Has dropped a huge amount in price here. I went into one shop and they still had the old price of just under 5G, told na, your not even close, so he came back with 3350, na, still a hundy over. So he told me to come back when I'm ready and I can have it for 3100

So I think I just bought a new lens, the war department thinks I'm shitting her

Congrats Man! What is that US? I have ver 1. Great lens!

At 100mm, one of the sharpest camera lenses ever made!

That's NZD, hang on I'll go work it out.


3100NZD equals 2360.48USD

And we have 15% GST in that as well

You are gonna love it!

Sounds like a good deal. Congrats on your new lens to be.

23 hundred dollar bills for a lens. That is almost twice what I have in my ver 1 copy.

I have studied no reviews on this new lens, but I know for a slightly heavy lens, nothing is better than the 70-200mm VR for the coverage it gives. It is my favorite 100mm lens, though I may not say that if I owned a copy of a 105mm f/2 DC

Do you have the Ver 1 lens? How is this better?

I have the VR1 lens, and I have to admit the VR does nothing for me.
I rarely use this lens handheld (Brad does all the time).
It is the single most versatile lens I own (the 70-200, I have the Sigma also).
I have no real desire for the VRII version, it is far overpriced.
Even if I had the VRII version, I would probably not use VR.
It works great with the Sigma 2X & 1.4X teleconverters.
I favor the 100-300 over this lens for all sports shots, even hockey.
It balances extremely well with a larger body with a grip.

It is a bread-and-butter lens for almost all sports shooters.

I did a little reading.

This new lens is designed to work better for people with DX lenses, as the Ver 1 copy was soft in the corners on a DX camera.

There is also three focus modes; A/M; M/A and M. The new A/M switch enables auto focus priority even if the focus ring is being handled during shooting.

The new lens looks shorter and stockier, and less elongated like the older version.

This version has a magnesium body. I do not believe the ver 1 sported that. That is a big upgrade in quality.

I did a bit more math, once you take our GST off it comes in at 2038 USD, not bad considering I see them at B&H for 2150ish.

How many Nikkor lenses have magnesium frames? Not many I am sure.

Well it's paid for, so HOPEFULLY early next week. But I want it now! Got some work for this thing to do...

Must be very excited! Waiting on new glass is always like sitting on pins and needles. I will change the profile from newest gear, to newest camera and newest lens so you can list both of them. Must be Christmas at your house!

The "problem" with the new version is it doesn't focus as close as the old one. So 200mm at minimum focus distance with the old lens gives you more magnification than the new lens. Can be a problem if you like to do a lot of tight head shots or other closeup type photos @ 200mm.

Rod, with every trade off, you gain some things, and you loose some things. What does this new lens do better than the older version like mine?

The new lens looks a lot sexier! lol The old version looks like a black ice cream cone.

Congrats. Very nice piece of glass.

Update us on the new gear! You in love?

Sorry Gary. I don't fall in love with gear. It's a lens, it got slung in the bag with the other stuff once I worked out what the buttons do, which I even had to read two paragraphs about to sort out.

It seems nice, and got some very good low light shots with the other morning. So I'm happy with it.

I got mine back in April - as an upgrade from the 80-200mm - and it is light years ahead of that. I've hand held it down to around 1/15th sec at 200mm -the VR works!