I have owned one of these lenses for some years and despite also owning the 70-200 2.8, I would not be without this 180mm classic.

6:10 “Nikon have been making fast 180mm lenses since shortly after the earth cooled” I’m dying 😂😂😂

Have it.....love it and your insightful review solidifies my purchase. Happy to see you back on the tube.

Yooooooo!!! Welcome back!!! Miss this reviews so hard 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

Welcome back! You were missed. I love your reviews.

Welcome back! I love your detailed reviews.

Thanks again for the advice and history of the Nikon 180mm 2.8mm lens

Thanks for taking some time to review this old, but still beautiful lens. I'm a relatively new photographer that shoots mainly sports, action (dance) and wildlife. I first purchased the 70-200mm f2.8 E FL ED lens for it's flexibility. I came across a used inexpensive copy of the 180mm f2.8 AF-D and purchased it for as my first prime for a DSLR after a used 50mm. Two years ago, i moved to the Z9 (a camera I had been waiting on for 4 years), and then found a used copy of the 200mm f2 VR. The reason I'm leaving a comment is the following: Yes, the 200mm f2 is heavy - and compared to the other options, expensive - and poorly balanced with a manual focus ring that seems to be in the way and a foot that is pretty useless. It also has lots of elements in several groups. That said, the images out of it are far sharper, crisper, and the color punchier than the 180mm f2.8 and the 70-200mm f2.8 zoom (to my eye). I do not see the same degree of flare or color fringing out of the 200mm compared to the 180. The transition out-of-focus zones also appear far smoother as well. I've shot all three lenses side by side and for optical quality, the images of the 200mm stand out. They also, in the right circumstances, have depth and dimensionality. My Nikon and Canon friends who often see my images, have priced a 200mm for themselves because they can see the difference. Since the purchase of the 200mm, I've forced myself to bring it everywhere and shoot almost everything with it including wildlife. Friends, who don't like their own portraits taken, have requested I supply their portraits taken with the 200mm f2 (outdoors) for their corporate websites. Nikon's Z9 makes focusing with shallow DOF much easier. I realize the 200mm (just like the 180mm) are a bit niche in their scope and use. I believe people say that about the 135mm f2 DC (and probably the 135mm Z S Plena). That said, while it's a PITA to carry around, the hockey players, dancers, and others I capture in low light, are always visibly taken a back with the 200mm images. While the performance you can with both the zoom and 180 can get close, something about the 200mm images put them in a different league. - at least for this amateur at this point in my photography journey.

Just finished a photo shoot with it. This review is pretty right on. It is not a quiet lens, meaning you can clearly hear the focus motor working the inner gears of the lens which is definitely makes it feel serious. You have to move your body a lot to get into the perfect situation. But once you are and it locks into / onto the target it takes your breath away... or use manual mode too if you want. When the 180mm 2,8 locks in the target it feels amazing and the images then later look amazing when you upload them. As an oil painter, it reminds me of a great sable brush.

Great review. Thank You!

Very nice review! Thanks. I just found a nice used one and plan to use for Astrophotography.

Excellent watch, I just bought this lens yesterday on Ebay for portraits, I love my 24-70 ed VR but I needed a portrait lens that could crush the background

After watching your video once again, I gave in and ordered one of the last ones manufactured according to the serial numbers, a bit expensive, but like new condition, I can't wait to mount it on my F5 and D700! I would love for you to make a follow up review of this lens ICON...

I really enjoyed your review. To me, this is an unsung lens in Nikon's arsenal. I love the results that I get from mine. It's incredible for black and white portraits. If you own it, you owe it to yourself to try some b/w shots.

I finally picked one of these up for £220 and I have to say that on my d850 it takes the most beautiful photographs

Excellent video

I completely understand where you're coming from with the number of lens elements changing the character of the image. I have the manual focus version (gold ring, one piece of ED glass) and the images it helps me make are so unique. This lens only has five elements! I remember reading a piece where the author related the number of lens elements to light falling to the ground under a tree. The more branches it hits the less "pure" the result. It may be a bit metaphorical but he has a point.

I bought the af version with the polycarbonate body in 2019 and now 4 years later this 35 year old lens still gives excellent images .

Excellent review 👍

I can attest that this lens is stunning! I've often said it is my favorite lens in my collection. I often reach for it for many different purposes. Do yourself a favor and grab one if you do portraits, especially if you're getting paid to shoot.

I have owned my lens since the AF model came out. Around 1990. Lens is non intrusive, and, people don't get camera shy when I use the lens

Have you done a review of the 80-400 /f 4.5/5.6D lens

I wonder if you could look at the nikon 80-400mm AF 4-5 to 5.6D , please

Well done review from a new sub

Agree 100%! I have this 180mm f/2.8 AF D Classic! And will NEVER part with it. It grabbed my attention when I viewed the very first photo I took with it! Note: I have the new Nikon ZF and with this lenses combo it’s pure magic when manually focusing! And the lens hood it’s my favourite hood ever made… it’s there when you need and you barely notice when you either using it or not using it… just the sliding back and forth it’s just the best hood design ever made by anyone!

I had that lens for 25 years, great optical quality but focusing is a pain, need an update Nikon, AF-S E version (VR not necessary).

Great (spoken) review JK, thank you. But one can't possibly convey the image quality of this and other lenses when uploading at 360p. There was little excuse for that in 2008, much less 2018. It defeats the purpose of featuring images intended to be representative of a given lens' capabilities, even taking into account your very good and comprehensive narration.

I had a 180 AFD. It was nice outdoors but who shoots it wide open on a sunny day? Mine started looking good from F4. A little front heavy , it can wobble a bit if you are not careful. 200 F4 is a great compromise, cheaper, more compact and a similar focal length to 180mm. I was not excited about its AF abilities. Try it and see which lens you prefer to use and carry around outdoors.

I have one and love it, but as it came used 5 years ago, right now it has a big problem: a gray layer on the internal lens! Always used it with care... Don’t know what happened, I read that many old lens hadnthis kind of problems like the 35-70 f2.8 or the 20mm 2.8... So bad to discover it

Probably one of the topest 180mm even made with the Leica apo (but only f3.4). It s contributes to nikon legend.

I am a novice..Is this lens a good choice in 2022?

Hey JK - excellent Video. I've been thinking about one of these 180s for a while but so far have not justified it as I do mainly indoor portraits with 85 & 70mm & studio strobes. I also do candid environment portraits with 50 & 35mm (just ordered a 24-85VR btw) so the 180 is not really the thing for my current style. However - this lens would be a great excuse to venture outdoors for portraits sometimes LOL. I've made the firm discision to ignore the mirrorless hype and just take the opportunity to hoover up the fantastic used Nikon bargains that 'Mirrorless Mania' is currently creating. My brother & I have just bought a pair of D3x bodies for incredibly low prices (there are VERY few online reviews and they're mainly terrible.) It was totally off my radar but when I saw one in my local LCE, I did some research. My take was - "This was Joe McNally's high resolution portrait camera for a couple of years and Nikon spared no expense in creating it - can it be so utterly Bad?. I decided that at these prices, I could afford to try one for myself and I'm so glad I did! When Bruv and I saw the images from the first one, we rushed straight out to buy a second body. The D3x is a fantastic portrait cameras in my book (as I shoot low(ish) ISO! My view is that the Nikon F-mount is a fabulous ecosystem and I've no intention of leaving it just when the prices of seriously classy used kit are falling through the floor. (Timmee on Purpleport)

Hey, where you been all this years? Missed your detailed lens reviews 👍

Great review JK, thank you! Have you any experience with the older 180mm f/2.8 *ED AIS? Ken Rockwell describes it as a "masterpiece". We clearly get no idea as to quality since your upload here is a mere 360p, but DXOMark marks the lens you review here down severely on sharpness - a paltry 14 "pmpx" - even on a D810. I rarely take DXO at their word, but that seems a shockingly significant finding.

I have the 1986 plastic body version of this lens and I love it for portraiture!

I just got this lens today - Nov 2020 :)

Ha Ha! Welcome back....about time.

I find manual focusing rather unpleasant, I don't know if my camera has a problem, but it seems that some "points" are harder than others when focusing manually... Perhaps because of the movement caused by the internal motor over time...

The whole low element count / micro-contrast thing is a funny one, marketing copy found in old photography magazines. High-end lenses produced today (with their 16 or so elements) have almost as much micro contrast (its honestly hardly noticeable, unlike bubble/onion bokeh and CA which really is). The problem is that people compare these older high-end lenses with new low-end lenses, its really not a fair comparison. (love your vids btw).

I tried it. I like the 180 2.8 ED ais better.

I see a 180 for sale shows AF but also. ED instead of just D is there any diff or both the same?

Excellent video in this happy year 2020!, 💕

Fashion photographers love the 180mm lens

Thanks for the review, much appreciated. I know I’m late to the discussion, but I still hope you can help me out. I’m torn between this lens and the ai-s ed version of this lens mainly using it on the z50, so AF doesn’t work anyway. Any preferences? Thanks :))

Does this lens have an fuji xmount option to allow AF? And is it weatherproof?

An awesome image but I almost never use this lens. It’s a bit of a weird focal length. But I will keep it until I’m dead and buried 😀

If I have no need for flash, do I need the D version or would the earlier version work well?

Would the Nikkor 180 mm f2.8 be suitable for my Nikon D70? Anyone used it on a crop sensor , would it be a good match?

I have the AF (non-D) version on my Z5 and/or D7100, and while it's fairly sharp even from 5.6, the CA can be horrendous wide open and has to be corrected in postproc. I know that this has always been a problem with "simple" fast lenses, but at longer focal lengths it really hits you how much optical design has actually improved, not stepped back. The only reason I use it instead of the otherwise far superior 70-300 AF-P VR is to get more background separation / bokeh... all in all , you need to have one of these, but it's not a daily driver.

I just got mine today for a bargain! yeeey!

This lens was a wonder, the problem is not only the old style optics and performance (not a problem for portraits and the lack of resolution could be a plus ) but it’s too expensive right now. It use to be a bargain, but today the sigma 135mm f1.8 looks like a better investment

The earliest versions of this lens, pre-AIS, were rumored to have ED glass but without the gold ring. The image quality of all the multi coated lens was superb. The first plastic AF lenses were the same optical formula as the later metal bodied lenses. The build quality however was hideous and not many were produced. Nikons first AF lenses were really pretty ugly, especially considering the very high quality of their manual focus lenses. A case in point is the first AF 55mm micro lens. Great image quality with really bad packaging.

AF-D does not exist. AF and D designations are two different things. This lens' predecessor was an AF lens, but lacked the D designation, there are AF lenses with the G designation and AF-S lenses, as well as AF-I lenses with the D designation.

How about Nikon 300mm f4 from the same generation? 🤔

You can never buy this pro grade lens under 300 usd . This lens different than others . 180 mm f2.8 very light and small lens if u compare with 70-200 f2.8 of 80-200 f2.8 . image quality , bokeh excellent . if you need cheap , very light , fast and excellent result sport lens this lens is perfect. I use this lens on D610 and D4s . On D4s 2x faster. Body effect everything never blame lens if you don't use sport camera body. also on d500 very fast lens too. under 300 usd u can get short or kit lenses. I use 300mm f4d and 180mm f2.8 for marathon and car racing , cycling . also with this lens 300mm f4d best buy lenses .

Good video, but 360p is ridiculous! If it is at least 720p I wouldn't say anything.

I’m selling mine.

You have managed to describe such a beautiful lens into something sooooooooo boring.....the voice pattern is so linear and boring that I fall into my chair and I found my self asleep before the review has ended. Good Job. I could use you as my children's nanny. All you have to do is to talk to them before bed time and I am sorted for the night. LOL

Hang on! Sorry! Having long watched your excellent reviews on the 14-24, 24-70, & 70-200mm Nikon Holy Trinity several of these images appear in the 70-200mm 2.8 review. While I agree the 35mm & 60mm D series lenses are a very good reason to stay away from the 24-70mm zoom lens in all its rebirths I cannot agree with the use of images taken from a totally different type of lens [zoom] to use for a prime. Two images for sure are the lonesome tree and the train. Shameful. That said I thank you for persuading me to buy the 35mm & 60mm D series. Owning the 70-200mm f4 and with the micro 105mm also in my bag I have and still am giving serious consideration to buying the lens you review.

Please, speak faster!!!!!!!!

God...not you again!!!!