What's the best medium fast 300mm prime lens?

[diddy]

Hi,
I just saw that my Tamron SP 300mm f5.6 Macro has a small spot of fungus developing on one of the inner elements, hence I am going to let go of it to somebody who can clean it (if you are interested please have a look in the Sell forum on the MFlenses marketplace).
Hence I am on the search for a new good 300mm prime lens. I don't want the bulk of a f2.8 lens, something around f4 is probably a good compromise between speed and weight. Now what are the best options? Ideally I am looking for an M42 or Nikon mount lens.
Best regards,
Diddy

[Attila]

Nikon 300mm f4.5 and Nikon 300mm f4.5 IF ED both are more than excellent and light weight.
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[diddy]

Thanks Attila for your suggestions! Especially the latter one looks very interesting as the minimum focusing distance is very good.

[patrickh]

I can support Attila on that recommendation


patrickh
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[declan]

What about zuiko 300/4.5 or smc takumar 300/4? I'm waiting for the Sigma 55-200(af) and consider to let go of the zuiko 65-200/4 and might looking some 300mm lens
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[martinsmith99]

The Tair is good, but some find it heavy.
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[Attila]

[Attila]

[martinsmith99]

[ramcewan]

I'd second the Nikon 300mm primes as probably being as fast and light as you can get

Obviously another Tamron would be still lighter and faster than the Nikons but you'd have to settle for f5.6 and I honestly thought the Nikon 300mm f4.5 AI-S I had was superior to the two Tamron 300mm f5.6 lenses I tried (CT-300 F-Series and the 670Au Adapt-a-matic).
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[Attila]

If you have money don't forget Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm Contax lens.
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Items on sale on Ebay

35mm: Konica A4, Konica IIIA, Konica FC-1
MF: Konica Pearl I,II,III 6x4,5 Konica Semi Pearl
Film: Foma,Kodak, Fuji DIY development C41, FOMA LQR
Scan: Epson V500, scanassist (http://www.scanassist.org)
Shutter tester: LCD tester from member vfmoto
Digital: Panasonic G1, Sony Nex-3, Samsung NX100
Lenses: Konica Hexanons,Carl Zeiss,Carl Zeiss Jena,Meyer-Optik,Minolta MD,Yashica ML,Nikon,Olympus OM
DIY E-6,C41 and B&W

[Lloydy]

In 300mm I've got a Tair 4.5, a Soligor 5.5 and I've just got a Chinon 5.6 - and the Chinon is better than it's reputation might suggest.

http://www.pbase.com/image/127711831.jpg ( picture from Woodrim on another topic here at MF http://forum.mflenses.com/chinon-300mm-f-5-6-t31565.html )

It's a strange lens, the tapered style is very much of it's time - 1970's I think. and it's the slowest of the 300's I have. BUT.....it's light, smooth and easy to use - except for the A - M switch that seems to get easily knocked to A when I'm using it. But that's a small distraction. The lightness means I can hand hold this modestly sized lens easily, I'm getting good hand held pictures with this that I simply cannot get with the Tair and struggle to get with the Soligor.
It does have some CA fringing, which is red which makes it more difficult to erase in PP, but it is sharp. It's certainly a lens to consider.
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