70-200 VR 1 imitates the cream machine

[daveja]

Lens lust is a powerful force, I recently reacquired the 85 1.4 D because I had to have it. I am sure that I could have just set my tack sharp 70-200 to 85mm and 2.8 and got pretty close to the same results right???

Nikon D700 ,Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR
1/250s f/2.8 at 86.0mm iso320

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[static808]

look at those eyes. great shot.

 

[gaikwad_us]

Great shot.

I have had both and I always thought the 85 had an edge over the 70-200vr - not to mention the gorgeous bokeh at f1.4. What are your thoughts Dave ?

 

[daveja]

Great shot.

I have had both and I always thought the 85 had an edge over the 70-200vr - not to mention the gorgeous bokeh at f1.4. What are your thoughts Dave ?

I agree with you. I mostly use my 70-200 with the grip shooting sports. The 85 balances so perfectly on the D700 with out the grip and is amazing in the 1.4-2.8 range. The 70-200 can certainly be used as a portrait lens, that's for sure. The 85 can not compete nearly as well as a sports lens though so if I could only have one the 70-200 would be the one!

 

[shtarka1]

Thats a Great Lens & Shot Dave!

 

[lowell5]

nice shot. was this MF'd?

 

[daveja]

nice shot. was this MF'd?

Thanks, what is MF'd? If you mean manually focused, I used auto-focus on one of the eyes.

 

[lowell5]

Thanks, what is MF'd? If you mean manually focused, I used auto-focus on one of the eyes.

yes, i meant manually focused

thx!

 

[Uncle Frank]

Lens lust is a powerful force, I recently reacquired the 85 1.4 D because I had to have it. I am sure that I could have just set my tack sharp 70-200 to 85mm and 2.8 and got pretty close to the same results right???

That's certainly true for this particular setup, since the background elements are relatively distant. But the 85/1.4 will do a better job of creaming elements that are in the transition area. And the 70-200 is a bazooka... great for candids... oversized and intimidating from close range. But any way you cut it, you now own 2 of the alltime great Nikkor lenses.

 

[gaidin]

Uncle Franks comments are spot on, when you dont have that much dead space behind your subject :smile:

 

[daveja]

That's certainly true for this particular setup, since the background elements are relatively distant. But the 85/1.4 will do a better job of creaming elements that are in the transition area. And the 70-200 is a bazooka... great for candids... oversized and intimidating from close range. But any way you cut it, you now own 2 of the alltime great Nikkor lenses.

I agree the 85 has an advantage in that regard but the 70-200 is no slouch when the elements are close either. In this shot there are two background elements in play, right side empty space and left side has a leafless bush about 5 feet behind the subject and even at 86mm was able to render it pretty well. That ability increases as you get closer to 200mm. Again the 85 is awesome and the smaller size is a big reason I prefer it for portrait shooting.

 

[crazy]

it's a win-win with these 2 :smile:

 

[daveja]

it's a win-win with these 2 :smile:

True dat

 

[socrdude]

outstanding shot!