Nikon AF Nikkor 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED Lens

For every camera marque, sooner or later, one or more of the lenses made for that camera will ascend to the status of "legendary". Usually there will be something extra outstanding about the lenses' performance that will raise it to that exaulted status and cause legions of photographers to agree that it is deserved.
In the Nikon line, the original manual focus 80-200mm f4.5 AIS zoom (the zoom that first proved zoom lenses can be sharp), the original manual focus 105mm f2.5 Nikkor P, or any of the manual focus/auto focus incarnations of the 80-200mm f2.8 zoom come immediately to mind.
The Nikkor 180mm f2.8 EDIF AF-D is one of Nikon's "legendary" lenses.
Since it's introduction in 1970 there have been five incarnations of this lens, two manual focus and three versions in auto focus and each one has been better than the previous. All however have garnered the "legendary" status as being very, very, very sharp - even wide open. The EDIF (D or nonD)is the most recent optical formula and may well be the best of the best.
Weighing in at a fraction of what an 80-200mm f2.8 AF zoom does, this lens features the robust all-metal construction familiar to any user of Nikon pro-level lenses. Designed to take a fair amount of abuse (for an AF lens)the user will be rewarded by sharp, saturated images at all apertures.
Auto focus function is characteristic of lenses of this design vintage - slow compared to a lens with an AFS (built in silent wave motor) but about as fast as my 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 AF-D or my 70-210mm f4.0 AF zooms on both my F100 and D100. The built-in, non-detachable lenshood is a nice feature, especially as I always use one on all my lenses when shooting. It makes using a polarizing filter on the lens easy on those occasions when I use one and makes the lens a smaller package when placed in a carry bag. The 72mm filter size is somewhat unusual for Nikon, being shared by only the 24-120mm AF zoom and the old 18mm f3.5 (that I can think of off the top of my head) so a whole different set of filters might be needed for those of you who shoot with a lot of filters.
Did I mention the fact that this lens is SHARP?
Did I also mention that distortion is just about nonexistant?
For the film shooter, this is the smallest f2.8 optic in this focal length and if you carry your own equipment on trips you might want to remember that.
The 180mm f2.8 is SUPERB!! - for what it is - a small, fast, fixed focal length medium telephoto.
For the digital photographer dealing with the multiplication factor of his/her digital sensor the lens may be an intro into a whole different realm. I remember, before digital, lusting after a 300mm f2.8 AF Nikkor until I realized the lens cost $3000 and was so heavy it came packed in a SUITCASE!! Even the 300mm f4.0 AF I did buy is larger and heavier than this.
On my D100 this lens becomes effectivly a 270mm f2.8 in a physically small package yielding outstanding optical quality and a very bright viewfinder image.
Not a bad deal at all.

One word of caution. The rear of the 180mm is not sealed at the lensmount, making it easy for gunk to get into the lens and onto the deeply recessed rear element and also onto the exposed aperture blades. While easily cleaned off by a qualified technician, if heavy and unrecognized it can degrade image quality and autoexposure accruacy. Used lenses should be carefully inspected for this.