing on information when you don't know what your talking about. All Nikon lenses work with the D3 All of them, not to mention the newest school 24-70 and 14-24. Even the DX lenses work just fine although in lower resolutiion to about 5mp but with outstanding detail of the d3 sensor. The 70-200VR rocks on the D3 anyone can say anything and read anything to justify feeling better about their purchases, wish it was that easy about the photography.

G lenses aren't just designed for DX.

The 70-200 is a great lens, and I honestly don't see the point of worrying about corner resolution on anything but a landscape lens. Same with vignetting.

I'm sorry... I read the review and looked at the pictures and have to laugh. Don't you guys have anything better to worry about than blurred edges and vignetting (which you'll probably put on in post anyway).

I didn't see anything wrong with the pictures they showed. Start worrying more about selling and less about your camera equipment. Your bride doesn't give a rat's arse what camera you're shooting with or about a review of the 70-200 lens.

You're right Shane, there probably is something else I/we should be worrying about. Mostly I was just trying to make conversation and share with others. When it comes down to it the gear doesn't matter that much.

At the same time we have a forum dedicated to "Canon and Nikon" so obviously people do enjoy having these types of discussions

I use the D3 and the 70-200 VR. It's an awesome combination.

After reading this I went through yesterday's wedding and looked at the shots I shot with it, no trace of vignetting or softness on the edges. But it was outdoors so I didn't shoot wide open.

I have noticed very slight vignetting on this lens wide open in the past, but never any softness. So I looked at last week's wedding which was indoors and shot wide open all the vignetting I saw was vignetting that I added. When I removed that, there wasn't any, even wide open.

So I don't know. In a practical sense, at least in my personal experience, it is NO issue at all.

~rc

UPDATE on this from Ken Rockwell, though you have to filter through Ken's strong opinions his factual information is usually accurate: The combo is killer for me.



14 May 2008, Wednesday

Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR on D3: I'm still working on this, however as I thought, my mailbag is overflowing with testimonials from full-time professionals who have nothing but praise for the 70-200VR, on the D3 and every other camera. In fact, not only do pros shoot it in the pouring rain, they shoot it in dim concerts as well as for news and sports. Some even have had other photographers and newspapers asking what lens they used to get such great shots!

Real pros don't have websites. People with too much time on their hands have websites since they're not out shooting. This is why I caution everyone not to believe anything they read on the Internet unless they know the author personally.


13 May 2008, Tuesday

Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR on D3: I'm running this one through the battery. Yes, if you use it wrong (look too close in the corners at 200mm) it is softer on the D3, but no worse than my 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-S. By corners, only the last 3mm are softer; the sides are perfect. This takes a while to characterize; today I ran it through the studio and distortion characterization. The only complaint I'm hearing are from people who read the Internet too much; everyone who earns a real living shooting this 70-200mm VR lens loves it. It's great if you use it properly shooting pictures rather than test charts. More coming, and duh, Nikon's MTF chart clearly shows the far-corner smearing some people can see on FX, for those who know how to read MTF charts.

The DPReview crowd are intense pixel peepers and find a flaw in virtually everything.

Here in the real world the D3 + 70-200 VR combination is incredible and there are plenty of pictures on my boss' blog that were taken with that combo. We've seen no issues related to the lens on a D3...

The canon 70-200 review is posted:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_...m_c16/page6.asp

They're saying that the canon is optimized for full frame, and the Nikon for DX sensors. Interesting.

While DPReview is a pretty good source for information it is still a review site. I'd bet Randolph and Mortimer Duke's "usual amount" that Nikon's engineers didn't design the 70-200 VR to work better with DX bodies.

Normally I don't quote -- or necessarily agree with -- Ken Rockwell, but since Stephen already posted I'll join the camp:



Actually, since getting the D3 my boss has been using the 70-200 quite a bit more in lieu of her 85/1.4.

We use that very lens all the time on our D3s and I didn't notice a thing until i read this review and went back over some raw files @ 100%, and squinted, and tilted my head, and hemmed and hawed, and even then? Meh.

That lens is super handy - I can deal with hardly noticeable edge sharpness/vignetting issues - that's what the crop tool's for!

That is still my favorite lens. It is even better at full frame now.

Ditto. It does have some pretty extreme falloff in the corners at f2.8 and 200mm though. Not that there are many instances where I'm placing my subject in the corner, but at my most recent wedding I made a conscious effort to keep the bride & groom out of the corners.

We should make out.

Sorry, look at the lens review that they did with the 70-200 on the D3. It's wayy sharper than the canon equivalent.