Fast 300mm lenses

[ManualFocus-G]

Hi guys

I'm looking for a fastish 300mm telephoto for my 5D that has minimal purple fringing. Currently I use a Tamron SP 300/5.6, but that exhibits lots of CA wide open, although is brilliant at f8 (not ideal at that speed).

I have a Rubinar 300/4.5 and Tamron SP 350/5.6 which are superb as mirror lenses, but I want something with nice smooth bokeh as well.

I am considering:

1. Nikon Ai/AiS 300/4.5
2. Olympus Auto-T 300/4.5
3. Canon EF 300/4 L (eeeep, it's AF!)

What are your experiences with these lenses? Does the purple fringing disappear by f5.6 (more useful than f8 )?

Thanks

[Attila]

I did used first 2 , I don't remember for purple* because I didn't care about.

They are more less equal lenses I did like them , they are faster than Tammy what is very important on long lenses. I found from all Nikon with ED tag is best. I sold them all and I kept an old Tair (not snipper version) to my eyes good as than above lenses for lot less money.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/nikon_nikkor/nikkor_300mm_f4_5_ED-IF_AIS/

Shoots are wide open or F5.6

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/nikon_nikkor/nikkor300mm/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/Olympus_Om/olympus_om_300mm_f4_5/

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/russian_lens/tair/tair-3_300mm_f4_5/

Some others
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/mfl_club_members/carlsson/teletessar_300/

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/sonnar/300mm_f4/

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/takumar/smc_takumar_300mm_f4/

[Attila]

If you have money for Canon, take a look on Contax 300mm first...

[ManualFocus-G]

Wow, thanks for all the samples! I completely forgot about the gallery

I'm not convinced about the Olympus lens TBH, but the Nikon (normal one) looks very good indeed

But...I forgot about the Contax I thought it wasn't that good, but those samples are dreamy...

[stingOM]

Difficult to beat a 300mm f2.8. In my case I got the Tokina MF version:

Cost my €410 including shipment from the US.

Minimal, if any CA even at wide open aperture. Very sharp from f4. Downside is its weight at approx 2.5 kg.



Samples - click to enlarge!

[Attila]

To me 300mm f2.8 lenses are unusable, due I have no time and patient to look animals in wild life with tripod I know they are best lenses. It's weight pretty much kill fun.

Take a closer look on SMC-Takumar 300mm f4 it is pretty fast , sharp even at wide open and light weight short one.

[ManualFocus-G]

Yep, I reckon f2.8 would be too inconvenient I'm afraid. The samples I've seen from the Tak 300mm have not been brilliant to be honest.

I really like the look of the Nikkor ED IF 300/4.5 though...

[Attila]

[dnas]

I have an older Tokina AT-X 100-300mm F4.

It has a good combination of performance and size.

[ManualFocus-G]

[Attila]

Generally this is true for every Nikon Takumar fights I like Nikon lenses pretty much , but hey those Konicas

[cooltouch]

If you want to mess with a mount conversion, the Canon FD 300mm f/4 L is a great lens, and not too large. The FD 300mm f/4 (not L) is not worth considering. It has serious purple and green fringing -- or at least the copy I had did.

I second dnas' comment about the Tokina AT-X 100-300 f/4. That's a very nice lens, and not too big. Has a low dispersion element to reduce CA problems.

[Boomer Depp]

[cooltouch]

Boomer, could you elaborate on what a Nikon K mount is? Otherwise known at pre-AI or non-AI?

[Boomer Depp]

Non-AI is a condensed or lazy way of grouping and not specifically identifying which non-AI mount lens, the F,C or K versions.

The Nikon F mount in the K version is the the last of the non-AI mounts and the immediate predecessor of the AI mount.

Nikkor manual focus SLR lenses:the F was first followed by the C & K versions in the non-AI mount,followed by the AI mount, then the AI-S mount and finally the AI-P mount lenses.

[Andrew G.]

As far as the nomenclature goes, the F designation applies to the first single-coated Nikkors introduced for the Nikon F between 1959 and 1971. The C designation came about when Nikon began to apply multi-coating to most of their lenses in 1971. the K designation is a cosmetic update, as Nikon switched from the scalloped metal focus rings to the 'new' rubberized focus rings. They look very similar to the AI lenses that followed, but technically are still non-AI.

[cooltouch]

Thanks for this clarification, Andrew. I've owned K lenses, as it turns out, and just guessed that they were very late non-AI because of their cosmetic resemblance to AI lenses. Although, I recall one specific "K" 55mm f/1.2 I owned that, while it looked like an AI lens with a non-AI aperture ring, there were other, subtle differences that set it apart from its AI counterparts.

[Boomer Depp]

[alex]

Another vote for the Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/300 in CY mount. You could always try the Zeiss Sonnar 2.8/180 with a Mutar III x1.4 converter, too.

[Boomer Depp]

Also the Olympus Zuiko 300mm f4.5 was brought up originally...I find Zuiko 300/4.5 much better then the preferred last version of the Nikkor 300mm f4.5....The Zuiko 300/4.5 is closer to the Nikkor 300/4.5 ED AI-S non-IF when it comes to sharpness....this is one of my sharpest 300mm lens including modern lenses....the bokeh is quite pleasing,too.

[AhamB]

Another one that might be of interest: Sigma 300mm f/4 APO-Tele Macro. 1.2m MFD (1:3) and good CA correction. Difficult to find in Canon EF version with updated chip (aperture only works on old bodies like 10D, D60 or film bodies), but you could use a Nikon version. I have an offer for €250 for one in Nikon mount... thinking about it buying it myself (but I'll likely go for other lenses).

[cooltouch]

[Boomer Depp]

BTW...I've meant to say since seeing you back here,"nice to see you back here Michael"....you were gone for a while...computer go down or just busy building your finely crafted guitars?

[cooltouch]

Well, I have to stay busy with the guitars regardless of whether I'm visiting mflenses or whatever.

Unfortunately, I tend to develop tunnel vision when I get involved with a subject, and thus there is a tendency to exclude other things. I have to force myself out of this habit, which is why you see me back here.

Recently, I've been involved in auto repairs and motorcycle restorations, and these have been sucking away much of my free time. Especially the latter. I've just recently finished getting my two BMW bikes back on the road after their sitting for quite a while, and I'm also working on a cafe racer project that is based on a Yamaha XS650. I doubt I'll be finished with it before this winter, though. Too damn hot outside right now, and available funds are lower than I'd like them to be.

[AhamB]