Years ago, I bought a 200mm f/3.5 Vivitar instead of the 200mm f/4 Nikkor. After a short time, I sold the Vivitar because I was not satisfied with its image quality. I replaced it with a 180mm f/2.8 Nikkor which I still use to this day. Thanks for the review of this lens.
I recently picked one up, though I haven't gotten the pictures back yet. Back in the day, fifty years ago, when I was getting started in photography, an f4 lens was terribly slow, since you were using Kodachrome 64 (ISO 64) and you struggled in low light situations. Today, you can get tight grain with ISO 200 or 400 film and likewise if using digital, so the f4 is a much more attractive lens to use.
Totally agree. Usually when I'm traveling I have it with me. I never pack a wide angle. The things I like to photograph is either far away or details. Absolutely crazy lens.
I have the pre AI 200 f4 it has been AI converted and has had a uv filter glued on to the damaged filter thread at some time in its life , I prefer this to the ais version I got on ebay in a group of 4 nikkor lenses , the other 3 were a 50mm 1.4 ais , 100mm 2.8 E and the 50-135 3.5 ais , that I was looking for and had intended to resell the 3 primes which turned out to be in a better condition than the photos on the listing. I also like the metal focus rings better than the rubber on later lenses , I am using these on nikon dx & fx dslrs.
My version is a K that was AI'd by Nikon, and is in Ex+ condition. I knock around with a D780 with this on the camera and the 105 f2.5 in my pocket and another battery. The whole kit weighs about 4 pounds and yields stunning images.
excellent review and information. just got a Z5 and will be using it with focus peaking and zoom, as you mentioned. One question - with the nikon ftz adapter, how much vibration reduction do I get when using this lens on the Z5?
very good job Jules, for me the 200mm AI gives me very good results in portrait mode, this is due to the quality of the lenses, I use the 200mm instead of the 85mm with a better result
