Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF VR

[Toad]

Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF VR

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Canon 20d : @16mm : 1/200th : f3.5 : 1600 ISO : AV Mode : -1/3 Exp Comp



Thanks

[arlon]

Western scrub jay on a bright sunny day.
Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR AF
Nikon D200, @220mm, 1/500sec, f8, iso 400, manual exposure

Click image for a larger view

[Al Buckner]

WOW Arlon, that is a fantastic shot. Is that how it came out of the camera or did you do some post?

How do you like that lens?

[arlon]

Pretty much as it came out of the camera.

As to the lens, I have a love/hate relationship with it.
I love the convenience. Excellent park "walk about" lens, fits in the bags on my bicycle too.
It takes very good pictures 90% of the time (better on a D50).
It is the slowest focusing lens I've ever seen (worse on a D50).
VR has issues with the mirror slap on the D200. I get the ocassional double image at lower shutter speeds. I believe this is caused by the lens trying to correct for the horrendous mirror slap of the D200, never an issue on my D50.

D200 mirror slap is an issue! Read the info on the new D700. Nikon has completely redisigned the mirror system to reduce slap. If it wasn't a problem in the D200/300, they wouldn't have gone to the expense to redesign it..

Here's an example of the double I get ever so frequently from the 80-400 on a D200 (shots before and after where fine). This happens about 10% of the time I use lower shutter speeds (full size crop).

[Toad]

How does the lens handle on the D2X (D2Xs)???
Toad

[Hanky]

Hawk, Red Bird Airport SW Dallas
Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR AF
D300, 370 mm, AF-C, F9, 1/320, iso 320, exp. M, meter center w, wb auto.
outside temp 107 f
I just have this hope that some day I can master this lens, maybe in ten more years.

[lokerd]

I didn't have this lens for long...but I actually really liked it. Focusing on a D3 was very fast. The VR was very helpful. Great focal length. I sold the lens to get a Sigma 150-500 which is not nearly as useful as the 50-500. The 80-400 is right in the middle. I actually really like having the shorter FL along with the longer. I had a 50-500 about the same time as the 80-400 so had an opportunity to shoot with both. Decided to sell both and try out the 150-500...which is a nice lens...but I miss the shorter FLs.


D3, 400mm 5.6, 1/2500, 400 ISO

[Murph]

I have a love/hate relationship with this lens. And its about 50/50 love and hate. Used properly, its an excellent lens, but it has annoying quirks. I'd love an AF-S version of this monster.

[Dahveed]

I rented this lens recently. I actually went in for the 70-200mm nikon lens, but those were already reserved, so this was plan "B". Overall the lens is sharp, but the focusing is kinda slow. It also has a tendency to do a lot of searching. That might have been the nature of what I was shooting. I was shooting cyclists riding at me. So I would take 5-7 photos of a cyclist coming at me and then it would have a difficult time acquiring focus on the next cyclist off in the distance. I also didn't really need the reach of 400mm since I was standing on the roadside and the cyclists were passing within 10 feet of me. Still managed to get a few keepers. I suspect this lens would be much better at photographing things that are not moving at nearly 30 mph.

D200, nikon 80-400 mm VR at 370 mm, 1/350, f 6.3

[donlaw]

Took this photo the first weekend after picking up a nice used copy of this lens.
Shot with a monopod and a D200, VR off, ISO 400, 1/640, f5.3, 340mm.
This is a really sharp lens but a bit slow focusing for sports. I can't wait to take it out to Brazos Bend State Park.

Don

[Murph]

I have a love/hate relationship with this lens. I took it out today to Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (Texas) and shot some photos with it. The keeper rate was decent, my 70-200mm is better, but on the D700 the 400mm gives me better reach. On the D2X, the 70-200mm is the winner hands down. The 80-400mm is awkwardly balanced, and while has excellent optics, it is just not as comfortable a lens as the 70-200mm. I have no problem with the autofocus speed on the D700 or on the D2x. It sort of pokes along on the D80. The 70-200mm just slams into focus on either the D2X or the D700.

Color and contrast appear less than on the 70-200mm for some reason, although flare seems better controlled (I always use the supplied lens hoods). I hate this lens! I love this lens! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhh h

[Dahveed]

I'm not sure comparing the 80-400 to the 70-200 is completely fair. The 70-200 f2.8 is just a sweet lens - very sharp, with great contrast, and it focuses very fast. Other than its weight and the damage it does to your wallet, its really a great lens. The time I used the 80-400 I didn't have a monopod, so I found it cumbersome to use and slow to focus on my D200. It almost has twice the zoom range to focus through, so I would expect it to focus a little slower (although it seem to focus very slow compared to the other lens I have used).

I agree with Murph, the extra reach of the lens is great, but there are some things about the lens that is less than fun. One solution is to have the 200-400 f 4.0 VR zoom to get the same reach, but that lens can put you in the financial hurt box, not to mention how do you carry it?

I've decided to try to petition my daughter's school into using a smaller soccer field so I won't need the reach of a 400mm lens and therefore save me a mint!

[chempilot]

anyone have some shots with this lens on a Nikon D700?

[Murph]

Love it, hate it. A real mixed emotion lens for me. From the balcony of our condo on a Mustang Island trip: D700 and 80-400mm. It does not focus as fast as on the D2X, but by no means terrible. I would never attempt to shoot fast moving sports with it.