Very Sharp
Macro very good

Tends to hunt in autofocus

Excellent lens. Would recommend for both macro work and portraits. It is a bit heavy but the tripod collar is very useful.The lens does everything that it is advertised to do. I have a number of other lens but it is hard for me to take this one off.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 35-70D 2.8

Very sharp.Well built and easy to use.

Tends to hunt

A very sharp lens. I really like the macro capability. A bit heavy. Wish it was a couple stops faster, but maybee you can't have everything in one lens.

Customer Service

Haven't used

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 20-35, Nikon 35-70, Nikon 85, Tamron 28-200, Tamron 80-200

Good weight/power ratio,
excellent resolution for 16x20 & 20x24 prints
replaced my 55f3.5, 105f2.8 and 200f4 micros
with greater versatility and less weight to carry (doctor's orders!)

f5.6 @ 180 but i can live with it.

Well worth every dollar. My photo exhibit prints to 16x20 out-shine my competitors.
Results on Fuji Reala film rival my Bronica SQa with 150f3.5 Bronica lens

Customer Service

Totally reliable

Similar Products Used:

Owned:200f4 micro,105f2.8 micro, 55f3.5 micro, 80-200f4, 25-50f4,50-135f3.5, 300f4.5,85f2,55f1.2,50f1.4 and 180f2.8 nikkors

Good resolution,
small size,
Nice feel - Well built

small aperture

No close-up/Macro lens is as easy to use as the 70-180 as you can simply plonk the camera down anywhere and zoom to the required image size/perspective. Its a real joy to use it for all macro work ( as long as its not 1:1 sizes). I also try to use it as much for portrait as it is quite smaller in size than the 80-200 F2.8 but it does darken the viewfinder quite a bit and at low light the smaller aperture limits it use.

I would rate its resolution as very good, short of excellent. It does seem to add a nice 'softness' to pictures somehow - round aperture effect??? I have a picture of a rose bud that looks like a painting - one of my favourite shots.

When I use it for portraits I notice that the lens can even pick up the finer details of the subjects clothings- stichings etc. etc.

I recommend the TAMRON lens cap (where you can hold the cap from the centre) as you can have the hood on the lens and still easily attach the cap to the lens for protection.

While i have not tried the Nikon 200 F4 Macro (1:1) of which I believe would be a sharper macro lens, I think the 70-180 is the best all rounder macro lens in Nikons range, its much better than the 105 F2.8.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon Af 105 Micro F2.8,
Sigma 180 F2.8 Macro
Tamron 90mm macro

Versatility in a) framing macro shots and b) wide-ranging zoom for non-macro shots

1. Small aperture (5.6 @ 180mm) means a dark viewfinder and some difficulty viewing when not working in very bright light (e.g. many macro situations.)

2. Hunts for focus a lot and not quickly.

Versatile lens as a macro + telephoto for photographers on a budget (aren't we all?!) but not outstanding in either role.

Similar Products Used:

None

Excellent center sharpness, good edge sharpness. High contrast. Zoom to adjust image size. 6T to get life size. A wonderful tool for fine details in my work as a forensic investigator. Photos enlarge nicely to 24" x 36" for jury presentation.

Slow, dark viewfinder at 180.

For close up work up to life size that doesn't require a flat field, you can't go wrong

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

55 2.8 AIS
105 2.8 AF
300 4 w/PN-11

Very sharp and contrasty lens. Excellent for portraits, landscapes, macro. Basically an all purpose lens. Set up your tripod and let the zoom compose the shot for you instead of moving your tripod an inch here or there.

Only does 0.75 mag wish it could go 1:1.

If you can only take one lens with you, this lens is a good one to have. I love the look this lens gives for portraits.

Customer Service

No issues

Similar Products Used:

I used the 105 micro for years and loved it. I miss the 1:1 mag. This lens gives you more flexibility by allowing you