Rookie with new fixed 2.8 lens

I just purchased a nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 ED-D lens and was playing around with it in the house...I had it on shutter priority and was testing different shutter speeds as I plan to use the camera at softball games with stadium lights....

I know this is a crazy question, but remembe I am new to this hobby. When reviewing some of the pictures I took, I saw where the aperature was 3.5 or something other and I thought the aperature remained at 2.8 fixed?

For it to be fixed do I have to shoot in aperature priority or can it be fixed at shutter priority.

I have a nikon D80....thanks for your help in advance.

the 2.8 is the widest aperture the lens can go. It can hold the 2.8 across all focal lengths (weather you are at 80mm or 200mm ) . When you have the camera on shutter priority the camera controls what aperture it needs to be set to for proper exposure. So as your light changes in your scene the camera will adopt the aperture since you have the shutter speed locked.

hope this helps ....

That does help....I was thinking something was wrong with my lens....

If I put it in aperature priority, how do I set the aperature on this lens....by the zoom dial or what?

Love the pic of your dog

When in A mode you set the aperature with the command dial just as you were setting shutter speed when you were in S mode.

You might want to have a look at the digitutor links.