We have two, fantastic reasons to be happy today in the form of two, long-awaited lenses. First, Nikon announced an update to its flagship 70-200mm f/2.8 professional zoom that features fluorite lens components, an electromagnetic diaphragm, and a slew of other quality and durability improvements. Meanwhile, a new PC 19mm f/4E tilt-shift also features Nikon's latest electromagnetic diaphragm and fills a wide-angle tilt-shift gap where Canon has held an advantage for years.
Nikon's 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II wasn't exactly in need of an update. It features an aesthetic that's still very current, high-end nano-crystal and ED coatings, and competitive vibration reduction performance. But Nikon's choice to update this popular favorite is still welcome with a number of new, unexpected features that make this an update we didn't know we needed until we saw it.
For instance, a magnesium-alloy construction saves weight compared to the VR II version. One fluorite lens element (which also reduces weight) and one high refractive index element combine with six ED elements and nano-crystal coating to provide for maximum optical performance. A fluorine coating on the front element sheds dirt, oil, and moisture while also making the front element easier to clean. All moving parts of the lens are sealed against dust and moisture, too.
Veteran shooters will appreciate the return of Nikon's memory focus buttons, four of which are placed at the end of the barrel for instant recall of various, stored focus positions. Even minimum focusing distance has been improved over 20 percent to 1.1 meters, allowing similar relative increase in the reproduction ratio to 0.21x. Other handling characteristics are much-improved thanks to a center of gravity and the zoom and focus rings that have all been shifted closer to the mount.
Autofocus speed and accuracy is also improved, particularly when tracking fast-moving subjects or subjects that move toward or away from the lens as opposed to side-to-side. The four-stop vibration reduction system functions more quickly after engagement and creates transmits less vibration to the hands. It's also quieter than previous versions.
The electromagnetic diaphragm is still a fairly new feature Nikon is building into all of its latest professional lenses, as it allows for faster and more accurate aperture stop-down when shooting at high frame-rates, effectively eliminating any exposure discrepancies that can happen with standard aperture controls.
PC Nikon 19mm f/4D ED Tilt-Shift
Nikon's new 19mm f/4E ED tilt-shift lens still isn't as wide as Canon's equally bulbous 17mm offering, but it does finally give Nikon shooters a trustworthy ultra-wide-angle tilt-shift lens. The lens isn't just a wider version of Nikon's other tilt-shifts, however, as it features a number of new tricks that architectural photographers will love. A new "PC Rotation" mechanism allows for greater flexibility with respect to whether the tilt and shift adjustments are set parallel or perpendicular to each other. In addition, new mechanics also allow for smooth operation without the need for a separate locking mechanism, which, for those who haven't shot with tilt-shifts before, can be quite a pain.
In addition to being marketed as a high-resolving lens for high-megapixel cameras, the 19mm tilt-shift's front element also benefits from the same fluorine coating that wicks away dust, oil, and moisture. Also of note, at 4.8-inches long, the 19mm f/4E is a bit larger than the 85mm tilt-shift (for comparison, the 85mm f/2.8 tilt-shift is just over four inches long).
Special Notes
Something you may want to think twice about are various limitations of these ultra-modern lenses. The electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism is not compatible with certain consumer-level, older pro-level, or any film SLR cameras. In the case of the 19mm f/4E, only the Nikon D3 series, D4 series, D5 series, D810 series, D500, and Df bodies support the full perspective control adjustments of the lens. Various parts of other bodies might interfere with physical operation of extreme lens adjustments. For many professionals that shoot with the latest digital bodies, none of this will matter. But it's still something to be wary of should you want to use these lenses with a variety of bodies.
Pricing
Too much good news can be hard on your blood pressure, so let's take it down a notch: these lenses are some of Nikon's most expensive for what they offer. At $2,796.95 for the new 70-200mm f/2.8E and $3,396.95 for the 19mm f/4E, these lenses encroach on medium-format pricing territory. As great as the new features in the new pro-zoom or ultra-wide-angle tilt-shift might be, it's going to be hard for a lot of people to justify the purchase. Moreover, the high pricing on this lens leaves little room or reason for those looking to offload their VR IIs for any less than they would have yesterday. As the tilt-shift is new in its category for Nikon shooters, there won't be any lenses seeing a decrease in price on the secondary market, either. So don't look for any silver linings in the pricing of these lenses -- there isn't any.
Still, these lenses are both impressive in their own right and each feature the latest in optical technologies. Perhaps their prices are simply a reflection of what it takes to make some of the best lenses in the world.
UPDATE: Pre-orders are now available at the following links. Both lenses are expected to ship soon. The 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR can be pre-ordered now for $2,796.95, and the PC 19mm f/4E ED is available for pre-order at $3,396.95.
Here's a nice shot to end on: Nikon's now-filled-up tilt-shift lens lineup...
The new 19mm lens is on the left with its protruding front element.
Lets hope the 19mm is distortion free!
Needs to be brilliant at that cost...7 years behind the competition.
Exactly. But at that price and with all the work that went into this one, I don't have low expectations. Nikon touts superior edge-to-edge sharpness for both of these lenses, which they simply must live up to.
Agreed. I am usually the last one to consider switching, and even with its high price, the cost is less than a switch. I am actually excited that it is a 19. As on a crop body...what I use instead of a teleconverter, the 19 is a 28 which will be really useful. The only other 28mm tilt shift out there is $10k. So please be distortion free. I already have to correct enough with the 24mm PC-E.
Canons 24mm tse ii is remarkable. If I switched to Nikon I would keep my 17 and 24 tse and get a song a7rii for arch work.
This should have been a 16mm PCE for $2400. I own the 24mm PCE and was praying they would give me a 16mm sibling for it, but i still own a 5D2 so i think i may expand my canon glass again.
About time Nikon stepped up :P
Hopefully Canon will update their 45mm and 90mm
Wonder if they solved the focus breathing issue with the 70-200, apparently its more like a 135 at close focusing distances.
From what I've read, the new reproduction ratio indicates that it will be a true 200mm at minimum focus. *crosses fingers*
Rumors said this lens would eliminate focus breathing, but I couldn't find any Nikon marketing material about that fact...which leads me to believe this isn't the case. But it's hard to say (and all the little details tend to leak out over the few days following these kinds of announcements, so we'll see).
$3400? It better be some serious magic. Keep in mind you can still shoot wide on the 14-24 and then correct distortion and sharpness in DxO and crop to match a t/s. Unfortunately a t/s cannot normally be corrected by software in post. Yes you lose some resolution when cropping, but I have yet to have a client tell me that a final image cropped to ~24mp isn't high enough res for them.
I highly suggest renting and/or waiting for reviews on this one.
Wow you can get a used canon 70-200 2.8ii and a 17mm tse for 1500$ a peice.
I can get a used Honda Civic for $1500 too.
I am selling a used Honda Civic you came to the right place.
But in all honesty a used Honda Civic for 1500$ is not as comparable as a used 70-200 2.8 is ii that is virtually identical to brand new. With the savings of buying all used you could have a canon 17mm tse, a canon 70-200 2.8 ii and a Sony a7rii or canon canon 5div for less than buying these lenses new!
I'm for one am excited for the new 70-200. There... I've said it... I've been borrowing my sister-in-law's VR, and renting the VR II when I couldn't, all the while waiting for a new version that was "just around the corner". Now the plunge will be taken... in a few months when I save up for it. And IMHO people have been complaining about the price of photo equipment for years, some stuff goes up (mostly glass), some stuff comes down (recent medium format comes to mind and sometimes glass), quality equipment is always expensive, some artificially so (yea, I'm looking at you Leica). With inflation, and the niche aspect of the 19, I think these are rather fairly priced. But to be clear, that's just my opinion, and as my father always told me, opinions are like a##h0le$, everybody's got one.
Wait... the zoom ring is moved to the front on the 70-200?! Plus, that price is ridiculous. They just left huge gap for a new Sigma Art/Sports to fill.
I'd say "huge" is a bit hyperbolic my friend. The price is tough, but there's always the VRII. Also having the zoom ring in the front makes a lot of sense because it decreases hand shake. It's like when you use really powerful binoculars; in order to see very well, you have to hold them at the end so you minimize hand shake.
Meh.
Ill get excited when they update the 105mm F/2 DC.
I wouldn't count on it. I would consider the 105mm f/1.4E the update for that one...
Yeah, I know. At least it is bringing the DC prices down a bit on the used market as people "upgrade"
So I just purchased a 70-200 f2.8 VR11 yesterday, guess I missed the press release by 5 hours....bugger.
Did you get it new? Also, I really don't think the value of that lens will or should go down. The new lens is at least $1k over what this lens goes for on the used market. There's no reason that should have any effect...so if you want the new one, go sell that one (or return it if you got it new).
I'm sure you could return it without an issue if you really want the new one.