Fast tele lens for shooting wide open

[Big R]

Hello!

I have a Sony A700 and a Minolta 100-300 APO 4,5-5,6.

I mainly use it outdoors, but sometimes I use this combo to shoot indoors at longer focal lengths (typically 200 bis 300 mm, not artistic though, for snapshots and documentary purposes).

The problem is that I have to crank up the ISO for that because the APO already reaches f5.6 at ca. 150mm.

On ebay.de you can quite often find cheap fast M42 200mm primes with apertures like 3.3, 3.5 or 4.

Auto-Revuenon 200mm 3.5
Cosina 200mm 3.5
Porst 200mm 3.3
Soligor 200mm 3.3
Pentacon 200mm 4
Auto-Sankor 200mm 3.9
Sun 200mm 3.5
Tamron 200mm 3.5
Upsilon 200mm 3.5
and so on...

I am not really familiar with these types of lenses, so my question is: Is it possible to shoot wide open with these kind of lenses?
And if so - which is the one to get?

I am not aiming for maximum optical image quality - so no problem if it's a little soft wide open. But it should be usable and naturally be better than my Sony + the APO at ISO 1600 or 3200.

[WolverineX]

try getting soligor 200mm/2,8 , or minolta 200/2,8.maybe try manual tokina at-x 80-200mm/2,8 zoom

[Anu]

[DSG]

[RioRico]

I'll comment from a USA viewpoint. The fairly speedy options here are to find a Vivitar or Soligor or Lentar or some Tomioka-made store brand etc. 200/3.5 for under US$20; or a Vivitar Series 1 Version 1 70-210/3.5 (which is SHARP wide open) for under US$50; or spend hundreds on a 200/2.8. For not-quite-so-fast, the Jupiter-21M or Super Takumar 200/4 are good wide open and often under US$50. I can't comment on CZJ glass as I don't see copies here that I can afford. Good luck.

[estudleon]

Omitting anything about the cost of the lens, Saw a pic taken with the 1,8/200 lens, said by the photographer that was taken wide open.

Very shallow DOF, but sharp, very sharp.

I didn't know anything about this canon lens.

[uhoh7]

canon fd 200 f/2.8 fast and sharp for 85

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-FD-Series-200mm-FAST-F2-8-Lense-/330501817717?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item4cf3718575

The old nikon 180mm f/2.8 is lendendary but they go for 260 all the time.

If you wanna spend some real money there's the nFD 200 f/1.8: about 3000USD when found

last FD mount made i think, and worth a fortune.

But for a fast 200 the FD f/2.8 is supposedly very good and there are lots of them. Might be worth a hundred if you want a really tight DOF or low light.

The late model nfd internal focus is the sharpest i think. Even at keh 160usd
http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Manual-Focus-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-CA060090354490?r=FE

jeez makes me want get one readin about it

BUT the 80-200 F/4 L is apparently wicked wicked sharp beating many canon primes at f/8

http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Manual-Focus-Zoom-Lenses/1/sku-CA070104008450?r=FE

Thread on subject
http://photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00QGua?start=10

but it's pricey at over 200

guys above have great suggestions for cheap sharp stuff.

if you need it fast though......nFD 200 f/2.8 looks like it's quite good--worth a 100

but maybe the guys around here know cheaper good fast ones.

here's the 2.8 jena:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Zeiss-Sonnar-f-2-8-200mm-m42-Pentax-screw-mount-lens-/140484120644?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item20b5819044

[woodrim]

Comment removed.
Ads are allowed in Customer service section only.
Supposedly, the OP knows that there is a market place section full of goodies.
Hint: you can always have your stuff placed as a signature.

Himself

[Big R]

Thanks for the comments!

Canon FD to Minolta/Sony AF needs AFAIK an adapter with a lens to be able to focus to infinity - that's something I don't really want (expensive and in most cases optically not good).

And I realize - I should have set a budget!
As I will probably not use this lens too often I hoped I'd be able to pick up one of the cheaper lenses for under 50 EUR.

The CZ are unquestionable great lenses but a little bit expensive for my purposes.

[martinsmith99]

The Pentacon Preset I have is sharp wide open, as is the Jupiter 21.

I have yet to see a 180 or 200mm Sonnar for anything like 100gbp.

[Anu]