Hi,
I guess if you are looking at a much more superior optical quality then I suggest you look at the Tamron rather then the Nikon(80-200F2.8 Af-D & 70-200F2.8 Af-S VR sold recently) as I own this lenses before I sold it at a great loss .
I kept the Tamron as I have compared them photo to photo but not in Speed Focusing but Optical to Optical Quaity its 2 thumbs up for the Tamron .
The technology used in Tamron Optical Glass is much more advance and superior than the rest .
For I have even visited the manufacturing plant in Japan many times and its super Huge compare to those other 3rd party lens maker and Tamron is also the inventer for a lot of very high quality Optical glass ( comparable to those German lens ) which Tamron is supplying to those Top 5 Brand maker .
So as my personal reference I still love this Tamron lens .
Is made like a tank with Superior optical quality but not in Speed focusing as I only use manual focusing.
Remember its a new whole ERA in photography as this is a Digital age unless we are talking about Film photography only.
Nikon has only made a handful of Excellent quality lenses like the 14-24mmF2.8,24-70mmF2.8,105mmMacro ,105mmDC ,10-24mm SWM(new),50mmF1.4(Old),300mmF4(Af-S) & F2.8,200-400mmF4Af-S VR ,70-300mmAF-S VR,80-400mmVR,400F2.8VR ,200mmF2 VR ,200mmF4Macro,60mmF2.8Macro ,24mmPC-EF3.5 ,85mmF2.8 PC-E ,17-55mmF2.8AF-S ,,10.5mmFisheye and 35mm(New)F1.8 .
As I have mentioned on the above lenses made by Nikon in which I have owned and used before and this are one of those very Superior lenses that made by Nikon own plant .
But you have to paid a lot more than a Tamron lens .
I myself Only used very Superior Optical lenses that is made by Tokina or Tamron only other then all my Nikon lenses.
So my dear friend at the end of the whole episode its also boils down to your photography skills and arts of composition .
A lot of factor has to take into consideration like a very high quality workstation or minimum a Mac Book Pro or a G5 with Super good Graphic card and A Very High End Monitor by Eizo or NEC or Sony (Only Found In Japan costing between 5 to 25 thousand in sing.) with a very good Profile Calibrator ( its has to be Industrial Standard).
Using a very High End Digital camera only play a small parts in digital photography but with a very High End Software will play a more important role in your editing your photos (jpeg or raw )(as I do not edit my photos a lot for I only take in RAW files ).
OOPs!!!! forgot to mention just SOLD my Tamron today to a Student as he wanted it for his school project with great Loss again but its ok at least he know that its much more superior then other made lenses which he had owned before.
Thats all I have to share with those who wanted to understand more of lenses from me (a retireed old man Liao ) who travelled to Japan very often every 2 to 3 months for my visiting and photography experiences with some of the Top Japanese Photographer's Kakis .
Hope to meet you guys and share my photography experiences.
I am very new to this local website which was introduce by my brother in law .
Take care to those who want to share and drink kopi-o with me .
Ciao
LK
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