Nikkor 80-200mm or Tamron 70-200mm? (Page 2): Yet the specific reason you first mention it was totally related to auto focus performance! I've never seen anyone happy with an 80-200mm...

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

RWR wrote:

Not everyone has need for autofocus in that focal length range. For those, I would not hesitate to recommend it.

Yet the specific reason you first mention it was totally related to auto focus performance!

I've never seen anyone happy with an 80-200mm manual focus only since AF originally came out!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm in the Nikon camp.
--Bob

Boris Ekner wrote:

I’m in pursue of a 70 or 80-200mm f2.8 for my hummingbird photography.

Nikon has the 80-200mm and Tamron has the 70-200 VC. Both are f2.8.

To my understanding, both produce very sharp images. But rumor has it that the Nikkor might be a bit slower regarding its autofocus.

Is there anyone here who has experience to share from both lenses while shooting very fast objects?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

You have now.
--Bob

Apaflo wrote:

Yet the specific reason you first mention it was totally related to auto focus performance!

I've never seen anyone happy with an 80-200mm manual focus only since AF originally came out!

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

rmalarz wrote:

You have now.
--Bob

That is not what he claimed to be, only that somebody was.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Apaflo wrote:

Yet the specific reason you first mention it was totally related to auto focus performance!

Surely not every motor malfunctioned.

Apaflo wrote:

I've never seen anyone happy with an 80-200mm manual focus only since AF originally came out!

You’ve never seen me, but I’m happy with my 80-200 f/2.8 Tokina ATX manual focus lens for still subjects.

rjandreoff Loc: Hawaii

I had the 80-200. Excellent optics and build like a tank. Actually worked real well for portraits. However, I ended up selling it. Autofocus was not fast enough for shooting BIF or sports. Have a friend that Tamaron. He likes it a lot. I use the nikon 70-200 2.8 VR as my go. Good luck.

Fergus Loc: Westfield,IN

I have the Sigma 70-200 2.8. It’s on my camera(Nikon610) more than any other lens.

Boris Ekner Loc: From Sweden, living in Guatemala

Please accept my thanks and appreciation for all your comments, advice, and useful links. All have been very helpful.

therwol Loc: USA

Boris Ekner wrote:

I’m in pursue of a 70 or 80-200mm f2.8 for my hummingbird photography.

Nikon has the 80-200mm and Tamron has the 70-200 VC. Both are f2.8.

To my understanding, both produce very sharp images. But rumor has it that the Nikkor might be a bit slower regarding its autofocus.

Is there anyone here who has experience to share from both lenses while shooting very fast objects?

Which version of the Nikon lens are you looking at. One post here mentions the D lens, old but still in production. Another mentions the AF-S lens. This link shows what Ken Rockwell does very well.

https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/80-200mm-history.htm

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

RWR wrote:

I’m not familiar with the Tamrons, but the discontinued Nikon AF-S 80~200 f/2.8D IF-ED focuses faster than the other versions, and will autofocus with any Nikon DSLR. The current version keeps up at 8 frames per second with my F5. Not sure how it would perform with, say, a D5.

Interesting.
Does this lens not require a screw motor in the body to focus? I believe no 5xxx or 3xxx body has ever had that feature. So explain the way the lens would AF with those series bodies.
Of the 2 options you present I would go with the Tamron as it is an excellent lens with a built-in motor that will work on all bodies.
Thank you.

therwol Loc: USA

Architect1776 wrote:

Does this lens not require a screw motor in the body to focus? I believe no 5xxx or 3xxx body has ever had that feature.

This is the point I was making with the post immediately before yours. People are talking about different versions of the Nikon 80-200 lenses. The old AF and AF D lenses (one of which is still in production) do require a motor in the camera body. The AF-S and beyond have the motor in the lens and will work on the 5xxx and 3xxx bodies. The latest f/2.8 FL will work on the DX bodies starting with D3300.

Boris Ekner Loc: From Sweden, living in Guatemala

therwol wrote:

Which version of the Nikon lens are you looking at. One post here mentions the D lens, old but still in production. Another mentions the AF-S lens. This link shows what Ken Rockwell does very well.

https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/80-200mm-history.htm

This is the one I’m looking at:
Nikon Nikkor AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8 D IF ED

therwol Loc: USA

Boris Ekner wrote:

This is the one I’m looking at:
Nikon Nikkor AF-S 80-200mm f/2.8 D IF ED

An old workhorse and a decent lens, but which body would you use with it? It needs the focusing motor in the body. That limits you to the Nikon full frame DSLRs as well as the D500 and D7xxx bodies.

Boris Ekner Loc: From Sweden, living in Guatemala

therwol wrote:

An old workhorse and a decent lens, but which body would you use with it? It needs the focusing motor in the body. That limits you to the Nikon full frame DSLRs as well as the D500 and D7xxx bodies.

As far as I understand this, the AF-S version has an internal focusing motor which means it will work on my D5300, right?

therwol Loc: USA

Boris Ekner wrote:

As far as I understand this, the AF-S version has an internal focusing motor which means it will work on my D5300, right?

Should work. If it says "Silent Wave Motor" on the name plate, it will work.

This is another of Ken Rockwell's gems. I'll give him credit when he does something right.

https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm