According provided by Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II lens (version with parking button) is huge thanks to the store www.fotika.com.uawhere you can find a huge number of different used photographic equipment, including similar lenses for Nikon cameras.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
Browse Navigation:
- Browse Navigation
- In short
- History
- Main Specifications
- Assembly
- L button
- Stabilizer
- Focusing
- Image quality
- Sample Photos
- Alternatives
- Differences between 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VR and 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII
- My personal experience with the lens
- Prices / where to buy
- All Nikon DX Nikkor Lenses
- Results
- User Comments
- Add your review or question on the lens
In this review, I will abbreviate the lens as Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII.
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII
In short
The Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII is an inexpensive telephoto lens for Nikon's DX-series crop cameras. Is a logical improvement on an older lens Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED VR IF SWM... Lightweight, compact enough for transportation (has a new lens parking system), with built-in image stabilization, and most importantly - with normal / good image quality (as for a lens of this class). It has good performance in terms of price / quality ratio. I'm not kidding - this is a really usable albeit 'dark / plastic' zoom telephoto. Of the serious shortcomings, only slow focusing, a drop in sharpness at 200 mm focal length and poor macro capabilities are striking.
Often such a lens can be purchased with the camera as one of the two lenses included in the so-called double kit. In this set, the total cost of the camera, Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII and Nikon 18-55 / 3.5-5.6GII VRII significantly lower than all three pieces of equipment purchased separately.
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII
History
Nikon has been making cheap televisions for Nikon DX cameras since 2005. In total there are 3 versions of the lens class Nikon DX 55-200 / 4-5.6:
- Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED SWM [two colors: black / silver, country of origin: Japan / China], April 2005 - March 2007.
- Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED VR IF SWM, March 2007 - January 2015 (possibly longer).
- Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II, January 2015 - our days.
You can find its name on the lens case with golden lettersNikon DX VR AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED', where the pointer' II 'stands near the letter' G '. In the name of the lens, written near the front lens, in a surprising way, the pointer 'II' has already moved to another place, and the lens began to be called 'Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED VR II'(+ swapped' DX '/' VR '/' AF-S 'prefixes). Usually, in my review, I indicate the name of the lens exactly as it is written on its body, in this case it became a mystery to me how to indicate the name correctly (the same situation with Nikon 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII VR II AF-S DX Nikkor) In brochures, and on the official website the name is used 'NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f / 4-5.6G ED VR II', since it is customary to write the modification number there after the lens name. In fact, there is no difference, but it is worth noting that in the case of two similar lenses Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical и Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM VR IF Aspherical manipulations with the designations 'GII' and 'VR II' misled people, forcing them to believe that the new version 18-200 / 3.5-5.6 has a new generation stabilization system. As a result, in the review, I named the lens 'Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II'.
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII
Main technical characteristics of Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II:
| Review Instance Name | Name near front lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED VR II ∞-1.1m / 3.61ft ø52. Name in gold letters Nikon DX VR AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED. Inscription on the other side of the case: Made in Thailand 20484906 |
| Basic properties |
|
| Front Filter Diameter | 52 mm, plastic thread for filters |
| Focal length | 55-200 mm EGF for Nikon DX cameras is 82.5-300 mm |
| Zoom ratio | 3.64 X (usually rounded to 4) |
| Designed by | for digital cameras Nikon DX |
| Number of aperture blades | 7 rounded petals |
| Tags | focal lengths for 55, 70, 85, 105, 135, 200 mm, bayonet mount mark and hood mounts |
| Diaphragm |
The lens is deprived of the aperture control ring, control is via the camera menu (G - lens type) |
| MDF (Minimum Focus Distance) | 1.1 m over the entire range of focal lengths, maximum magnification ratio 1: 4.35 (Kenny made a mistake in MRR) |
| Stabilizer features | 4 stops by CIPA standards. The stabilizer monitors the movement of the camera while shooting panoramas. The second generation stabilizer. |
| The weight | 300 g |
| Optical design | 13 elements in 9 groups, including 1 low dispersion element (shown in yellow on the optical diagram). The presence of such elements is indicated on the body by the abbreviation 'ED'.
Image of optical circuit clickable |
| Lens hood | Nikon HB-37, bayonet type, plastic, same as lenses: |
| Transportation | With a soft cover CL-0915 |
| Manufacturer country | Thailand, inscription on the lens 'Made in Thailand' |
| Period | From January 5, 2015. In August 2016, supplemented by a model Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1: 4.5-6.3G ED VR |
| Instructions | See |
| Current prices in modern online stores |
In the very first version Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED SWM used 2 low-dispersion elements in the optical scheme, in the next two versions - only one.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
Assembly
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII assembled in Thailand. The lens uses a plastic lens mount (onfoto nakosyachili in their review), such a mount is the first sign that a user from the simplest Nikon Nikkor line of lenses is in front of the user.
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII - lightweight, compact, with parking system to reduce physical size during transport.
The focus ring is plastic, without rubber inserts, the zoom ring is coated with rubber.
The retractable part of the frame of the case consists of the spirit of the sections (actually three, but it takes a long time to explain). I have not noticed spontaneous lengthening of the frame of the case, but perhaps this can begin to occur when the zoom mechanism is worn out.
When changing the focal length, the rear lens moves in the middle of the lens body like a pump - it draws in and pushes out air. This behavior of the rear lens is called 'vacuum cleaner effect', which can increase the amount of dust that accumulates in the camera. From the side of the rear lens (when it is deepened), the lenses are visible loops, boards and other filling of the lens.
There is a bayonet mount mark and a mark on the case for quick installation of the hood. The lens uses a very strong (!) Plastic hood Nikon HB-37 (Made in China), which is fixed in special grooves located near the front lens of the lens. The hood can be installed in the opposite direction for transportation. In this position, access to the focus ring is lost. The lens hood moves with the trunk of the lens.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
Stabilizer
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII has a second-generation Nikon VR image stabilizer that can compensate 4 stops by shutter speed. In values excerpts this means that you can shoot at shutter speeds 16 times longer than what a lens without a stabilizer requires.
Important: VR II (VRII) marking has nothing to do with the generation of the stabilizer. The 'II' prefix simply indicates the second version of this lens. Due to the fact that the abbreviation 'VR' is the last abbreviation of the full lens name shown near the front lens, there is a false impression that the prefix 'II' refers to the abbreviation 'VR'. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the lens, as evil, still uses a stabilizer of the second generation. At the time of this writing, the vast majority of Nikon lenses use a second generation stabilizer. The third generation could only be found in Nikon N AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm 1: 4G и Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm 1: 2.8E. The first generation can only be found in very old televisions, for example in Nikon ED AF VR-Nikkor 80-400mm 1: 4.5-5.6D.
To enable / disable the stabilizer on the lens there 'VR ON / OFF' button. I was able to take pictures without grease and hard work at 200 mm focal length and 1/15 of a second. Unlike more advanced lenses, such as Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 16-85mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED VR SWM IF Aspherical, this lens does not have the ability to switch stabilizer modes.
There may be some twitching in the viewfinder when turning the Image Stabilizer on and off, this is normal and should not be feared. The stabilizer is activated by pressing the focus activation button (usually half-pressing the shutter release button).
The lens can track the movement of the camera during panorama shooting. In this case, the stabilizer will suppress vibration only in the direction perpendicular to the movement of the camera.
The stabilizer works well, but during real shooting it seems that the Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII stabilizer practically nothing in comparison with the previous version G vr (which also uses a second-generation stabilizer, but can only compensate according to the instructions for 3 steps shutter speed).
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
L button
To start using the lens, you must first unlock it. To do this, you will have to press a special button that holds the lens in the 'L' position ('Locked' - 'Locked'), located on the zoom ring and rotate it toward the 55 mm mark, after which a slight click will be heard. To fold the lens, just press the button in exactly the same way and turn the zoom (zoom) ring in the opposite direction. When folded, the lens is shorter than in the working one.
On camera Nikon D80, D90, D700 and, most likely, on many other old cameras, when folded, the camera “does not see” the lens, but in the value field aperture 'F—' error blinks. Also, when folded, nothing is visible in the viewfinder.
On camera Nikon D3400, and most likely, on many other modern cameras, when the lens is folded, the camera displays the message "Before you start taking pictures, rotate the zoom ring to lengthen the lens."
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
Focusing
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII focuses thanks to 'SWM'-motor (Silent Wbird Motor - quiet wave motor) and refers to the lens'AF S'type (with built-in motor focusing). Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII uses compact 'swm' motor.
Important: this lens will automatically focus on all Nikon DSLR cameras.
Despite claims that the focus motor is silent, noise is present during actual operation. This noise will affect the sound quality during movie shooting using the microphone built into the camera.
Auto focus speed is highly dependent on the selected focal length. Focusing speed at 55 mm focal length average, with an increase in the focal length, the focusing speed decreases significantly, the lens spends a lot of time focusing by 200 mm of the focal length, and the focusing speed at this value of the focal length can be considered low. The lens travel time for focusing from infinity to MDF and back is about 55 mm less than 200 mm. Focus speed is independent of camera orientation.
On the lens housing you can find focus switch 'A - M'. In position 'A', auto focus works, and in position 'M' - manual focus. During auto focus, the focus ring rotates and cannot be touched. To perform manual focusing, the lens must be switched to 'M' mode. The lens does not have a constantly manual focus control mode M / A or A / m.
The focus ring is paired with the front retractable body frame. During focusing, the front and rear lenses remain stationary, as the lens uses internal focus. You can easily use any filters, for example polarizing or gradient. The focus ring rotates approximately 60 degrees. When extreme positions are reached, the focus ring abuts. The ring is narrow, not rubberized and quite uncomfortable.
When used on a camera Nikon D90 (with unpretentious Multi-CAM 1000 focusing system) the lens behaves well, rarely focuses incorrectly. I had no problems with focus accuracy and focus. On camera Nikon D90 I checked the presence of the back and focus front at different focusing distances and different values of the focal length (infinity and MDF as well). Pictures taken using the Live View mode (which does not suffer from back / front focus) were used as a measure. Focusing accuracy using the central cross-shaped phase sensor completely coincided with the Live View mode.
The minimum focusing distance is 110 cm (the distance from the sensor / focal plane of the camera to the subject). With such an MDF, the maximum magnification factor is 1: 4.35 (you can shoot a weak macro).
Features:
- There is no depth of field scale, focusing distance and mark for working in the infrared spectrum. There is nothing at all, except for the focal length marks.
- During tests focus shift (shift-focus) was not noticed.
- There is a strong effect of 'Focus Breathing' (changing the viewing angle during focusing).
- Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII has no special focus problems in Live View (tested on Nikon D90).
- When changing the focal length, focusing is almost not lost.
- The lens does not have a hard stop (hard infinity mechanical stop) which allows you to accurately and quickly focus the lens to infinity under any external temperature conditions.
- Unknown compatibility with teleconverters.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
The main differences between 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VR and 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VR II
- Version G vr 8 years older than the newer version.
- The GII VR II version is 35 grams lighter.
- The GII VR II version has a lens parking system ('L' button), which allows the lens to be slightly shorter during transport than the previous version G vr.
- Version G vr uses one pull-out section while changing the focal length. The retractable frame of the GII VR II version consists of two parts.
- The GII VR II version has a more powerful image stabilizer that allows you to compensate for 4 steps by shutter speed, against 3 steps in the version G vr.
- Versions use different optical schemes. In general, the image quality of the newer version is significantly better than the previous one.
- The versions have different countries of manufacture: GII VR II - Thailand; G vr - China.
- The GII VR II version focuses noticeably slower than G vr (here's the improvement!).
- The letters 'IF' and 'SWM' have been removed from the GII VR II hull.
- Versions use a different number of microprocessor contacts (most likely due to different compatibility with teleconverters and different stabilizer power).
- In the GII VR II version, the focus ring moves when the focal length is changed (not very convenient), in the version G vr the focus ring was in a different place and remained stationary while changing the focal length. In addition, the version G vr the focus ring was much larger, which made manual focusing much more convenient.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II and SIGMA ZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 DG MACRO
Image quality
With image quality, almost everything is in perfect order. I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent sharpness at a fully open aperture of 55 mm focal length in the center of the frame. With increasing focal length, the sharpness in the center on the open aperture drops slightly, but remains at a decent level. When you close the aperture, sharpness decently increases. The worst sharpness is observed at 200 mm of the focal length at the edges and corners of the image on the open aperture.
Chromatic aberrationsVignetting and distortion are present, but their level is negligible.
In the blur zone, you get even circles of blur due to the rounded diaphragm.
The lens, for both dark and budget televisions, shows good performance in terms of image quality.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
Sample Photos
Pictures from Nikon D90. The photos in the gallery below are shown without processing, the conversion of the source RAW files by the original Nikon ViewNX-i utility without making additional adjustments.
'JPEG' source photos from the camera Nikon D90 can скачать здесь.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
All original Nikon DX telephoto lenses
- Nikon DX AF S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED SWMarel 2005
- Nikon DX AF S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED VR IF SWMMarch 2007
- Nikon DX AF S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6GII ED VRIIJanuary 2015
- Nikon DX AF S Nikkor 55-300mm 1:4.5-5.6G ED VR SWM HRIAugust 2010
- Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4.5-6.3G EDAugust 2016
- Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4.5-6.3G ED VRAugust 2016
A list of absolutely all lenses of the Nikon DX series, as well as a lot of useful information on lenses and cameras Nikon will find here.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
My experience
GII VR II is an expected update from the previous version. We have increased the resolution to work with 24 MP cameras, improved the gimbal, made a parking system and reduced weight. In general, everything is better (except for focusing speed). The GII VR II is a great inexpensive way to shoot telephoto shots.
My thoughts for those who are rushing about choosing:
- don't change old G vr to the new GII VR II
- I recommend GII VR II to buy in double kit sets (when they sell the camera with two lenses at once)
- in fact, the GII VR II is only suitable for shooting outdoors, preferably in good light. Sometimes with it you can shoot in the studio
- I'm really very good and warm about GII VR II, for $ 140 it's hard to find something with a similar resolution
- Nikon 55-300 / 4.5-5.6G, generally better than the GII VR II, but I would not overpay for the extra 100 mm of focal length and settled on the GII VR II version. For those who want a more 'serious' lens - look towards the full frame Nikon 70-300 / 4.5-5.6G VR or Tamron DI SP 70-300mm F / 4-5.6 VC USD A005NII
- the cheapest televisions for Nikon cameras with a stabilizer in the secondary market: Nikon DX AF-S 55-200 / 4-5.6G VR (first version), Sigma AF 70-300 / 4-5.6 DG OS и Sigma 50-200 / 4-5.6 DC OS HSM. Cheaper for Nikon SLR cameras to find nothing
- 55-200 range partially overlaps with lenses Nikon 18-105 mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR, Nikon 18-135 mm f / 3.5-5.6G и Nikon 18-140 mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR, I would not buy the GII VR II as an add-on to the specified universal lenses
- Nikon 18-200mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR и Nikon 18-200mm f / 3.5-5.6GII VRwhich completely cover the 55-200 mm range is noticeably worse by 200 mm of the GII VR II focal length, but there’s no point in buying them in addition to the GII VR II
- for modern Nikon cameras that support AF-P lenses, instead of GII VR II, I recommend getting Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1: 4.5-6.3G ED VR.
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II
Prices
Real prices for Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II in popular online stores can see here, or in the price block below:
Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.
An accurate list of all Nikon DX Nikkor lenses
- 10.5 mm/ 2.8G AF Fisheye [gold ring]
- 35 mm/1.8G AF-S
- 40 mm/2.8G AF-S Microphone
- 85 mm/3.5G AF-S VR Microphone
- 10-20 mm/4.5-5.6G AF-P VR
- 10-24 mm/3.5-4.5G AF-S
- 12-24 mm/4G AF-S [gold ring]
- 16-80 mm/ 2.8-4IN AF S VR [gold ring]
- 16-85 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR
- 17-55 mm/2.8G AF-S [gold ring]
- 18-55 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S [black / silver]
- 18-55 mm/3.5-5.6GII AF-S [black / silver]
- 18-55 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR
- 18-55 mm/3.5-5.6GII AF-S VR
- 18-55 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-P
- 18-55 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-P VR
- 18-70 mm/3.5-4.5G AF-S
- 18-105 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR [Thailand / China]
- 18-135 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S
- 18-140 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR [Thailand / China]
- 18-200 mm/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR [Japan / China]
- 18-200 mm/3.5-5.6GII AF-S VR
- 18-300 mm/3.5-5.6G VR
- 18-300 mm/3.5-6.3G VR
- 55-200 mm/4-5.6G AF-S [black / silver, Japan / China]
- 55-200 mm/4-5.6G AF-S VR
- 55-200 mm/4-5.6GII ED VR
- 55-300 mm/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR
- 70-300 mm/4.5-6.3G AF-P
- 70-300 mm/4.5-6.3G AF-P VR
Results
Nikon 55-200 / 4-5.6GII VRII is compact, lightweight and inexpensive. I recommend it as an addition to the standard lens of class 18-55 / 3.5-5.6.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
See a 200mm sharpness difference between VR1 and VR2. VR2 usually doesn’t sell second-hand, only you need to take a new one, so it’s interesting to give 16 thousand for it, if you can take used VR7 for 8-1 thousand.
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but I would rather see VR, tk. VR2 has stub glitches (see here my message from 10.08.2017/XNUMX/XNUMX)
and the new VR2 sells for 11 tyr, not 16
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With "glitches", Dima - you are simply out of luck.
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Sorry, Denis.
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Dmitry. I bought this used VRII lens for 8000 rubles. in great condition. Even with a guarantee. I also thought for a long time whether to take such a new one. In my opinion, a new one is not worth the money. It costs about 14-16 tr.
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I think, Dima, you will not see the difference.
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Thank you, Arkady, for your detailed, clear and professional descriptions of photographic equipment. It helps me, an amateur photographer, to navigate with the choice. I have been photographing the Nicon D50 since 2006 with an 18-55mm "kitovik", I wanted to update my photo capabilities, I took this new Nikkor 55-200 after meeting it in your publications. Thank you very much. VR works great, shoots at 200mm from 1/10 with a fully open aperture. I also like the focusing speed, I don't feel delays at all, I managed to shoot pigeons on the fly. Maybe 200mm is missing a little, I wanted to buy a new 70-300mm, but today it turned out to be a problem - the ones you describe are not on sale. I wanted to read from you about new products in these ranges 70-400 for my “old man” D50, although, of course, I’m thinking about replacing it with “7000” -k cat. it will be possible to purchase. Personally, I prefer “7000”, but apparently I can't find new ones. my attitude is biased. I will be happy to get acquainted with your new materials about AVAILABLE PHOTOTECHNIQUE NICON Sincerely Sergey Postnikov, Tula.
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Lenses above 300mm are quite expensive. From 70-300 it is better to take with a stabilizer, from inexpensive ones - sigma 70-300 os, Tamron 70-300 vc, Nikon 70-300 vr, Nikon 55-300 Vr
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I confirm the problem with the stub that Denis described in the message dated 10.08.2017/XNUMX/XNUMX.
At a focal length of 200mm at long shutter speeds (1/50 and slower), static scenes are obtained WITHOUT blur. At exposures 1/50 - 1/160 there is ALWAYS micro-lubrication. From 1/200 and shorter, there is no lubrication. It is best to check for 1 / 125th - then the micro-smear is the most pronounced and I repeat that I did not manage to make a single clear frame. And if you turn off the stub, then 1 / 125th 1 out of 3 frames are obtained without blur. And if you turn on the stub, then at a shutter speed of 1/20 at 200mm, the frame is almost always clear.
I read it for 55-200 vr of the first version and for 55-300 vr - users also left similar reviews.
Who owns this lens or other indicated dark telezoom, please try to make a clear frame of a static plot at 200mm with the stub turned on at a shutter speed of 1/125.
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I have a 55-200 VR2 my favorite lens! And autofocus and sharpness and even some kind of my own drawing. I never let it down. It's a pity a bit dark. It's just that Nikon D5200 is a rather noisy device. C Sigma 17-50 turned out to be a good kit. Lenses should be tried and chosen for themselves. Now I'm looking at Tamron 85 VR, I really liked his drawing! Yes, photography is an expensive job, damn it ... And for macro I use an old Tamron 90. But as a portrait photographer only for close-ups. For some reason, 3 meters further. infinity again popodayet.Arkady Thank you for your work! Your site for me is like the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. I used to shoot on film and then on a soap dish Olympus. A couple of years ago I bought a Nikon d5200 DSLR and everything covered me - photography again. I hope it will not work. Again thanks!
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I join the complaints about the stabilizer - there is the above problem. Lubricates at 1 / 60-1 / 200 exposures at the long end. Those. literally in the most stabilized range. Unfortunately, the level of English does not allow finding information about possible ways of treatment on foreign sites, can any of the local regulars unearthed something?
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Micro smudge not only at the long end, but throughout the entire focal range if the shutter speed falls within the range of 1/50 - 1 / focal. On the D3200, micro-lubrication is more pronounced than on the D7000. Changing the shutter speed and focal length within the specified shutter speed limits affects the magnitude of the micro-blur. I think that most users do not pay attention to it and think that the reason is something else, especially since after resizing to the size of social networks, the micro-lubricant becomes even less noticeable. The funny thing is that I consistently manage to take very clear frames of static scenes at 1 / 8s and a focal length of 200mm even on the D3200 (24mp), but if I set the shutter speed to 1/50 - 1/160, then I can not take a single fully clear picture static plot. I adapted by avoiding this range of shutter speeds, for this I often use shutter priority mode. The lens itself is very worthwhile. 55-135mm is sharp starting from the open, and after 135mm it is better to clamp to 200mm to f / 8.
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Can catches cotton mirrors? You can try to set the delay
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I tried it. Does not help.
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Once again I conducted tests with shutter modes. I have a D7000 and a D3200. I thought that a quiet shutter implies a delay after raising the mirror and before the shot. But no. The silent shutter immediately takes a picture after raising the mirror as in normal mode, but then does not immediately lower the mirror, but waits until the shutter button is released.
There are no other modes on the D3200 that could introduce a delay after raising the mirror and before taking a picture. In LV, I don’t know if there is a delay or not, but the micro-lubricant remains. Maybe because the camera is less fixed.
On D7000 I tried “MUP” mode at 200mm and 1 / 100s. In it, the micro-blur is significantly reduced, but still at 1 / 25s the frame is sharper than by 1/100. Then I tried setting “D11 ″ (Shutter lag). With her, the picture really turns out to be about the same sharp as at 1 / 25s.
We can say that turning on the "Shutter lag" mode solves the problem of micro-smears in the exposure range 1/50 - 1 / focal, but:
1. There is no such mode on the younger models of cameras. There is also no “MUP” mode. The “Q” mode doesn't change anything at all.
2. On advanced models in the “Shutter lag” mode, we naturally get a “shutter lag” of about 1 second, which makes a significant inconvenience when shooting non-staged scenes.
Nevertheless, I consider this feature of VR to be a significant design flaw.
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Well, of course, they screwed up again with the firmware and the sensitive VR sensor responds to popping at the time of shooting. Major defect
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Asked Nikon tech support. Here is their answer:
Subject: Problems with Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II Lens
Good afternoon, Vladimir.
After studying your pictures, we came to the conclusion that this case and those comments from the forum should be considered separately, since this problem can be influenced by many factors, especially the value of the focal length, the way the camera is fixed and even the physical characteristics of each individual user. Therefore, we cannot draw conclusions about the general problem of this lens model.
We would also like to clarify that the longer the focal length of the lens, the more sensitive the camera is to shaking and small movements during the shutter release (even the fact that the release is performed on inhalation or exhalation can increase the shake, by analogy with a telescopic sight). However, improper camera holding and hand shake can only increase blurring.
While checking your photos, we noticed that in two pictures taken with the same shutter speed (1/50 and even 1/100) the level of blur is very different. In this regard, we recommend setting a faster shutter speed when increasing the focal length from which shooting is carried out.
We also tested the performance of our stock optics and can confirm that at slower shutter speeds (1/10, 1/20, 1/30) when shooting handheld, blurring due to hand movement and shake appears more often, but with a decrease in shutter speed, the level of blur is photo is dropping. Therefore, we have come to the conclusion that this is normal and does not indicate any problem with your camera or lens.
As you can see from the graph at the link below, the VR II system compensates for shutter speed when shooting by 4 stops. It does help compensate for shake and vibration, but when shooting at longer focal lengths, we recommend setting a faster shutter speed to prevent blurring:
https://www.nikonusa.com/Images/Micro-Sites/VR/technology/normal/
We hope you find this information useful.
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> We have also tested the performance of our stock optics and can confirm that at slower shutter speeds (1/10, 1/20, 1/30) when shooting handheld, blurring due to hand movement and shake appears more often, but with a decrease in shutter speed, the level photo blur is reduced.
Something technical support misunderstood the problem.
Everyone knows that with increasing focal length it is necessary to shorten the shutter speed. But this lens has just the opposite feature.
Let's take an extreme example with a 200mm focal length.
Shorter than 1 / 200s, most of the photo is without smearing.
1 / 160s-1 / 50s - almost all photos are blurred. Moreover, in the region of 1 / 50s-1 / 125s, the lubrication is close to 100% of the samples.
1 / 10s-1 / 40s - almost all photos are without blur.
1 / 8s - half of the photo confidently without smearing.
It's all at a focal length of 200mm!
As seen:
1. Stub works fine at 1 / 8-1 / 40.
2. At 1 / 50-1 / 160 stub interferes. With a stub, not a single photo can be taken without lubrication. If the stub is turned off, then one of the 4-5 photos will be without lubrication.
3. 1/200 and shorter photo is already without lubrication, but there is no need for a stub, here it works well without a stub.
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what Dmitry writes is not interesting to tech support. she fulfilled her mission - she answered that the user does not know how to use the lens. and they probably did not take this DX lens into their hands :) and even more so to test it - why ??? (I am Denis who wrote here about this issue in 2017)
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Plus to the problem, there is also micro-lubricant at exposures of 1 / 50-1 / 200. On the previous version of the lens, this was probably less noticeable due to the resolution.
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I continue to use it on the D5300 and D7000. On the first one I avoid this exposure range, on the second one due to the 16MP, heavier construction and when using the Mup-mode, even in this exposure range, the micro-smear is practically imperceptible, especially after bringing the photo to resolution for social networks. Still, for 3500 UAH for a used one, this lens is very good for its small size, incredible stub at shutter speeds longer than 1/30 (on the D7000, you can set the shutter speed to 200 / 1s for static scenes by 8mm) and excellent sharpness even when open.
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3500 UAH for a used one? where are the prices?
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I can't understand this question like “very cheap” or “very expensive”. Just in case, I'll clarify that we are talking about the second VR version. A new one is sold for 6400 UAH. Used there are very different options. As a rule, it is sold by inexperienced people who do not understand the difference between NON VR, VR, VR2. Therefore, it sometimes happens that there is an offer for UAH 2400, and there is also for UAH 4000+. Now, for example, on olx there is just an ad for 2400 UAH for the second version, and even in perfect condition and with a hoy-filter. Personally, I bought used as new in "Fotik" for 3500 UAH. Then there were several copies of them. But they all sold out quickly.
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And I will add more. It often happens that the ad says “VR II”, and the photo shows a red inscription “VR”. This is not the second, but the first version. So each such announcement needs to be carefully considered so that there is exactly the second version. And by the way, the same applies to 18-55. The latest versions of VR II and AF-P are very good in sharpness. Changed my sigma 17-55 f / 2.8 to AF-P 18-55 and enjoying it. Of course I also have other lenses for bokeh. I almost always take pictures in the open, I have no complaints about the sharpness, except if very close to the edges. But there the sigma on the open was the same. But autofocus is beyond praise. Instantaneous, very accurate (unlike sigma), quiet, the ring does not spin and with the possibility of constant manual control. Even videos with AF tracking can be shot on the D5300. Sometimes it crawls, but very quickly and you don't always notice it. Of course, mirrorless cameras are far from it, but AF-P for Nikon DSLRs is a big step forward considering the cost of 18-55 AF-P :), which is often also sold at the price of the first versions. Very underrated lenses.
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Correction: I meant 17-50 sigma, although in fact it gives an angle at the long end in the region of 45mm, not 50mm. Measured experimentally, comparing with Nikkor 50mm f / 1.4 and Tamron 24-70.
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It’s even a pity that we changed the old version of the lens to a new one. The picture from the old one, which is not retractable, was much better, the troubles with the extracts did not torment - I turned on the camera and took the frame. Now, while you choose the exposure, you either miss the frame, or you ruin it with micro-smears. Yes, if everything fits together, the frame is sharp, at the edges of the frame it is very noticeable compared to the previous version. The reason why I changed to a new one is the size of the lens - I did not fit into the bag.
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Typically, the lens was discontinued this summer, and there is nothing to replace it. , Only used options remain
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And 55-300?
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DX 55-300, DX 70-300, DX 70-300 VR
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To Dmitry from 17.11.2020/12/25 at XNUMX:XNUMX: It meant that it was very expensive for such a lens, no matter what version there is a stub.
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Just the stubs in the VR lenses of the first and second versions most likely differ little. But optically they are very different. The second version is designed for multi-pixel modern crop matrices. And the first version is for small-pixel matrices.
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And at what shutter speeds can you shoot with this lens without a stabilizer during the day, since there are problems with micro-blur within 1 / 50-1 / 200.
Maybe someone tested it in practice?
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It doesn't matter which lens is it day or night. Without a stub, the standard rule for crop cameras is that the shutter speed should be 1 / (focal * 1.5) and shorter. Moreover, depending on the number of megapixels and the rigidity of fixing the shooting position, there may be deviations from this rule.
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This lens turned out to be a good budget portrait lens with good lighting at focal lengths up to 150, then it washes a little further. It is convenient to shoot in M mode at iso 200-400, shutter speed 1 / 320-1 / 500 and the smallest possible aperture, but in the evening it is certainly not relevant, you have to lift up the iso a lot.
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I can confirm that the micro-lubricant, which is described here in the comments, is indeed present. Especially noticeable at exposures 1 / 50-1 / 160, as Dmitry wrote. Most of all, this ailment interferes and is striking on multi-pixel cameras. I will attach a photo from the D5200 for clarity. In general, the lens left only positive emotions due to its sharpness. Although the stabilizer is problematic, it also makes it possible to shoot handheld at 200mm and a shutter speed of 1/20.
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And here I am choosing a lens for subject shooting, mostly on Nikon D5300. And I choose between 55-200 sigma and this one. Who can tell what?
There is a whale 18-55mm and recently purchased a Nikon 35mm 1.8.
I would be glad to any advice and discussion)
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Fixes are usually taken under the subject, they are sharper
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