On 27 Nov 1998 00:00:04 GMT, tsai@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Finnegan T. Tsai) wrote:
[...]
>I agree that the differences among 80-200 zooms
>are very subtle but sometimes the difference
>may drive you crazy. For instance, Nikkor 80-200D
>is soft at edge, wide open at 200. This may really
>bug some people. [...]

It would sure bug me!!! ;-)
But mine (beyond 6-7' or so) is quite sharp
to the corners wide open... You either
checked it near minimum focus (where at 200mm
wide open it is far less than stellar...), or
you have one of the occasional "lemons", alas...
Lenses do vary from sample to sample, unfortunately...