To Buy or Not to Buy

[CraigVTR]

I have been thinking of buying a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 Vr recently and I have found a second hand lens on sale for $1600. It is the original VR 1 version and is advertised as being in excellent condition from a very reputable seller, however I can pick up a VR2 version new for about $2300.
Does anyone have an opinion on the merits of VR2 over VR1 and is new worth the extra $$?

Thanks in advance.

[tommyg]

Hi Craig,

i have the VR1 version, and it is a great lens, completely happy with it.

Having said that - I'm looking at selling it anyway and getting the VRII version

Personally I think getting the new lens is a better option

[Remorhaz]

I think it may depend on whether you shoot DX or FX (VR1's vignetting on FX) and also whether you shoot a lot of subjects which are closer (e.g. portraits) and would be bothered by the focal length breathing on VRII (which for me would be an annoyance).

Was the lens you saw either the one at ECS or one I've seen on Gumtree?

[CraigVTR]

focal length breathing on VRII (which for me would be an annoyance).

Was the lens you saw either the one at ECS or one I've seen on Gumtree?

Rodney the lens was on ECS. Can you explain what you mean "breathing on VR2"?

I'm looking at selling it anyway and getting the VRII version

What sort of price are you thinking of asking.

[MATT]

I have the V1 and have toyed with this also.. No definative answer yet and where I live no one has one I can borrow to compare.

Having said that I was shooting some netball with a D3 and the VR1. With this combo the vignett was very noticable under very miserable conditions overcast raining . This was my first real use of it on the D3 and this was not something I had noticed on D700, which was puzzeling..

At the carnival I got talking to another photog who was using the 200 2.0 , he mentioned that the new 70-200 VRII was a real stepup on his D3s's and couldnt believe how much better it actually was.

Worth the upgrade??? Hard to say.. But its on my list of things to do.. After I get a D800..

MATT

[Bob G]

Craig,

I have the VR11 and previously had the VR1.
Both good lenses but the VR11 is a good margin better in my opinion and also the reviews I read some time ago before making the change. ( I don't regret upgrading)

I expect at some time in the distant future you'll be thinking about a new camera and the VR11 would certainly handle the move forward whatever that may be.

It's always hard to personalise advice for others but all I can say is you are welcome to take a few shots with my VR11 on your camera if you want to make a trip down from the range.

[aim54x]

I have the VR and use it on a D300 and D700...never has bothered me...but I am sure the VRII will be better for the D800/D800E, especially in the corners

[the foto fanatic]

I have also upgraded from the VRI to the VRII and I did it for two reasons:
- auto-focus is much better
- vignetting reduced, it was quite bad on VRI, but mainly on FF bodies, may not be an issue for you currently, but will if you move to FF later.

[Geoff M]

I bought a used VR1 about 18 months ago for $1600, two months after the AF stopped working so sent it to Nikon for repair. The motor had detached itself, the repair cost me around $250, still cheaper than a new lens but in hindsight perhaps a new purchase would have been better. That said, with the exception of the D90 and R1C1 kit, all my gear has been purchased 'used' so have saved my self a fortune (approx $4500). Buying used there is always an element of risk, you need to decide if the risk is worth it.

[Steffen]

Wouldn't a tele-zoom be more useful on a DX body anyway? After getting used to an effective 105-300 f/2.8 it might be a tad disappointing to go back to 70-200?

Cheers
Steffen.

[tommyg]

I have also upgraded from the VRI to the VRII and I did it for two reasons:
- auto-focus is much better
- vignetting reduced, it was quite bad on VRI, but mainly on FF bodies, may not be an issue for you currently, but will if you move to FF later.

I've used the VRI exclusively on my D700 and have never noticed any vignetting happening.

[the foto fanatic]

I've used the VRI exclusively on my D700 and have never noticed any vignetting happening.

I'm glad you are not having a problem, but plenty of commentators have noticed this and written about it.

[Remorhaz]

Rodney the lens was on ECS. Can you explain what you mean "breathing on VR2"?

Some lens designs "breath." That's the term for changing focal length with focus distance. The 18-200mm is a notorious heavy breather: it is so significantly short of 200mm at its closest focus distance that even casual users notice this. The new 70-200 VRII is the same.

For some time lenses have been marked with approximations. The basic formula is that you calculate focal length with the lens focused at infinity. And if you're within a few percent, you round to some well-known numbers. So, under this agreed-upon industry standard, both the original and the new version of the 70-200mm are, well, 70-200mm lenses.

At infinity the VRI ends up being 196mm and VRII is 192mm at the 200mm setting, however at close focus distance the VRI lens ends up being actually 182mm but the VRII turns out to be 134mm.

Not a problem if you're always using the lens for infinity subjects but if you're using it a lot for close up work (and even at 5m the difference is noticable) then you may be concerned (of course only if you're trying to get all the focal length you can - e.g. shooting portraits or kids on stage, etc).

[CraigVTR]

Thank you for all the comments, I have learned something today especially about breathing, thanks Rodney.
I currently have in my lens lineup a 105 VR micro and a 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR11. Iam thinking of replacing the 70-300 with a 70-200 2.8 for the extra speed and image quality. Even with the reduction in reach I think the 70 - 200 range is suitable for my type of shooting.
In the longer term I want to be able to do some birding and motorsports so I will look at longer focal lengths later.

Bob Thanks for the offer I will give you a call about in the next couple of days.

[tommyg]

Thank you for all the comments, I have learned something today especially about breathing, thanks Rodney.
I currently have in my lens lineup a 105 VR micro and a 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR11. Iam thinking of replacing the 70-300 with a 70-200 2.8 for the extra speed and image quality. Even with the reduction in reach I think the 70 - 200 range is suitable for my type of shooting.
In the longer term I want to be able to do some birding and motorsports so I will look at longer focal lengths later.

Bob Thanks for the offer I will give you a call about in the next couple of days.

You will definitely find that the 70-300 stays homemost of the time - since getting the 70-200 I have used my one precisely 0 times in the past 3 years! If I need that extra reach I carry around a 1.4TC that works a charm. Hmm, I think that is another lens I should get rid of