Nikon 80-200mm F2.8 users...........

DuncanR

DuncanR

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I am looking to buy a Nikon 80-200mm F2.8ed lens.....the later two touch version. I currently use a Sigma 100-300mm F4 which is faultless and very sharp in good light but i've had a short session with the Nikon and prefer it for a few reasons. It's a little lighter/smaller and obviously more suited to lower light. Seems there is the odd one that appears s/h although I may well consider selling the Sigma and going new. Also 200mm will cover my needs for now and there's always converters if need be.

Has anyone had any experience with this lens using a D300 in lower light situations? reason I ask is I plan to take the camera to the foreshore early morning and evening where i've found the Sigma struggle in less than ideal light.
 
It's a brilliant lens. Quick and accurate focus and sharp. It's not perfect wide open, especially at the long end, but stopped down even one click makes a difference.
 
The23rdman said:
It's a brilliant lens. Quick and accurate focus and sharp. It's not perfect wide open, especially at the long end, but stopped down even one click makes a difference.
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Thanks..........I can't find a bad review on this lens :), and I really do like it in use but would like to know if anyone has had any issues in lower light while using it on a D300? While I had the use of one for a short while the focus was plenty quick enough but it was in good light. The Sigma is very quick, accurate and sharp when there is plenty of light but the keep rate of shots drops off when the light fades a little, I am very picky though :bonk:
 
There is one slight issue with the 80-200 on the D300 in that sometimes it loses electronic connection with the body, resulting in the "F triangle" error, where you can't select an aperture setting. Dismounting and refitting the lens usually cures it though.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
There is one slight issue with the 80-200 on the D300 in that sometimes it loses electronic connection with the body, resulting in the "F triangle" error, where you can't select an aperture setting. Dismounting and refitting the lens usually cures it though.
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Is this a common problem do you know? don't like the sound of that..........
 
DuncanR said:
Thanks..........I can't find a bad review on this lens :), and I really do like it in use but would like to know if anyone has had any issues in lower light while using it on a D300? While I had the use of one for a short while the focus was plenty quick enough but it was in good light. The Sigma is very quick, accurate and sharp when there is plenty of light but the keep rate of shots drops off when the light fades a little, I am very picky though :bonk:
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It is absolutely fine in low light on that body.
 
i personally would buy the lens try it out and happy with it before selling the replace lens.
 
badboy1984 said:
i personally would buy the lens try it out and happy with it before selling the replace lens.
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I've had a brief try of the lens, i'm fairly sure it's the way to go....it's more a finance thing that's holding me back. Not a great lover of credit cards, if I was a nice new Nikon box would be winding it's way to my door :D
 
i compare it with the sigma HSM mkII when i was looking for a tele zoom and i end up buying the sigma instead because i feel it does the job better for me and is cheaper lol. But i still want the Nikon VR version lol
 
Also, the 80-200 F2.8 AFD has a documented issue where it struggles to focus at maximum focal length at minimum focus distance. The "in focus" indcator in the camera will light, but you will notice the image is quite obviously not in foucs.

Nikon actually documents this issue in most (if not all) digital body manuals. See extract below from the D300 manual (page 350):

9 When focusing at minimum focus distance with AF 80&#8211;200mm f/2.8, AF 35&#8211;70mm f/2.8, AF 28&#8211;85mm f/3.5&#8211;4.5 <New>, or AF 28&#8211;85mm f/3.5&#8211;4.5 lens at maximum zoom, in-focus indicator may be displayed when image on matte screen in viewfinder is not in focus. Adjust focus manually until image in viewfinder is in focus.

Used to drive me nuts so I recently traded up to a 70-200 F2.8 VR II.
 
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Sootchucker said:
Also, the 80-200 F2.8 AFD has a documented issue where it struggles to focus at maximum focal length at minimum focus distance. The "in focus" indcator in the camera will light, but you will notice the image is quite obviously not in foucs.

Nikon actually documents this issue in most (if not all) digital body manuals. See extract below from the D300 manual (page 350):

9 When focusing at minimum focus distance with AF 80–200mm f/2.8, AF 35–70mm f/2.8, AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 <New>, or AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 lens at maximum zoom, in-focus indicator may be displayed when image on matte screen in viewfinder is not in focus. Adjust focus manually until image in viewfinder is in focus.

Used to drive me nuts so I recently traded up to a 70-200 F2.8 VR II.
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I have heard of this problem and I don't think it'll bother me too much as for how I would use the lens.....must be a pain though never-the-less!
 
DuncanR said:
Thanks,.......I think :D
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If it's any comfort lens mount errors like that are common with Nikon. I had to return a brand new 20 TC III because it was giving an F "0" error when mounted on my D700. Regardless of what lens was on the other end of it you could rotate it slightly on the tc and cause the error to appear...
 
Not sure about your copy but the Sigma 100-300mm lenses I have for the 50D and K-5 are both sharp at f4.

If (as Dean says) you need to stop down the 80-200mm one click to get it sharp then the only difference to me seems that you will be losing 100mm in length. ?

I would buy the 80-200mm first just to make sure.
 
Mike.P said:
Not sure about your copy but the Sigma 100-300mm lenses I have for the 50D and K-5 are both sharp at f4.

If (as Dean says) you need to stop down the 80-200mm one click to get it sharp then the only difference to me seems that you will be losing 100mm in length. ?

I would buy the 80-200mm first just to make sure.
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i didn't say it wasn't sharp wide open, but it's at its best stopped down.
 
I used find that at f/2.8, I got best results between 100mm - 150mm when at maximum focus distance. Closer distances (20-30m) at 200mm were fine. At 200mm and maximum focus then f/4 did bring a slight improvement, and ended being my default setting
 
Built like a tank is usually said, and it's right; always feels right on the camera, like precision kit. Has to be said though that its weakest performance is wide open, long end, close too. Not too bad though even at this:

BDW04803crop.jpg
 
Mike.P said:
Not sure about your copy but the Sigma 100-300mm lenses I have for the 50D and K-5 are both sharp at f4.

If (as Dean says) you need to stop down the 80-200mm one click to get it sharp then the only difference to me seems that you will be losing 100mm in length. ?

I would buy the 80-200mm first just to make sure.
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As per original post, i've briefly tried the 80-200mm and like it, it's a little smaller, a little lighter, 200mm is long enough for it's intended use and it's just that little bit better in lower light on the D300. The Sigma is a great lens and your quite right saying it's sharp at F4 :thumbs: What i'd really like is an 80-200mm F1.8 :D
 
Flash In The Pan said:
If it's any comfort lens mount errors like that are common with Nikon. I had to return a brand new 20 TC III because it was giving an F "0" error when mounted on my D700. Regardless of what lens was on the other end of it you could rotate it slightly on the tc and cause the error to appear...
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So far i've mounted and taken off the following...Sigma 100-300mm F4, Nikon 50mm F1.8 and 18-70mm F3.5, Tokina 12-24mm F4, Nikon 80-200mm F2.8 and yet to get an error message. When I last checked i've put about 8000 additional clicks on my D300 which was bought s/h with approx' 6000 actuations on it so it's (relatively) only had light use. Long may it continue! is it down to the wearing of the mount either on the lens or the body perhaps? ie: if you were to change lens's frequently over a period of time?

Sods law now states i'll get an error message i'll bet :lol:
 
DuncanR said:
So far i've mounted and taken off the following...Sigma 100-300mm F4, Nikon 50mm F1.8 and 18-70mm F3.5, Tokina 12-24mm F4, Nikon 80-200mm F2.8 and yet to get an error message. When I last checked i've put about 8000 additional clicks on my D300 which was bought s/h with approx' 6000 actuations on it so it's (relatively) only had light use. Long may it continue! is it down to the wearing of the mount either on the lens or the body perhaps? ie: if you were to change lens's frequently over a period of time?

Sods law now states i'll get an error message i'll bet :lol:
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If you do a Google for lens mount issues with Nikons you'll find posts covering all models going right the way back, it's not confined to the D300.

To clarify, I'm not talking about mounting a lens and immediately being faced with an error code, what happens is it will work fine but during a period of fast-paced shooting at a high frame rate it will suddenly start producing heavily underexposed images as the camera loses communication with the lens.

It's entirely possible that you could go for years and never experience the fault, it seems to depends on your shooting style. As for it being down to wear,both the 80-200 f/2.8 and the 20 TCIII that I have experienced the issue with were bought brand new, the tc was only hours old when it started acting up. The cameras they were mounted on were both likewise fairly new, low-mileage examples.
 
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