Nikon 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 D AF

So this is the third zoom list I will have written about since starting this.  This one again is a consumer lens from Nikon that can be found quite affordably at ebay.  If you want a detailed review go check out what Ken Rockwell has to say about the lens.

One thing that Rockwell talks about is the sharpness and brightness of the images you get with this lens.  And I have to say I quite agree with him.

This picture was taken at full zoom and has very good brightness and crispness.  Here is a shot taken at full wide angle.  

Even in a shadow at full zoom the lens picked up very good details.  But besides the sharpness and the brightness of the pictures what I really liked about this lens was just how light and easy it is to carry around.  The biggest problem with this lens is that the closest focal point is five feet.  But when you want to zoom in on something it is very handy.  Like the picture below.  

Or this picture of a skateboarder.

All in all I really liked this lens.  Very crisp and bright pictures, focus was quick and precise and all in all very easy to use.  

I would give this a score of 8.0 out of 10. That's 8 for picture quality, 9 for ease of use, and 7 for usability.  The only problem with this lens is the short focal point and the fact that it really is not for indoor use with an aperture of 4.5-5.6.  But if you were taking a trip to a national park and hoping to get some good animal shots I think this would be an excellent lens for the job.

Here is the full gallery.