The first 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom (SHB first 300/2.8)

[David H. Hartman]

[My Bad?

It was the first 300/2.8, not the first 80-200/2.8, that was not an auto-aperture lens. It also was not an IF design. It was released to the press in January 1972, etc. More at Nikkor - The Thousand and One Nights, Tale No. 11.]

I've tried to find a paragraph I think I read at The Thousand and One Nights - Nikkor. It was not what the primary article was about. It was a detail about a particular lens designer. Here are the details as I remember them...

80-200mm f/2.8
Designed specifically for the Olympic Games (year?)
About 100 copies made
Never in the catalog

No auto-aperture!
Full manual aperture as the lens would be used for sports photography at f/2.8 to f/4.0

I believe this lens would predate the Nikon F3. Slow slide films of the day would be used and manual shutter speeds so the only reason to stop down would normally be for correct exposure. An aperture of f/4.0 would be bright enough for focus and composition. I assume the camera would be motor driven.

I've searched with Google to no avail. I've searched FireFox for a bookmark and haven't found one. I do dream about photography but no auto-aperture is not something I'd dream about.

Since about 100 copies were made this lens is not a prototype. If it were a sports car it could race at La Mans in a production class. Again it was never listed in the Nikon catalog.

Dave Hartman who hopes not many cats lose a life to curiosity.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Peter Braczko lists the prototype 2-ring model of the 80-200/2.8 ED as being made in late 1978, and presented at PhotoKina that year. No details of numbers except for the statement ".. remained a prototype as only a very few of them were sold". It is said to be a 12/9 design weighing 1.7 kg and having ED glass. Filter thread a whopping 86 mm.

This corresponds to Roland Vink's entry of a prototype 80-200/ED 2-ring for 1978, serial numbers unknown.

The production model was a massive push-pull zoom 80-200/2.8 ED AIS  in 1982, featuring beautiful workmanship, 15/11 optical design, weight 1.9 kg, and an even bigger front thread now of 95 mm size. About 1500 of them were made before the onslaught of the AF models commenced a few years later. I own one nice sample and its optical quality is first rate. Due to its heft, it thrives best on a tripod.

[RonVol]

I'd be very surprised if 100 were made.
These are the only images I have of that lens.
One is from Peter's book, I've added the gold ED ring 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The first photo is very crisp and detailed. Is this a press photo of some kind?

The tripod collar is quite similar in shape to that of the 1982 AIS production model, but differs by apparently being detachable.

[RonVol]

The first photo is very crisp and detailed. Is this a press photo of some kind?

I can't exactly remember where I got that image from.
I've added Peter's name to the title so it must be a scan from one of his books.
I have edited it by cleaning it up and sharpening the detail, but only a touch up - nothing major.

[RonVol]

Here's some info about the AI-S version taken from a Photokina '82 press kit that Nikon had put together for the official launch of the new lens.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

That's the 80-200/2.8 ED  lens I own for sure.

Besides being a display of excellent workmanship, it zooms and focuses in a silky smooth manner. The tripod collar, albeit looking a bit scanty, is very robustly made and easily holds the heavy lens perfectly stable on a tripod. Not a lens I would use for for hand-held shooting though, but on a monopod it might work.

We should make a survey of how many NG members own this lens. Besides myself, I know of one additional sample in possession of a registered member. I suspect there are more of them in our ranks.

[richardHaw]

Not a lens I would use for for hand-held shooting though, but on a monopod it might work.

why!?

these are sure rare. they aren't cheap when they appear

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Still a lens and should be used as such.

I didn't pay through the nose for my sample of the 80-200/2.8 ED, quite the contrary. Thus even more the reason for shooting with the lens.

[chambeshi]

The New Nikon Compendium. pg 200

"As zoom lenses became ever more popular with professional photographers they demanded a lens with a wider maximum aperture. Nikon developed a two-ring prototype 80-200mrn f/2.8 lens that was displayed at the Photokina exhibition in 1975, however, it did not go into production. It was not until four years later that the Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 ED appeared. A large lens that provides superb image quality it had an equally impressive price tag!"

[RonVol]

Here's the example that I own, #182218.
It's the only boxed example that I've seen.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Must be  a typho for the appearance of the 80-200 (2-ring). All other literature state 1978 and that year fits with the statement of a 4-year period until the production model was shown, which was in 1982.

I do have the Nikon press releases for PhotoKina 1975 and no mentioning of the 80-200 can be found there. They did exhibit the 20/2.8 (prototype), 24/2, Noct 58/1.2, and the ED-version of the 800 mm f/8 lens head.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

My 80-200/2.8 AIS came with the original hood HN-25, but otherwise no auxiliaries. Serial number 182268 thus only 50 units away from your lens !!

The number of 80-200/2.8 ED AIS units in the NG community now has climbed to 3. Not bad for such a rare lens. Any more of them out there?

[RonVol]

Size comparison.
70-200mm f/2.8 AF VRII vs 80-200mm f/2.8 AI-S

[RonVol]

My 80-200/2.8 AIS came with the original hood HN-25, but otherwise no auxiliaries. Serial number 182268 thus only 50 units away from your lens !!

What side is the tripod collar nut on your lens?