An updated classic performer with weak points

[Dak on cam]

The 80-200mm 1:2.8 D (new) exists with purportedly the same optical recipe in two previous push-pull zoom incarnations: the 1:2.8, and the 1:2.8 D. Compared to the 1:2.8 D, autofocus has again become faster. A new weakness that apparently often leads to breakage not worthy of a pro-type lens is the A/M focus switching ring. On the older push-pull variant, it was part of the zoom/focus sleeve and pretty much indestructible. On the new two-ring variant, it is a flimsy band of comparatively weak plastic, and pressing the locking button over time makes the return blade spring break through that plastic next to the screw fixing that band to the mechanism.

The principal change compared to its predecessor is splitting the one-touch (zoom and focus on push/pull and rotate) control sleeve into two separate control rings and adding a built-in lens clamp for tripod use: the older lenses were clearly only intended for hand-held use: there was no space for a lens clamp, and third-party tripod mounting solutions now have become almost as expensive as the lens itself on the preowned market.

Since the strengths of this lens are portraits and/or concerts, the "hand-held only" constraint was not all that troublesome: for moon shots and smaller animals you want longer focal lengths anyway (and both because of the longer length and the usually associated slower lens, optical stabilisation then becomes more pressing).

All that being said: this lens and its predecessors have been pro lenses for a reason. The bokeh is generally amicable, you get nice sunstars from the 9 straight aperture blades (better than from its successors). Autofocus is fast but will likely draw quite a bit of battery juice given the torque the fast rotating front lens puts on the autofocus motor of the camera (meaning that you don't get to use autofocus with the FTZ or some lesser DX DSLRs). There is a point in routinely prefocusing the lens in order not to get camera shake from the abrupt stop of the focusing action.

A frequently reported annoyance is its interaction with autofocus sensors that particularly at the 200mm/2.8 setting leads to backfocusing on various cameras. You'll want to use autofocus fine-tuning with this one, and the optimal setting at different lengths/apertures is not quite the same. So you'll need to aim for a good compromise.

Nikon does not deliver this with a lens hood, but the lens is comparatively resistant against flaring. Nikon's optional lens hood design is circular and of useful size. There are aftermarket tulip-shaped hoods as well, but those are way too large to be convenient and/or robust.

All that being said, the lens delivers. Sharpness is pretty good even wide open, contrast and colors work out, background blur looks good.

I had some problems with "color bokeh", green/purple fringing on high-contrast edges out of the focus region with the predecessor, but I think it was quite more prominent with the D610 I used then than with my current D750, and essentially affecting only outdoors scenes. Maybe the respective sensors use different Bayer filters.

Interestingly this model looks more modestly sized than its predecessor with the large one-touch push-pull sleeve even though actual measurements (including weight) are essentially identical.

Since I upgraded from the predecessor model right now and since it would be inappropriate to post the predecessor's photographs here even though they are said to have identical optics, no images for now.

 

[Parry Johnson]

I had this lens for about 12 years before I sold it to upgrade to the VR2 version, which I've used for the past 13 years since buying a D800 (and with many other DSLRs and a few mirrorless cameras).

I liked it, but corner sharpness isn't as good with higher resolution cameras. It's fine for 12-16MP bodies.

The problem I had was the flimsy A/M switch. I paid Nikon Canada $220 twice to repair it, which lowered its value compared to the $900 I paid for it in 1999. However, it paid for itself over and over by delivering excellent results.

I wouldn't buy it today, as a VR1 or older push-pull costs the same and doesn't have that problem. Or, spend an extra few dollars and get the VR2, which solved most of the earlier problems and is very robust -- yes, the latest E version is the best, but only incrementally so. This version is now a very old lens, and its biggest roadblock in the used market is the screw AF drive that makes it impractical with consumer DSLRs and Z cameras.

All in all, if you're on a budget, can live with the occasional hiccups a broken lens might present and can find one that's still working for a reasonable price, it's still a bargain.

 

[Dak on cam]

The problem I had was the flimsy A/M switch. I paid Nikon Canada $220 twice to repair it, which lowered its value compared to the $900 I paid for it in 1999.

Mine is already cracked, but not separated. I am considering various reinforcement options and will come back once I went with one. The older push/pull variant does not have that problem at all.

 

[Parry Johnson]

Mine is already cracked, but not separated. I am considering various reinforcement options and will come back once I went with one. The older push/pull variant does not have that problem at all.

The problem is that once it breaks, it's usually in the manual focus setting (or at least it was for me), and the spring prevents it from being set to AF again (without opening up the lens). If you can set the A/M permanently to AF, you can usually use the AF/M switch on the camera to use manual focus when necessary.