Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Lens

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Super Telephoto Zoom Lens

The Nikon AF 80-200mm f/2.8D ED is one of a pair of high-speed telephoto zooms in the present Nikon lens stable. it seems that Nikon chose not discontinue this lens because of the rather steep cost of the newest AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR. amusingly they kept this older version (announced back in 1996) rather than keep the newer AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8D IF-ED. nevertheless, within the latitude of this article, I'll talk about how the lens functions on the Nikon D90 (DSLR APS-C) where there's a 120-300mm equivalent field-of-view .

There's a highly impressive build quality to this lens - truly a professional quality lens. it's mostly constructed of metal with a crinkle texture. The wide rubber covered focus and zoom control rings feel extremely smooth. The overall lens length does not adjust and the filter holder thread does not turn (unlike the inner tube of the lens which is why the lens is is not designated IF).

The lens includes a tripod collar and definitely makes sense due to the the size and mass of the lens. A focus limiter is also included which helpful in poor-light situations when the autofocus may tend to search sometimes. An independent controller ring is helpful when switching between auto and manual focus. This duplicate control may not fit everyone's style. There's internal AF motor on the lens, but depends upon a slotted screw drive controlled by the camera internally. The autofocus speed is incredibly fast on the D90 but somewhat on the side of noisy.

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Autofocus not as quick and quiet as the Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 or the Nikkor AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8, although the AF limiter mode shortens autofocus time. The filter thread is made of plastic and the lens hood is an extra option and I would recommend it to cut down on flare and internal reflections it's more money than Non-Nikon brand alternatives with comparable prices although they have quicker and quieter focus.

The lens can jerk around a little while auto-focusing if you don't have the strength to hold it while glass quickly moves during autofocus What's missing: No over-ride to manual focus while the autofocus mode is being used No Macro mode. The closest focusing distance is almost five feet. No Vibration Reduction, which is most helpful for this sort of heavy (2.87 pounds) telephoto lens. it's best used on a tripod or monopod The tripod collar sits too near to the zoom ring, although the collar can remove or adjusted.

Feb 28, 2011