Telephoto zoom for Nikon 70/80-200 f2.8

[ed_o_brain]

What is the difference between these?

Older Nikon 80-200 f2.8
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=226062

Newer Nikon 80-200 f2.8
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=193583

And am I better off looking at a new third party lens?

I need something like this for use on my D700, I'm intending to use for professional work in the short term. In the long run, I will be looking to buy a new VR version making this purchase a backup lens.

Thanks
Daniel

 

[Arkady]

Go for this one:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=193583

I used this type of lens for almost ten years until the newer VR models came out: it was the Pro-Spec lens of its day and still pretty damn good...
The AF is a bit noisy/clunky/sluggish by modern standards, but it works.

I hate one-touch/push-pull zooms with a passion by the way...they never stay where you want them to be...

 

[specialman]

Got to agree with Arkady - got the 80-200mm D (not the later AF-S versioN) and it's optically superb. Because it has to hulk that huge set of glass around inside through mechanics rather than an inbuilt AF motor, you do get a bit of clunking but it's super-fast AF and accurate every time. For half the price of the 70-200mm VR it's definitely a good buy. I use mine for pro magazine work and no one grumbles over the IQ when teamed up with my D2X.

 

[Arkady]

After I broke my 70-200VR lens in Afghan last year I was supplied with one of these as a replacement...

No probs with it at all...it might even be a bit sturdier-built than the newer models...

 

[cambsno]

Third party lenses can be very poor to AF too. 80-200 is good by all accounts.