The lens, a plastic-built with a plastic Nikon-F mount and an aperture ring, is an 8-element in 8 groups construction, with a 7-blade rounded diaphragm, has a minimum focusing distance of 0.4 meters, measures 63mm (diameter) by 57 - 62mm (length), takes 58mm filters, and is lightweight at just under 250 grams
Though the lens lacks a distance scale, the filter ring rotates during focusing, and despite its budget, consumer-grade build, it is considered a very capable, almost a hidden gem, often prized for its sharpness and lightness. The lens stayed in production until 2001.
On the D200’s APS-C (DX) sensor, the AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 D is equivalent to a 42-120mm standard zoom on a full-frame camera, with autofocus driven by the camera’s built-in motor, as well as being fully compatible with the camera's 3D Color Matrix Metering.
The camera and the very lightweight, compact lens combo are suitable for use as a walk-around or travel kit, for daylight street and scenic photography, head-and-shoulder portraiture, as well as close-ups. The combination of the lens and the Nikon D200's (10MP CCD sensor) is often praised for producing a "3D pop" or artistic look that differs from the modern, ultra-sharp look of contemporary lenses.
The Nikon D200, introduced in 2005, is a 10.2MP APS-C (DX-format) CCD-sensor DSLR highly regarded for its rugged magnesium alloy body, excellent, film-like color rendition, 11-point autofocus system, and 5 frames-per-second (fps) continuous shooting. The camera has an ISO range from 100 to 1600 (expandable to 3200), and a large optical SLR viewfinder with 95% coverage. The camera does not record video or have a live view screen. Images are recorded on a single Compact Flash (CF) card slot.
