Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR & PC 19mm Hands On

Nikon surprised me with a hands on demo with the some of their newest lenses attached to a Nikon D750. I was able to take shots and examine them via the on-screen LCD, and the quality at maximum zoom looked outstanding.

AF-S Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL ED VR

The all new 70-200mm from Nikon

First things first – this lens feels way lighter than any DSLR 70-200mm f/2.8 I’ve ever held, and that’s a good thing in these days where DSLR shooters question the burden of extra weight over mirrorless alternatives.

Another pleasant surprise was that in the limited testing indoors in Javits Convention Center, I was able to quickly focus and track subjects in non ideal lighting conditions. Every test shot I had at the appropriate shutter speed was razor sharp and in focus. This is a huge leap from its predecessor, as I always found my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 II to be way faster at focusing especially in difficult lighting situations. I can honestly say that Nikon has created a lens that feels like its matched the focusing speed of my Canon, and limited testing proved that the VR and sharpness definitely warrant a head to head comparison in the future.

It’s got reasonable minimum focus distance which is a really big deal, so when I was testing it out with subjects nearby I didn’t have a practical scenario where it didn’t focus. This is going to be a big win for event and wedding photographers!

Here’s more specs from Nikon:

• The professional’s choice for nearly any photographic scenario, the AF-S NIKKOR
• 70-200MM f/2.8E FL ED VR sets a new standard for pro telephoto lenses
• Wide f/2.8 constant aperture perfect for achieving optimal low-light performance
• Up to 4 stops of Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization for improved handheld shooting
• Electromagnetic diaphragm and Silent Wave Motor (SWM) offer consistent exposure control during high speed shooting and low-noise AF performance
• Superior weather-sealing and Fluorine coatings for particle resistance and easy cleaning
• 6 ED lens elements, 1 Fluorite lens element and 1 high refractive lens element combined with the Nano Crystal Coat help to eliminate distortion, ghosting and flare
• The AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR will be available in November 2016 for a $2,799.95 SRP

Learn more or pre-order here.

PC  Nikkor 19mm f/4E ED

Left side view

This is a a crazy sharp tilt shift that feels very substantial with butter smooth knobs. While I’m not a big tilt-shift or manual focus lens shooter, real estate photographers are going to be pretty pleased with this offering as it shows minimum edge distortion based on my limited hands on testing today.

Top View

Bottom View

Inside the very thick lens cap

• Nikon’s widest-ever tilt-shift NIKKOR offering, the PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED lens offers complete control over perspective and depth-of-field
• With 97° of coverage, the lens is designed to capture optically challenging-subjects like cityscapes or architecture
• Tilt operation can be made parallel or perpendicular for improved control of perspective, focus and depth-of field
• Super-wide 19mm focal length is perfect for shooting panoramas
• Electromagnetic diaphragm offers consistent exposure control during high speed shooting
• 3 ED lens elements, 2 Aspheric lens elements, Nano Crystal Coat combine to eliminate glare and Fluorine Coat to resist water and dirt
• The PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED lens will be available in November 2016 for a $3,399.95 SRP

Learn more or order now here.

Other articles you may enjoy...

• Nikon D5 (Nikon D4s)
• Nikon D500 with 24-70mm f/2.8 VR & SB-5000
• Nikon D610 (D600 vs Canon)
• Nikon D7200 (and older model links)
• Nikon D750 - Yeah, you want this one!
• Nikon D810 (includes SIGMA 50mm Art & Otus 55mm)
• Discount Coupon Codes page
• Ron's Recommendations
• Printing Series 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.