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 ?

Found on dpreview.com :

Other AF Nikkor than AF-D & AF-G : All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering, i-TTL balanced fill-flash for digital SLR.

What's the impact in real life ?

Well, the first non-D AF Nikkor had a lousy thin manual focus ring, avoid it. The second is essentially the same as the D version. You don't get distance info in the camera but I can't really see how the distance would be beneficial in a 180 mm lens - so in practice you don't loose anything.

"..but I can't really see how the distance would be beneficial in a 180 mm lens - so in practice you don't loose anything."

huh? beneficial like any other D lens.

Yeah, but a 180 mm with digital isn't likely to be used with flash is it? I've found D very nice for direct flash macro shots on tranny film.

if i'm i know i'm staying over/around 200mm, i take the 80-200 off and put on the 180; i use mine at events all the time. but your right, not as common useage as an 80-200

Ilkka,

A lens (current 180mm 2.8 AF-D) that weighs close to two pounds is hardly a "lightweight" lens. It's absurd to claim the "center of gravity" would be at the "lens mount" with a lens as physically long as the current 180mm AF-D, with most of the lens' weight and mass situated at the front of the barrel. And why would you suppose Kirk Photo sold a tripod bracket and support for the Nikon 180 2.8 for years? (I was told they discontinued it due to lack of demand.)

I've own/ed both the old MF and the new AF-D versions of the 180, and used both of these with a variety of bodies. When used with something like the F2, F3 or the F4 there is no real danger of damaging the lens mount or bottom plate, these all metal bodies are rugged and can take a lot of stress. When I've used the current 180mm lens, which is lighter than the old MF version, with my D70 I could visibly see the front of the lens barrel sag slightly when I removed my hands from the focus ring when focusing manually. This phenomenon was clearly visible in the D70's viewfinder as the composition would slightly shift vertically when support was removed from the lens barrel, and that was with a heavy Gitzo tripod and large Bogen 3047 mounting plate.

If you feel the D70's lightweight, plastic body can take the stress then feel free to hang an unsupported, longish, 27+ oz. lens from the front. It's your camera.

The lens weights less than 2 pounds (1.5 I think), and even the 80-200/2.8 AF without collar (which is nearly twice as heavy) can be safely used on tripod with any Nikon SLR. That is what Nikon says.

As for the camera tilting when its mounted on a tripod, sounds like you have a problem with the soft wooden part of the quick release plate giving in or something like that (anyway, it's in the tripod, not the camera/lens). This is perfectly normal and it happens pretty much with every one of my bodies. I just lifted the F100 with the 180, and the centre-of-gravity is at the point of the aperture ring. The D70 is a little lighter but the point really is that the tripod mount would only make one of the best points of this lens (low weight) go away, with no practical benefit because most of the users of this lens would be using professional bodies, where the camera is heavier than the lens.

Tripod mount or not, the 180 gives superior image quality when mounted from the camera than the 80-200 mounted from the lens. And not by a little bit. I suggest you ackquire proper quick release plates which don't use cork.

I just tested the combo and there was absolutely no play when I tried to twist the lens. The mirror box of all Nikon SLRs is metal of course (from the lens mount to the bayonet), otherwise the focusing and other critical things wouldn't work. Like I said, this lens isn't half heavy enough to be harmful to the body.

i can't even get play with my 300f4 on the d70, let alone a light wieght like the 180.

works lika a charm

Carsten

http://www.cabophoto.com/

"All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering"

I searched on the Nikon sites and from what I understood in some docs, the 1005 pixel metering system continues to work, but just without the distance information. In 99% of the situations that makes no difference => Non D AF lenses are a good bargain !