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 ($998.95 at Amazon) , which is just a bit better.

The Nikkor lens ($829.97 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 elements. Control switches include a focus mode toggle, a focus limiter, a switch to turn vibration reduction on or off, and one to switch between Normal and Active VR; the latter is preferable when shooting from a moving vehicle. The zoom ring sits at the middle of the lens and is covered by textured rubber; the manual focus ring sits ahead of it and is also covered in textured rubber.

Nikon includes a reversible lens hood with the lens. It has a push-button release catch that you'll need to hold down in order to unmount it, which makes it a bit more secure than hoods that attach via a simple bayonet only. There's also an integrated tripod collar; it's not removable, but it can be moved from portrait to landscape orientation via a large thumbscrew. The removable tripod foot features two standard connection threads, so you have some flexibility in setting the center of gravity. It's removable via a thumbscrew-and-push-button mechanism, which makes it possible to quickly move from tripod to handheld shooting, even if you're using a head that lacks a quick-release plate.

The 70-200mm has a close-focus limit of 4.6-feet, which is a little bit long when compared with some other 70-200mm designs. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR ($1,396.95 at Amazon) can focus as close as 3.3 feet; that's not quite macro territory, but its 1:3.7 magnification is better for shooting smaller objects than the 1:8.6 magnification offered by the f/2.8G ED VR II. Canon's EF 70-200mm gets as close as 3.9 feet, which puts it in the middle with a 1:5 magnification factor.

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I used Imatest to check the sharpness of the 70-200mm when paired with the 36-megapixel Nikon D810 ($1,996.95 at Amazon) . At 70mm f/2.8 it scores 2,541 lines per picture height on a center-weighted test, better than the 1,800 lines we like to see in an image. There's some drop-off in detail at the edges of the frame, but they still show about 2,000 lines. There's a dramatic increase in resolution at f/4 (3,414 lines), and performance across the frame becomes more even. At f/5.6 the lens shows 3,695 lines, and it peaks at f/8 at 3,810 lines. Diffraction sets in at f/11, the score drops to 3,671 lines there, but details are still crisp. There's no noticeable distortion at 70mm.

At 105mm the numbers don't change much. At f/2.8 the lens manages 2,636 lines, with better performance at the edges (2,196 lines), and at f/4 it hits 3,481 lines on the center-weighted test. It improves marginally when stopped down, plateauing at about 3,600 lines from f/5.6 through f/11 with even performance from edge to edge. There's some pincushion distortion here, a little under 1 percent, which gives straight lines a slight, but noticeable, inward bow. The distortion here and at longer focal lengths can be corrected via Lightroom when shooting Raw, or in-camera when capturing JPGs.

At 135mm the distortion increases to 1.5 percent, but sharpness improves. At f/2.8 the lens manages 2,858 lines, with edges that top 2,300 lines. Stopping down to f/4 improves the score to 3,436 lines, and at f/5.6 the lens resolves 3,461 lines—edge sharpness hovers around 3,000 lines at both of these f-stops. The lens is at its best at f/8, 3,629 lines, and at f/11 it shows 3,587 lines.

Distortion increases to 1.8 percent at 200mm, and while the lens is still quite sharp at f/2.8 (2,785 lines center-weighted), edges drop down to about the same level that they are at 70mm (2,008 lines). Stopping down to f/4 improves things all around—the center-weighted score is 3,324 lines and edges near 2,750 lines. At f/5.6 the lens improves to 3,496 lines, and it peaks at f/8 at 3,640 lines. Again, diffraction robs just a bit of detail at f/11 (3,573 lines), but the lens is still quite useable at that narrow aperture.

Canon's 70-200mm shows a bit better performance at the edges, even at f/2.8, and because we tested it on a 20-megapixel camera (Canon doesn't have a high-resolution body like the D810 in its lineup), the resolution never quite reaches the heights that the Nikon showed in our tests when stopped down. But neither lens will leave you wanting for detail, even when printing big. Where the Canon shines is in its distortion control—it shows a little barrel distortion at 70mm, but it keeps pincushion distortion below 1 percent at 135mm and 200mm.

There's no question the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II is a fine lens. It's capable of capturing crisp, detailed images with a shallow depth of field, and its light-gathering capability makes it a favorite for event coverage and reportage alike. If you're not shooting in difficult light, or simply want to carry a lighter telezoom, don't discount the Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR as an inexpensive alternative; it's plenty sharp in its own right, and it can focus a bit closer. Canon shooters have access to a slightly better zoom that covers this range, but the differences aren't enough to merit switching systems. If you're a working pro with a Nikon system, you likely already know how good the 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II is, but if it's not yet in your gear bag and you demand f/2.8 glass, the lens won't disappoint.

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