When handling the new Mamiya AF 80mm F2.8 D, the following physical characters have changed compared to the original Mamiya AF 80mm F2.8:

1. •The 80mm D’s improved barrel build quality is immediately noticeable. The barrel is all metal (instead of plastic) and the white lettering is engraved (and filled with white paint). Cosmetically it looks quite similar to the Mamiya AF 35mm F3.5 lens. The 80mm D adds a sliver ring for a bit of bling.
   

2. •The 80mm D is slightly larger - mostly wider. The front element is the same size on both lenses, but on the 80mm D the front element is recessed deeper into the lens. Weight increased by 30 grams.
   

3. •The manual focus ring feels the same. The ring spins relatively freely, as if on ball bearings, thus manual focus needs only the lightest touch. I like the light touch because it is easy to hold the ZD with two hands and then use a single finger to adjust focus.
   

4. •Two new gold contacts have been added to the rear mount - mostly likely in support for the 16-bit focus engine. They are no corresponding contacts on the Mamiya ZD body, so I am not sure what functionality the new contacts add.
   

5. •Most important (to me) the 80mm D adds the one-touch AF / MF ring. With the original AF 80mm lens, to change between AF and MF, the switch on the camera body must be flipped to the appropriate position. The AF/MF switch is on the front the camera, so it is nearly impossible to change focus modes while looking through the viewfinder. Furthermore, the switch does not have clean detents, so “feeling” the clicks is not possible.
   

6. Now, with the 80mm D, changing between AF and MF is very simple and easily down while looking through the viewfinder. The camera body is left in the AF position and toggling between AF / MF can be done on the lens. Or for those who prefer the switch on the body, leave the lens in the AF position and use the switch on the camera body to toggle focus modes.
   

7. •Oddly, the 80mm D has no markings on the front the lens retaining ring. Usually the retaining ring is embellished with the manufacturer’s name, focal length, aperture, etc. WIthout the customary lettering the 80mm D looks somewhat generic from the front. Maybe it’s a new “stealth” look???
   

8. •As mentioned above the 80mm D has a 67mm filter thread; the front element is the same size. I suspect Mamiya widened the lens barrel and recessed the front element to help reduce flare.
   

9. The front element and filter threads do NOT rotate during focusing, so using screw-in circular polarizers and graduated filters is trouble-free.
   

10. The 58mm and 67mm front filter thread is a mixed blessing. Many of the Mamiya 645AF lenses have a 58mm thread, so the 67mm thread may lead to purchasing new filters. I already have a number of 67mm filters and accessories requiring 67mm threads, so the 67mm is a helpful change.
    

11. •The 80mm D’s lens hood is made with thicker plastic and feels more robust. There is a very slight texture to the plastic, so it might be less susceptible to rub marks.  The hood attaches much easier.
    

12. The lens hood for the original 80mm lens was somewhat stubborn and required a small amount of force to snap into place. Since the front element moves, applying force seemed risky. The new hood snaps (locks) into place very easily with minimal effort (force). When attached, the hood clicks into place securely.
    

13. •Auto-focus sounds a bit louder with the 80mm D. The focus noise resonates more - most likely due to the metal barrel and larger volume. Mamiya 645AFD, 645AFD II and ZD owners may notice a slight increase noise. With the new (quieter) AF motor in the Mamiya 645AFD III and Phase One P645, noise is probably a non-issue.
    

14. •The 80mm D extends about 12mm when focused at infinity - same as the original AF 80mm. Unlike the new Mamiya AF 150mm F2.8 IF D; the 80mm D is not an internal focus (IF) design.
    

I always liked the original Mamiya AF 80mm F2.8 - except for the lack of the AF / MF switch. When Mamiya announced the new 80mm with one-touch AF MF ring it was lust-at-first-sight. After handling the lens, it seems as if Mamiya may have considered making the lens an F2 instead of a F2.8 repeat. The larger, wider barrel design hints at the possibility of a wider front element. Considering the $1143 retail price tag, I wish Mamiya had upgraded the lens to F2. There are numerous benefits - brighter viewfinder, improved auto-focus performance, additional aperture latitude when outdoor light fades - and a competitive advantage against other currently produced 80mm lenses.

LENS PERFORMANCE

The optical formula in the 80mm D is unchanged from its predecessor, so performance is similar to the original. Mamiya has updated their lens coatings, and colors do seem a bit crisper - maybe a touch cooler. Overall optical performance is essentially identically with the exception of F2.8 - which seems slightly sharper. That could even just be sample variation. I have used the original Mamiya AF 80mm F2.8 off and on for over a year. The lens is very sharp, contrasty and managed distortion well. WIth a 12mm extension tube the 80mm D is an excellent macro lens. The table below lists the possible magnification factors when used with the Mamiya N401 12mm Tube, NA402 24mm Tube and NA403 36mm Tube:

The Mamiya NA extension tubes can be stacked up to 36mm + 36mm; the 72mm stack is needed for 1:1 magnification. For table top photography I find the 12mm tube more than adequate. Several times I have used the 36mm, but generally 36mm is far too magnification and depth of field is effectively non-existent. Auto-focus is not supported with the tubes; however, focus-confirmation does function correctly.

When the 80mm D first arrived I did some quick studio tests and the 80mm D looked fine and the old 80mm was sold a copy days later. The gallery at the top of this page includes samples from original 80mm lens used on a Phase One P25 and Mamiya ZD. The last page in this review includes a photo gallery of Mamiya-Sekor AF 80mm F2.8 D images taken with the Mamiya ZD integrated dSLR.