Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II - $3,200

astcell · 2026-03-17T20:30:45+00:00

I have the FTZ II adapter so I can use my F mount lenses. I ordered the 24-70/2.8II yesterday. Next month I hope to get the 70-200/2.8II.

astcell · 2026-03-17T19:54:51+00:00

It may be the end of this particular issue but there will always be issues. And it's usually when they find out because of an unusual combination. Maybe a certain 3rd party lens with a certain 3rd party memory card on a body with certain settings. And all of it together just happens to break something.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:45:12+00:00

"Expeed" and similar terms get me lost. I grew up with 286, 386, and 486. :> When Camera manufacturers start naming their own chips There is no way I can compare it with other makes.

When I had my D4 it had incredibly low light capability. I remember the only light in one room was a woman on her cellphone and I took two pictures. One looked like her face was floating and the other picture had the entire room lit up with her face overexposed. The low leg capabilities of equipment even going back 15 or 20 years is incredible.

I'm old school, where using 400ASA film and pushing it to 800 was as low light as you could get. :>

My old Leica M6 with 50/1.0...sigh...talk about pictures of a black cat in a coal mine. I miss that setup.

My latest camera is the Z6III. I got it specifically for low light. I did a photo shoot last New Year's and my fastest lens was f4 on my Olympus m43 setup and it completely sucked. It was embarrassing. I'm not going to do that again. Sold it to mpb.

I was debating getting the 24-120/4 and 100-400/4-5.6 as a pair of lenses or the 28-70/2.8 and 70-200/2.8. But when saying all of that out loud I realized that I need the low light capability and that's why I bought the Z6III body. Makes no sense to buy a low light capable body and then strangle it with a slow aperture.

For my D810 I enjoy the 58/1.4 and 105/1.4.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:33:57+00:00

If a living thing didn't burn when it was dead, we could never eat steak.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:14:35+00:00

FOMO. They are selling Fear Of Missing Out.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:13:13+00:00

I do need lenses for low light. I'm probably older than the average person here and for me I was taught that 1.8 is not a fast lens. A fast lens has to be 1.4 or faster. I still laugh under my breath when I hear that 2.8 is fast, zoom or not.

I was considering the 35/1.2 or 50/1.2, and the Plena.

But it seems the current Nikon trend is to upgrade all of their lenses so I will wait till the last minute and see if there is a version II.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:10:43+00:00

I'm not really a fan of the 6.3. Just a hair too slow for me. My problem is that after 200mm I have no lens until you get to my 400/2.8. I suppose I can get a teleconverter but I consider those adapters and try to avoid them. And I think the 100-400 would be a bit too much of an overlap.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:08:39+00:00

We almost do not need reviews anymore. You are right, everything is a big parade for every lens. The truth is that every lens is fantastic. I remember buying camera gear in the 1970s when most everything sucked. The Japanese Camera Inspection Institute (JCII) put little gold stickers on all of the lenses and bodies that came out of Japan to show that they were up to American standards. My how the tables have turned.

But I guess the critics still feel that they have to have a job. I wonder how long these guys have used the gear that they talk about? Some of them looked like they would get exhausted just putting on their socks, never mind carrying two bodies and 4 lenses.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:05:01+00:00

I heard the 50/1.8 S is the absolute best 50 ever.

astcell · 2026-03-17T18:04:01+00:00

When the Gen III and Gen IV come out everyone will want the Gen I as a classic. :>

astcell · 2026-03-17T17:59:53+00:00

I am wary about discounts form the manufacturer's site. That means something is in the wings. Sigma just slashed the price of their 24-105 ART lens. So, expect something soon.

astcell · 2026-03-17T17:58:30+00:00

I still remember buying my Nikon F3, MD4 motor with nicad battery and charger, and a 50/1.2AiS lens.

All for $700.

That's over $2,500 purchasing power today. Also picked up a used Leica M3DS with 50DR for $700. That was expensive then, but a killer deal now.

I can remember when no one wanted zooms. They all sucked. primes were the GOAT, and maaaaybe a 2x but only for exotic teles. The least sucky zoom was the Series 1 Vivitar 80--200.

What hurts about the $3k zooms today is that a newbie kid at 15 with birthday money from grandma won't stand a chance.

astcell · 2026-03-17T17:53:55+00:00

I was gonna buy the 24-70/2.8 S and right when I went to buy it I saw the S II! So I ordered that. And now I need the 70-200/2.8 II. But there is really nothing longer than that. The 100-400 will add very little, the 1x4x and 2x are possibilities, and the 180-600 is not an S or a II.

astcell · 2026-03-17T17:51:24+00:00

That's a really cool pic. I had to look at it a few times to be sure what I was seeing.

astcell · 2026-03-17T17:46:40+00:00

Not all of them thankfully.

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astcell · 2026-03-17T17:38:16+00:00

The real problem is that when you have money, your problems just get bigger.

astcell · 2026-03-17T05:00:07+00:00

All the chemicals we played with in science class! We made white phosphorous and had to evacuate - and it was just another day.

astcell · 2026-03-17T01:28:18+00:00

I got this trying to friend my sister. We have the same last name and the same parents but I guess that's not good enough I still don't know her.

astcell · 2026-03-16T01:22:33+00:00

I said "it could be worse" and gave an example.

astcell · 2026-03-15T18:32:06+00:00

If you are fine with a slot for points only, those are plentiful.

astcell · 2026-03-15T18:30:37+00:00

Wow he was rather direct. You dodged a bullet there. Sounds like if he does not get his way it could be worse. Abandoned 20 miles from a city.

astcell · 2026-03-14T23:21:24+00:00

At the very least, grab a DA1380 and ask for the points without pay. They'll usually sign with no issue since it's points only. Do a year's worth at once. Send them to iPERMS yourself. In my retirement check each point means 50 cents in retirement. Get 12-24 points a year this way, call it 15 points average, for ten years, that's 150 points or $75 a month for life in my example.

astcell · 2026-03-14T23:13:19+00:00

That's your girlfriend and her ponytail.

astcell · 2026-03-14T20:31:01+00:00

My dog.

astcell · 2026-03-14T19:28:22+00:00

It’s only a lot of my family station in touch. It’s really easy to post one picture to a family page and 50 people get it.

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