Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Please advise on a 200mm or 300mm lens for motor sports
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
DigiChromeEd wrote:
I'm not intending to solely use the lens wide open as by stopping down I will get more depth of field which may help with slight focusing errors and will slow my shutter speed down so I can obtain blur on the wheels of the cars as I pan. Also using a low ISO will help in this regard.


The thing is with action photography there is a decision to be made whether to prioritise visual focus ie focus wide open, then try to stop down in time to get the pic, or prioritise the action and focus at the f-stop.
With my samsung NX20 I find I can focus ok leaving the lens on eg f5.6, or even f8, and still see pretty good focus in the evf - evf's compensate for the dimming due to closure of the iris. That of course is not the case with an ovf. How well I can see focus in an ovf depends on the light, the lens and the subject (mostly), I find. How does your canon do in these circumstances?


PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another economical 200mm that is worth mentioning is the Canon nFD 200mm f/4. It is small and lightweight, has internal focusing, so it can focus fast. Very sharp lens, and usually quite cheap on eBay and elsewhere. I think I paid about $40 for mine.

spleenone, I'll second your recommendation on the Nikon 180/2.8 AIs ED. This is an amazingly sharp lens, even wide open. Well corrected for CA too. I typically see them on eBay in the $350 range and higher. Right now there are a couple for about $250. That's almost an impulse buy price.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:

The thing is with action photography there is a decision to be made whether to prioritise visual focus ie focus wide open, then try to stop down in time to get the pic, or prioritise the action and focus at the f-stop.
With my samsung NX20 I find I can focus ok leaving the lens on eg f5.6, or even f8, and still see pretty good focus in the evf - evf's compensate for the dimming due to closure of the iris. That of course is not the case with an ovf. How well I can see focus in an ovf depends on the light, the lens and the subject (mostly), I find. How does your canon do in these circumstances?


Back in the 80s and 90s, when I was shooting a lot of motorsports events and airshows, one of the lenses I always had close to hand was my Sigma 600mm f/8 mirror. I got very used to a slightly dimmer viewfinder when using that lens, such that I didn't really notice it much anymore. Especially after I'd upgraded my Canon original F-1's focusing screens to Laser-matte, which were considerably brighter. So, given the modern tech that goes into a 5D-whatever focusing screen, I'll warrant it's not something that will be a big issue, unless one is stopped down to f/16, let's say. Come to think of it, so many modern zooms now have f/5.6 as the widest aperture at their longest setting that I think another stop would be inconsequential. Maybe even two.

The biggest problem I have when I've dialed in a considerable amount of depth of field is being able to find just exactly where the optimum point of focus is. True, there's a range, but the circle of confusion is larger at the perimeter of the range than it is at the center. Call me picky, maybe, but I still try to hit optimum focus, even when stopped down.

Last edited by cooltouch on Sun Oct 14, 2018 6:02 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
DigiChromeEd wrote:
marcusBMG wrote:
Are you reckoning to mostly use the lenses wide open Ed, since adapted lenses to canon/sony won't have aperture connections?


Sorry, missed your question when I first read your post.

I'm not intending to solely use the lens wide open as by stopping down I will get more depth of field which may help with slight focusing errors and will slow my shutter speed down so I can obtain blur on the wheels of the cars as I pan. Also using a low ISO will help in this regard.


Most adapters will allow the lenses aperture ring to function, though the lens is not held wide open till shooting as on most SLRs.
It does get more awkward where the lens doesn't have an aperture ring - there are a few adapters with an iris built in - I've yet to try one but am getting tempted after my efforts shooting an airshow with a mirror lens!


PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you need to reduce the light coming into your mirror lens, another option besides a fancy adapter with an iris, is ND filters. If your mirror takes rear-mount filters, this can be an easy way to reduce the light coming in.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
If you need to reduce the light coming into your mirror lens, another option besides a fancy adapter with an iris, is ND filters. If your mirror takes rear-mount filters, this can be an easy way to reduce the light coming in.


ND filters are an option, but they won't affect the DOF (sometimes wanted) & I don't have them for either of my mirror lenses (which are different sizes)
The adapter could be used with a wide variety of lenses (even some of my scopes), and will be much quicker to adjust.

In an ideal world I'd have both options with me.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Canon nFD 200mm f4






p/s I betrayed nFD. ) Appeared autofocus the adapter and I couldn't resist and picked up the Canon EF 200mm f2.8L II USM (360$)


PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Nikkor AI-S 180mm/2.8 ED is a bit to short for your search, but as well as others I would reccomend it.
Easy fast focussing and high aberration correction.
Even a bit better is the Canon nFD 300mm f/2.8 L - but is is quite big, and realtively heavy for most users (I use the 400mm as well, so I have some training).


PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
With speeds going to 1/8000 sec. need for ND filters has decreased in mirror lenses
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2