Used Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 ED - Good lens?

[DaveAndHolly219]

I'm making the move from DX to FX (Buying a used D3) and I need a decent telephoto zoom. My wider angle work (the majority of my shooting) will be done with a 24-70mm 2.8 zoom, a 50mm 1.8, and an 85mm 1.8. The telephoto lens would only be used for the occasional baseball game, zoo trip, etc.

It's this one:

Nikon Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D Macro ED Autofocus Lens {77}

 

[Derrel]

Plenty good on 12-MP FX Nikon. The pro Nikon bodies have a high-torque AF motor run by a beefy battery, and in my experience the D1-D2-D3 cameras are quite peppy with screw-driven focusers like that 80-200 model. For less than $500, that's a good lens value I think.

The issue is using this lens design on NEW, high-megapixel 24- to 36-MP bodies like the D3x, D600 series, D750, and B800-series cameras. Check out the bythom.com site and his Nikon Lens Reviews, and you can see how this lens performs.

The D3 and D3s have big,low-density pixels, and not that high a resolution, so this lens is still considered a good performer on that sensor and that MP level. It's also about the actual size and weight of pro-Nikon body that this lens was designed to balance well on. You will find it well-balanced on a D3. The D3 series has a POTENT, super-long-life battery as well, which is a great thing about the D3 series!

 

[DaveAndHolly219]

Speaking of the camera (rather than start a new thread), I'm torn between a used D3 and a used D700. Thoughts?

 

[Solarflare]

YIKES !

Thats an AF 80-200mm f2.8 D ED, the earlier single ring push-pull version, made from 1987 to 1997 (1992 introduced the "D" variant, which is pictured, recognizeable by only having two positions on the focus limiter; the earlier version has three).

Its possibly the best telephoto zoom done by anyone, praised for being very prime-like in its rendering.

Its certainly NOT AT ALL, EVER EVER "Macro". For starters, Nikon calls their macro lenses "micro". With Nikon, only the extremely rare lenses that cant focus to infinity are called "macro".

Yes it has a focus limiter. That doesnt make a lens a macro lens. My telephoto zoom has a focus limiter, too.

The current version of said optics, the AF 80-200mm f2.8 D, two ring with tripod, produced since 1997, is still current production, 30 years alter. It has now survived THREE successor optics and might as well survive the current top telephoto zoom from Nikon, the AF-S 70-200mm f2.8 E FL VR.

Its however not great for sports. Like all lenses by Nikon that gets called "AF" instead of "AF-S", its driven by the motor in the camera, after all.

Speaking of the camera (rather than start a new thread), I'm torn between a used D3 and a used D700. Thoughts?

Two excellent cameras, you'll be very likely extremely happy with either. The D3 apparently is a bit better for ISOs beyond 6400, and has two card slots, and has the better viewfinder, and you can record soundclips as comments to your pictures (no video with either cam though) etc.

 

[astroNikon]

as mentioned, be careful which 80-200/2.8 you are looking at
here's a history of them ==> All Nikon Pro Tele Zooms Compared

This one is the 2nd most recent version ==> Nikon Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D Macro ED 2-Touch (Integral Tripod Mount) Autofocus Lens

The "most" recent one is the AF-S 80-200/2.8 but that was discontinued and replaced with the 70-200's.

I've used a 80-200/2.8 AF-D dual ring version on a d7000, d600, d750 & d500 and still use it today.

 

[Derrel]

Check out the weight specification on this one-ring lens: it is lighter than some of the newer models. I owned two one-ring 80-200/2.8 models.

In manual focusing mode, having just ONE ring to zoom with and the same ring to focus with makes this design actually very useful in actual use. I grew up in the era of one-ring zooms from Nikon: Nikon had over two decades of one-ring zoom design and building by the time they made this lens, and this was just about the zenith of one-ring zoom building.

On the PRO bodies I used these on, D1 and D1h and D2x, this type of lens focused GREAT! The pro-level Nikon cameras have a high-torque in-body focusing motor, and a beefy battery, and a broad-bandwidth CPU to run the camera functions, and STRONG AF modules (no matter how low the AF module was/is in number, it was ALWAYS best-in-class).

There's a big difference in AF performance of this lens type with a D2-series or a D3-series than with say, a D70 or a D90.This was the absolute best zoom Nikon could make at the time, and it was optimized for the pro body type cameras, not the hobby bodies.

 

[nerwin]

Have you considered the 70-200 f/4 VR?

It's not a 2.8 but it's extremely sharp, fast and accurate focus and it can handle high resolution sensors. It's also a lot lighter than the older 80-200 2.8 lenses. It would be far better for traveling around going to the occasional baseball games or zoos, also it focus to near 3 feet instead of 5ft which I find incredibly useful.

There isn't anything wrong with the 80-200 2.8 lenses, they are great lenses but unless you truly need the 1 stop more of light, I'd personally get the f/4 VR.

Although, it would double your budget, even used, haha. So maybe a used 80-200 2.8 would be a better bang for your budget.

Of course there are other options to consider like a used Sigma/Tamron 70-200 2.8 and the ones without stabilization I think you can get used around the same price as a used 80-200 2.8.

 

[KmH]

Yes. It's a good lens (post #1)
I bought mine used, in EX condition from a private seller - for $325.

Here are some samples of 1600 ISO photos made almost 3 years ago with the lens linked to in post #1, made with an old, obsolete Nikon D50 - with all of 6.1 MP.
1600 ISO photos

And yes, I still have and use the lens and the D50.

 

[Derrel]

If you really want to get one of these older 80-200 one-ring zooms ands not spend very much at all, look around...sometimes these can be found at $300-$375 in sort of rough condition. Beware that many were used hard; the polc]ycarbonate sliding limiter switch does tend to crack/break, and this lens is not "new", so mint, and excellent, and very fine condition ones are more-costly than BGN or Good grade lenses; a lens like KEH rates as EXC or EXC+ is likely a low-miles, babied one, and that's where that $500-$550 price point comes from.

 

[KmH]

I had time to wait for a good deal from a private seller, and was able to negotiate a lower selling price than the asking price.
In the past when I didn't want to wait I paid more for used gear by buying from KEH, BH Photo Video, or Adorama.

KEH has to charge more than a private seller because of their overhead and 6 month warranty.
KEH's EX means the item has little noticeable wear. They don't take the lens apart and check internal wear, though they do check functionality.

There are still lots of people out there that have the lens and are offing it for sale, but hardly ever used it.
If the seller is unaware of the market value of the lens, or they want to sell the lens quickly you can get gear for less than buying from a commercial seller.

 

[JTPhotography]

I just bought my 80-200 two touch on eBay from a Japan for $499. It is mint. The last one I had I dropped it and killed it, I forgot how much I missed it.

 

[fmw]

I can promise you that this lens will make images as good as any similar modern lens made. You give up the image stabilization but, if you are like me, that is of zero importance. $350 should get you one in close to pristine condition if you spend the time looking.

 

[Solarflare]

I have to correct myself: seems that Nikon has stopped production of AF 80-200mm f2.8 ? At least I noticed that its no longer on their website.

 

[Derrel]

I have to correct myself: seems that Nikon has stopped production of AF 80-200mm f2.8 ? At least I noticed that its no longer on their website.

I located this page for the lens. Not sure what's going on with this product. AF Zoom-NIKKOR 80-200mm f/2.8D ED from Nikon

 

[fmw]

I have to correct myself: seems that Nikon has stopped production of AF 80-200mm f2.8 ? At least I noticed that its no longer on their website.

I located this page for the lens. Not sure what's going on with this product. AF Zoom-NIKKOR 80-200mm f/2.8D ED from Nikon

It was discontinued some time ago and replaced by the 70-200 f2.8. I have a copy of the lens in question. It is about as good as telephoto zoom lenses go.