Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII)

According provided by lens Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D many thanks to Igor Fursov.

Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII)

Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII)

The lens was produced in 3 versions

  1. Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKI) - 1995-1999 Optical design 7/7.
  2. Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII) - from 1999 to 2001, differs from the previous one with a focusing ring. Optical design 8/8. This version is presented in the review..
  3. Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.3-5.6G (MKIII) - from 2001 to 2005, differs from previous versions, the absence of aperture ring and a slightly larger aperture by 28mm. This version was available in two colors - gray and black. Optical design 6/6. You can see an overview of such a lens. here.

All lenses of the AF Nikkor 28-80mm series were produced exclusively in Thailand.

Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D is the most common stock zoom lens for film cameras. Roughly speaking, this is an analogue of the "whale" lens for Nikon DX cameras - Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM Aspherical. The last one gives EGF 27-82.5 is actually the same as the Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D on a full-frame camera and is considered the same super-budget product. It's funny, but these two lenses are almost the same in size, even though one is for Nikon FX cameras and the other is for DX cameras.

Basic Information on Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII)

Basic Information on Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII)

Due to the fact that this is one of the most affordable zoom lenses for Nikon FX cameras, everything is simplified as much as possible - plastic mount, plastic body, lack of focusing distance and depth of field markers, etc.

View of Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D at 80mm and MDF

View Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D at 80mm and with MDF

To the touch, such a lens is very, very flimsy. The focus ring is rubberized, but does not rotate smoothly, but in jerks. Bringing the zoom or focus ring to its limit value, you can hear the sound of rattling and rattling of plastic on plastic, which does not make me very happy. But, saving on high-quality materials, it was possible to make a very light lens, which is its undeniable advantage.

Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

Plastic lens mount Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D has a very fast auto focus. Focusing speed can even be compared with Nikon 24-70mm 1: 2.8G ED AF-S N Nikkor (if we take the time when focusing from infinity to MDF and back). When focusing, the lens sometimes makes mistakes: it 'freezes' or crawls back and forth, but its fast focusing partly compensates for this shortcoming. Of course, when focusing, the Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D makes unnecessary noise due to the 'screwdriver' mechanism. The focusing ring is non-rubberized, rotates approximately 60 degrees, manual focusing is difficult. The ring is rather flimsy and can be rotated with one finger. The good news is that the minimum focusing distance is only 40 cm, which at 80 mm focal length makes it possible to shoot small details in close-up. When focusing, the front lens rotates and slides forward. When zooming, the lens trunk moves in waves.

In reviews, I often mention MDF - it's just an acronym for Minimum Focus Distance. The MDF is measured from the subject to the focal plane, not to the front lens of the objective. In modern digital cameras, their matrix is ​​located in the focal plane. For example, if we shoot a cat's face with maximum magnification, then MDF is the distance from its muzzle to the camera matrix. Considering that the lens itself has certain linear dimensions, as well as the distance from the camera mount to the focal plane, the focusing distance from the object to the front lens of the lens is significantly shorter than the MDF. This is very important for macro photography, where it is desirable not to scare insects with the front lens, etc.

Labels on the Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

Labels on the Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

The Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D MKII version was produced in less than 2 years, and usually the more well-known standard lens for film cameras is the Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.3-5.6G MKIII. released darkness darkness. Now lenses of the AF Nikkor 28-80mm series can be bought at approximately 70-100 cu depending on his condition.

Enlightenment of the front lens Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

Enlightenment of the front lens Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

The lens has aperture control ring (in the photo the ring is easy to recognize by two rows of numbers from F / 3.5 to F / 22). To control the value aperture of any modern TsKK Nikonneed to install ring aperture to F / 22 and fix it with a special button, which is located to the right of the '28 -80mm 'inscription. This ring is needed to control the aperture on old film cameras, this is described in more detail in the section Non-G Nikon Lenses.

Enlightenment of the rear lens Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

Enlightenment of the rear lens Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D

It's important: auto focus with this lens is available only when using him on cameras with built-in motor focusing.

Exact list Nikon DSLR cameras with a built-in focus motor, on which this lens will focus automatically:

Exact list Nikon DSLR cameras without a built-in focus motor, on which this lens will not focus automatically:

Only auto focus and sound confirmation of focus will not work with these cameras, all other important functions, such as automatic exposure metering and automatic iris control, will work well.

You will find a lot of useful information on the types of cameras and lenses Nikon here.

Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D with the original old-style cover

Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D with the original old-style cover

At open apertures, the lens suffers from pronounced spherical aberrations, most likely due to this and focusing errors. If you close the aperture a little, the Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D produces a good sharp and high-quality image. Of course, this lens is prone to distortion and vignetting. Overall, the image quality is quite passable for this type of lens. New: can download the archive with the original photos in RAW format by this link (archive occupy 220 MB, RAW 12 bit, conventional compression).

The parameters shown in the photo gallery:
Everything is filmed on Nikon D700. On-camera JPEG L ('optimal quality' compression), no processing. Functions: vignetting control, ADL, noise reduction at long exposures, noise reduction at high ISOs were turned off. All shot in Picture Control mode SD (standard mode): contrast correction - 0, brightness - 0, saturation - 0, hue - 0, sharpness - position 5 out of 10. The size of the photos has been reduced to 3 MP.

View Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D on the SLR camera

View Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D on the SLR camera

Many enthusiasts are looking for a cheap replacement for their kit 18-55 and are looking at old 28-80 / 3.5-5.6 class film lenses. I would not recommend the Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D for two simple reasons: the native 18-55 VR is more comfortable to use and has an Image Stabilizer.

Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.

List of all Nikon FX 28-XXX autofocus lenses:

The catalog of modern universal lenses for Nikon can be see here.

Results

Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D MKII is the most common versatile lens for full-frame cameras with 2.9X zoom. After the MKII version was discontinued in 2001, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge - the world began to rule the number, and the lens itself evolved into its descendant - Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm 1: 3.5-4.5G ED VR SWM IF Aspherical, which is now put on a full-time amateur full-time type Nikon D600 и D610. Despite its age and weak body, the Nikon 28-80 / 3.5-5.6D is quite suitable for use in simple situations.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Alexander

 

 

Comments: 42, on the topic: Review of Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D (MKII)

  • Zeiss

    What is the light on the last fota?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      On the left is a flash on the stand, on the right is an umbrella for clearance.

  • Ivan

    Photos with the cat are gorgeous))

    • d.martyn

      In terms of color, I liked the view from the pedestrian bridge to the river station, and in the light of the latter with flashes. As for the lens: I almost liked the bokeh, a little spoiled by a little “rice porridge”.

  • Artem

    In my opinion, there are no complaints about sharpness, but the photos look too contrasty. This is probably a common feature of nikon.

  • Alex

    Are the colors in sobs so saturated, wrapping up through the camera settings?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      No. I point out in the review that everything is removed by default settings:

      without processing. Functions: vignetting control, ADL, long exposure noise reduction, high ISO noise reduction - were turned off. Everything was shot in SD picture management mode (standard mode): contrast correction - 0, brightness - 0, saturation - 0, hue - 0, sharpness - position 5 out of 10.

  • anonym

    Thank you so much for the link to the photo !!!!!!
    and for your labors too !!)

  • Artem

    Great review! Personally, I could not take my eyes off the girls models :)

    • Alexander

      I completely agree with you, the models are just a fairy tale, and there is nothing so polished, and simple beauty, vital, Arkady has all such models

  • Andrei

    Thanks for sharing raw. Mail.ru is now offering a share on the Cloud: 20 TB will be distributed until January 1. Maybe in each review you will give raw links?

    • Alexander

      Yes, Arkady, I also recommend the cloud mail.ru, 1 TB freebies on the cloud just do not lie on the road

  • Dmitriy

    I used this on film (long) and digital (year). the lens left the best memories. Despite the external slenderness and "whale plastic", it turned out to be quite reliable in mechanics and quite decent in image quality.
    I was surprised by the claim to focus accuracy on an open aperture: I had practically no blurry pictures even in the most difficult conditions. perhaps the question is not in the lens itself, but in the capabilities of the lens-camera system.
    Compared with the 18-55 cypherkit, I like the 28-80 better - if only because it does not stretch the elastic on the zoom ring, and the aperture control mechanism allows you to work with non-automated macro rings. As for the stub in this range of focal lengths, then this is nothing more than a marketing move - or simply a cynical scam of “simple” amateur photographers for money. correct if I'm wrong

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Stub is still important at 55 / 5,6, especially on any 24MP crop. As for focusing, everything is correct, it largely depends on the camera, and, of course, maybe I didn’t have the most “live” specimen for review.

  • Eugene

    Arkady, litter for offtopic, I compared 18-55 VR with 50 1,4D in sharpness at different apertures and the d300 carcass and my verdict are the same; subjectively, the image has some kind of gloss chtoli and a little brighter, but it has a pronounced barrel and after editing the raw distortion in Photoshop, changes are visually visible and why after editing the photo becomes lighter — what is it? I think selling and taking 85 1,8D from him really liked the pictures, but then it will be impossible to take pictures in the room, I assume that the 35 barrel will be even larger, please help me with choosing a lens for placing on the crop, can I really put up with it and I exaggerate the effect distortions at half speed?

    • Lynx

      take 85, a fifty dollars from him is equal to a whale, but for some reason the question is over 35. would you figure it out
      t PRNS?

    • d.martyn

      85 mm on the crop is the extreme for a portrait in the room, most likely a fifty dollars should be enough for you, and the barrel at the poltos is minimal, I do not think it's critical.

    • d.martyn

      I'll add more. I personally don’t have 85 mm, but on the street and in the studio I shoot large at 105, indoors I use 50 and 58 mm, and so I consider 58 mm to be extreme for a portrait in an ordinary apartment, but the room is different.

  • Seryozha

    I have a similar G version 3.3-5.6. Just excellent sharpness and picture on all FRs. Not a lens - a fairy tale! I use it on the crop.

  • Igor

    Ken Rockwell introduced him to the 10 best glasses from Nikon :-) I think in terms of price and quality, that's it! Recently I saw an announcement: 50u.e. for used.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      This is true, but for practical use, who will use it on expensive modern FX cameras? Time takes its toll.

  • Paul

    I did not expect to see this lens in the review. K. Rockwell had less information about this series. Arkady I was advised to take this glass in Singapore by consultants in 1999. to my F65. I bought it in a boxed version for 200 local dollars = 140 Amer. I would not believe that he will live with me for 15 years. I will add that it is difficult to find a serial on it, and in the place where you have the inscription Thailand, I flaunt Japan, what is misleading? It’s a pity I can’t find his pieces of paper, they looked more serious than modern ones, maybe the manufacturer’s secret is hidden in them. I tested it with my camera, the developed and printed pictures from him were amazing, and the service too. On that trip, he replaced me with more expensive fixes and zoom. Now he is good at fujay 3 pro, and on Nikon is very contrasting. Thank you for the review.

  • dejatel

    Tell me how to remove front lenses from it? the ring does not give in.

    • Lynx

      hammer - and remove the fragments

  • Catherine

    Will the lens work for Nikon D 3200 ??

  • Robert

    Arkady noticed that your models have changed)))
    By the way, about the quality of the picture from this glass. Does it seem to me or is it completely not bad? Even the blur is interesting.

  • BB

    To fix

    Fifth paragraph: 'The focus ring is rubberized, ...'
    Sixth paragraph: 'The focusing ring is not rubberized ...'

    Probably, in the first case the zoom ring was meant.

  • Alexander

    Hello! I did not find your review on the Sigma 28-80 mm 3.5-5.6 under Nikon. Is it worth taking such an option (as a super-budget)? I think this is kind of like the Nikkor 28-80mm 1: 3.5-5.6D.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Full frame? Something better from the category 28-100.

      • Alexander

        To crop D7000?

        • Arkady Shapoval

          On the crop there are good and inexpensive 18-135 и 18-70, it is better to accumulate and take them.

          • Alexander

            Thank you!

  • Dmitriy

    Arkady, thank you very much for this blog and for the advice. So, I was on fire to take this lens, but I needed advice to take / not to take. I came to you and immediately everything became clear. I'll look for something else

  • Vadym

    he, by the way, has rounded aperture blades, which is important

    • Dmitriy

      Good day, tell me how you like this lens?

  • Dmitro

    Maybe someone will need it. By freezing the physical zoom at the minimum focusing distance for several of my lenses. Methodology: focusing ring at the minimum distance, model – vertical line. Focus is caught by moving the camera forward/backward. Pouches in the photo.

    • Dmitro

      Forgetting to be more important: zoom to max, camera – D5300 (totally crop).

  • Dmitro

    Zoom at the minimum focusing distance.

  • Dmitro

    This lens + 3 macro rings on the D5300 at the minimum focusing distance.
    Vertical scale is 1: 0.83

    • Dmitro

      The object of the loan may have come down. It will be important to keep the light on the lens hood.

  • Dmitro

    This lens + 3 macro rings on the D5300 at the maximum focusing distance.
    Scale 1: 1.28

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