bsm Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 I'm looking at buying a used Nikon 80-200 f/2.8D AF ED to upgrade my telephoto zoom. I've read how to check the quality of a used lens but I'm wondering how long the lifespan of a modern lens is. The lens was purchased new in 2000 or 2001 and used moderately. Will it still, if all else is good, have the $600-asking-price-worth of life left in it? Or do modern lenses have a limited lifespan of reliability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterh Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Bryan nobody knows the future but some know the past. I own some MF Nikon lenses that seem in very good condition after 25 years of age. These are primes and are mechanically simpler than zoom lenses. I can only speculate about the future of AFD lenses in general and on the zoom in question. I personally would not worry about a span of 20 years for my personal conditions of use (except I may be dead by then ). Dry cool storage and amateur use just used enough to not get too sticky and treated like a family member ^^. I have seen similar lenses that looked like garbage after a two years of pro-use in the rain forest. Perhaps in 20 years we use the 12th generation digital cameras that will no longer use "ancient" type lenses but only "bionic" organic lenses? Perhaps there will be no service to CLA such a lens if it needs minor work? The grandfather of the zoom in question still lives and performes well for many amateurs - so I see no reason why the 80-200 f/2.8D AF ED should not have a lifespan of 10-20+ years it seems well built to me. Will it be worth the asking price? I do not know but the "capitalistic answer" can easily be found on the web pages of KEH or *-bay. There you see what it is worth according to supply and demand. I hope this will help you despite my pre-coffee morning mood ^^. Cheers Walter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_levine Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Just make sure you keep the caps on when you store it. Too much light will wear out the glass. Just kidding, I routinely shoot with chrome Nikkors (c1965). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Mechanically and optically, I wouldn't worry much. I have experienced a little 'fussy-ness' with electrical contacts and CPU's, but that isn't necessarily an age thing. As long as you have a camera that recognizes a 'dumb' lens (like an F100), even that won't stop you from shooting. (OK, even a D70 can shoot with a dumb lens, but it can't meter and things get more challenging.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukas_kisiel Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 It depends. If you'll just use it occasionally then the price is right. These things are very reliable. Isn't it just a couple hundred $$$ more new? If you're going to use it and rely on it for your income then the 5-year warranty might be worth it. Considering that if anything fails and you have no warranty you'll have to shell out a few hundred to fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ky2 Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 I'd be more concerned over photographer longevity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john schroeder Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Just take the lens into you local repair shop and have them check the focus fluid and sharpen the aperture blades. If your really worried pick up a box of extra f-stops to be sure. All smart-arse comments asside I'm sure the lens is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_linstead Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 I used to foolishly think that a lens life-span was practically infinite compared to a camera body. Just a tube with pieces of glass, right? Apparently, wear and tear aside, certain elements in the lens are actually 2 pieces of glass "glued" together to achieve a difficult-to-machine/grind geometrical shape. I don`t know if this still practiced, but eventually thesed composite elements partially separate and the optics of the lens are ruined Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeux tortu Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 I have previously owned an even older version, non ED push pull version, and when I sold it it was still mechanically perfect. This lens is built like a tank and, unless abused, will have many decades of useful life left in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Yup, complex elements are sometimes "glued" together (I think the optics industry prefers the term "lamination"). But considering the complexity of the process and the vast number of lenses using such elements, few of them have suffered any delamination. I keep hearing about such failures with the 75-150/4 Zuiko but mine keeps chugging along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photojim Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 My 80-200/2.8 is the original AF version from the late '80s and it still shoots as well as it ever did. It's one of my favourite lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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