In the world of fast primes, not often are the specs of “200mm” and “f/2” combined in the description of a single lens. Inherently large and heavy, the ultra-fast design of a 200mm f/2 has long enabled photographers to effectively shoot telephoto in very low light as well as create stunning subject separation simply not possible with a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom. Though the available light advantage afforded by the f/2 aperture is somewhat offset by the high-ISO abilities of modern digital sensors, the extra depth-of-field control still has its place in creative photography. Additionally, when used on an APS-C sensor camera like the NEX-7, a 200mm f/2 helpfully acts as a 300mm f/2.8 would on a full-frame camera.
Though it should come as no surprise, telephoto primes such as the Nikon 200mm f/2 are somewhat bulky and cumbersome even used with a suitable DSLR like a d300 with its vertical grip. When a lens of this caliber is mounted onto a comparatively tiny mirrorless camera such as the Sony NEX-7, the combination looks outright comical. That said, it is far more important to see how the lens performs in front of an unforgiving 24-megapixel APS-C sensor in making photographs rather than how the kit may turn heads at an event. Read on to find out how the 200mm f/2 stacks up as the professional fast telephoto it aims to be. As always, if you are unfamiliar with my lens review style, please read up on this post first!
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Specifications
Full Name: Nikon NIKKOR 200mm 1:2 AI-s ED
Dimensions: 5.4 inches/138mm wide, 7.4 inches/222mm long, with a massive weight of 5.6 pounds/2.55kg! Even more weight is added with the metal HE-4 hood as well as the lens strap. Undoubtedly, the 200mm f/2 is heavier than any modern camera body, but even more-so when attached to a 12-ounce lightweight mirrorless camera like the NEX-7.
Close Focus: Marked at 9.5 feet/2 meters, and cannot focus much closer. Though not a macro lens by any means, the 200mm can still focus close enough for headshots.
Price: Varies anywhere between $1600-$3000 depending on the condition of the lens and accessories included
Miscellaneous: 9 straight-bladed aperture stopping down to f/22, internal focusing, 122mm built-in protective filter (no filter threads), 2 huge elements of ED glass, built-in telescoping hood, optional HE-4 metal hood extension, rear drop-in 52mm gelatin/metal filter holder, rotating tripod collar with 90-degree turns marked, metal mount, leatherette front cap, optional carrying strap, optional CT-200 trunk case.
Pictured here with its CT-200 case, the Nikon 200mm often comes with extra gelatin filter holders, a leatherette lens cap, case/lens carrying straps, and instruction manual
The “Feel”
Pictured with the Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8 for scale
Akin to my description of Nikon’s 300mm f/2.8 AI-s ED, the 200mm f/2 is not a lens meant for general daily photography. By design it is a specialty optic for sports, events, portraits, and other very specific outings on either a tripod or monopod. Handheld shooting is possible, especially on a bulky DSLR, but attempting an extended shooting session without an external support is simply asking for trouble. Lenses like this have a tripod mount for a reason, use it when you can! Further, to minimize the risk of damaging or tearing off your camera’s mount, take great care to NEVER let the lens hang from the camera; always support the kit by the lens when transporting or shooting. Also, do not let this lens drop to the ground for any reason. The 200mm f/2 is built strong enough to take the fall, but anything it lands on will probably be crushed.
As far as actual operation, the 200mm f/2 functions just as well as any other AI-s NIKKOR. The internal focusing keeps the lens the same size regardless of focus distance (this also helps to keep dust and moisture out), the focusing action itself is buttery smooth, the aperture ring clicks with authority at each f-stop, and the lens mounts very smoothly and securely to any F-mount. In addition, the tripod collar can easily tighten into position, and the external hood locks in place with a quick turn. Everything about the lens is designed to last a lifetime and beyond. All this said, how does this “super-chub” of a telephoto measure up to my four pillars of shootability?
- Small size? The exact opposite. Thanks to the physics of optics, there is no way to make a compact 200mm f/2.
- Light weight? Strike two. The all-metal construction, combined with the large internal elements of glass help make this lens one of the heaviest primes out there.
- Smooth operation? Extremely so. The smooth focusing and aperture rings, all-metal mount, and integrated hood and tripod collar all combine to create a very pleasant manual-focus shooting experience.
- Generally favorable optical performance? Absolutely! Not without its faults common in fast glass, the 200mm f/2 is more than capable of helping to create amazing photographs, even wide-open.
Performance
Summary
The large and notably fast telephotos from all lens manufacturers (think 200mm f/2, 400mm f/2.8, 600mm f/4), regardless of the era in which they were produced, all exude quality in optical performance. The technical improvements made to lenses after Nikon introduced ED glass into its telephotos and Canon with fluorite elements into their FD lenses have all been marginal. While modern optics may have a slight edge in sharpness, chromatic aberration control, and functionality (image stabilization, autofocus, slightly lighter), the impressive performance of these old telephotos combined with their much cheaper price keeps them in demand for manual focus shooters to this day. The 200mm f/2 AI-s is no exception, and has solidified itself as a permanent part of my kit.
Sharpness
To cut right to the chase, the 200mm f/2 AI-s is no slouch when it comes to sharpness across a broad aperture range. Provided you can nail focus with the razor-thin depth-of-field this lens produces, even on the pixel-dense NEX-7 this fast telephoto doesn’t disappoint. Below are 100% crops from the center. (Disclaimer: the tripod I use, which works well with most of my lens collection, shows its weaknesses with lenses as heavy as this. You may get sharper results or not depending on how sturdy your lens support system is, as well as how fast the shutter speed is):
Wide open, expected spherical aberration robs contrast, but there is still plenty of detail to recover in post-processing. However, from f/2.8-16, sharpness and contrast are more than good enough for reproduction work, and detail at f/5.6 reaches its peak. At f/22, diffraction robs too much sharpness to be of much use.
Now let’s take a look at the corners:
The corners of the 200mm f/2 show a very similar story to the center, spherical aberration and diffraction respectively rob contrast and detail at f/2 and f/22, while the f/2.8-16 range shows no corner smearing, and good detail and contrast right to the pixel level. f/16 seems to show a bit more diffraction softening here than in the center, but the difference is slight. For all intents and purposes, this lens is extremely uniform across the frame at all apertures. Though not as cross-frame sharp as the 105mm f/2.8 Micro, the 200mm’s evenness in image quality makes it a great candidate for panorama stitching.
Sunny Day
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/1000, 32 images stitched
The difficulty in taking advantage of the sharpness this lens can offer comes with its unwieldiness. The combination of its heavy weight (lens support vibrations) and large surface area (wind drag) make it difficult to avoid blur when handheld at shutter speeds slower than 1/1000. Braced to a monopod, the slowest I have gone with sharp results is 1/100, but even then, I have to pay close attention to my technique and still risk some blur at the slightest twitch.
Bridal Smile
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/100
Sharpness at Infinity
Though “super” in speed, the 200mm f/2 AI-s only reaches the supertelephoto field-of-view when used on a camera with a sensor no larger than APS-C. Even then, its reach still isn’t substantial. This lens finds use primarily in events, sports, and other uses that rarely sees it focus to infinity. That said, for any far off shots, the lens still maintains critical cross-frame sharpness at f/5.6. Below is a 100% crop of a half-moon, center on the left, corner on the right. Click for full-size:
Just as in the test charts, there is a slight drop-off in sharpness at the image periphery even at f/5.6, but it is negligible unless you sit on your computer comparing crops at 200% magnification all day. Don’t be that guy.
Feeling Warm
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/640
At f/2.8 while shooting close to infinity, the 200mm f/2 AI-s still creates a shallow depth-of-field to blur out the background clouds during a setting sun, while keeping in-focus palm trees (left) sharp.
Sharpness at Macro
If you need the 200mm focal length combined with macro-range focusing, look at Nikon’s 200mm f/4 AI-s Micro-NIKKOR. The 200mm f/2 AI-s only focuses to 9.5 feet, so anything closer than headshots is usually a no-go. That said, when you need sharpness at the close end, f/5.6 is again your best bet:
Click for embedded 100% crop, this is as close as you can focus without extension tubes.
Despite the high strain on the optical formula to focus so close, there is still plenty of detail wide-open even at the 200mm’s closest focusing distance and at the edge of the frame:
Far Bloom
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/200
Click for embedded 100% crop
All in all, sharpness should be of least concern when shooting with the 200mm f/2 AI-s. If you can manage to get past the factors of a sliceably-thin depth-of-field at f/2, tripod/wind vibrations, and weight, this lens can deliver sharp images at whatever aperture you need. Before shooting with a lens like this, be sure to look up long-lens techniques to help ensure sharper shots.
Also of note to nitpickers such as myself, the 200mm f/2 AI-s produces a flat image free from field curvature, and also exhibits minimal focus shift.
Bokeh
What good is a super fast telephoto if it cannot produce a pleasing rendition of out-of-focus areas? Nikon knew this when they designed this lens, and the 200mm f/2 AI-s has wonderfully smooth bokeh in every sense of the word. Click on the comparison below for larger crops:
A hallmark of a good lens is when there isn’t much to say about it. Apart from a bit of edge doubling in close-foregrounds (middle right figure) at f/2.8 and f/4, bokeh on the 200mm f/2 is smooth at every aperture and focus area. Impressive.
So what about how the lens renders out-of-focus highlights? Check out the 100% crops below:
In another excellent performance, the 200mm f/2 AI-s produces pleasing and smooth out-of-focus highlights from f/2-f/4. Starting at f/5.6, the brightest of highlights begin to show noticeable artifacts, and by f/11, even dim highlights show this distracting effect. However, if you are concerned about out-of-focus highlights at f/11, you may want to reconsider why you are using this lens in the first place.
By the Fountain
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/320
Wide-open, even the most complex of backgrounds are rendered in an other-worldly, dreamy way.
Chromatic Aberrations
With its ED glass elements, the Nikon 200mm f/2 AI-s manages to produce images wide-open with low amounts of chromatic aberration. Take a look at 100% crops of a worst-case scenario of dead tree branches shot against a 2-stop overexposed sky:
Wide-open with perfect focusing, there is a noticeable amount of both purple and magenta fringing around in-focus areas, and a bit of strange reddish fringing that covers the whole branch. Though the purple/magenta fringing is pretty correctable, you will not even see this much in most photographs. As a side advantage, the red fringing wide-open serves to warm up skin tones. By f/2.8, the red fringing is all but gone, and the purple/magenta aberrations begin to get under control. From f/4 and, the purple/magenta fringing diminishes even more, though never completely goes away. However, for the most critical work, there is only 1-2 pixels of fringing at f/8 in this super-contrast scene.
Dual Recorder Stand-Up Comedian
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/3200
In this similarly-lit high-contrast example, the amount of fringing is negligible.
Flare
Large and fast telephotos like the 200mm f/2 AI-s come with two hoods, one built-in to the lens to screw-out, and another to tighten on to the other hood. This long extension of the lens (in the 200mm’s case, the hoods extend the length by a good five inches) is to help prevent stray light from hitting the massive front element. Despite multi-coatings, there is so much surface area inside the lens for strong sources of light to bounce around and cause flare. This is not a problem for most photography—unless you specialize in backlit portraits—but when the flare shows itself, it cannot be ignored. At large apertures, this flare manifests itself as veiling flare, while at smaller apertures the reflections from the large elements are visible. The below example shot at f/16 and in black-and-white to emphasize the reflections:
NaturaI Inversion
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/1000
The flare here is noticeable and glowing, though it is not detrimental to the photograph.
Vignetting
Not surprising from an ultra-fast lens, the 200mm f/2 AI-s exhibits a good amount of vignetting wide open, while it slowly diminishes until cross-frame illumination occurs at f/5.6. Interesting to note, however, the vignetting at all apertures is very smooth and pleasing without any hot spots. This makes it both acceptable to leave in photographs and to correct, if desired.
Corrections needed in Lightroom 5:
f/2: +30 amount, 0 midpoint
f/2.8: +20 amount, 25 midpoint
f/4: +10 amount, 50 midpoint
Headshot
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/400
In most photographs, the smoothness of the vignetting keeps it from showing up.
Distortion
Long telephotos, even fast ones, tend to show no distortion. The 200mm f/2 AI-s follows this trend:
Take a look at the sliver of a line at the bottom of the image to get a sense of how distortion-free this lens is.
Architectural details are reproduced perfectly with this lens:
Through the Flurry
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/320
Let’s hit the old recap with this substantial telephoto:
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Impeccable build quality to the standards of every other AI-s lens ever made—if this lens is dropped, it will break whatever it lands on well before doing much damage to the lens body
- Smooth all-manual operation in every sense of the word
- Excellent and even sharpness across the frame from macro to infinity even at large apertures (sharper at f/2 than the Nikon 300mm f/2.8 AI-s is at f/2.8)
- Zero field curvature and negligible focus shift
- Buttery smooth bokeh and highlights at all large apertures with an otherworldly thin depth-of-field at f/2
- Negligible and correctable chromatic aberration from f/2.8 and up
- Smooth vignetting, see cons
- Zero distortion
- Twice as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8
- A fraction of the cost of its more recent autofocus iterations
- A head-turner at events
Cons
- Manual focusing combined with the extremely thin depth-of-field can be challenging to photographers not familiar with manual focus techniques
- Absolutely huge and heavy—handhold only with a large DSLR
- Spherical aberration at f/2 requires a post-processing contrast boost to reveal fine detail
- Does not focus very close
- Chromatic aberrations at f/2 in the worst lighting situations can be troublesome to correct
- Noticeable veiling flare at large apertures with any strong light source in or near the frame
- Heavy vignetting (easily correctable)
The Bottom Line
If you are reading this review, you probably already know what you are looking for in a 200mm f/2 like this. You want to shoot telephoto wide-open in low light, isolate subjects in portraits like no 70-200mm f/2.8 can, and experience top image quality combined with a pleasing manual-focus shooting experience. You get all that and more with the Nikon 200mm f/2 AI-s. The cons listed above are only nitpicks to an otherwise stunning piece of metal and glass. Though the commendable Nikon 180mm f/2.8 AI-s that I owned and loved for my work is more compact and matches the 200mm f/2 AI-s in many aspects of performance, just admit it: f/2 is too tempting to pass over.
At the Turn
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/2500
Breach
Nikon 200mm, ISO 800, f/2, 1/800
Ben Solee
Nikon 200mm, ISO 1600, f/2, 1/125
Nearing the Finish
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/1600
Campus Sing
Nikon 200mm, ISO 400, f/2, 1/400
Breaststroke
Nikon 200mm, ISO 800, f/2, 1/500
Matt
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/1000
Reach Out
Nikon 200mm, ISO 200, f/2, 1/800
Bouquet
Nikon 200mm, ISO 200, f/2, 1/125
Don Lane
Nikon 200mm, ISO 1600, f/2, 1/320
Chaos
Nikon 200mm, ISO 1600, f/2, 1/800
On the Grass
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/1250
Melissa
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2, 1/30, Off-camera umbrella strobe
Spotted
Nikon 200mm, ISO 3200, f/2, 1/400
Trumpeter
Nikon 200mm, ISO 1600, f/2, 1/125
Fast Break
Nikon 200mm, ISO 1600, f/2, 1/640
Butterfly
Nikon 200mm, ISO 3200, f/2, 1/500
Form
Nikon 200mm, ISO 800, f/2, 1/160
Snow Trot
Nikon 200mm, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/1250
That’s all for this review, guys and gals, thanks for dropping by! To get updates on future posts, be sure to subscribe with the orange button on the top right of the page!
Matthew Durr Photography 
Nice shots there btw 🙂
i was saving up for fe70200 but that f2 sounds very very tempting. 🙂
Thank you Aaron, and yes, keep a lookout for a copy if you can!
I remember you once wrote you were waiting for the Nex 9 which ended up being the A7. So I’m curious, are you planning on upgrading to the A7 series and if not, why? I had an Nex 7 prior and I upgraded. It’s quite nice!
Hey Rishio! A while back I also wrote a little snippet on the A7 series. Back with the buzz of their announcement, I preordered both the A7/A7r cameras to see which one would suit me better. Don’t get me wrong, they are great cameras (particularly that A7s). However, to make a long story short, the slow frame rate is the biggest concern for my event/sporting shoots. Once you get used to that 10 fps of the NEX-7, it’s hard to go less than half that speed (cancelled both preorders). I am still hoping for either an A7 or A9 series camera that has a faster frame rate (as well as fast write time), but we will see. For now the NEX-7 is still holding up alright. 🙂
I upgraded from the nex 7 to the A7r in January before heading to India. I liked it a lot but something about it didn’t sit too well with me. A few weeks ago I sold it and switched to the A7s. Loving it! It’s like a dream camera- fine tuned in the specs the way I like it. The silent shooting mode and high ISO capabilities are particularly wonderful. Got a decent lens lineup also for what I do: Canon fd 20mm f/2.8, Olympus 135mm f/4, Sony 55mm f/1.8, Sony 35mm f/2.8. Awesome to hear your nex 7 is still serving you. I hear you about the fast frame rates, but it doesn’t affect me because I’m kind of a slow cook shooter 🙂 The best part about owning a great camera is to see them worn out from serving well for a long time. It’s just me and the A7s for the next couple years!
Awesome to hear, Rishio. Sony really did pull something magic with that A7s. It will definitely be the benchmark for just what a FF low-light camera can do for a good long time. That said, Photokina is right around the corner… 😀
great review Mat, I am gonna buy one to try it onmy canon 6d and shoot rugby and soccer night games under stadium spotlight…you convinced me. These sonies look great but I don’t like smallness in photography equipment.
Hey there, glad you liked the review! I am unfamiliar with how well Nikon lenses, especially large aperture primes like the 200mm f/2, will adapt to the full-frame 6d, particularly in regards to achieving accurate focus. Get back to me on how it all works out for you!
Hi Matthew, thanks for your review. I just bought a mint 200mm f2 AI for $700. About 40% of my work is video. As you probably know the AI doesn’t accept rear filters. ND filters for bright exteriors are a must. While 122mm NDs are available they’re expensive. It’s sharp enough wide open but the CA is pretty noticeable. I’m wondering if I should return or sell it and get an AIS for what looks like three times what I paid. Your advice is welcome. Thanks.
Hello Iverson, sorry for late reply, I just got internet set up where I live. The AI-s version unfortunately only accepts drop-in rear filters of the “gelatin” type, of which I don’t they make anymore. I can’t seem to find a way to get it to accept screw-in filters. The 400mm f/2.8 AI-s that I have does accept screw in filters in the rear, thankfully. I would recommend you look at some of those square filter sets they usually market towards ultra-wideangle shooters. One of those may fit the bill if you can figure out how to secure it to the end of the massive hoods these things have!
Hi Matthew, thanks for the reply. I guess I was under the delusion that the AIS accepted screw-in filters in the rear. I decided to keep the AI anyway. It’s interesting that you suggest the UWA filter systems- I have one and have already asked the manufacturer if they could make an adapter for the 200mm f/2 AI. They’re looking into it. Thanks again.
Sounds awesome man, I hope you can get something to work out for you!
Excelllent review. I have had one of these superlative lenses for many years and it is my go-to lens for singles portraiture outside where I have plenty of room to work. It is brutally sharp, often requiring a small amount of gaussian blurring to be flattering for female portraiture. Since all of my lenses are AIS Nikkor I have always put a split image/microprism focusing screen in my cameras. My D850 loves this lens!
Hey there Scott! Great to hear from you again. I love using this lens on the A7III, the few times I can justify bringing it out! Such a unique rendering at this aperture and focal length, and sharp even wide open. Really perks up at f/2.8 at full frame, but you’re right, for portraiture a little of that softness wide open really helps too.
I love mine, it is my go-to lens (along with my 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS Nikkor for individual outdoor portrait photography.
I do wish I hadn’t sold my 180mm, it was much better for handheld work! A simple monopod does wonders, for sure.