D70 & Nikon AF 180mm f/2.8 ED-IF

Very good combo indeed.
Not the fastest one obviously but great results IMHO.
Best,
LCT

Is it the current AF-D version, or the older, non-D AF lens? Just about all AF-D lenses are completely compatible with the D70, and the earlier non-D AF lenses are also compatible, but you should follow the information in your D70 manual for determining compatibility and using non-G lenses with the camera. Quality should be superb since this has always been one of Nikon's best lenses.

A lot of folks did not particularly like the 180 2.8 AF model that immediately followed the last manual focus version, many prefer the second version that followed the first 180 AF version. The second AF 180 is better built and more cosmetically attractive, with that Nikon black crinkle texture and an all metal barrel. Optical quality is pretty much excellent throughout the entire range, though some may disagree, claiming certain versions to be superior to others.

But be aware that to get maximum quality with a 180mm at shutter speeds slower than about 1/250 (some might say even 1/125) you will likely have to use some sort of camera support, like a tripod. The one shortcoming of the 180 Nikons is the lack of a tripod mount on the lens barrel. Hanging a heavy lens, like the 180 2.8, on the front of a D70 while on a tripod is probably not a good idea and will likely damage the camera's lens mount or base plate. For most purposes, the 80-200 AF-D (with rotating tripod mount) is every bit as good as the 180, is more versatile, works great on a tripod, and can be had new or used for relatively little money, though it is a bit larger and heavier than the 180mm f/2.8.

I disagree. The 180 mm AF-D is lightweight and it would be impossible to design a tripod mount for it to be used at the correct position with most Nikon bodies. The center-of-gravity is at the lens mount - is that where you'd put the collar? Half under the body and half around the lens? The lens handles beautifully on a tripod - no problems at all. The lens weights a little more than one-half of the 80-200 zooms. The 180 is certainly not going to affect the lens mount in the camera in any way; it would have to be 2-3 times heavier to do that.

The 180 gives stunning - I mean mind-blowing - image quality on the D70. I sold my 80-200/2.8D N because the 180 gave so much visibly superior images on the D70 than the zoom so I wouldn't have wanted to continue using it and I knew someone who needed it.

There is only one lens in the Nikon line which compares favorably with the 180 on the D70, and that's the 105/2 DC.

Thanks for your input.

So ED-IF isn't enough, I have to check if it is AF-D ? Maybe that's the reason of the low prices I saw for two of them ( compared to a 70-2000 or 80-200 ) : < 500? ?

"There is only one lens in the Nikon line which compares favorably with the 180 on the D70, and that's the 105/2 DC.

"

BTW : in a lower focal range : how compares the 50/1.8D to the two others ?

The lens is wonderful. It focuses faster on F5. There can be a hundred of good things that can describe the lens. Making one remark that is not that great for one purpose while great for another can give wrong perception of the lens, and that can easily offend thousands of lens owners.

One thing that I could mention is that "the lens focusing ring is designed to turn slightly beyond the infinity position" - this is not a problem for Auto Focus lens in normal shooting temeratures, considering wider depth of field at far distance.

Alternatively, D70 with Nikkor 80-400 VR provides greater flexibility, for an extra US$400, and photo quality is good for moderate to large print sizes. For non-sport shots, VR gains 2 to 3 F-stops, making it practically as fast as 180/2.8.

This strikes me as an interesting thread...

First of all, as far as I know, all Nikkor AF lenses, whether AF, AF-D, or AF-G, are all compatible with the D70. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that's my understanding.

Also, I don't believe there is a non-D AF version of the 180. So you're set.

allan

Actually, there are two non-D versions of the 180mm f2.8 ED-IF...

What do you loose with the non-D version ?