This lens needed some TLC and thankfully it was accessible and cleanable. My copy has a Nikkor AF-D mount. It does not have vibration reduction, but it is the 2nd version with the tripod collar. Shooting without the collar at 400mm would be quite difficult. The collar does interfere a little with the zoom ring. It is an AT-X model so it is built like a tank and it is noy any longer than a 70-300mm lens. I can say that it peforms very well from 80 to 300mm. 300 to 400mm is a different story. It's as if there are two different lenses with two different sets of characteristics existing in one lens body. If you use it as an 80-300 you will be quite pleased with it. Beyond 300mm you must stop down to f8 or f11 to correct for abberations. Overall it is a very good lens for an amateur who wants to step up from the average 70-300 lens. On the used market it is very atttractive.