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.
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.
@@h.e.hazelhorst9838 It is of excellent quality. I understand that once you go to AF is difficult to go back to manual focus especially for longer lenses and moving subjects. I have basically replaced this lens with AF zooms, but I don’t ever think I will sell it. Thanks for watching.
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.
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
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.
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 also had the 180 2.8, which I used on my F3. What a great lens.
I have the same lens. I owned over 50 lenses but only the 200mm f4 gives me the dreamy headshots. Can’t believe what an amazing lens is. Nice video
It is an amazing lens and one of the best things about it that its so light.
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 got the push-pull version and it really is a sharp lens. very happy to have it.
Splendid video. I got to learn alot about the lense and about portrait photography
Thank you
Thanks for this very interesting video
Incidentally, the 105 f2.5 rendered the image very nicely
All the very best
Thank you Ronald.
Bought this lens in 1984 in Japan, but haven’t used it that much, especially after changing to digital and AF. It is of great quality, though.
@@h.e.hazelhorst9838 It is of excellent quality. I understand that once you go to AF is difficult to go back to manual focus especially for longer lenses and moving subjects. I have basically replaced this lens with AF zooms, but I don’t ever think I will sell it. Thanks for watching.
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.
I agree. That lens really works well on digital for static subjects.
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?
If you put in non cpu data I believe you get 3 axis vibration reduction
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
Thank you
One of Nikons very best. Sharp wide open, crazy sharp by 5.6.
Agreed and very light for a 200.
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.
It’s great that these vintage lenses can be used on the latest cameras. Thanks for watching.
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.
Love both lenses.
Mine has a stiff focus ring. Any suggestions for a home fix?
You can try turning it back and forth a bunch of times. However it probably needs to be lubricated.
Love this lens but on my f2/f3
Back before digital when I was shooting film I never owned this lens. Bought it about 3-4 years ago. Thank you for watching my video.
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