Customer Reviews

Nikon 200mm f/4.0D ED-IF AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own both the Canon 180/3.5L USM Macro and this Nikkor 200/4 AF-D Micro. I have also owned (in the past) both the Nikon 105mm (non-VR) Micro, the Canon 100/2.8 USM Macro, and the Sigma 105/2.8 Macro for comparison purposes. I currently own the Canon MP-E 65 as well, but it's really not comparable to any "standard" macro lens.

The Canon lens has USM (Ultrasonic Motor) and is Canon's best Macro lens. It's an excellent piece of glass and better than every Macro I've used... except for this 200mm Micro-Nikkor.

As far as bullet-points are concerned, you could be forgiven for thinking the utter lack of technologies such as AF-S, VR, weather sealing, and Nano-coating, along with the shiny black paint with gold ring would doom this lens.

Think again.

This 200mm lens is an aberration in the exotic lens kingdom. Think of it as a white elephant or a unicorn -- something magical that only a few "choosen" people will ever experience. It's like experiencing Nirvana, or the perfect moment in time. It is greater than the sum of its parts, and when mastered will produce a finished result superior to any other tool of its kind.

Sound fantastic? Foolishly hyperbolic? Sure, but...

The lens itself seems to weigh much more than its relatively diminutive proportions would indicate. That MASSIVE focus ring that occupies the entire front half of the maw seems like overkill -- until you use it, and then it makes perfect sense. The manual focus seems, for lack of a better word, hydraulic. It is *so* smooth, *so* precise, and *so* consistent you'll think your flanges are swimming through heavy cream. Equally adept at non-macro photography -- really an exceptional long *portrait* lens in its own right -- a quick switch of the AF selector makes this lens focus surprisingly quick; substantially quicker than the USM-equipped Canon EF 180/3.5L Macro. Only the focus noise belies its lack of AF-S. The incorporated tripod ring is exceptional as well. As a whole, it feels as though the lens was crafted from a single block of solid plutonium. It feels bulletproof.

That's all well and good, but if it doesn't perform optically then it's all for naught.

In reality, if the lens was optically as good as it felt it would be perfect, but the plain truth is... it's even BETTER!

Dealing with depth of field (DoF) has alway been the macrophile's thorn in the flesh. How do you close the aperture sufficient to render adequate DoF and still maintain adequate shutter speed to combat motion blur -- especially in the absence of a tripod or while attempting to capture subjects in motion? With a 200mm lens, this conundrum is exacerbated significantly and makes life that much more difficult. Modern dSLRs, especially the current crop of Full Frame models, alleviates this slightly by offering excellent high-ISO performance, but there is no "magic bullet" at one's disposal to eliminate this ever-present demon. The only way, sad to say, is through continual practice and perfecting of one's technique. Even then, the "keeper rate" of a seasoned macrophile will always be a small fraction of a percent, unless you always shoot in a controlled environment; like a studio or set.

This 200mm Macro is not for the faint of heart or for the casual user who wants to take the occasional close-up. It is *NOT* a lens for the first-time macro wannabe. It's a lens you work up to, having learned good technique already on lesser glass. It's intended for those willing to put in the time and effort to "master" (a generous term) such an instrument. But, boy-oh-boy, if you take the time, the rewards this optic are capable of producing are, in a word, unparalleled.

If you're a perfectionist, willing to buy the best macro optic ever produced by man, and are not deterred by the frustrations concomitant in extracting the best from what it is capable of producing, then look no further. This lens is your window into the very soul of the macro world.

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Although it does not do it justice, below is a link to a 100% crop taken with this lens taken a number of years ago (2004) using an old Nikon D70 6MP SLR *not* in RAW, but in out-of-the-camera JPEG (Fine).

[...]

The original image was taken at a distance of roughly 6-8 FEET from the butterfly.

Here's the UNEDITED, out-of-camera JPEG:
[...]

Keep in mind, Nikon are notorious for their poor in-camera JPEG engines, and the D70 of last decade was one of the worst. RAW results, with a new model, are simply astonishing. I'm hesitant to post this example, but it's under the "worst" circumstances, and still holds up well.

There's a common theme in these reviews, and I honestly don't have much that I can add, other than to put one more vote up that this is the best macro lens I've ever shot with - and I've shot with several.

I've owned the Nikon 60, the Tamron 90, the Sigma 150, and the Nikon 105, but none of them comes close to delivering the stunning images put out by the Nikon 200. In particular, this lens has some of the most amazing bokeh I've ever seen in a lens. With a working distance that feels like a mile, you can capture some amazing shots of very skittish insects and animals, due to not having to be 2 inches away. Even though it's well over a decade old, the design is still tack sharp, and unrivaled in its optical construction.

Before I purchased this lens, I looked at the superlatives in every review and wondered if it could ever be as good as everyone said it was. After owning the lens and using it in a variety of contexts, I can do nothing less than shower those same superlatives on the lens.

Ultimately, the pictures are what tell the story on this one. My profile page contains a link to my blog, where I have several macro shots with this lens posted. Feel free to ask any questions or ask for samples of what this thing can do - it is truly stunning in every way.

Often when one refers to something as a classic, there is some performance trade off. Not the case here. This is THE tele macro of choice for Nikon users. It is so so sharp at macro/closeup shooting distances. The bokeh (out of focus area) is spectacularly smooth. This is not an AFS lens so the AF performance is neither quick nor silent as more modern designs deliver. Yet, know that this lens is really designed for close-up/macro work, so focusing speed is less of an issue. While some find it to be a serviceable medium tele (it is a fairly fast 200mm lens after all), I find it to be much more of a specialist's tool. Luckily, macro has become a specialty for me and this tool is phenomenal. A little longer than the phenomenal Sigma 150 and much more expensive as well, so if you are on a budget for a tele macro lens, do take a very very serious look at the Sigma. Highly recommended.

I've been looking for this lens for several months, and then one day noticed it was available on Amazon from Ace Photo. I have and use the 60mm micro (mostly for table top, product shots) and the 105mm VR (fantastic lens too), but wanted the reach and love the tripod collar, as on my 70-200. I did order and try the Tamron 180mm, loved the reach, but images were flat, lens felt cheap and plastic, so sent it back. So far I enjoy this lens, and use it on a D80 and D300 for the reach. Have not tried it yet on my D700, but suspect great results on full frame too. Very satisfied with the purchase. May be expensive, but after trying Tamron and Sigma lenses, I'm sticking with Nikon. Highly recommended.

I've only had this lens (purchased from Amazon) for a few weeks, but it has proven a spectacular tool for creating great macro images, as well as being a really great telephoto lens. I'm using it with a D90 and a D40. AF is OK at normal distances, and even at macro distances if the limiter switch is set for the appropriate range. Of course, manual focus is usually the best choice for macro use, and the focus ring and action on this lens is very nice indeed. I've used it both hand-held and on a tripod and the results are really pleasing, by far the best macro I've used.

I used to shoot Canon (back in the 60's and 70's) and Minolta (in the 80's and 90's) and of all the many lenses I've used, this is the sharpest from edge to edge by a good margin. Seems to be tack sharp even in the corners wide open. Very promising.

Looking forward to spring and summer when I will get much more chance to use this baby.

The price for this lens is on par with most Nikon & Canon primes of this magnitude. There are a couple third party manufactures that perform very well for their cost, but this lens is a true Prime lens. I have tried other models at differing focal lengths and find this one to be absolutely tack sharp. For this reason it is easier to find the best focus more quickly and it feels easily controlled under such high magnification.


Coloration and contrast are amazing as well. I was shooting neon blue dragonflies with a D700 set to standard color. They were by all means colorful, as was the background with a distinct artistic blur. There was no flash involved, yes lighting was about perfect being diffused by light cloud cover. Contrast and chromatic abberations are also second to none, even with light skies in the backgrounds.

Optics of this quality are not left to chance, so the lens body is built with magnesium and Nikon's nice hard coat finish. I appreciate the low profile lens mount for fitment into gear bags, and handling for pictures. Not to advertise, but Kirk Enterprises has a special lens mount for the 200mm micro with a flash bracket mount available. That is what I have with a SB-600 when flash is needed, and it is indeed a very effective setup for close up and portrait photography.


This lens was purchased through the Amazon link on Ken Rockwell's review of the Nikon 200mm F/4.

This is an excellent lens which gives you a sharp photographic image. But it is a little bit heavy.