S Dilworth
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 p.2 #11 · 80-200 mm f/2.8 AF-D still viable? | |
Thanks. Nice comparison photo, AndreasE.
After reading more reports on the web, I don't think mechanical backlash is the main source of the focus problems. There might be some backlash, especially in worn lenses, but backlash doesn't fully explain the reported performance.
Neither do I think simple focus shift is primarily to blame, although the 80-200 mm f/2.8 AF-D clearly does have some focus shift. (If you think it's surprising that an f/2.8 lens has significant focus shift, consider that the front group of this lens has a focal length of about 120 mm and a relative aperture of about f/1.6, which is very fast. The old AIS lens that impresses AndreasE has a longer and slower front group, which would normally perform better, at the obvious expense of size and weight.)
Looking closer, it seems Nikon has been warning about focusing problems with the 80-200 mm f/2.8 AF lens for years. The warning has been tweaked many times, too. Here's its evolution, for selected cameras:
D1X, August 2001 user manual:
no warning
F5, December 2002 user manual:
no warning
D100, September 2004 user manual:
"If an AF-80–200 mm f/2.8S, AF 35–70 mm f/2.8S, new-model AF 28–85 mm f/3.5–4.5S, or AF 28–85 mm f/3.5–4.5S lens is used, the image on the matte screen in the viewfinder may not be in focus when the in-focus indicator is displayed. Focus manually using the image in the viewfinder as a guide."
F6, November 2004 user manual:
"When AF 80-200mm f/2.8, AF 35-70mm f/2.8, AF 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 or AF 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 is used in a telephoto zoom position at close range, image on the clear matte field may not coincide with the focus indication. In this case, focus manually using clear matte field."
D200, August 2006 user manual:
"If AF 80–200 mm f/2.8S, AF 35–70 mm f/2.8S, new-model AF 28–85 mm f/3.5–4.5S, or AF 28–85 mm f/3.5–4.5S is zoomed in while focusing at minimum range, image on matte screen in viewfinder may not be in focus when in-focus indicator is displayed. Focus manually using image in viewfinder as guide."
F100, April 2010 user manual:
no warning
D700, November 2010 user manual:
"When focusing at minimum focus distance with AF 80–200mm f/2.8, AF 35–70mm f/2.8, AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 <New>, or AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 lens at maximum zoom, in-focus indicator may be displayed when image on matte screen in viewfinder is not in focus. Adjust focus manually until image in viewfinder is in focus."
D7000, March 2011 user manual:
"When AF 80–200mm f/2.8, AF 35–70mm f/2.8, AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 <New>, or AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 lenses are zoomed all the way in at the minimum focus distance, the in-focus indicator may be displayed when the image on the matte screen in the viewfinder is not in focus. Focus manually until image in viewfinder is in focus."
D800, January 2012 user manual:
"When focusing at minimum focus distance with AF 80–200mm f/2.8, AF 35–70mm f/2.8, AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 <New>, or AF 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 lens at maximum zoom, in-focus indicator may be displayed when image on matte screen in viewfinder is not in focus. Adjust focus manually until image in viewfinder is in focus."
So around 2004, Nikon:
1. created a problem (with a new autofocus system or logic),
2. discovered a problem that had hitherto gone unnoticed, or
3. decided to admit a known problem for the first time.
A year later, Nikon bumped the serial numbers of the 80-200 mm AF-D to the 1-million range. Whether anything changed in the lens at that time, I don't know. If the focusing was fixed, Nikon didn't admit it by specifying serial numbers under 1 million in the warnings above. It's very possible nothing was changed in the lens.
Edited on Apr 10, 2012 at 04:54 AM · View previous versions
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