Nikon 80-200 AF ED - focus issue

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Jamie H

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OK chaps, here's a Q for you.

I recently got a 'two touch' 80-200 AF ED 2.8 and all seems well with it apart from one thing - the focus at 80mm seems to be very hesitant and judders into position, almost like it cannot 'see' a defined edge and is hunting. It is perfectly smooth above 100mm and I have ruled out the camera as, using both my 50 1.8 and 28-75 2.8, there is no similar phenomenon.

Has anyone else got experience of this? Is it just a 'feature' of this lens design?

Cheers in advance,

Jamie
 
Shouldn't do that - I have an old battered example that I've been using since trashing the 70-700 f/2.8 VR last October and it's fine - apart from having no VR (which I don't really miss TBH) and being incredibly heavy...lol
Oh, and not holding the same point of focus throughout the zoom range...wait...I hate this lens!!!

You say you recently got it - is it a second-hand lens? It might just be in need of a good servicing - the focus helicoils might need re-lubing and get everything tightened-up inside...
 
Does is judder at first or all the way through focussing? Have you got the AF limiter switched on?

I have one of these lenses that i love to bits and because the huge front element has to move to focus, you get torque judder as the elements gain momentum, so to speak. I believe this isn't a problem with the AF-S version because the focus design is different and it has an internal motor but on the two-touch (is it the one below?) uses a screw drive motor form the body itys one of its little nuances :)

Here's what Uncle Ken says:

"AF speed is almost as fast as the AF-S on an F100. Don't worry about this difference. It does of course make more noise and jump around more than the AF-S does while focusing because the big front lens group is rotating at blindingly fast speeds.

Jump around? Yeah, this is because of the torque reaction you get as the big front element starts and stops rotating almost instantly while driven by the camera's AF motor. In the AF-S lens the elements that move for focusing are the smaller internal elements."

I know Rockwell isn't everyone's cup of tea and that he's only an 'unofficial' tester but he does talk some sense - read more about it here
 
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