Those AWFUL 70-200 Nikon Zooms! ;-)

the Nikkor zoom looks pretty rough against the Prime 200mm f2

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=621&Camera=614&Sample=0&FLI=4&API=0&LensComp=648&CameraComp=614&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=2

Bad copy?

Against the Canon zoom which I own, seems to hold up quite well to the Nikon 200mm f2 lens.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=687&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=3&API=0&LensComp=648&CameraComp=614&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=2

It is also a known that the Canon 70-200mm II and the Canon 70-200 f4L IS produce IQ very similar to the Canon 200mm f2 prime.

I've looked at the 70-200mm VR II stopped down to f4 at TDP and apart from a bit of CA, it does indeed look almost as good as the Nikon 200mm prime as you said.

Cheers