This very anticipated lens was recently released by Nikon (as of April 2026) and has big shoes to fill for sure. Its predecessors, the Nikon F-mount 70-200 VR f/2.8 and version one of the Nikon Z 70-200 f/2.8 S were extremely popular and for good reason. Each of these lenses I have shot with and the optics are extremely sharp and I finally got my copy of the new version from NPS. So how does Nikon make this lens better?
“Disclaimer: I test my gear in an effort to discover how it will perform for ME (using my own shooting style) in a real world situations . I’m not paid by Nikon to test equipment, nor do I receive my gear for free. I purchase it out of pocket.“
For starters. the new lens has Nikon’s “N” designation, which simply means it has Nikon’s “Nano-crystal” coating to improve contrast and color particularly in situations of backlighting. Nikon states that this version II lens is 0.5″ shorter and weighs 26% less than the previous generation. That is a difference you can physically see and feel whether mounted or unmounted to a Z body.
This version II lens weighs 2.2 lb without the foot or protective cover attached, which is noticeably lighter than the 3 lb weight of the former generation. When the protective cover is installed, the lens weighs 2.3 lb; when the tripod foot is installed, it weighs 2.6 lb.
In addition to benefitting the size and weight of the lens, the updated optical design also realizes improved image quality, higher resolution, better flare resistance, and smoother bokeh. Special attention was given to bokeh rendering, with an emphasis on producing smooth and natural transitions between in and out of focus regions for a more three-dimensional look. Aspherical element manufacturing has been improved for a smoother look, and the lens also now has 11 rounded diaphragm blades for a more rounded bokeh appearance. In reality, I am sure this is something that labs which test this lens may verify, but to the casual viewer, it is really impossible to tell from version one.
This is a proprietary component of high end Nikon glass and does make a difference for sure. Nikon’s Meso Amorphous Coat offers the greatest anti-reflective performance from a NIKKOR lens and outperforms the Nano Crystal Coat in regard to diagonal incident light.
The lens mounted on a Z body feels well balanced and the zoom dial is in a comfortable place when hand-holding. I never shoot this lens on a tripod, I am always handholding for my style of photography so the lens foot comes off. Nice that Nikon finally got wise and put a lens foot on that is ARCA compatible, but why not include this on the long glass that people actually will mount on a tripod? That is for another post.
I shoot in many weather conditions and having advanced weather sealing to help prevent dust and moisture ingress is a must along with the front element featuring a fluorine coating that repels dust, moisture, and makes it easier to clean.
Another biggie is that it is compatible with optional Nikon Z-series teleconverters, which can extend the effective focal length ranges to 98-280mm with the 1.4x teleconverter and 140-400mm with the 2x teleconverter. This basically gives you 3 lenses in one. Love that! Alright, lets get down to some specifics.
Overall Image Sharpness
As compared to its predecessor, this lens excels in sharpness. Its sweet spots for sharpness seems to be from f/4 through f/11 in my experience. The f/2.8 aperture is slightly less sharp (and it is hard to tell unless you zoom way in) but is offset by the aforementioned creamy bokeh. I use this lens wide open 99% of the time without hesitation.
Autofocus performance
Excellent blazingly fast (but then again, the precursor was pretty darned good at this too but I think this update version does acquire quicker, especially with moving subjects. If you are a birder and looking to capture birds in flight, this lens is up to the task for sure.
VR Performance
Nikon states the following on this lens:
Improved Vibration Reduction (VR) system compensates for 6 stops of camera shake for sharper imagery when shooting handheld with slower shutter speeds.
The lens in my humble opinion is as advertised and is excellent. The previous version worked well but I do believe that this is better and how I judge this is handholding down to about 1/10th of a second and still get sharp images. (Lots of handholding practice goes into that)
Build Quality
Top notch. From the minute you take this lens out of its box it’s clear that this is a totally professional lens built for rugged use. Nothing is loose, nothing rattles, and there’s just no “play” anywhere on the lens. I have no idea of how this lens could be built better!
I will just close by saying that all the hype about this lens I feel is justified. Is that average shooter going to notice a huge swing from version one, no so buying this lens might not be necessary. For someone who makes their living from photography, absolutely the upgrade is worth it. This lens, coupled with Nikons teleconverters can provide lightweight flexibility at multiple focal ranges for a great travel system ready for any occasion from landscape to sports to wildlife. I there is one must have lens, this is probably it.