70 - 210 mm AF-D lens

[rahudman]

I'm planning my d70 purchase well in advance. I'm looking at lens options ontop of the standard 18-70mm kit lens. I was reading an interesting article (http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikkor.htm#digital) on lens recommendations.

Could someone please tell me (in very beginner language) what they would recommend for me for a lense choice, comparing the 70 - 210 mm AF-D lens and the (newer) 70-300mm G Lens that you can buy I am interested in a range of photography at this point, so want something that is reasonable flexable.

I understand that the older 70 - 210 mm AF-D lens from the eighties or so is pretty good (not the manual focus one).

What sort of price can I get the 70 - 210 mm AF-D lens for, and where from

Thanks a bunch

[birddog114]

What sort of price can I get the 70 - 210 mm AF-D lens for, and where from

US$795.00 on ebay or if you're lucky, you can find it around AU$300.00- $500.00

[rahudman]

Is ebay the only way to go Birddog Do you know if there are many people on the forum that I can get it from perhaps? Do you have any sources?

Any body else??

[gstark]

There is no way that you could draw a valid comparison between the 70-210 and the 70-300G lenses. They are as different as high quality optical glass is from a coke bottle.

A 70-210 will probably cost a tad more, will weigh a bit more, won't have quite the reach, but will leave the 70-300 for dead when it comes to the areas of build and optical quality.

[birddog114]

Is ebay the only way to go Birddog Do you know if there are many people on the forum that I can get it from perhaps? Do you have any sources?

Any body else??

This lens is an old lens and you can't never buy it new again,
Sorry I don't know where can you get one of them, search on eBay with your luck.

[birddog114]

Or you can get a Nikon 70-300mm f.4-5.6 AF-D brand new for $550.00 perhaps.

[rahudman]

Gstark. I understand what you are trying to say, just trying to get a feel for what lens would be better for me. So clearly the 70-210 is a far better lens than 70-300, even though it doesn't have the reach.

Prepared to pay a bit extra for a good lens. Yeah, I do realise that the 70-210 is discontinued. I'll leave it for now and just keep searching. I can't afford to buy till mid year, but if anybody find one that is being sold, let me know if you can.

Cheers

[rahudman]

Briddog

Is that Nikon 70-300mm f.4-5.6 AF-D (for around $550 avaliable through you? Is that the upgrade from the G verion of the 70-300mm??

[kipper]

Or you could just save another couple of thousand and get a VR zoom

[birddog114]

Briddog

Is that Nikon 70-300mm f.4-5.6 AF-D (for around $550 avaliable through you? Is that the upgrade from the G verion of the 70-300mm??

The AF-D is not a new lens, the new lens is 70-300G

[boxerboy]

Rahudman, the 70-210 is quite a common sight on ebay. I have had one (though not the D version) since new, about 12 or 13 years. It is a wonderful lens which I regularly use on my D70. If you do a search on 70-210 you will find some recent postings (on by LOZ featuring a rose and one by me featuring a bromeliad and rosella flower, among others). I think you'll find anyone with this lens is quite keen on it and it would be worth waiting for one in good condition.

Cheers
Peter

[rahudman]

Found a few on ebay (that is ebay.com - not au), what is the different between "AF" and "AF-D". How does it effect useage?

[rahudman]

Here are the ones I found...what do you think? What is a good price?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 80368&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 58654&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 89551&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 62731&rd=1




Would you say it is ok to buy US stuff

[boxerboy]

Found a few on ebay (that is ebay.com - not au), what is the different between "AF" and "AF-D". How does it effect useage?

The lens is optically the same, the D stands for "Distance". Distance-to-subject information is fed back to the camera mainly to assist flash operation (I think).

Cheers
Peter

[rahudman]

Thanks Boxerboy!

[boxerboy]

Here are the ones I found...what do you think? What is a good price?

The first one's not a Nikon lens.