On Tue, 08 Dec 1998 03:46:19 -0500, dw7620@albany.edu (Dan Wells) wrote:

> I am looking for a sharp, reasonably fast telephoto or telezoom for my
>Nikon FM2 (and future F100-finally, a Nikon autofocus body I like the
>design of.) I need a reasonably compact lens with the focus ring located
>somewhere reachable, because I have one hand that doesn't work,
>eliminating most of the basic one-touch zooms that leave the focus ring in
>the next town at full extension! Ideally, there would be some way of
>getting the lens out near 400 mm (either alone or with a well matched
>converter) I have considered the Nikon 180/2.8 (is there a good doubler
>out there for this lens?-I've read conflicting things about whether it'll
>use a TC-200 series converter), the Tokina 80-400 AT-X (nice focal length
>range, but how's the image quality?), the Nikon 300/4 (how far out is the
>focus ring?), and the Nikon 80-200/2.8 (too bulky, and the focus is too
>far out). Of course anything heavier/bulkier than the 80-200 is out (and
>probably too expensive as well). I've not seen the two-ring version of the
>80-200 (is it easier to deal with?). Is there anything else I should look
>at, in the same price range as these lenses?

With the lenses mentioned above, keeping top image quality
in mind..., the only solution that reaches 400mm is the 300mm
f4 Nikkor + a TC14/14B/14C converter (and the focus-ring is
well-placed on the 300mm for most people, but perhaps too
far forward for you...). If you are looking for a good long
lens that is also compact (though very slow, and with some
other negatives...), I would look at the Nikkor 500mm f8
mirrors (I prefer the older version, but the newer is also
good). But if you can manage the 300 + converter, it is the
better solution, I think...