Anyone Using the Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8?

Have not owned for a few years but I would suggest that it is indeed the best med tele nikkor zoom you can buy

I own the 70-200 and a couple of old push pulls, they are not so good.

S
 
My feeling right now is the 28-70mm f/2.8 and the 80-200 f/2.8 would be killer combination, esp. with a full frame camera. If my math is correct, those two lenses on an FF camera give you the S35 equivalent of 17.5mm to 125mm constant f/1.8.
 
BTW, it looks like there is an older version of this lens that was discontinued, but might actually be better for video b/c it has the IF designation by Nikon, meaning internal focusing.

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Pr....html#tab-ProductDetail-ProductTabs-TechSpecs

I've read Ken Rockwell's review of this version, but I really don't what he means by: "There is no torque reaction as with the 80-200 AF-D version as it focuses." Apparently the newer version creates some kind of torque while focusing, but the older version does not?

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/80200afs.htm
 
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I guess the other ? is how much is it at a disadvantage by not having VR? I would think not much, but vibrations can reach a lens, even if it's on a tripod. That said, I have no experience shooting video w/ VR, so I have no idea if it's useful.
 
I've got the 80-200 and the 28-70 as well as a 17-35, all 2.8 ED's. They make great set, and work very well with my D800 and RedRock FF and MB. I also have a Zeiss 50mm 1.4 prime for lower light stuff.

The Nikon ED series are great looking lenses and have fully manual capability. Highly recommended!
 
Ted,

Thanks so much for the reply. I do have a ? about the 80-200. It seems that there are two versions of the 80-200 that are almost identical: the model that is still made today and one that was discontinued in 2004. Apparently they focus somewhat differently.

In some of my posts above there are links to both versions. Are you aware of this difference and, if so, do you think it's material? Thanks much!
 
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Thanks again ;).


P.S. You know what's interesting is the new version, the one you have, apparently is not truly internally focusing and has this torque issue that Ken Rockwell mentions. But you aren't having any issues with it, so I'm not going to go crazy over this, LOL.
 
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The torque issue (which I was blissfully unconcerned with) is mainly a stills thing, at least for me, because I never AF when shooting video. In still mode I tend to AF first then shoot, so again, no big deal. YMMV...
 
Nikon just discontinued this latest model. While dealers still have it in stock at this point, it will probably become difficult to find new in a few months.

It is rather a shame, especially since owner feedback on the lens is so excellent. The feedback score for the lens at B&H's website, for example, is 4.8 out of 5, which is really quite outstanding.

I guess Nikon decided to not keep the lens in their lineup, since the new AF-S 70-200mm f/4 G ED VR will start shipping next month.
 
VR is highly useful for video - I would highly recommend a VR lens, especially for shooting tele.
 
I've got the 80-200/2.8 AF D. It's good, but it's not fantastic.

To give a quick overview of the various versions:

80-200/2.8 AF and Early AF D, This has a push-pull zoom. The only difference between the D and non-D versions are that the D version gives focus distance to the flash metering system for stills. Otherwise, they're functionally identical. Probably not so good for shooting video, since the focus ring moves back and forth with the push-pull of the zoom lens, and means you won't be able to hook up to a follow focus and still achieve zooming.

80-200/2.8 AF D, the two-ring version. This was still in production until pretty recently. The zoom is operated by a zoom ring rather than the push-pull system. It's a good lens, and tough, but it has a known common problem with the manual focus clutch. A bit of shoddy cost-cutting means that after a wee while, the manual focus ring won't engage with the focus mechanism in the lens. It happened to mine, but luckily it's really easy to repair with just a little bit of epoxy superglue. When people talk about the torque reaction on this lens, it's only when using it in AF mode for stills - it has no effect at all when shooting video in manual focus (as I assume most people would be doing). This lens uses the camera's screw-drive motor to focus, and when using a pro body with a fast AF motor like an F5/D3/D800 etc. there's a wee bit of torque reaction when the motor starts and stops suddenly due to the amount of stuff being shifted around inside the lens. As I said though, this is only noticeable when shooting stills with a fast AF camera body. The manual focus feels great when it's working :-)

80-200/2.8 AF-S - this has a zoom ring too, but rather than use the camera's motor to autofocus, it uses an in-built AF-S motor. While this is of definite benefit to stills photographers due to faster and quieter AF operation, it's actually slightly detrimental to video shooting with manual focus. The downside of any Nikon AF-S lens is that the manual focus ring doesn't have a direct coupling to the focus mechanism in the lens, like the older D models - instead it has a clutch mechanism that slips when you reach infinity or the close focus limit. Its optics are apparently slightly better than the older models though.

70-200/2.8 AF-S VR & VRII - two rings, AF-S internal motor for autofocus, adds Vibration Reduction. The version 1 lens is apparently not so hot on full-frame cameras due to corner softness and vignetting, but the version 2 is meant to be excellent. I've never used either of these, so I couldn't comment on VR effectiveness.

Basically, the 80-200/2.8 AF-D (two ring version) is probably the most practical choice for shooting video. It has better manual focus feel than any of the AF-S lenses due to the direct coupling to the focus mechanism, even if it is prone to breaking. It may not be as fantastic as the newer 70-200 VR II in terms of optics, but I'm talking in terms of hi-res stills performance - it should still be pretty ace for shooting HD video. Mine's gone through some pretty hellish abuse, and come out mostly pretty intact, with the exception of the easily home-repairable focus ring problem. As you mentioned, the price is just too good to miss out on for a brand new pro-grade lens.

However, you might want to bear in mind the 180/2.8 AI-S if you're not looking for zoom capability. It's sharper, smaller, lighter, and has much nicer focus feel, owing to it being a true manual focus lens. You'll be able to pick up a used one for a lot cheaper than an 80-200/2.8 too.
 
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