75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 AF Nikkor Lens

[chris_rasmussen2]

Can this lens be used with the D-80?

[ShunCheung]

Why not? The simple rule of thumb is that any Nikon AF lens can be used on the D80.

 

The 75-300mm/f4.5-5.6 was earlier than any one of the 70-300mm lenses (note the 75 vs. 70). That old version comes with a built-in tripod collar, which is a major plus.

[photojim]

It doesn't have ED glass, so it's more likely to show colour fringing on a digital body than the 70-300 ED would. (Digital sensors are more sensitive to colour fringing than film is.)

 

I love my 75-300, but I don't shoot digital. It will work fine, but I can't comment at all on whether it works well on digital sensors. Sharpness is fine, range is good, build quality is good.

 

300mm f/5.6 is pretty slow though, and the magnification that Nikon's digital bodies create (via having a smaller sensor than 35mm film frames) means that you need an even faster shutter speed to use the lens successfully than you do with film, unless you are using a tripod. Think 1/500 sec. at the long end of the range. With a maximum aperture of f/5.6, that will require decent light.

[User_1172872]

Just don't forget to lock the aperture ring at the minimum setting.

[Rick Waller]

"That old version comes with a built-in tripod collar, which is a major plus."

 

I am not so sure I consider the foot an advantage. I owned this lens and used it with an F5 film camera. While many people praised the optical quality of this lens, I was never particularly happy with it. I did not find it to be one of Nikon's better efforts.

 

When the newer 70-300 came out (not the recent VR version - the original one), I sold my 75 and bought the 70 and continued to use it on my film cameras. (These days I use it on my D2X and D2h). First, I find the optical quality better in the newer lens than the old (by the way, it is a hair faster at the short end) and since it is significantly smaller and lighter weight, I don't miss the tripod foot at all. It is easier to handhold than the 75 and, if I use it on a tripod, it is short enough and light enough to mount the camera rather than the lens on the head.

 

I am one of an apparent minority that likes the 70 version much better than the 75. These days, I reach more often for my 70-200/2.8 or my 300/2.8 both for the extra speed and the better optics, but if weight is an issue (as when I am hiking long distances), I will grab the 70-300.

 

Oh - and I love it in the field when I want a lightweight macro setup. Slap a Nikon 6T on the front and you get a surprisingly competent macro lens with almost virtually no additional weight on my back. Sure beats dragging my 200/4 macro for on the fly macro capability.

[joe_weinroth]

Hey Chris, I have and still use an old-very old-12 years+ 75-300 Nikon AF lens and I must

say it still produces great pics. I have used it on several film cameras-N90s-F100 etc and my

Nikon digital cams-D70-D200-Fuji S3 and I still get very useable pics. The major draw-back

of this lens is it is quite a bit heavier then the newer plastic units. Because you only use the

central "sweet spot" of the lens on the smaller digital area, the results can be very good.

Good luck---JOE