Experience with 80-200 2.8 ED

I would like some 1st hand experiences of those using the Nikon 80-

200 2.8 ED zoom lens regarding potential damage to the plastic camera

bodies - N80 type.

I have read in several places that the weight of the lens could bend

the camera mount over time on plastic body cameras, and advise not to

use it on a tripod or holding the camera body. I principle, I

understand that this could happen, but wonder if anyone using this

lens has actually experienced this type of problem and what you did

about it.

 

I recently obtained this lens used (original version, no tripod

mount) and so far see it works fine on my N80. If the above caution

is true, is there a means of adding a tripod mount to secure both the

lens and camera together so as to prevent the flexing of the body?

Thanks

Wally, I don't own any of these bodies, but that lens is a beast alright, and I would never suggest letting the wieght lever itself against any body, just good practice I think. When I have it attached to one of my Nikons, I constanly have a firm grip on the lens, raised or not.

Kirk used to make tripod mounts for the old 80-200/2.8's.

 

I would just replace it with a tripod collared version unless you have a special need for the push-pull type. The two-ring lens focuses faster, too.

I used to have this lens but never used a tripod collar with it. Those Kirk collars are a pain to use. If you need a collar, you are much better off upgrading to the version with a built-in collar as Ilkka suggests.

 

Now back to the original quesiton. The 80-200mm/f2.8 is indeed on the heavier side, but normally it is not going to damage the mount on the N80. If you are planning to hand hold this combination, your should always hold onto the lens. That is what I would do with a 80-200mm/f2.8 regardless of which body I have on it. If you are planning to use this combo on a tripod, a collar is essential and I would get the collar version, which unfortunately will cost more.

Such damage is not limited to plastic bodies, and it depends on how the system is treated. I wouldn't worry about it for general use, handholding the lens.

 

In my PJ days, I had a 300mm f/4.5 that spent a lot of time on an FM/MD-12. I would carry this reversed on my left shoulder with the lens pointed back along my hip (cross-draw). In the course of a shooting day, I might jog a little for a better position, stuff like that. When I retired the body, I sold it on consignment through a repair place. They told me the body's lensmount was bent a little more than 3 degrees. They said it was not uncommon for Nikon's lighter weight bodies to bend like that when treated the way I had.

 

I never noticed the images suffer any. With that 300mm, I was shooting strictly 3D subjects, not brick walls or newspapers.

I have a Fuji S2 which is built on an N80 and the version of this lens with the tripod collar. If you're hand holding the camera, I don't think you could ever get a sharp image with that kind of lens unless you cradled the lens with your left hand. On a tripod though, that is a pretty fair amount of weight that far out in front of the camera and I'd question it too.

 

The Kirk brackets are fairly expensive and look like a pain to use (as someone already stated). For the price difference you might be able to sell the lens you have (or return it?) and find a used two-touch version with the tripod collar. That's the one I have and it works great.