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Best cheap manual focus 300mm lens?
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ezamond wrote:
700$ is too much for me now. I am looking forward to get a lens for maximum 150$.
What do you think about the Nikkor-H 300/4.5 ?


Within your budget there is this AI 300mm with free shipping:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Excellent-Nikon-Ai-NIKKOR-300mm-f-4-5-Free-Shipping-from-Japan-950-/262529780703?hash=item3d1ffe8bdf:g:HQ4AAOSwnNBXUkS2


#1


PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
I think there is value in having a heavy tele lens.
I like them for hand-holding, they reduce vibration.

unfortunatelly I found this as false-positive sentence. I'm using two option around 500mm. As I wrote 300mm 2.8 + TC = 550mm 4.5 and Tokina 500mm f/8 mirror Lens. In both cases I prefere to use Pentax K1 with Grip.
Body +Grip + 2 batteries = 1,2kg
Tamron SP 300mm F/2.8 LD-IF = 2kg + TC = 2,2kg
So total it weight = 3,4kg. Without monopod with inbody SR for me minimum Shutter speed is around 1/100.
Tokina 500mm mirror lens weight around 500g so with body it is around 1,7kg. With SR I could get sharp image event @ 1/40.
For tammy you should use monopod.
So in bright condition mirror lens is best option. So I'm personally looking for Tamron Model 06B 300mm 5.6
Best!.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
FD, Minolta, Konica are all out because of flange distance and an EOS camera.

Oups, I didn't catch that it's a EOS mount. So the Hexanon is out. But there are lots of decent and cheap 300s out there.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just came across the Chinon 300 / 5.6 and did a quick test in the Churchyard behind our house, and I'd forgotten just how good this lens actually is. I think it's from the 1980's with its distinctive tapered design, and it's a very nicely made, metal bodied, lightweight lens. The Tair is a backbreaking 1568 g, the Tamron 871 g and this Chinon a remarkable 617 g
All the pictures are wide open, no PP, ISO200 and handheld, they would be sharper with a tripod. ( I'm cleaning my sensor right now )













PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Nikkor H 300 F4.5 can usually be had for less than $50 US. There is also a Nikkor P that is almost identical but has a slightly different optical formula. These are not AI but that should not matter if you are adapting to another mount.
Pete


PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The chinon is a rebadged fixed mount tamron CT300.
I have a CT300 for sale....


PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
The chinon is a rebadged fixed mount tamron CT300.
I have a CT300 for sale....


I've just compared the Chinon to the Tamron 670AU 300 / 5.6 and you can clearly see the heritage - the Tamron is longer between the front and rear elements, but the internal aperture mechanism is identical.
I have a black Tamron 670AU 300 / 5.6 for sale, I have a really nice silver one that I'm keeping.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 6:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The FL-Hexanon 300/6.3 is probably good...anybody seen one? Wink


PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
padam wrote:
The FL-Hexanon 300/6.3 is probably good...anybody seen one? Wink

I saw one live in the 1980s. The thing is rare as hen's teeth. It would seem only about 500 were made over a period of 3 years or so. I've only seen two on Ebay in the last decade. The Flourite element made it an expensive piece of gear in its time (1973). It's supposed to be real good and the grapevine says the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used them: Small, sharp and discreet.
There is a thread on MFL about it: http://forum.mflenses.com/konica-fl-hexanon-300-6-3-ae-t68308.html
You can see what it looks like here: http://www.yaotomi.co.jp/blog/used/2009/11/konica-fl-hexanon-300mm-f63.html


PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tair 3S because of that odd focusing knob. It is very usefull without the grip. Maybe not the cheapest lens of all but when you have a steady hand, or use a tripod it is able to get very good results. That's my opinion. Regards Cliff.
#1
playing polar bear by Cliff van der Geugten, on Flickr
#2
Trauma helicopter by Cliff van der Geugten, on Flickr


PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmm. This Tair 3 is good?


PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
konicamera wrote:
If cheap is what you need, I recommend the Hexanon 300/4.5 with my eyes closed. It's an excellent optic, sharp with great color rendition, and can be bought for under $150 if you're patient.
As far as 400mm is concerned, I would suggest the Tokina ATX 400/5.6. It's not the best 400 out there, but it's a solid performer. Depending on mount and time of the month, you can get it for under $100.


I have tested a fair range of 300mm MF lenses, using the 24MP Sony A7 and A7II cameras:

* Canon FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite
* Canon FD 5.6/300mm (first, heavy formula without IF)
* Canon nFD 4/300mm (IF)
* Canon nFD 5.6/300mm (IF)
* Konica Hexanon AR 4.5/300mm
* Mamiya Sekor CS 4/300mm
* Minolta Tele Rokkor-QD 5.6/300mm (early SLR lens from 1965)
* Minolta MC-I 4.5/300mm
* Minolta MC-II 4.5/300mm
* Minolta MC-X 4.5/300mm
* Minolta MC-X 5.6/300mm
* Minolta MD-II 4.5/300mm IF
* Minolta AF 2.8/300mm APO G HS
* Minolta AF 4/300mm APO G HS
* Mirage 4.5/300mm
* Soligor 5.6/300mm (early lens from about 1970)
* Sony AL 2.8/300mm G
* Tamron 2.8/300mm LD (manual focus version)

Most of the MF lenses listed above have severe CAs (including the Hexanon 4.5/300mm which i would not recommend).
Not surprising, the FD 2.8/300mm Fluorite is the best of the above MF lenses (both Minolta AF APOs are similar, and the Sony AL 2.8/300mm G is better, though).
The big surprise, for me at least, is the Canon new (!) FD 5.6/300mm IF which at f5.6 is basically as excellent as the FD 2.8/300 Fluorite!! There are virtually no CAs (at least compared to LD lenses such as the Minolta MD-II 4.5/300mm IF). I have no explanation for this extraordinary behaviour, but for 50-100 CHF/EUR/USD this lens is a true bargain.

Stephan
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