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Pairing down the Collection Zooms and Mid Tele's
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PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2021 10:38 pm    Post subject: Pairing down the Collection Zooms and Mid Tele's Reply with quote

I recently wanted to shoot a friends graduation, and the lens I selected was my Nikon 300 F2.8 Ed.... I didn't have anything really longer other than an F8 mirror lens, and the 360 below..... I got a few good portrait type shots after some editing, but but felt like the lens was missing something. I decided to try and pair down my collection a bit and upgrade to a good zoom that still was moderately priced. I had a minota 75-200 F4.5. But decided to try and bargin bin some Contax Zooms a 70-200 and the 70-300, both arrived today courtesy of make offers from the bay of fleas today.

I also wanted to see if things warranted keeping my Schneider Alpa 360 F5.5.

Short answer the best of the 4 by a fair bit is the 70-200 Close to useable wide open and stopped down F8 or F11, a really nice lens..... In second place probably was the Schneider, for sharpness but the contrast frankly wasn't there and it has as would be expected a vintage look. At F5.5 its a little too slow to be practical in most situations. Third was the Contax 70-300. Pretty close but not quite as good as the 70-200 over the same range, and pretty bad (as the reviews state) wide open at 300. Last as probably would be expected was the vintage Minolta.... Not quite as sharp as the 70-300 over the same range.....

The conclusion however is that the 70-300 is the lens that's going to stay. The reason for this is the 70-200 has lousy ergonomics the focus range is only about 30 degrees versus 180 or so on the 70-300, and the 70-200 has that ""Plasticky feel"", and 70-300 feels like real glass. I am sure that the Sony 70-300 is probably a better lens than the Contax, but I think it has that modern lens plasticity to it which I Despise.

After I address a few more holes I may see if I can go with the Highly reputed but 3x as expensive contax 100-300 zoom, and replace the large ED Nikkor......


PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why don't you simply buy the Contax 80-200?

That's the lens to go (if you don't want the very expensive 100-300).


PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should also try the Minolta MD 70-210/4 (the last generation MD)... there's a huge difference to the 4.5 version, it's very sharp and not too heavy. Focus is rather stiff on my example but that could be sample variation. It does have some plastic but feels very well made and easy to use.

According to the website of the member Stevemark the optics in this are identical to the well known and beloved Minolta AF 70-210/4

Another absolute monster lens is the Tamron SP 70-210/3.5. Built like a tank, continuous focus into the macro range (1:3 or something so quite impressive) and typical Tamron SP image quality. But it's rather heavy so zooming can feel clunky, plus it's not too common ( therefore expensive, although i got mine for 10 bucks at a thrift store) and you should look for one that comes with the hood. It's a bayonet hood and you can't fit screw on hoods due to the construction.

PS: if anyone has one of said hoods i would be interested...


PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My Minolta MD 70-210 f4 is smooth focus so it may be your sample. I also have the MD APO 100-500 APO f/8 which is fantastic (very sharp wide open, very beautiful bokey, short focus distance +close up lens...) but far too heavy...and a bit slow but easier to focus and ISO flexibility


PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 6:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Pairing down the Collection Zooms and Mid Tele's Reply with quote

Gatorengineer64 wrote:
I recently wanted to shoot a friends graduation, and the lens I selected was my Nikon 300 F2.8 Ed.... I didn't have anything really longer other than an F8 mirror lens, and the 360 below..... I got a few good portrait type shots after some editing, but but felt like the lens was missing something.


Strange - I don't know the Nikkor 2.8/300 ED, but I've been using several other 2.8/300 lenses from Canon, Minolta and Tamron. I'd always prefer the look of any of these 2.8/300mm lenses to, say, and 4/80-200 zoom. Of course the 300mm lenses need space (you're several meters ayaw from the person to be portraited!), and they are a bit heavy.

S


PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 300 F2.8 is a good lens, and takes good shots, but it is a beefy beast, and relatively low contrast relative to modern glass. Yes you are right it is one heck of a beast to carry around......

The CY 80-200 would have been a good choice. I likely should have checked this one further before I made my purchases..... Perhaps the 100-300 F3.5 will get a shot one day.