Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II
Voice-Coil Focus Motor (VCM; 2026 ~ today)
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
Z9 Z8 Z7II Z6III Z6II Zƒ Z7 Z6 Z5II Z5 ZR Zƒc Z50II Z50 Z30
Z System Z Lenses All Nikon Lenses Flash
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II VCM (77mm filters, 36.2 oz./1,025g with polyprophylactic ring as shown or 41.5 oz./1,177g with tripod collar, 1.2'/0.38m ~ 2.6'/0.8m close focus, 0.25×~0.3× macro ratio, $3,197). bigger.
I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of getting it elsewhere. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used lens — and my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
April 2026 Better Pictures Nikon Z Z Lenses All Nikon Lenses All Nikon All Reviews
Original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR STM
Nikon F AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR FL (use with FTZ/2)
All Nikon 80-200mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 Lenses Compared
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
More samples throughout this review at Bokeh, Falloff, Macro, Spherochromatism and Sunstars.
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
Baby Zoey, 9:52 AM, Sunday, 12 April 2026. Cropped from Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/2.8 at 1/50 at Auto ISO 200 (LV 7.6), curves adjustment layer in Photoshop to add brightness and correct a cyan color cast. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 3.6 MB JPG file.
Police Helicopter (Doe!), 6:54 PM, Monday, 13 April 2026. Cropped from Nikon Z5 II in square-crop (HASSELBLAD) mode, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/2.8 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 11.9), Radiant Photo software to add light. bigger or camera-original © 1.5 MB JPG file.
Clearing Springtime Storm, California Seacoast and Gull, 7:03 PM, Monday, 13 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/2.8 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 11.9), Radiant Photo software to add light. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 3.2 MB JPG file.
This lens, like most 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, is so sharp even at f/2.8 that it's exciting aliasing (colored moiré patterns) on the vertical bars of the stairs.
Twin Palms Sunset, 7:05 PM, Monday, 13 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 115mm at f/8 at 1/1,000 at Auto ISO 100, +0.3 stops exposure compensation (LV 16.0), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
Better than most new models of 70-200mm f/2.8, this new Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II VCM is a completely different lens from the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR with completely new optics, a lot less weight and a modern VCM (voice-coil autofocus motor) for much faster focus than the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR.
Personally I'm not a fan of 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. They came out back in film days when we really needed f/2.8 to shoot action in just about any light other than daylight.
Today I prefer the Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR as my general-purpose tele because it has more than enough speed for my still-life shots, and I prefer the added 200-400mm range over losing the minor 70-100mm range. Of course Nikon makes all these lenses because we all have different needs.
Of course this lens is ultra sharp, as all 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have been.
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
New since the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR intro top
An Innovative Polyprophylactic Ring is now included to cover the lens' mounting lugs if you remove the tripod collar. Brilliant: This is the first lens I've ever seen that includes a ring to cover all the lens' mechanical guts that previously were left exposed when you removed the collar or just the foot.
VCM Voice-Coil autofocus Motor rather than an STM stepper motor of the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR.
Autofocus claimed 3.5× faster than the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, which was pretty slow. It doesn't seem much faster than my year 2000 AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8D ED on my FTZ.
Autofocus tracking while zooming claimed 40% better. Nikon doesn't explain how it measures "better."
Closer close focus: 1.2'/0.38m ~ 2.6'/0.8m versus 1.6'/0.5m ~ 3.3'/1m.
Larger macro ratio: 0.25× ~ 0.3×, up from 0.2×.
Weighs 9.2oz./260g less with tripod collar and foot than the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR with its collar and foot.
Weighs 11.6 oz./330g less with polyprophylactic ring as shown than the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR without its foot.
Weighs 12.7 oz. /360g less than the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR without its foot if you remove the polyprophylactic ring and shoot with a naked lens.
0.47"/12mm shorter but 0.04"/1mm larger around. Both use 77mm filters.
Now has 4 + 2 programmable buttons, up from 4 + 1.
Adds a Super ED and an Aspherical ED element. Both have a superior Fluorite as well as a Short Wavelength Refractive element.
Adds an element with an ultra-fine mesoporous coating.
Now has 18 elements in 16 groups, down from 21 elements in 18 groups, with claimed improved placement of aspherical elements.
11-blade diaphragm, up from 9 blades.
Hood has a filter-access door.
No more OLED display.
VR rated 5½ to 6 stops improvement, up from simply 5½ stops.
First Nikon lens with Arca-Swiss grooves on the tripod collar foot.
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
Good intro top
Two sets of programmable Fn buttons! There are two Lens-Fn buttons around the middle rear, and four Lens-Fn-2 buttons around the middle front. The two Lens-Fn buttons can be programmed to one function, and the four Lens-Fn-2 buttons can be programed to another. In other words, both Lens-Fn and all four Lens-Fn-2 buttons are programmed to the same thing; they come in multiples so you can hit tem regardless of how you're holding the lens.
Internal zoom: doesn't grow as zoomed to longer focal lengths.
Internal focusing: doesn't change length as focused.
Fast autofocus.
Sharp.
Light.
The third rear programmable control ring has an On-Off switch for the clicks!
Works with the Nikon Z TC-1.4× teleconverter or Nikon Z TC-2× teleconverters.
Stops down to f/22.
AF/MF switch.
Bad intro top
No VR switch 🤮!
Mushy Fn buttons have little to no perceptible clicks when pushed.
Expensive.
Missing intro top
No VR switch 🤮! 🤮🤮🤮!!!
Mounting index dot is the same white as everything else, so it doesn't stand out when you need to find it to mount your lens.
No aperture ring - but you can program a ring to do this.
No focus or depth-of-field scales.
No infra-red focus indices.
No focus lock buttons.
Will not work with any teleconverters.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Compatibility specifications top
This lens works only on Nikon's Z-series mirrorless cameras.
It does not so much as even mount on any other camera.
It works great with the Nikon Z TC 1.4× or 2× teleconverters, but only one at a time.
Name specifications top
Nikon should have called this the VCM (Voice-Coil Motor) version rather than the "II," as this is a completely different lens with different technology then the original, not simply a Mark Two.
In olden days Nikon would make very minor tweaks to their pro lenses every few years and would call them "II," with exactly the same optics and focus system with very minor improvements.
Nikon calls this the Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II:
NIKKOR: Nikon's brand name for almost all their lenses since 1932.
Z: For Nikon's mirrorless cameras, only.
VR: Vibration Reduction (Image Stabilization).
S: Subliminally suggests sexual satisfaction. The "S" designation has no other purpose than subliminal seduction; Nikon and electronics and automobile and every kind of marketer have been using letters like "S" and "X" in model numbers since the 1940s for this same reason. Nikon called their first 1946 rangefinder lens mount the "S" mount, then went whole-hog to the "F" SLR mount in 1959, used "S" again when they updated their AI lenses to AI‑S in 1983, then they created AF‑S lenses in 1998, and here it is again.
II: Nikon's second Z 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.
Nikon's Model Number: 20130.
It also has:
ARNEO Coat: Magic anti-reflection coating that's especially good for use in high-speed lenses.
Aspherical: Specially curved glass elements for sharper pictures.
E: Electronic diaphragm. Silent operation.
ED: Magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced secondary chromatic aberration.
G: Gelded; has no aperture ring.
IF: Internal focusing; nothing moves externally as focused.
FL: Fluorite element(s) for sharper images in telephoto lenses.
M: Meso Amorphous Coat, Nikon's newest and most advanced antireflection coating, better than any of Super Integrated Multicoating, Nano or ARNEO coatings.
Nano Crystal Coat (N): Magic anti-reflection coating that has a continuously variable index of refraction that's far more effective against ghosts and internal reflections than traditional multicoating.
SR: Short-wavelength Refractive, a new optical material that helps reduce spherochromatism.
VCM: Voice-Coil (focus) Motor.
∅77: 77mm filter thread.
Optics specifications top
Internal Optical Construction. Fluorite, Super ED, Short Wavelength Refractive, Aspherical ED, ED, Aspherical and plain-old- optical glass elements.
18 elements in 16 groups.
Internal zooming: doesn't change length as zoomed. Nikon claims it doesn't shift its weight much as zoomed.
Internal focusing: doesn't change length as focused.
Internal zoom: doesn't change length as zoomed.
CRC close-range correction, also called "multi-focus system," optimizes the lens design as focused at different distances.
1 Fluorite element for extreme sharpness.
2 plain-old Aspherical elements for extra sharpness.
1 regular ED element: magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced axial secondary chromatic aberration.
1 Super ED element: Super magical Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced axial secondary chromatic aberration.
1 Aspherical ED element, combining the benefits of plain-old Aspherical elements and regular ED elements.
1 Short Wavelength Refractive element to help reduce spherochromatism.
Nikon Super Integrated multiCoating (SIC).
Front fluorine coating to resist dirt and smudges.
Meso Amorphous and ARNEO coatings.
Diaphragm specifications
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
11 rounded blades.
Electronically actuated.
Stops down to f/22.
Filters specifications top
Crappy plastic 77mm filter thread.
Coverage specifications top
Full-Frame (24 × 36mm) and APS-C (16 × 24mm).
Focal Length specifications top
70~200mm.
When used on an APS-C camera, it sees the same angles of view as a 100~300mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or 35mm camera.
See also Crop Factor.
Angles of View specifications top
34⅓º ～ 12⅓º diagonal on FX.
22⅚º ～ 8º diagonal on DX.
Autofocus specifications top
Nikon claims - and I kid you not - "Silky Swift Voice Coil Motors," also called SS VCMs. Cute.
No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in.
Focus Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infinity Focus Stop specifications top
No.
You have to focus somehow to get precise focus at infinity, just like at every other distance.
Depth of Field Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infrared Focus Index specifications top
No.
Close Focus (distance from subject to image plane) specifications top
70 ~ 85mm: 1.25 feet (0.38m).
105 mm: 1.64 feet (0.5m).
135mm: 1.97 feet (0.6m).
200mm: 2.63 feet (0.8m).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio specifications top
1:4 (0.25×) at 200mm.
1:3.3 (0.3×) at 70mm. Yes, it can get a slightly larger image at 70mm.
Reproduction Ratio Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Image Stabilizer specifications top
Rated 5.5 to 6 stops improvement.
Caps specifications top
LC-77B front cap, included.
LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap, included.
Hood specifications top
HB-119 hood for Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
HB-119 hood, is included.
Its interior seems much more black than older hoods, as if painted by an ultrablack pigment. Cool.
"Case?" specifications top
Nikon claims it includes a case, but it's only a CL-C3 cloth bag.
A tube sock works much better.
They're kidding, right? It's just a bag, and not even padded. Geesh.
Nikon now warns that this sack will not protect the lens from damage if dropped — duh.
Tripod Collar specifications top
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Tripod Collar. bigger. |
Bottom of Tripod Collar. bigger. |
The tripod collar is one solid piece of alloy. Its foot is a permanent part of the collar system.
Its foot has two ¼″ × 20" TPI threads and two smaller mystery threads, but no ⅜″ × 16" TPI threads.
I don't use tripods so I didn't fiddle with it much, but odd was that my locking knob doesn't rotate. I did not try vice-grips or pipe wrenches for obvious reasons.
The system has a cloth friction pad which is always at what seems like the perfect tension in any case, so no need to adjust the locking knob.
The whole thing easily comes off the lens and can be swapped with the included polyprophylactic ring.
Actually this collar, and this innovative new Polyprophylactic Ring, are both shipped unattached in a separate part of the box so you can choose which to use as you unpack your new lens:
Polyprophylactic Ring. bigger.
Use the Polyprophylactic Ring for handheld shooting.
Either pops on and off easily and brilliantly, each with a locking button and bayonet system
Size specifications top
3.54" ø maximum diameter × 8.19" extension from flange.
90mm ø maximum diameter × 208mm extension from flange.
The original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR was 3.50"/89mm ø × 8.67"/220mm extension from flange.
Weights specifications top
Actual Measured Weights
36.170 oz. (1,025.4 g) with polyprophylactic ring.
41.503 oz. (1,176.6 g) with tripod collar.
Tripod collar by itself: 6.375 oz. (180.8 g).
Polyprophylactic ring by itself: 1.040 oz. (29.5 g).
Lens by itself, no polyprophylactic ring or tripod colla: 35.135 oz. (996.1 g).
Rated
41.62 oz. (1,180 g) with tripod collar ring.
36.33 oz. (1,030 g) with polyprophylactic ring.
35.20 oz. (998 g) naked.
The original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR weighed 50.7025 oz. (1,437.45g) with foot, 47.817 oz. (1,355.45 g) without foot.
Announced specifications top
11:15 PM, Monday, 23 February 2026, NYC time.
Promised for specifications top
Late March 2026.
Shipping Since specifications top
Mine shipped to me from B&H on 27 March, 2026.
Included specifications top
Lens.
Tripod Collar and alternative polyprophylactic ring, both packed separately so you may use either one.
LC-77B front cap.
LF-N1 Z-mount rear cap.
Packaging specifications top
It's a big, impressive box:
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Box. bigger. |
Box end. bigger. |
Microcorrugated cardboard box with internal corrugami formers.
There are two sections inside the box: one section holds just the lens and caps, while the other section holds the tripod collar, the polyprophylactic ring, the hood and the sorry sack of an excuse for a case.
Lens and accessories are popped into unsealed microfoam envelopes.
No silica gel.
Model Number specifications top
20130.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
February ~ April 2026 (Introduction)
$3,197 at B&H and at Adorama.
Getting a Legal U. S. A. Version top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I got my USA version Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
This section applies in the U. S. A. only.
Your box must include a USA Warranty Card sitting on the top as you open it, and the serial number must match the one on the bottom of your lens, otherwise you have no warranty:
U. S. A. Warranty Card. bigger.
If you don't have this card, if the card doesn't say "VALID IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES" or the serial number on the card doesn't match the one on your camera lens exactly, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. All legitimate cameras and lenses come with printed warranty cards, even if you prefer to register online. (The serial number on the outside of the box doesn't have to match, but if it doesn't it means you bought from a shady dealer who took cameras lenses out of boxes and then resold these used lenses cameras as new.)
The U. S. A. warranty card comes from "Nikon Inc.," the U. S. A. office; the Japanese headquarters is "Nikon Corporation."
The warranty is also valid only if you are the original purchaser and only if it was purchased from an authorized dealer. All because a store or someone claims to be authorized doesn't mean they are. That's why I buy only from my personally approved sources.
Shifty dealers may include copies of a card from a legitimate U. S. A. product in a gray-market box, hoping you won't check serial numbers and catch their fraud. A card with the wrong serial number means nothing other than that you have no warranty coverage.
Nikon stopped offering 5-year lens warranties in 2021 in an effort to save themselves money at our expense.
Did you notice the clever nod to ancient computer technology? This is printed on tractor-fed paper with tear-off sides and dot-matrix printing of model and serial numbers! If your card lacks these side perforations, beware. Everyone counterfeits laser holograms, but few people have dot-matrix printers floating around to fake these.
Always be sure to check your box, warranty card and serial numbers while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.
This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the U. S. A., and you may not be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!
Nikon U. S. A. enforces its trademarks strictly. It's unlikely, but possible that US customs won't let your camera back in the country if you bought a gray-market version in the U. S. A., carried it overseas, and try to bring it back in. (If you take the chance of buying one overseas, be sure you have a receipt to prove you bought it overseas and be prepared to pay duty on it.)
If a gray market version saves you $1,000 it may be worth it, but for $600 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.
U. S. A. versions include two giant folded single-sheet multi-language basic manuals, one talking about the tripod collar and polyprophylactic ring, and the other only a basic guide to all Z lenses. There's also another sheet, I think it's silly safety warnings. Sadly there is no real manual included specific to this lens with specifications or features.
Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem, but if you take the risk of getting yours elsewhere, be sure to check everything while you still can return it.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Breathing
Distance Recording Bokeh Distortion Ergonomics
OLED Display Falloff Filters Flare & Ghosts
Lateral Color Fringes Lens Corrections Macro
Mechanics OLED Display Sharpness
Spherochromatism Stabilization Sunstars
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Overall performance top
This expensive lens has superb optics, as all Nikon's f/2.8 zooms have always had, and its light weight is wonderful.
Nikon does not want you to think about the Z 70-180mm f/2.8, which is just as sharp, smaller and weighs even less for about a third the price! The real difference is optical stabilization in this 70-200mm versus wanting in-camera stabilization with the 70-180mm f/2.8
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is fast. It's not always instantaneous and might take a moment to go from macro to infinity, while for minor differences in focus distance it's just about instantaneous.
It's much faster than the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, but that lens was unusually slow with its stepper focus motor. Nikon claims this lens is 3.5 times faster, but that's compared to the old lens which is about 3 times slower than everything else! This new lens is up to modern standards with its new Voice-Coil focus motor.
I compared AF speed to my classic year-2000 AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8 ED on my FTZ. This combination was almost as fast as this newest lens.
Speed is more a factor of Nikon's Z cameras than the lenses. I've never been impressed with autofocus in the Nikon Z system, since I also shoot Canon as well which isn't necessarily faster, but often more accurate and better at tracking moving objects. These are subtle differences are only perceptible if you shoot both systems every other day, and realize that the occasional out-of-focus frames we get with Nikon are usually all in focus with Canon. In other words, Nikon Z shooters seem to accept sloppier AF performance as normal, while as a frequent Canon shooter out-of focus frames and losing tracking more often stands out to me.
It's not that unheard of to be in a situation where Nikon's AF simply can't focus on something, which rarely if ever happens to me with my Canons.
This lens is as good as it gets with Nikon, while if I'm shooting action, I'll grab my Canon.
Manual Focus performance top
Manual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
Just grab the middle focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.
Better than any other brand, even if you're in AF-C and grab the manual-focus ring, it just swaps to manual focus instantly and stays in manual focus. Other brands will try to fight you for focus if you're in continuous AF, while this lens just does what you tell it to do.
Bravo!
Focus Breathing performance top
Focus breathing is the image changing size (growing and shrinking slightly) as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe (change size) as focus gets pulled back and forth between different actors as they speak. The image is said to breathe because it expands and contracts as the focus follows the dialog back and forth.
This lens is unique in having no visible focus breathing. Every other lens I test, even when claimed to have none, has some visible changes in image size as focussed.
If pressed, if I stop down to f/22 and very carefully look at the far edge, this image may shrink very slightly as focused more closely at 70mm and grow only slightly as focused more closely at 200mm. There is no change at moderate zoom settings, and at moderate apertures the image goes so far out-of-focus so quickly that again there is no visible change in image size.
Bravo!
Focus Distance Recording performance top
I do not see the focused distance shown in the lower left of my screen in Photoshop's lens correction filter.
Bokeh performance top
Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is neutral to good if far out of focus, but poor if only somewhat out of focus.
It looks OK with strongly out-of-focus backgrounds as seen behind my weather station. Here are my usual photos from headshot distance wide-open. I'm focused on the DAVIS logo. Click any for the 24 MP © 2.5 MB camera-original file:
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6357 Vantage Vue Wireless Sensor Suite (use with WeatherLink console), 10 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at Auto ISO 100 at 1/4,000, 1/4,000 and 1/4,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.0), Radiant Photo software to add light.
Click any for the 24 MP © 2.5 MB camera-original file.
However, with less defocus it can get ugly. See how the highlights behind the car aren't soft blurs, but more like doughnuts?
BMW M850i xDrive Convertible, Noon, Saturday, 11 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/5.6 at 1/2,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.9), Radiant Photo software to add light in the deeply backlit shadows I had shooting into the sun. bigger or full-resolution 24 MP © 5.1 MB JPG file.
Here's a crop from above the driver's seat:
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or full-resolution 24 MP © 5.1 MB JPG file.
Look also at the background in the bottom right:
The Canary Palm, 9:39 AM, Sunday, 12 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II in square-crop (HASSELBLAD) mode, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 145mm (equivalent to the ZEISS 350mm f/5.6 T✻ Tele-Tessar on HASSELBLAD 6×6) at f/2.8 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 11.9), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original © 3.3 MB JPG file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from bottom right corner of the above image. bigger or camera-original © 3.3 MB JPG file.
The background doesn't simply blur away, it remains distracting.
As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at 200mm at f/2.8 and get as close as possible.
Distortion performance top
There is no visible distortion when shot with Distortion correction ON.
With Distortion correction off (or if you shoot raw data rather than JPG images and whatever software you use to create visible images from raw data doesn't correct the distortion), then there is moderate barrel distortion at 70mm and slight pincushion distortion at 200mm. This is completely normal in all 70-200mm lenses.
For more critical scientific use, use these corrections in Photoshop's lens correction filter.
These aren't facts or specifications, they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data.
On Full-Frame at 30' (10m) |
Correction factor to use with images made with correction ON in Z5 II |
Correction factor with uncorrected images |
70mm |
+0.30 | +3.20 |
85mm |
+0.20 | +1.50 |
105mm |
+0.10 | +0.10 |
135mm |
+0.10 | -0.70 |
200mm |
+0.20 | -1.10 |
© 2026 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.
Ergonomics performance top
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Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger. |
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger. |
Zoom and focus are internal, so nothing moves around as you shoot.
There's a switch to select clicks or no clicks for the rearmost control ring.
Handling is straightforward, although I'm more used to the zoom ring being in the middle of the lens rather than the front.
The zoom ring is fairly stiff, wanting two fingers to zoom easily. It doesn't simply flick back and forth like the zoom of 1986's AF 70~210mm f/4.
Like most VCM lenses, optical groups flop around inside the lens when it's not being controlled by a camera.
The Fn buttons are mushy and have little to no perceptible click when pushed. They only have a tactile click when released.
There's no VR switch; you have to set this in a menu 🤮!
Falloff performance top
Falloff on full frame is invisible with vignette control at its default of NORMAL, except at f/2.8 at 200mm where these is some minor falloff. It's gone by f/4 at 200mm.
I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:
Falloff on full-frame at infinity, correction at its default of NORMAL:
© 2026 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
If you save only raw data rather than create JPG images in-camera, whatever software you use to create visible images from that raw data later may or may not correct this as is done in-camera as JPGs. You're on your own there; I don't bother with raw data.
If you go out of your way to turn off the correction, or possibly in some raw software, this is what you get. There is some falloff at f/2.8, which goes away by f/4::
Falloff on full-frame at infinity, correction deliberately turned OFF:
© 2026 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Filters, use with performance top
There's no need for thin filters. I can stack several standard 77mm filters with no vignetting at any setting on full-frame.
Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.
Flare & Ghosts performance top
Flare and ghosts are well controlled.
See examples at Sunstars.
Lateral Color Fringes performance top
There are no lateral color fringes as shot on Nikon cameras as JPG, which by default correct for any that may be there.
If you shoot raw and then use non-manufacturer software to process that data into images then there is the possibility that there might be some, but I doubt it.
There is nearly no spherochromatism, which is unlikely to cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus at large apertures. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.
Lens Corrections performance top
The Z9, Z8, Z7 II, Z6 III, Z6 II, Zƒ, Z7, Z6, Z5 II, Z5, Zƒc, Z50 II, Z50 and Z30 correct for any or all of distortion, diffraction and falloff (vignette control). Each of these three may be turned ON or OFF as you like.
The Z9, Z8, Z7 II, Z6 III, Z6 II, Zƒ, Z7, Z6, Z5 II, Z5, Zƒc, Z50 II, Z50 and Z30 always correct for lateral color fringes (lateral chromatic aberration). This is part of Nikon's secret sauce and never appears in any menu.
Macro Performance performance top
It gets very close, closer than any other Nikon f/2.8 telephoto zoom, except for the Z 70-180mm f/2.8 which can focus even closer at 70mm. Bravo!
It gets closer at 70mm than 200mm, but we want to shoot close-ups at 200mm because it gives us better perspective rendering and helps keep the lens from blocking our light.
The samples below are shot at 200mm where we get an 0.25× magnification; at 70mm we can get a 20% larger 0.3× magnification (not shown).
As expected it's super sharp, even at f/2.8:
At 200mm at f/2.8
It's sharp, and miraculously spherochromatism is not a problem:
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 08 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/2.8 at 1/4,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.9), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 10 × 15" (25 × 38cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).
At 200mm at f/8
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 08 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/8 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.0), Radiant Photo software to add light to the shadows while retaining highlights. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 10 × 15" (25 × 38cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).
Mechanical Quality performance top
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
This doesn't feel like a $3,000+ USD lens. Most of the exterior and the control rings are plastic, and the mount is aluminum rather than brass. Such is what people accept in 2026. The plastic filter threads are particularly crappy feeling, but again, this is the typical disposable quality for which people pay top dollar today.
It's not like 1983 when I moved from Minolta to Nikon (rather than to Canon) mostly because all of Nikon's AI-s manual focus lenses of that era were made of 100% metal and made-in-Japan to last a lifetime — and beyond. Its sad today that people expect to toss these away in ten years, which is what the "10" means inside the ↓↑ spinning arrows on the bottom of the lens.
Exterior Finish mechanics performance top
Black plastic.
Exterior mechanics performance top
Plastic.
Hood mechanics performance top
Plastic bayonet.
Front Bumper mechanics performance top
Rubber.
Filter Threads mechanics performance top
Crappy plastic, easy to cross-thread 🤮🤮🤮!!!
Vanity Identity Trim Ring at Front of Lens mechanics performance top
Metal.
Hood Bayonet Mount mechanics performance top
Plastic.
Gold ED Band mechanics performance top
None.
Zoom Ring mechanics performance top
Rubber-covered plastic.
Focus Ring mechanics performance top
Rubber-covered plastic.
Rear Programmable Function Ring mechanics performance top
Hard bare metal.
Slide Switches mechanics performance top
Plastic.
Rearmost Barrel Exterior Section mechanics performance top
Anodized Aluminum.
Tripod Collar mechanics performance top
Solid aluminum alloy.
Removable.
Polyprophylactic Ring mechanics performance top
Plastic.
Removable.
Identity mechanics performance top
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
Laser engraved around front of lens, also "70-200/2.8 S II" printed on top of barrel.
Internals mechanics performance top
Seems like a mixture of plastic and metal, with what seems like a lot of plastic.
Dust Gasket at Mount mechanics performance top
Yes.
Mount mechanics performance top
Aluminum.
Markings mechanics performance top
Mostly engraved and filled with paint.
Serial Number mechanics performance top
Laser engraved on the bottom of the barrel:
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
Date Code mechanics performance top
None found.
Noises When Shaken mechanics performance top
Like most VCM lenses, it often sounds like there are loose parts flopping around inside — because there are.
There are lots of optical parts floating around on tracks inside the lens. These are locked-down when attached to an awake camera, but when the camera is off and all the time the lens is off the camera they are no longer locked-down, and flop around all over the place.
This is normal.
Truth & Ethics mechanics performance top
Offshored to Thailand, not made domestically in Japan.
Never disclosed in any advertising, marketing or online offers for sale.
OLED Display performance top
NONE.
This was a fairly useless feature in the older model, so no tears shed by me here.
Sharpness performance top
Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness.
Every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.
If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 or smaller at ISO 1,600 or above at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.
People worry waaaaay too much about lens sharpness. It's not 1968 anymore when lenses often weren't that sharp and there could be significant differences among them; ever since about 2010 all new lenses are all pretty much equally fantastic, especially these top-end f/2.8 teles.
This lens is super sharp corner-to corner at every aperture, limited by your vision as an artist and of course by heat shimmer and by diffraction at the smallest apertures. Avoid f/16 and smaller unless you really need them for extreme depth of field because diffraction takes its toll. See also How to Calculate the Sharpest Aperture.
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MTF at 70mm at f/2.8. |
MTF at 200mm at f/2.8. |
Nikon's MTF charts at 10 cyc/mm and 30 cyc/mm. Sagittal (radial) shown as solid lines. Meridional (tangential) shown as dashed lines.
While it's usually valid to compare rated MTFs between different lenses of similar vintage from the same maker, every maker measures or simply calculates MTF very differently, and therefore one cannot compare these curves between brands. For instance, Sony seems to ignore diffraction and simply calculate overly optimistic MTFs that hug 100%, which no real lens can do at f/8, while other brands are more realistic and include diffraction. Only Canon offers any insight on how they arrive at their curves.
See also my article on MTF and Canon's article on MTFs.
Spherochromatism performance top
Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration or "color bokeh," is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration and therefore cannot be corrected with software or automatic corrections. It happens mostly in fast normal and tele lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the color spectrum (red and blue) are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum (green).
Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes (the middle of the spectrum) on background highlights and magenta fringes (the red and blue ends of the spectrum added together make magenta) on foreground highlights.
Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.
Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration from lateral color fringes.
This lens has nearly no spherochromatism, bravo!
Only if you set up a deliberate test you might see sight yellow-green fringes behind and violet fringes ahead of the plane of perfect focus:
Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at close-focus distance, 08 April 2026. Nikon Z5 II, Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at 200mm at f/2.8 at 1/8,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.9). bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 10 × 15" (25 × 38cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).
Image Stabilization (VR) performance top
Optical Image Stabilization (OIS, IS or VR (Vibration Reduction)) works great along with the built-in stabilization of my Z5 II. I get four to SIX real-world stops of improvement, giving me perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness most of the time at 1/8 at every focal length. Bravo!!!
"Percent Perfectly Sharp Shots" are the percentage of hand-held, free-standing with no support or bracing, frames with 100% perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness as viewed at 300%.
Looking at images from my Z5 II at 300% on my 100 DPI monitor from 2½ feet (76cm) away are the same as scrolling around a 15 × 10 foot (4.5 × 3 meters!) print, from just 2½ feet (76cm) away — and images are still perfectly sharp most of the time hand-held at 1/8 of a second. Bravo!
Of course we all will get different results hand-holding. While your speeds will vary, the number of stops of improvement should be the same for all of us regardless of who's shooting.
Hand tremor is a random occurrence, so at marginal speeds some frames will be perfectly sharp while others will be in various stages of blur — all at the same shutter speed.
This rates what percentage of shots are perfectly sharp, not how sharp are all the frames:
At 70mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots on Stabilized Z5 II | 1s |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
| Stabilization ON | 0 |
0 |
40 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Stabilization OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
5½ |
11 |
43 |
85 |
100 |
I see 4 stops of real-world improvement.
At 120mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots on Stabilized Z5 II | 1s |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
| Stabilization ON | 0 |
10 |
50 |
60 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Stabilization OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
10 |
18 |
56 |
100 |
I see 4½ stops of real-world improvement.
At 200mm
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots on Stabilized Z5 II | 1s |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
1/500 |
1/1000 |
| VR ON | 0 |
10 |
16 |
60 |
96 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| VR OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
15 |
17 |
27 |
70½ |
100 |
I see 6 stops of real-world improvement!
Sunstars performance top
With an 11-bladed rounded diaphragm, I get 22-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light only at the smallest apertures.
Ignore the crazy rainbows at small apertures; these are sensor artifacts caused by interference among the divisions between pixels on the sensor. These are made visible because we're using enough exposure to show the dark underside of a huge palm tree, and then putting the blinding disk of the mid-day sun in it. Doing this will show everything due to the insane lighting range.
Click any to enlarge:
Click any to enlarge.
Teleconverters performance top
It works great with the Nikon Z TC 1.4× or 2× teleconverters, but only one at a time.
Compared top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
All Nikon 80-200mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 Lenses Compared
Versus the original Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR compared top
If you have the old Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, this new lens is a little smaller, focuses much faster and is a lot lighter. Either of these is a big lens and any savings in weight is always appreciated if you're carrying it around all day. Get it!
Versus the Z 70-180mm f/2.8 compared top
The best idea to save money (and weight!) is to opt for the excellent - but mostly plastic - Z 70-180mm f/2.8.
While it lacks stabilization and has no AF/MF switch (🤮), it works great on a stabilized camera, and its optics are just as sharp as this new Z lens! No kidding, check out its MTF curves and compare them to this lens, where you'll see that the 70-180mm is actually a tad sharper than this new Z lens. You're welcome 😁.
Don't fret MTF curves; you need a PhD to understand them and they make completely insignificant differences between lenses quite obvious - but still invisible in actual photos. All these lenses are super sharp and worrying about minute differences in MTF curves distracts us from making great pictures.
I really love the Z 70-180mm f/2.8. It has superb optics, 180mm is the same as 200mm if I'm paying $2,000 less (about one-third the price!), and it also weighs less than anything else.
Yes, the Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is mostly plastic, but so is this new 70-200mm f/2.8. Both have metal mounts. The 70-180mm has a partly metal zoom ring, while the 70-200mm is all plastic. I'm not buying that this new 70-200mm is worth three times as much as the 70-180mm if you're rational. Nikon just wants us to think the 70-200mm is worth more, but with all all the plastic, I'm not convinced.The Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is win, win, win unless you simply must own and deserve the most expensive gear. My only reservations about the Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is its lack of an AF/MF switch, presuming we use it with a stabilized camera.
Versus Other Nikon Teles compared top
If you don't already have one of Nikon's other 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, know that this new lens is hellaciously expensive and there are much less expensive ways to get the same great performance, just with more weight.
Versus the Incomparable AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR FL compared top
Personally if I wanted top performance for a fat discount, I'd get the extraordinary pro-level AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR FL and use it with my FTZ/2 adapter.
I still consider the AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 FL to be the greatest 70-200mm lens ever created, and it costs much less than this new Z lens
The AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR FL is Nikon's last top pro f/2.8 zoom ever, built like a tank and Made-in-Japan.
It has extraordinary optics, also with a Fluorite element.
I don't consider any of Nikon's Z 70-200mm lenses as pro-tough; they all feel pretty disposable and use offshore manufacturing to save Nikon money — while Nikon charges far more for the crappier Z lenses than the fantastic AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR FL!
Versus Less Expensive F-Mount DSLR Lenses on the FTZ/2 compared top
Even less expensive alternatives are any of the older 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lenses, and I have detailed reviews of all these lenses linked from there.
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 ED IF VR II AF-S.
But wait! If you have a stabilized camera, you'll get great results with an older unstabilized 80-200mm f/2.8:
I tried my year-2000 AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8D ED on my FTZ/2 adapter. It works great, and autofocuses almost as fast as this new Z lens.
Versus Older Screw-Focus Lenses compared top
I'd pass on anything older than the AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8D ED because older lenses, like the AF 80-200mm f/2.8D (new) all use the old 1980's screw-type autofocus, and a severe flaw in the design of the FTZ/2 adapter means that they won't autofocus. Forget these:
Versus the Z 24-200mm VR compared top
I'll admit that I use the Z 100-400mm VR when I want a serious tele, and otherwise I use the Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR for everything else because I have no need for f/2.8, and I hate also having to carry a 24-70mm and then having to swap between them for every other shot.
For my style of still life nature and landscape shots, I prefer a superzoom like the Z 24-200mm over any two-lens solution. Less to carry always results in more great pictures when I'm out in the field.
It takes 67mm filters, weighs just 19.9 oz./565g and has a 1.6'/0.5m close focus at 24mm and 2.3'/0.7m close focus at 200mm for a 0.28× macro ratio.
User's Guide top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Tripod Collars user's guide top
The lens arrives with no rear attachment, just naked bayonet lugs:
As Shipped. bigger.
Both the tripod collar and the polyprophylactic ring are shipped separately in the accessories box inside the larger box.
You may attach either to the back of the lens, or save an ounce just shoot it without either.
I'd not leave it naked, the polyprophylactic ring only weighs an ounce and makes it much more comfortable for hand-holding and protects the bayonet couplings from damage — the whole point of what seems like just a trim ring.
Both of these use bayonet attachments, and they both have locks so they won't come off unless you want them to.
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Tripod Collar. bigger. |
Bottom of Tripod Collar. bigger. |
Rear-Ring Clicks On or Off user's guide top
I leave the click ON for controlling aperture.
Feel free to turn off the clicks if you prefer:
Click Switch for the Rear Control Ring. bigger.
More Controls user's guide top
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II. bigger.
There are two sets of programmable Lens Function buttons!
There are four L‑Fn‑2 buttons around the lens at 90º intervals. Program these in your camera. All the L‑Fn‑2 buttons will do the same thing; the reason for four is so you can get to them regardless of how you hold your camera.
There are two L‑Fn buttons around the middle, one each for vertical and horizontal shots. Program what these do in your camera. Of course the L‑Fn buttons may be programmed to something different from the L‑Fn‑2 buttons, and both L‑Fn‑2 buttons will do the same thing as each other.
My L‑Fn buttons are mushy; I can feel a click when I release them, but not when I press them.
A - M Switch user's guide top
A: Auto Focus. You have instant manual focus override by turning the focus ring at any time.
M: Manual Focus, only. AF won't respond.
Full / ∞-5m Switch user's guide top
This is a focus limiter.
Leave it in FULL.
The ∞ - 5m position prevents the lens from autofocusing closer than 5 meters (16 feet). Use this setting only if you're having a problem with the lens attempting to focus on irrelevant close items, or if for some reason the lens is "hunting" from near to far while looking for distant subjects.
Vibration Reduction (VR) Switch user's guide top
There is no VR switch 🤮! Boo!!!
You may want to program a camera Fn button to control this.
Recommendations top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications USA Version Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Be sure to get it only from my recommended sources so that you can just send it back if you don't love it. You never have to guess about how well it will work for you; order it and see for yourself. That's why I've used B&H and Adorama since I was a kid in the 1970s: I can try it in my own environment with my own other gear and if I don't love it, back it goes.
See my Comparisons for suggestions about which lens may be best for your purpose. This is the best 70-200mm you can get in the Z-mount if you have an unlimited budget, while lenses a third the price will take the same pictures if you're more interested in great pictures than simply having the most expensive lens.
I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap (exactly like an iPhone) so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.
The best protective filter is the relatively indestructible 77mm Hoya multicoated HD3 UV which uses hardened glass and has special coatings that really do repel dirt and fingerprints.
For less money, the B+W multicoated 010 MRC is an excellent filter, as is the 77mm Nikon Clear (NC - UV), the 77mm Canon PROTECT and the basic multicoated 77mm Hoya UV filter, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.
If I was working in nasty, dirty areas and don't want to spring for the HD3 filter, I'd use a plain glass (uncoated) 77mm Tiffen UV filter instead. Plain glass filters are much easier to clean with soap and water or Windex out in the field, but more prone to ghosting.
Nikon's 77mm Circular Polarizer II is my favorite polarizer. The 77mm Hoya HD3 HRT Polarizer uses bulletproof glass, and the Canon 77mm Circular Polarizer is also superb.
Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt, and will outlast this lens.
All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece. Since filters last a lifetime or more, there's no reason not to buy the best as it will last you for the next 50 years. Filters aren't throwaways like digital cameras which we replace every few years, like it or not. I'm still using filters I bought back in the 1970s!
I got my Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of getting it elsewhere. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used lens — and my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
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Ken.