Nikon 80-200mm f2.8

[Amanda Gard]

I'd like this lense please.  Glass needs to be perfect.  Don't mind if it's the push version or the twisty. 

[Peachy]

Oh so would I! If you've got one to give away Amanda and I will fight for it. LOL

Sorry, not really hijacking your thread Amanda. I'll let you have it.

[William]

Make sure you get the AFS version because it focusses a foot closer and much, much faster than the older one.  This will be useful when doing candids at weddings.  I don't use it with kids in the studio because it looks too intimidating.

She-who-must-be-obeyed has the 70 -200 VR, which is a league further than my 80-200 AFS.

[Amanda Gard]

I don't want the 70-200 - used a borrowed one at a wedding and it was much heavier than I would like thanks to the VR motor.  However, my pal's 80-200 felt fine although it's only marginally lighter!  Defintaely the AFS version then!

[Michael Martin]

Amanda, I have both the 80-200 (non afs) and the newer 70-200 vr. They are both great lenses and the weight difference is non existent in reality. I have had the older one for some years now and bought it second hand. It has seen quite a bit of abuse and is now supported with black tape! The ring that selects either manual or auto focus will no longer lock into the auto focus position, so the tape keeps it there. A friend of mine has just had the same problem with his and his has had no where near the abuse mine has. I did take mine into Grays of W' a couple of years ago to see about getting it fixed. I had not had time to properly clean it and there was still a lot of mud ingrained into the grips. They just laughed at me and told me it was not worth doing and if I want to proceed would cost a couple hundred quid. Black tape is much cheaper and the lens is now a spare for my event work which is mostly auto focus anyway.

I would get the newer vr version if funds allow, but optically, the 80-200 is just as good in my humble opinion.

[William]

She-who-must-be-obeyed can hand-hold at a quarter second at the 200 end of the VR Nikon, whereas I have to look for some support at a sixtieth with my AFS.