Nikon 80 - 200 f/2.8D

Photo Plod

Photo Plod

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Chris
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I have wanted this lens for such a long time, and have been actively seeking it out for the past month or so. Finally, yesterday, after coming back from the pub and a little worse for wear, I bought it :clap: I was toying with various prices...I wanted the two-touch version, and had been offered the 1988 model (push-pull) for £320, but it wasn't what I wanted. Then I was quoted £700 from another camera shop in Camden. Yesterday, Mifsuds had one in at £629, but it had wear on the body and had been sent off for repairs to the focus ring. In the end, I decided to buy it new from Camerabox, and it set me back £730, including a 77mm UV filter and a two-year warranty.

Does anybody have any experience of using it? I've only tested it a couple of times in shops and absolutely loved it.

Better still, does anybody have any tips for placating a raging girlfriend in these circumstances? :help:
 
It's one of the best lenses I own, sharp at f/2.8 producing lovely backgrounds, the only downsides over the much more expensive 70-200mm VR are the weight and slower AF but I don't think those are worth twice the price.

as for the girlfriend, good luck with that :D
 
Congrats on the new lens, can't help with using it. Regards the girlfriend perhaps take her to look at some engagement rings :D:D:exit:
 
I should have said that all those prices were second-hand, except the deal from Camerabox. £700 second-hand or £730 new is no contest!

I agree with the comparison with the 70 - 200mm VR. Obviously, that's a top-flight lens, but like you say, for an extra 10mm, slightly faster AF and lighter weight, that's an extra £750 at least! Way out of my price range.

Farno - if you're interested, Camerabox still have several in stock. They seem to be one of the only places that sells the lens new. I know its been discontinued now, so they must be buying up old stock from somewhere. The lens sells on its own for £720, but for an extra £10 you'll get that 77mm UV filter. Considering other places are selling them for not much less second-hand, I think it's a pretty good deal - and you also have the safety of that 2-year warranty, rather than 3 - 6 months as standard with second hand.

Treeman - I'll give portraits a go, though I'd not really thought about it for that. I'm using a DX camera - do you think it will work well?

Will - rest assured, I am suffering greatly...both from a hangover and having an extremely irate girlfriend :p
 
welcome to the 80-200 club:wave: just recieved my lens from digitalrev in hongkong £669 with 7 year warranty(international) and its certainly a heavy b****r but looks good, of to turky monday so ill put it to good use!
 
We used those before we went to the 70-200 VR and while optically I think yours is as good or maybe even better than the new lens, I used to find the AF wasn't quite as quick (and by 'quick' I mean instantaneous).
Unless you're doing Press Work, it's way-more than adequate - and you're right about the push-pull zooms - I hate them too...

Congrats on your impulse purchase - I buy all my stuff that way and have never regretted it - even my 2008 Ford Mustang GT...lol
 
ozzy38 said:
welcome to the 80-200 club:wave: just recieved my lens from digitalrev in hongkong £669 with 7 year warranty(international) and its certainly a heavy b****r but looks good, of to turky monday so ill put it to good use!
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That's a very good deal, ozzy - I had a look at Digital Rev, but my main worry was potentially being stung for import duties. I take it that didn't happen in your case?

Let us know how your shots go!

Arkady - I heard the same thing. If I were a professional photographer, I wouldn't have any hesitation in buying the 70 - 200 VR - but like you said, it's more than adequate for what I want to do. Almost all of my kit is at the budget end of the scale, and I just can't justify £1600 on a lens :D

Really looking forward to getting it - I'm hoping to be able to put it to good use with some sports shots as a replacement for my 70-300 f/4-5.6G!
 
Photo Plod said:
That's a very good deal, ozzy - I had a look at Digital Rev, but my main worry was potentially being stung for import duties. I take it that didn't happen in your case?

Let us know how your shots go!
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well its been a week now not heard nothing so fingers crossed i wont get stung!:schtum:
 
Can I be nosy and ask where the push-pull was for sale @ £320... Think I could put up with the push-pull for that price! I presume the two are similar optically?
 
Treeman - I'll give portraits a go, though I'd not really thought about it for that. I'm using a DX camera - do you think it will work well?
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You might want to keep it around the 80mm end, but it will do a great job of isolating your subject and losing the background nicely.
I'm saving for the 70-200mm 2.8, but I might be thinking twice!
 
Cracking lens mate........:thumbs:

I have had the 80-200 and the 70-200,I sold the 70-200 as it was not £600 better than the 80-200.
 
CyBeRkId2002 said:
Can I be nosy and ask where the push-pull was for sale @ £320... Think I could put up with the push-pull for that price! I presume the two are similar optically?
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It was at Aperture Photographic on Museum St, London WC1. It wasn't listed on their website when I was in there the other day, but it was tucked away on a back shelf.

The push-pull version of the lens they're selling is a 1988 model. Optically, yes, it's broadly the same - it's still an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens, and seemed to give very good quality pictures when I connected it to my D80. The main flaw with the lens is that the autofocus is slow compared to modern lenses, and I primarily want to use it for sports photography. It is also not a "D" lens, but that doesn't make a huge difference - just a slight difference to the metering. It also doesn't have a tripod collar, and is comparatively heavy - my wrist started feeling the strain after holding it for only a few minutes. That all being said, optically, it is identical to the newer lenses. Ken Rockwell has produced a superb list of all the 80-200mm f/2.8 lenses ever produced by Nikon, so do have a read. I doubt it'll be a problem for you, but it won't autofocus on the D40 or the D60 - but then if you're looking to spend this much on a lens, you probably don't own either of them!

The only reason I shied away from it was the condition (optically perfect, but showing some use after 21 years) and the slow autofocus. Give Aperture a call about it - I'm sure they'll still have it in stock.
 
Fantastic lens, even now that it's up at £700 it's still a bargain. The only "issue" (which I experienced on both the D80 and D300) is it occasionally throws up an error with a small triangle and F6, which is down to the lens mount on the modern Nikon cameras.
 
is it my imagination or were the push/pull zooms not more favoured than the two rings in the 1980's - always thought then you paid a premium for "one touch" zooms.
 
tim_uk said:
is it my imagination or were the push/pull zooms not more favoured than the two rings in the 1980's - always thought then you paid a premium for "one touch" zooms.
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No, although I do know a pj who prefers the earlier version, as he finds it easier to zoom quickly with...
 
Yeah there was a move back then towards one-touch - they were the 'new black' for a while til everyone realised they un-zoomed when pointing down...Mildly useful when we didn't have AF, no earthly benefit now though...

Twin-ring is the way-ahead...
 
Arkady said:
Yeah there was a move back then towards one-touch - they were the 'new black' for a while til everyone realised they un-zoomed when pointing down...Mildly useful when we didn't have AF, no earthly benefit now though...

Twin-ring is the way-ahead...
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:agree:

The pj in question still uses a 500mm mirror lens too, which should put the preference for the one-touch into perspective ;)
 
Flash In The Pan said:
:agree:

The pj in question still uses a 500mm mirror lens too, which should put the preference for the one-touch into perspective ;)
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:cuckoo:

We literally binned two-dozen 500mmm and 1,000 Nikon reflex lenses when I worked for the North-Face Ninjas in Hereford...
Completely useless after we completed the move over to digital in 2002...

Along with the 200 FM2n kits (some still brand-new in boxes), the DeVere 504 enlargers, Mojo processors etc etc...

All in the skip...heartbreaking really...
 
jimbo_wa said:
Ozzy - how long did the 80-200 take to arrive from HK? :help:
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jimbo it only took three days mate..fantastic service i must say!:thumbs:

oh and soz for the delay in replying just got back from turkey:)
 
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