Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR £2,650/$2,800

Spectacular performance at a premium price

Meet the newer, sportier edition of Nikon’s 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens. Electromagnetic rather than mechanical aperture control enables greater exposure consistency in rapid-fire, continuous shooting, while a new Sport VR mode provides a more stable viewfinder image when panning, and prevents a slowdown in drive rate.

A fluorite glass element is added for optimum image quality, along with six ED elements, one HRI element and Nano Crystal Coatings. The positions of the zoom and focus rings are reversed, so that the zoom ring is now at the front, and handling benefits from the addition of dual-mode autofocus on/lock buttons.

Performance

The new lens reigns supreme for sharpness in our tests, especially when shooting wide-open. VR is half a stop more effective than in the older 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, and a closer minimum focus distance is also available. All in all, it’s simply the best 70-200mm lens on the market, justifying its steep asking price.