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80 200mm f2.8


vicki_williamson

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<p>There are no fewer than five different versions of the Nikon 80-200mm/f2.8 lens:</p>

<ol>

<li>Manual focus AI-S</li>

<li>First AF push-pull zoom</li>

<li>AF-D push-pull zoom</li>

<li>AF-D with tripod collar</li>

<li>AF-S</li>

</ol>

<p>#1 is a huge lens and quite rare. 2, 3 and 4 have the same optical formula and #5 has the fastest AF since it is AF-S.</p>

<p>On the D7000, the AF-S will likely work well for indoor sports. I used to have that version but sold it several years ago. The AF motor inside the smallish D7000 might not be that fast driving a big AF lens in versions 2 to 4.</p>

<P>

BTW, the answer to the OP's question hasn't changed much since 2012: http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00aUIR

</P>

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<p>There is an old thread from year 2000 on those different versions: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000nBZ</p>

<p>Way back in 1989, I bought the very first AF version with push/pull zoom. The slightly later AF-D version maybe AF a bit faster and has a cover in front so that the filter thread doesn't rotate with focusing. However, I am afraid that AF on those old lenses is very slow in today's standards.</p>

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<p>I had version #2. Optically it was lovely. Focusing was too slow for anything that moved though. I tried shooting roller derby with it on a D200 and it was an abysmal failure. Outdoors it was a great lens for landscape, I used it with an F100 and Kodak SLR/n.</p>

 

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<p>I have #3 and it is mounted on my F100. I really like the lens and cant say a bad word about it. If the speed of auto focus is a issue to you, do what we all used to do in the days prior to auto focus, ie put camera and lens in manual and pre focus on the spot where you expect the action to occur. Also shooting fast film may give you a smaller F stop thus increasing the depth of field.</p>
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<p>If you don't need the f2.8 speed, then I highly recommend the Nikon 70-300VR. I recently picked one up used, in near mint condition, for $300. It's very sharp in the 70-200 range, and it's much lighter than the 80-200 2.8's or the 70-200VR. I had the 70-200VR1. It was a very nice lens, very sharp, and a very sturdy build quality. However, it was so big, bulky, and heavy that I really didn't use it that often unless I was shooting wildlife, and even then I used the Nikon 1.7 teleconverter. I paid $1,400 used/mint for the 70-200VR1, and maybe took a couple hundred shots with it in the 4 years I owned it. I've only had the 70-300VR for a few months now, and already I've shot several hundred images with it. For the money and size/weight convenience, plus the great image quality, I'm extremely happy with it. If I need speed/bokeh, I just use some of my fast primes.</p>
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<p>According to the following thread from June, 2012: http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00aUIR</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=3944215">Vicki Williamson</a> , Jun 10, 2012; 10:58 a.m.<br>

I want the one that is best for the D7000.. I will be shooting indoor volleyball and basketball. I need a f2.8 but really can't afford the 70-200mm.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>We have already gone over a lot of the issues back then. For indoor sports, f2.8 helps a lot, so does AF-S. The question is how to pay for it. An older lens without VR and third party lenses are possibilities.</p>

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<p>People at some point have to stop asking about it and plunge into the existential stream.</p>

<p>Buy <strong>something</strong>: Nikon, <a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00bmFz">Tamron, Sigma</a> anything, and see how it works. Or rent them first to see which is preferred personally.</p>

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<blockquote>

<p>I've used the most recent 80-200 for indoor sports and it doesn't autofocus fast enough, at least for the figure skating that I shoot. The 70-200 VRI was better but the VRII is the only one I've found that cuts it for my purposes.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Interesting Craig. Out of curiosity, were you using the same camera body (model) with those three lenses?</p>

<p>Exactly which camera(s) were you using?</p>

<p>I have owned all three of those AF-S lenses. As I mentioned, I sold the 80-200 a few years ago and currently still have both 70-200mm/f2.8 versions.</p>

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<p>Shun -- I was using each of those lenses with a D200, shooting the same skaters at the same rink in the same costumes under the same light. Best results have been with the VRII. I know the D200 isn't the latest and that maybe any one of these lenses might work better on a newer model with more up-to-date AF. But the VRII nails it most of the time on the D200 when the other two lenses didn't. </p>
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