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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The de facto standard in long Macro lenses, March 26, 2010
This review is from: Nikon 200mm f/4.0D ED-IF AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)
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.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top of the line if you can find it, June 7, 2009
This review is from: Nikon 200mm f/4.0D ED-IF AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)
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.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sharpest Macro to Date, July 31, 2010
This review is from: Nikon 200mm f/4.0D ED-IF AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)
The cost of this lens will make you take a lot of consideration before buying, and is therefore difficult to find for less than $1,700. 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 is amazing as well. I was shooting neon blue dragonflies recently after getting it in July 2010, 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 background behind the subject.
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.
I recommend this lens for pros, semi-pros, serious hobbyists, but not for walking around town all day for point and shoot photography, it is long and heavy, and is not a fast auto-focusing lens. But, like I said, manual focus is more easily acquired than most lenses due to its quality and sharpness. This lens is simply one of the best Nikon has made, you will be amazed at how it influences the way you look at your macro world.
This lens was purchased through the Amazon link on Ken Rockwell's review of the Nikon 200mm F/4.
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