Nikon 80-200mm af-d info please

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happyfish

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eddy
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I am drooling over the 70-200 vr at the moment but cant find one in my price bracket, so I'm thinking along the lines of the 80-200 f2.8 AF-D, twin ring.

I can get one of these plus a MB-D10 for around a grand.

would like some feed back on the lens from people that have used one.

thanks
eddy
 
I've got one. Excellent lens and built like a tank. Sharp with fast auto focus.
I can't see how you'd regret buying it.

You should be able to get that combo for less than 1K though.
 
happyfish said:
I am drooling over the 70-200 vr at the moment but cant find one in my price bracket, so I'm thinking along the lines of the 80-200 f2.8 AF-D, twin ring.

would like some feed back on the lens from people that have used one.
Click to expand...

I was in exactly the same position, and went for 80-200 AF-D (two rings one). Never had any doubts - it is not like any other AF-D I had experience with. On my D200 the focus is super fast - much faster that any of AF-S or HSM ones I used. The sharpness of this is astonishing and unlike the first version of 70-200 VR - it is across all the frame on full frame. It is a cracking lens for the money. The only one that in my view can beat it is 80-200 f/2.8 AFS one but as puddleduck mentioned in other thread here - they are difficult to come by without squeeky motor syndrome. So for me it's AF-D all the way.

Some samples of a birds photos taken with it are here if you interested (all handheld at wide open).

Edit: The 80-200 AF-D should cost you around 500-600 used so unless you are buying it new somewhere I'd say a grand is a bit too much for both.
 
I got a brand new 80-200mm AF-D off ebay about three weeks ago and it's deffo now my fave lens. Mine's the twist zoom and not the push-pull zoom.

AF is fast and very accurate, and IQ is beyond belief. Handling is great (it's as solid as a rock build-wise) and the textured finish gives good grip.

I use mine mainly for slower moving and static objects so can't really coment on its use for sports but that said, from everything i've read (and what other users on here have said) it's pretty good, although not on par with the 80-200mm AF-S, which is faster.

Any bad points? Well, not really. Colour fringing can happen when you're shooting into really harsh light with a really, really (and I mean black cat against a white sky) high contrast scene, but that's something I have happen to me once in a blue moon. :)

Here it is at 145mm / f5.6 / 1/320th sec / ISO160


Here it is at 200mm / f7.1 / 1/200th sec / ISO200


For £600(ish) it's a bargain lens :)

(**These are compressed JPEGS at 60% compression out of lightroom so aren't that good :)**)
 
Thanks guys for the feedback, very helpfull.
It just seems silly to buy the 70-200 VR lens, especially as when I shoot sport I have to switch the VR off, and at over double the price. (though it did look nice on my camera @ jessops)

I was wondering if the 80-200 af-d is much of a battery drain on your camera and does anyone use 3D tracking with this lens?

Thanks again.
Eddy
 
happyfish said:
Thanks guys for the feedback, very helpfull.
It just seems silly to buy the 70-200 VR lens, especially as when I shoot sport I have to switch the VR off, and at over double the price. (though it did look nice on my camera @ jessops)

I was wondering if the 80-200 af-d is much of a battery drain on your camera and does anyone use 3D tracking with this lens?

Thanks again.
Eddy
Click to expand...


It's a cracking lens, no doubt about that, but there are a couple of caveats, firstly the AF isn't as fast as some here are saying, the AF-S on the 70-200 VR is much quicker and secondly there is a well-documented issue with using these lenses on newer bodies such as the D80,90, 200,300 etc regarding the contact between the lens and the camera mount, which can bring up an error mesage at the most inopportune moment.

The combination of these two "problems" is what made me sell mine and buy the 70-200 VR. Was it "worth" the extra £700 the change cost me? For motorsport work undoubtably yes, but for everything else.....no.
 
the other thing to consider is the 70 i was sure that at concerts from experience that it made a differance to me getting the right framing 80 was to close for the guitar etc.

camera box had some at a good price caveat they dont answer vthe phone or emails but i know where ther hgq is in thame
 
you may gather ive been looking some

time ken rockwells siteis great on these for background

2 at mifsuds

http://www.mifsuds.com/usedpriceindex.htm

grays prices have gotten silly for some things


ps south england anywhere near oxford you can come and try mine when it arrives if you like
i will be going to the rspb park soon
 
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