Good

An Excellent Lens. Might be one of Nikons best ever

Large f/stop Fast AF Very Sharp Built like a Battleship

Focus Bloom might be an issue for some

I've used this lens now for two years or so. Overall it's an amazing piece of design. The focus is lightning fast and razor sharp at all focal lengths. The VR is effective, minimizing the need for a tripod or monopod. The lens is really fast too. It's one of the best lenses I've ever owned. But ...

In summary, if there was ever a single "must-have" lens for ME (and I think many Nikon-using nature photographers), this lens would likely be it. Here's the slightly longer "Executive Summary" that I posted today on my website: 5 December 2009 UPDATE: I have updated my "Executive Summary"...

Overall image quality; bokeh; autofocus speed; improved performance on FX bodies

Minor (and controllable) sharpness fall-off in corners/edges at 200 mm

The 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR II Nikkor is a quality lens featuring Nikon's Vibration Reduction II image stabilisation with normal and active modes. A Silent Wave Motor delivers fast and quiet autofocus, and minimum focus distance is 140cm.

Vibration Reduction, engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens, enables handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper images.

Nikon's 'Mark II' 70-200mm telezoom fixes the problems suffered by the previous version on full frame bodies, while updating to the latest and greatest VR system. It's an equally accomplished performer on both DX and FX that will satisfy the most demanding of photographers.

Professional shooters and advanced amateurs demanding the finest optical performance available in a telephoto zoom;

Anyone who values portability and convenience over all-out image quality;

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II ($2,399.95) is the company's pro-level telezoom lens. It covers a zoom range that's essential for wedding and event photographers, and maintains a maximum f/2.8 aperture through its entire zoom range. Add in vibration reduction, a sturdy build quality, and an integrated tripod collar and you have a lens that pairs well with Nikon's full-frame D-SLR camera lineup. It's not perfect; its close-focus capability is a bit limited when compared with the competition, and there's some pincushion distortion when zoomed in. The Nikkor is a fantastic lens for Nikon shooters, but our Editors' Choice 70-200mm is still the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM ($2,199.00 at Amazon) , which is just a bit better. The Nikkor lens ($2,424.00 at Amazon)  measures 8.1 by 3.4 inches (HD), weighs 3.4 pounds, and supports 77mm front filters. Its metal barrel is cool to the touch, and there's a gasket around the lens mount to protect the lens and camera from the...

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II is the go-to lens for many an event photographer, and it's a good one.

Sharp throughout zoom range; Doesn't extend when zooming; Focus limiter switch; In-lens vibration reduction; Includes tripod collar

Some pincushion distortion; Close focus limited to 4.6 feet