Nikon’s anticipated Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II lens coming soon

This pair of illustrations shows the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II lens without (top) and with (below) the bundled tripod collar. (Source: Nikon.)

Designed primarily for full-frame/FX-format mirrorless cameras, the widely-anticipated Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II joins the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II to provide a pair of complementary zooms that work equally well for still-image and video recording to its professional customers.  Optically and mechanically completely revamped it offers a significant reduction in weight of approximately 26% when compared with the current Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens (which was released in August of 2020). The reduction in weight was achieved by modifying the front lens group configuration and eliminating mechanical components in the moving lens groups. The revised optical design contains 18 elements in 16 groups and includes one ED glass, one Super ED glass, two aspherical lenses, one aspherical ED glass, one fluorite lens and one SR lens elements. Some of the elements have Meso Amorphous Coat and ARNEO Coat applied to suppress internal reflections, while the front lens element is fluorine-coated to repel moisture and dust. The lens achieves top-class S-Line image quality with fewer elements than its predecessor through effectively positioned aspherical lenses and newly developed glass materials that correct chromatic aberration.

The Silky Swift VCM (SSVCM) autofocusing system, which originated in the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, uses voice coil motors (VCMs) and a high-performance “guide mechanism” developed by Nikon to drive the AF actuator at high speed while significantly reducing noise and vibration. Claimed to be roughly five times faster than the conventional stepping motor system, it reduces scan time by 40% and improves tracking while zooming by 60%, while enabling quiet and precise focusing even at maximum aperture. An optical ABS encoder enables position detection with approximately 17.5 times the precision of the previous model. AF tracking performance during zooming has also been improved by approximately 40%.

The new lens also features a Synchro VR-compatible stabilisation system that provides up to six stops of shake correction, compliant with the CIPA 2024 standard. It also has a shorter minimum focusing distance with a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.3x at the 70mm focal length and 0.25x at 200mm. Since the overall length of the lens does not change during zooming, it is less likely to bump into the subject during close-up shots. The newly developed 11-blade diaphragm maintains a high degree of circularity even when stopped down by three stops from maximum aperture, allowing users to capture smooth bokeh. with a natural sense of depth. The 77 mm filter thread is the same as used in the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II and compatible with a wide variety of filters. High dust- and drip-resistant performance is ensured through effective sealing at key points, along with the internal zoom mechanism, which prevents dust and water droplets from entering the lens during zooming. The rotation angle of the focus ring can be set through the camera’s custom settings to support linear manual focusing.

Other features derived from the design of the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens include two L-Fn buttons positioned to make it easy to engage the assigned functions whether the user is shooting in horizontal or vertical orientation plus the addition of a switch for de-clicking the lens control ring. Like its predecessor, the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II lens comes with a removable tripod foot and protective cover (which together add 182 grams to the overall weight) and is compatible with Nikon’s Z Teleconverters, TC-1.4x/TC-2.0x. The supplied lens hood includes a filter adjustment window that allows users to adjust circular polarising and variable ND filters without removing the hood.

The Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II lens is supplied with front and rear caps plus the HB-119 lens hood and CL-C3 lens case. It will be available in stores in late March at an RRP of AU $5,399. Click here for more information.