Nikkor AF 180mm f/2.8

General
Spectacularly sharp and contrasty tele lens, for specific people and specific needs

Pros/Cons
+ not too large for a fast tele (bit heavy though)
+ superb image quality, no flaws really. Even wide-open
+ built like a tank

- not for a general tele; only for specific missions
- no VR means tripod/monopod is a MUST
-180mm is a weird focal length - might be too short or too long (or, hopefully just right)

Sharpness and Contrast: Even wide-open, the 180mm f/2.8 is a stellar performer

The 180mm f2/.8 in its element: Freezing action in very low light

Intended Users
Great for:

• Those needing the best and only the best image quality in a tele, no compromises thank you.
• For fast-action events whose distance can be predicted before hand (e.g. race-car events, horse-riding, etc)
• outdoor portraits

Not for:

• general purpose, not even tele- general purpose; too short for birds (unless perhaps ducks in parks)
• indoors, unless in big halls
• people who can't/won't use a tripod/monopod. This is an unforgiving lens, it's either support or shutter speed of 1/500 and faster.

Final Verdict

A fantastic lens. But you must seriously consider whether you need to pay that much money for a lens you can use on specific occasions only. If you have another zoom tele, set it to 180mm and use that ONLY for a few days, to see for yourself. Also, consider getting a fast zoom (the older 80-200mm f/2.8 is almost as good, and much handier)

Looking for a Nikkor AF 180mm f/2.8? Check here.