Which 80-200 for Nikon F

j-dogg · Dec 12, 2015

I know I'm about to release the GAS Kraken on this one but I'm looking to add a mid-range zoom to my AI'd F system. I had a Series 1 70-210 3.5 and was impressed by it but it is non-AI only :/ Is the Series E 70-210 F/4 any good? I don't need a 2.8 zoom 3.5 is only a half-stop difference and not worth the extra cash for 2.8 in my opinion.

I will say the Series E 36-72 is a magnificent lens for next to nothing and it gave me good results which is a shame because I found nothing about it online and no IQ tests. If you have ever been thinking about one, get it.

darkosaric · Dec 12, 2015

I had E Series 70-210 F/4 - it is very good, also I had nikkor 80-200 f4,5 and f4 - they are all very good. Cheap too - you can't go wrong .

Arvee · Dec 12, 2015

+1 on the 80-200 f4,5.

benjiboy · Dec 12, 2015

You don't need Ai on a Nikon F because you have to index the lenses manually.

j-dogg · Dec 12, 2015

Its an F mount system I have a Nikkormat that does IR, FG, FM and will be adding an F3

Richard S. (rich815) · Dec 12, 2015

75-150 Series E also a classic

BradleyK · Dec 12, 2015

darkosaric said:
I had E Series 70-210 F/4 - it is very good, also I had nikkor 80-200 f4,5 and f4 - they are all very good. Cheap too - you can't go wrong .

+1. I, too, have used both the 80-200mm F4.5 Ai (it was the first zoom I owned) as well as the more recent 80-200mm F4 Ais version (still in my arsenal). Both are astonishing good lenses and, as darkosaric points out, both are available at ridiculously low prices (check the folks at KEH).

Richard S. (rich815) · Dec 12, 2015

Many of both of these can have VERY loose push-pull of the zoom so ask any seller if you can.

markbarendt · Dec 12, 2015

Great reference tool for Nikon Lenses

http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html

I have the AF-ED 80-200 mm f/2.8 Nikkor and it's wonderful.

aoresteen · Dec 12, 2015

I'd track down the 3rd version of the Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/2.8-4. It came in Nikon AI IIRC and is a very fine lens (I have one in Olympus OM mount that I will never let go).

Dead Link Removed

Ian Grant · Dec 12, 2015

Personally I'd go for a Vivitar Series One 70-210, I had the first f3.5 version which was stolen in the early 80's. I now have a later f2.8-f4 version which is just as good but faster at the lower FLs. I used it extensively for shooting bands live and it's excellent wide open or stopped down.

Ian

Sirius Glass · Dec 12, 2015

I have the Nikon 28mm to 200mm AF zoom lens and the Tamron 28mm to 300mm AF zoom lens. One on the color Nikon and one on the black & white Nikon. They share without fighting the 20mm to 35mm AF zoom lens. I got me 35mm game covered, Jack.

narsuitus · Dec 12, 2015

j-dogg said:
... I'm looking to add a mid-range zoom to my AI'd F system.

[E] Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 D AF-S (77mm filter) is my first choice
[G] Vivitar 70-210mm Series I AI f/3.5 Zoom (67mm filter) is my second
Nikkor 75-150mm Series E Zoom f/3.5 AIS (52mm filter) is my third

Telephoto Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Alan Gales · Dec 12, 2015

When the Vivitar Series One lenses came out it really threw camera manufactures for a loop. They had their zooms but the quality was way below their fixed focus lenses. They really didn't take the zoom market seriously. After the Series One lenses came out it caused a huge demand for zooms so everyone paid attention. The camera manufacturers started producing great zooms as well as the aftermarket. You should look at the post Series One Nikon zooms as well as Tamron SP and Tokina ATX lenses. Kiron was pretty good also.

I used to shoot Contax. Zeiss lenses cost a fortune so I bought a Tamron SP 80-200? Zoom for my 139. I later bought a 100mm Zeiss and got a heck of a deal on a 180mm Zeiss that was a display lens so I sold the SP to my cousin who changed the mount to fit his Nikon FE. That SP was a hell of a lens and rivaled my Zeiss glass!

Richard S. (rich815) · Dec 12, 2015

Why are people recommending modern AF lenses for the F? It's been a while but last time I tried to use an AF lens in MF mode it was not a very nice tactile experience (focusing just felt weird) and can some of the modern AF lenses even mount on an F? And if so they just don't seem like they'd go to nicely together...

Alan Gales · Dec 12, 2015

Richard S. (rich815) said:
Why are people recommending modern AF lenses for the F? It's been a while but last time I tried to use an AF lens in MF mode it was not a very nice tactile experience (focusing just felt weird) and can some of the modern AF lenses even mount on an F? And if so they just don't seem like they'd go to nicely together...

I agree. Buy an old 1980's lens which will work great on a Nikon F. Plus they are plenty sharp and cheap.

Chan Tran · Dec 12, 2015

I don't know what's avaiable but I would pick a Pre-AI lens with f/4 if possible. f/3.5 or 4.5 are OK but I rather have an f/4 lens.

Richard S. (rich815) · Dec 13, 2015

Chan Tran said:
I don't know what's avaiable but I would pick a Pre-AI lens with f/4 if possible. f/3.5 or 4.5 are OK but I rather have an f/4 lens.

Why?

Sirius Glass · Dec 13, 2015

Richard S. (rich815) said:
Why are people recommending modern AF lenses for the F? It's been a while but last time I tried to use an AF lens in MF mode it was not a very nice tactile experience (focusing just felt weird) and can some of the modern AF lenses even mount on an F? And if so they just don't seem like they'd go to nicely together...

Alan Gales said:
I agree. Buy an old 1980's lens which will work great on a Nikon F. Plus they are plenty sharp and cheap.

Because there are no zoom lenses from the 1980's that cover the ranges from 20mm to 35mm and 28mm to 300mm. The object is to reduce the number of prime lenses carried and replace them with a lens that is about as good.

gzhuang · Dec 13, 2015

Kiron 70-210 F4. You won't look back.

narsuitus · Dec 13, 2015

Richard S. (rich815) said:
Why are people recommending modern AF lenses for the F?

I recommended an auto focus lens for the manual focus Nikon F body because:

1. Provided the lens has an aperture ring, the manual/mechanical battery independent Nikon F and F2 easily accept and function with Nikon F mount auto focus lenses.

2. I recommended the "modern" Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 D AF-S (first produced in 1998) because it has better wide open image quality than any of my older manual focus zoom lenses when shot wide open.

When I buy an auto focus lens, how well it performs in manual focus mode is very important to me because ...

1. I plan on using it on my Nikon F2

2. I assume that one day the auto focusing motor in the lens and/or the camera body will break and I will be unable to get it repaired for an affordable price; therefore, I will eventually be using the lens only in manual focus mode.

I try to avoid focus-by-wire auto focus lenses and auto focus lenses with no or small manual focus rings.

miha · Dec 13, 2015

My AiS 80-200 f/4 was great mechanically and optically. If focuses closer than the f/4.5 version too.

benveniste · Dec 13, 2015

I used a Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8 for about 20 years, and was quite pleased with the results. The manual focus version can often be found for about $120-$150. When I switch to the current Nikon 70-200mm I dropped $100 an 80-200mm f/4 AI-s to use with my FA. It too is a nice lens but with a film like Ektar 100 the lack of ED glass shows at the long end really shows.

I haven't touched a Vivitar in a very long time, but currently on eBay there are both the Tokina and Kiron made versions at attractive prices. Clean copies of the Komine produced f/2.8~4.0 tend to be in the same price range as the f/2.8 Tokina.

Nige · Dec 13, 2015

I've got a Tokina ATX 80-200/2.8 which I bought (used) at the end of my 35mm usage (went to MF and haven't used the 35mm hardly since). I hardly used it and probably haven't even printed a frame taken with it! I did mount it on the digi-device for a un-scientific comparision between a variety of lenses I have. From memory it seemed sharp enough. I should mount it to a film body and try it out!

John_Nikon_F · Dec 13, 2015

Just FYI:

The 70-210/3.5 Series 1 is a Kiron/Kino Precision lens. The 2.8-4 version is Cosina made. Talk to Kiron Kid here on APUG about them. Also, if the 70-210 says "N/AI", it's an AI lens. The pre-AI lenses were marked "N-F", IIRC.

-J

Which 80-200 for Nikon F

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