Nikon 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-n

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: VR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600

View my Gallery of photos taken with the Nikkor 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-n.

This lens has been serving me for many years, and in day to day shooting, the optics are great.  Although the auto-focus is fairly slow, I have used it to successfully shoot football games with no complaints.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-D

Focal Length: 116mm

Shutter: 1/1000

Aperture: f/11

ISO: 500

Flash: None

Shooting static objects the auto-focus has always been accurate with no complaints.  That is not to say I have no complaints with this lens.  This is the only Nikon lens I have ever owned, that has failed.  I was shooting a NASCAR event and I swapped this lens on and the auto-focus did not function.  After checking all of the camera settings I pulled the lens off and noticed that the auto-focus screw drive wasn't flush with the lens mount like normal, but inset a few mm.  At first I thought that something had happened inside the lens, but then I found the little button on the ground that had actually fallen out.  I have since been able to get the button reattached to the lens, but the manual focus while never smooth is now nothchy and atrocious.

UPDATE:  This lens has now had it's second failure, and again, it is the only lens to ever fail on me so I have concerns for it's durability.  As for the second failure, I was shooting a wedding with it when I noticed that the focus had all of the sudden gotten jammed when zooming.  So if I left the zoom in one position it was fine, but when zooming and focusing at the same time it would stick.  At this same point I noticed that the zoom ring, which should feel solid, seemed to have some play in it.  I moved it back and forth and while it felt horrid I could not see anything out of place.  I went back to attempt a shot with it and when I zoomed in the zoom ring and front element came right off the front of the lens.  Luckily I had a backup camera and another long lens to complete the shoot.  When I got home I found two screws floating inside the barrel and noticed that there are supposed to be 3 holding the zoom ring to the rest of the lens (you can see the screw heads if you look through the front element).  Being someone who never likes to toss something out I have reassembled it, but it will never see professional work again.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: VR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600

The zoom on this lens is a bellows type.  While it seems that most lenses nowadays are a twist zoom, I actually prefer and feel that I have more control with a bellows zoom, so this is a selling feature for me.  The zoom is spaced well through the entire zoom range with no crowding at either end.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: VR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600

Being an AF-n lens the aperture ring only has a small button to lock it in the tightest aperture position.  I hate this tiny button.  It is so easy to hit that I constantly have to put it back to f/32.  This is a pain when you are in a hurry.  Invariably when you are in a hurry you'll snap it on, put the camera to your eye, and see FEE in the viewfinder as nothing happens.  This ergonomics problem wont hurt your photos, just keep you from getting them.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: VR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G

Focal Length: 55mm

Shutter: 1/60

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: SB-600

SPECS:

• Focal Length: 70-210mm
• Aperture (70mm): f/4 - f/32, 7 blades
• Aperture (210mm): f/5.6 - f/45, 7 blades
• Close Focus: 36"
• Lens Type: AF-n
• Filter Size: 62mm
• Weight: 21.9oz (620g)

Here are some test images for comparison.  This is the overall image and is shot at the closest focus distance, so only about 9 inches or so from the target.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-n

Focal Length: 210mm

Shutter: 1.6 sec

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: None

Maybe a little hint of pincushion distortion but not enough to worry about.

The next image is the very center at full resolution.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-n

Focal Length: 210mm

Shutter: 1.6 sec

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: None

To my eye this image looks very clean and sharp, but that is pretty much as expected.

And this final image is from the left corner at full resolution.

Camera: Nikon D80      

Lens: 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-n

Focal Length: 210mm

Shutter: 1.6 sec

Aperture: f/8

ISO: 100

Flash: None

The corner shows this image is very crisp and clean out to the corner and I cannot see anything here to complain about.

So the final thoughts.  I find this lens serviceable with excellent optics.  As far as reliability, it is the only Nikon lens that has ever failed on me.  Ergonomically I personally like the bellows zoom, but hate the aperture ring lock.  If you need this focal length and can find it cheap go for it, but I will be replacing it with either the VR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G or VR 55-300 f/4-5.6G for a DX camera, or the VR 70-300mm f/4-5.6G for FX.  You'll get those reviews when I make the purchase.

View my Gallery of photos taken with the Nikkor 70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF-n.