AFD 80-200mm/f2.8 for a AFD 180mm/f2.8?

[nightwolf75]

at the risk of starting another flame war... (so, pls dun?)

does anyone use the AFD 180mm/f2.8 lens ard here? i'm thinking of giving up/trading my AFD 80-200/2.8 zoom for the 180/2.8.

the 80-200 is the most under-utilized lens in my cabinet. not dat its not sharp. its the weight dat i'm never truely comfortable with. the 180 is almost 500g lighter, at the expense of focal range flexibility and reach. so, i like to find out any actual local user reviews on the 180. all dat i've read overseas seems to be people giving up their 80-200 for this...

so far, i've never touched/used the 180 b4... seems pretty rare to see it.

anyway, in case anyone wonders... yes, i've used the 70-200 VR. no, i'm not going to pay (grey or otherwise) for a range dat i hardly use. yes, i do shoot events. no, i tend to rely more on my 85/1.8 and tamron 17-35/2.8-4... believe it or not. and yes, dats the reason why i was considering the 180 cos it gives me a bit more reach but at a more manageable weight.

[CIO]

I have both (80-200) and the 180 (a very old, 2 generation back) lenses. The 180mm is a very sharp lense.

[Rimmer]

I have been havin gthe same thought - I don't have a lens in this focal range and am torn between the two - my friend has had a 80/200 and said he did not use it much - just because of the weight...Am interested to here others comments...

[surge]

i have replaced my 80-200 AFS w a 85/1.8 and a 180/2.8.

the 180 is very sharp at 2.8. it is possible to mount the 180/2.8 and walk around and change to 85 when needed. but to hang the 80-200 around is......

80-200 is great.

but 85/1.8 and 180/2.8 is more like deciding what perspective you want and use the lens. more troublesome

i like the prime lens combi better since i prefer to shoot w/o flash and primes has bigger aperture.

given the money...in would wanna have both

[Astin]

Sam, I have both AFD80-200 and AFD180 lenses, both are very sharp and contrasty, but both are under-utilized, they sit in drycabi most times. However, I will still keep them, in case I need to use them once in a while. I would say, AFD80-200 and AFD180 serve diff purposes, u just cannot substitute one for the other.

[longkangman]

Have you ever consider 200mmf2. Not flame think about it why 180mmf2.8.

[jeffreyk]

Originally Posted by longkangman Have you ever consider 200mmf2. Not flame think about it why 180mmf2.8.

think price difference....

[agape01]

why not a 105 f/2 DC lens?

[jeffreyk]

Originally Posted by agape01 why not a 105 f/2 DC lens?

focal length very different

[agape01]

Originally Posted by jeffreyk focal length very different

True... but it is up to nightwolf on what he would want that range to shoot.

It is also true that the focal length is very different.

[nightwolf75]

Originally Posted by Astin Sam, I have both AFD80-200 and AFD180 lenses, both are very sharp and contrasty, but both are under-utilized, they sit in drycabi most times. However, I will still keep them, in case I need to use them once in a while. I would say, AFD80-200 and AFD180 serve diff purposes, u just cannot substitute one for the other.

thanks, astin, for ur advice! u're the 2nd person who told me this too.

not to fan flames, but in all honesty, the best weight/performance zoom lens i've used so far is still the canon 70-200/f4L. unfortunately, AFAIK, there's no EOS-Nikon mount adaptor.

thanks, folks! think i'll hang on to the 80-200 for the time being.

[surge]

Originally Posted by nightwolf75 thanks, astin, for ur advice! u're the 2nd person who told me this too. not to fan flames, but in all honesty, the best weight/performance zoom lens i've used so far is still the canon 70-200/f4L. unfortunately, AFAIK, there's no EOS-Nikon mount adaptor. thanks, folks! think i'll hang on to the 80-200 for the time being.

i second that..would prefer a 80-200/4 AFS VR...good comprimise for wt and still good range

[cossack]

Just to add on - I had the old one-touch AF 80-200 (optically similar to the 2-touch) and the AF180 f2.8 . Wide open, the 180mm easily provides a visibly sharper and more vibrant image.

Because of its compact size, it makes a very good travel lens matched with a 24-120. Macro images using extension tubes are excellent.

Although I sold the later 180mm, I missed its quality & compact size so much that I bought another one a few months later.

[surge]

i have bought and sold the 80-200 like 4 times....buy.....hardly use so sell...then situation needs it( or wants it) then buy.....then too heavy sell

now i got the 180/2.8...though i dont use it alot, i do bring it out more often cos not so heavy.

i think i get more pictures out of a 85/1.8 and 180/2.8 than a 80-200.

[KNIGHT ONG]

Originally Posted by CIO I have both (80-200) and the 180 (a very old, 2 generation back) lenses. The 180mm is a very sharp lense.

Got my 180mmf/2.8 AIS .. also very old lens ..

[justarius]

Got a 180/2.8 AF-D... it's a very sharp and very very contrasty lens, even wide open. Colour saturation is excellent too. It's my defacto butterfly lens with a PN-11 extension tube.

[TMC]

Have both.

[smallaperture]

Originally Posted by nightwolf75 thanks, astin, for ur advice! u're the 2nd person who told me this too. not to fan flames, but in all honesty, the best weight/performance zoom lens i've used so far is still the canon 70-200/f4L. unfortunately, AFAIK, there's no EOS-Nikon mount adaptor. thanks, folks! think i'll hang on to the 80-200 for the time being.

If you want something like the Canon 70-200F4 in terms of size and weight, I guess you should be able to find one pretty soon with the gradual migration towards DX format lenses. A 70-200F2.8DX would very well fit that bill, with AFS and VR thrown in. I believe the number of months to wait for the announcement might be counted with the fingers on your hands... hehehehe.... I will be one of the first to run to CP to book one as soon as it is announced and sell away my 80-200AFD - that heavy like concrete and solidly built like a tank phallic symbol of a lens.

[surge]

my cat taken w afd180 at 2.8, taken w d70, portion of a crop from a 50% view