Nikon AF 180mm f/2.8 ED review (relative to the AI version)
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- A continuation of the review I did a few months back of the 180mm f/2.8 AI version of this classic prime lens. Some say it is too long for portraits and too short for wildlife, but I absolutely love this focal length. In this video I explore the improvements Nikon have done between 1980 and 1992 when these lenses were produced.
Table of contents:
0:00 Introduction
0:32 Comparing the spec sheet
1:37 Sharpness - center and corners
3:55 Bokeh
4:20 Sun stars
4:40 Aberrations
5:47 Flare control
6:08 Mechanical auto focus (AF)
7:04 Sample pictures
8:31 Conclusion
10:05 Extro
Link to Flickr album with sample pictures:
www.flickr.com/photos/frederi...
I find your reticence to "process" your images curious inasmuch as I had as much fun in the darkroom in the 60s and 70s as I did shooting and find the Photoshop work on digital images much in the same vein. Granted I first started using Photoshop in the 80s before it was Photoshop ("Digital Darkroom") but the ability to modulate images post negative is a real powerful tool. I have this lens as well and it is the 'sine qua non' of my photography to the extent that (at my age of 70) I will simply stay with DSLRs to maintain maximum usage of this lens and my DC Nikkors.
Hi James, I hope that when I am 70, then I have the energy to give comments to UA-cam videos like you do! Truly impressive! And your comments about DC reminds me that my next lens probably is a 105 f/2.... I am not sure how you got the impression that I do not want to process my images? I am afraid I have expressed myself wrong. I am very much in favor of post processing. And I have a series of videos named "end to end process" where I describe how a certain picture is made. The most recent is here: ua-cam.com/video/i8IQkv0kBRs/v-deo.html&list - and in those I argue that the making of a picture involves 3 steps: the subject/scene, the shoot and the post processing. You can see the model 2:28 into the video for example. Hope this clarifies. And happy new year!
Another excellent video! Thanks for your review.
Glad you enjoyed it!
My wife and I breed and show Beagles and while I used to use my 85 1.8G for most of our shots, I now usually use my 180 AI or my Nikon Q 200 f4. Another of your viewers called old lenses garbage and while they do not perform the same as modern lenses do, they offer a level of quality construction you can’t get today; the low element count tends to lean towards better light transmission than examples with double, triple or quadruple the elements; and for those of us on a budget, they offer quality and longevity that can’t be bought for anywhere near the cost of a modern lens. Thanks for the video, Fred! If I was doing it over, I’d probably get the AF!
Thanks for sharing Tim, and I fully agree to the value of vintage lenses. I think they still have great value and they fill a space that modern glass cannot provide. So in one dimension we are making (technical) progress, in another the opposite. I am glad that I have my vintage glass also. All the best!
Excellent, I have the AF ones. Love it so much
Great to hear! I am VERY happy with the AF version also! Sits on my D700 all of the time!
Proud owner the 180mm 2.8
Almost bought this lens on several occasions, ended up getting the AI manual version at a third of what the ED AF version was going to cost hoping it would quell my desire or lens chase/collection issue. I've got several prime lenses close to this focal length with a lot of very good zooms that cover the 180mm...I was able to get a really good collection of lenses together on a budget and would of really liked to have had the 180mm ED AF as part of it, though I don't need it. Thanks for the comparison and good work with your videos.
Thank you for your kind words! And thank you for sharing! Yes, building a lens portfolio is never easy - it is a balance between what you ideally want and what your budget can carry - these two never seem to be aligned! That is why I love Nikon - after all they offer a legacy of glass that is second to none giving us many options for choosing glass on a budget with performance far better than what modern glass in the same price range can offer.
This lens will be in my list.
I'm sure you will find it to be a great lens!
Hey. Thanks for the superb video. I have this 180mm AF-D version. Will try to take images too. I finally sent my Nikon D700 to Nikon authorized service center in Munich. Waiting for it to come back. :)
Great 👍 I cross my fingers that the D700 comes back in good shape and will serve you well for many years!
I picked up an ED version ( with the gold ring) of the manual focus 180mm, and it is amazingly sharp wide open. Maybe now this glass is getting older, how it has been looked after becomes a factor. I use it mainly for static car portraits and it never moves from f2.8. I am greatly impressed by this bygone era gem.
Thank you for sharing! Yes, the Nikon F-mount lens lineup has so many gems that it must be their biggest threat to making money today. You can get more comfort with AF and silent motors, but there is something about those good old classic lenses... Take care!
@@frederikboving My thoughts exactly. I'm actually happy the Z system is here. Some people have to have the newest, not necessarily the best, which pushes f- mount gear onto the second hand market... Waiting for us.🙂
According to your video on the AI version the lens appears very soft wide open. If this lens looks comparable in sharpness with the AI then neither lens is particularly sharp wide open. So why would you say the lens is sharp wide open?
Just order one. Looking forward to get it. Used lens.
Recently recieved the the first AF version (1983) Nice lens performs great on the D700
Thanks for sharing!
I bought the ais version a couple of months ago. Absolutely love it.
Thanks for sharing Don, and all the best for the new year!
@@frederikboving you too Fredrick!
I am pondering buying an ai-s ...
I had this lens. It was very nice shooting people doing normal things outdoors. I also brought it to weddings because it is cheaper and shorter than a Nikon 80-200 and 70-200. I am not a fan of zooms. This lens is big, clunky and takes 72mm filters. The built in lens hood is handy but could be longer. I sold mine. I always preferred a Nikon 85mm for portraits, indoors and it is easier to carry outdoors, as well. 200 F4 or 135mm F2.8 are more compact than 180. I also had a 105 F2DC and 105F2.8 Micro, both of which are AF and easier to carry than 180 and more versatile, especially at weddings. You got to own them to know them. I am back to 85mm again. This time with 85G. Nice review and thank you. You must have a strong wrist to put the 180mm on you D700 and leave it on most of the time.
Thank you for sharing William! You certainly had your tour de force in Nikon lenses! I have the 85mm, the 105mm, the 135mm and the 180mm, but there is something about the 180mm that suits my style of shooting very well. So, I guess we are back to personal preferences :-D
@@frederikboving sold my 85 got the 105 135 2,8 and so other manual beauties
@@frederikbovingwhich prime lens do you love the most for outdoor portraits?
@@chellmcwags6229 Portrait is not really my line of business, but the 135mm DC would be my pick any day.
Great review as usual Frederik, thank you. With regard to chromatic aberration, it's fair to state that even the latest lenses suffer from it in varying amounts - especially when shooting in high-contrast situations such as twigs against a stark sky, as here. The newish Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is particularly prone to it wide open - magenta all over the shop, and in far greater quantities than one could reasonably expect given the cost of that lens! In your example of CA at 4:43 I note you were shooting that scene at f/32, and I wonder why you chose that diffraction-causing aperture for that scene.
Hi AntPDC, thank you for sharing the CA observation regarding new lenses. I actually thought it was due to mis-alignment of the glass and hence only happened for vintage glass that had been bumping around in camera bags for ages and hence the glass groups had mis-aligned over time. With regards to the F/32 I am not sure I can recall why it was. As you can see it was shot at 1/500 and at ISO 400, so there has been plenty of light. I recently read a book by Brian Peterson (Understanding exposure, 4th edition) where he argues that we are too afraid of small apertures. In all fairness he talks about f/22, but he does write "...shooting at f/22 can be a great idea and any worries about loss of sharpness and contrast are just as overblown as the Y2K fears were". Maybe I was just inspired by his words and wanted to give it a go!
@@frederikboving The CA on the $800 2019 Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is truly shocking wide open, although it has many positives too. Always a compromise in lens design - although in this case I think the trade-offs are highly questionable. Interesting insights on tiny apertures - f/22 and lower. Some folk simply say: use LR/PS smart sharpening to get back on track IQ-wise. BTW, the Nikkor 200mm f/4 AI/Ais is a peach. Small, lightweight, unobtrusive, impeccable image output. A whole stop slower that the 180 though.
@@AntPDC Thanks, right, I am a sucker for fast lenses. Nothing rational going on here, more the look of them and of course the weight training I get from carrying them around in the woods. But will take a closer look at the 200 mm. Thank you for sharing!
The good ones don't, so idk why it should be seen as acceptable with any pricy lens. Sigma art 135mm and panasonic zooms seem to have zero or close to zero ca, just two examples.
I have the 180mm 2.8 ED AI-S and like lens a lot, besides it's beautifully made and a pleasure to use. Albeit with the shallow DOF it's not that easy to focus without tripod.
I remember testing the 180mm 2.8 AF-D lens when buying my Df and it was really well made compared to my other AF lenses from Nikon or Canon. Wish I could justify buying the AF-D version as well, though the price is very reasonable.
Btw, if the lens isn't sharp at close distances, that doesn't mean it's the same all across the focus range, at medium or near infinite.
Right, thank you for pointing that out. I will need to include some long range shots in my tests going forward. I believe the AIS and AF have the same internal glass construction, so if it is any comfort, then you already have the sharp version of the glass, albeit not AF...
Great review. I love this lens and have 2 copies of it!... just in case one of them dies :) Best wishes for 2021
Thank you Andre! And thank you for sharing! Best wishes for 2021 to you too (it can hardly be worse than 2020?) - take care!
@@frederikboving Hey, finally got my D700 after repair. Nikon Service Munich did a good job! Did cost like €390 with taxes, but I believe it is better to have working camera and not a paper weight. Now I have this 180mm F2.8D too. :)
Next is a self cleaning of hazy 35-70 F2.8D push pull, awaiting some tools. :)
@@deamonsnake1985 All the best with your "new" D700 - I really hope it serves you well for a LONG time!
I bought the af polycarbonate version for far less than any good ai .ais versions I tried to buy on ebay , a excellent lens when used with a 2x converter gives a 360 mm 5.6 with a shallow depth of field which I have used for wildlife.
👌
Great video. Interesting observations. The AF and AF-D versions have same optical design? Thank you.
Thank you Brad! Yes, as a general rule the -D versions add distance information. But of course there is always a little risk that Nikon did some updates from the AF to the AF-D version, but I think not.
I understand your point regarding CA. But you have to realise this lens was released even in 'D' form several years before Digital sensors were in widespread use. Yes I suppose Nikon could release a bang up to date version with the Silent Wave built in motor, give the front element Nano Crystal coating, rejig the optical construction to virtually eliminate CA and make it weather resistant. But at what cost? You'd probably be not far off €1500 retail and apparently the 'D' version is still in production because it continues to be popular in Japan.
I think you are right. I have just reviewed the lens to make it transparent what it is you get if you go for this lens, so that viewers can make their own informed decisions.
Will add the AF version to my primes.
🙂
I was just watching this lens' qualities in Flickr shots some days ago and they are something else, tons of contrast and also seems to be razor sharp.
For some saying these kind of lenses are too soft and flawed for pro work, i don't know, at least for SOOC they might be but for someone moderately crafty in post-process software i think they are perfectly fine unless one is doing absolute top of the line professional fashion or reproduction work with 9 x 6' prints that are to be seen from 6' away, which is particularly rare and expensive that one might even rent a Phase One for it alone, if not then i don't see how these AF-D can't be used, many did back in the day with no major problems.
It Definately can be for pro use.
It's a great lens. No doubt.
Get that down to f5.6 and assuming good technique it is capable of pro results. Unless you're using a Nikon with a 40mp+ sensor, I can't see anyone going too far wrong with it,
There is also an Ais version with ED glass. Would be interesting to see how it compares to the AF.
That is what I have.
👍
I picked up a 9.5 condition of the ais version for little money beautiful lens and output IMO
Thank you for sharing!
May I ask how much "little money"? I had a mint 180 AI-s ED shipped over from Japan and the import duty alone was £70! Still, it is an astonishing work of art in lens-making - a masterpiece even, and I love it to bits. Wide open performance and colour rendering is beyond all reasonable expectations for a lens of this vintage - yes it's that good. Little wonder Ken Rockwell gave it this review: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180f28.htm
@@AntPDC mine cost me 150 uk glass is perfect and the focus is super smooth
@@dandruff9244 Thanks. Only Zeiss and Voigtlander make 'em like that these days, and at a premium!
I own a Olympus Zuiko 180mm f/2.8 vintage lens and was wondering which one was better, the manual Nikon Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 ED or Olympus Zuiko 180mm f/2.8? Great video Thanks for sharing. Subscribed
Thank you for your kind words! Unfortunately I have no experience with the Olympus lens you mention, so I am not of much help here. Seems like several reviewers point to the significant CA with the Olympus lens as a major drawback. All the best!
I got the old one af version its pin sharp and the bokeh is beatuful
It's a wonderful lens!
It is awesome for portrait. Some even use a 300mm lens.
Ha-ha! Yes, that must give some world class compression :-D
Thank you for another great and useful review. I purchased the AF version for $360 on eBay and will be here sometime next week.
I would appreciate it if you kindly tell me how you found the manufacturing date of your lenses. Thank you.
Thank you! I have found the lens information here: www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/lenses.html - all the best!
Frederik, you are the best...thank you. Love your videos, keep up the great work. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.@@frederikboving
@@mamo4104🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Happy New Year 🎈
Hello Frederik, I just received my copy of the Nikon AF 180mm f/2.8. This lens aesthetically is stellar, and essentially looks perfect. However, when I switch from A to M, the focusing ring is slightly hard to rotate, there seems to be some kind of friction/drag with some noise as if the focusing ring did not fully disengage from the AF motor, in short, the focusing ring does not rotate buttery smooth.
Do you have the same issue with your copy of the lens, is this issue typical of this lens? I greatly appreciate your response, thank you.
Hi, unfortunately I don't have the lens anymore but the focus ring should be smooth. If you take the lens off the camera, is the feeling then the same? If yes, then it sounds like your lens may have an issue.
Thank you my friend. This is a great lens, just wondering, watching your review, seems to me this is your favorite most useful lens! why did you get rid of it? @@frederikboving
@@mamo4104I have recently sold a lot of my gear and scaled down "the farm" to simplify my photography life as I had more gear than I could use. My 70-200 mm zoom covers the 180mm range so I would not loose much letting the primes go.
Isn't part of chrom ab handling down to the camera body? Also, some of the sharpness may be down to lens copy u have, and did they do an ED version of AI? 🤔
Hi Ironman, they did an AI-S version with ED, but to my knowledge not a AI version. Lens copies varies, yes, and sometimes a lot. Especially kit lens variations can be significant. This lens is an example where it is a bit of a lottery if you get a good copy: ua-cam.com/video/0yaNK7mSbUo/v-deo.html. I think CA primarily is a lens issue, but so is distortion, so I cannot rule out that your camera body and the software within can fix CA.
@@frederikboving cheers man, maybe a good excuse to add an AIs Ed to ur collection then, 😉 I've got an AF on the way from Japan right now, really looking forward to it.
I just purchased the 180mm Ai-s ED lens in excellent condition (paid $250 on eBay) which is of course the manual version and I hope the performance is comparable to your copy, I am not sure, perhaps not...
Fingers crossed you get a good copy 🤞
Thanks, hope so.
My Zf is arriving tomorrow so will try this lens on my new camera.@@frederikboving
@@mamo4104hope you got an FTZ adapter to go along. All the best with your new camera.
Right, I bundled the FTZ II in the same order for the Zf kit (with 40mm f2,) hence, saved $100
However, I just realized that the Zf package does not include the battery charger so I have to go back and place a new order for the charger....unbelievable! @@frederikboving
They finally stopped making this lens a couple of months ago.
Almost sound to me like you were eagerly awaiting them to stop the production of this lens?
Any chance to review the Nikon 300mm D f4 from the same generation?
Sorry, the 300mm is not on my wish list. I have the 200-500mm zoom to cover that range. But noted.
The af-s 300mm f4 ED (more recent) has zero optical issues wide open amazingly. The older, clunkier 300mm af version has nice rendering, but has some LoCA and lateral CA.
Why not compare the AI-S ED IF version?
I compare what I got. I don't have the AI-S ED IF version.
I want this lens as a gift 😑
🙂
Why didn't you compare the ED AIS to the AF?
I compare the glass I have available.