Best 70-200 lens for Nikon mount?

[KmH]

200 mm is good for inside court sports but is kind of short for field sports.

Plan on cropping most of your images to get good subject scale when you shoot field sports.

 

[sleist]

I can afford it, I just cant quantify spending that much on a lens.

It's a wierd thing. I spent a year trying to talk myself out of the D90 because it was so much. Then I started looking at glass and I can't believe how fast I pulled the trigger on the 70-200mm VR1. I'm very glad I did, but boy has this "hobby" altered my brain with respect to spending money.

I would bite the bullet and get a new/used 70-200mm VR1. It pairs very well with the D90 and and the $300-$400 you don't spend on the VR2 will get you the TC-17 (almost) for that extra reach you might need on outdoor sports and wildlife.

Unfortunately for the bank account, it really is all about the glass. Lucky for me I'm divorced so WAF (1) does not impact the decision.


(1) Wife Acceptance Factor

 

[djacobox372]

I want some pro glass, but there is no way i can afford some of those. So i plan on getting the nikon 80-200 2.8 AF-D, the two ring one. You can pick it up used for about 900, and new for 1100. Seems pretty reasonable to me, compared the the 70-200. Its still pro glass, right?

I think Derrel already clarified, but no it's not a pro lens.

I have used the 80-200 and I wasn't all that impressed with it. The VRII is hard to swallow, but I know it will be much better in the long run. Pro glass is something you can keep for 5 or 10 years, and I don't see the 80-200 being something that I could ever use that long without replacing it.

OP, if you can't afford the Nikon lens, that basically makes the decision for you. You may be able to find a used VRI.

I can afford it, I just cant quantify spending that much on a lens.

Heck if you look hard enough you can find a 80-200 f2.8 af, push pull version, for as low as $500 used in mint condition. Optically it's just as good as any other f2.8 ??-200mm zoom, and the focus speed isn't bad at all for such a heavy lens using the on-body af motor.