Best faster than f4 200mm lens?

[iangreenhalgh1]

Hi folks

I have a few 200mm lenses, the best of which is my Pentacon 4/200, the others are cheap Japanese ones or varying degrees of crappiness from not bad to god awful.

I do like my Pentacon but feel the need for a better 200mm.

So what lenses do people recommend in this length?

I have a number of zooms that are 200-210mm at the long end, but I don't like using zoom lenses much and I'm interested in a lens faster than the f4 of my Pentacon, which eliminates all my zooms.

[walter g]

Price range?

[martinsmith99]

The Pentacon 200 is a very good lens. Faster lenses like a F3.5 can be found if you just want a little faster. A 2.8 will be heavier and more expensive. I've a 180mm Sonnar which I've owned for 2 months, but it's so big and heavy I worry about damaging the camera's mount and it doesn't fit in my kit bag, I've yet to even try it out, so I expect I'll sell it.

[WolverineX]

i have Soligor 200mm/2.8 that's pretty good
here are samples:
http://forum.mflenses.com/testing-my-lenses-part-33-soligor-200mm-2-8-t38374,highlight,%2Btesting+%2Blenses.html

[aoleg]

[BRunner]

[IAZA]

Agree with aoleg about Nikkor AI/AIS 200/4,my fave one & lightest

my 200mm was
pentacon, nikon, takumar,yashica all 200/4
zeiss 200/2,8..if you're Ok with the heavy lens, it's ok, some CA though

[nixland]

I have tried Soligor 200/2.8 once only for couple of shots indoor. Good color and contrast and sharp enough.

I was curious about Rokkor 200/2.8 and Canon FD 200/2.8 (though they may hit 5D mirror).

[Orio]

If you are on a very tight budget, the Soligor 3.5/200 is a good choice - although only half stop faster than your Pentacon.
But sometimes what is only a half stop in terms of luminosity can turn out to be a great help with focusing.

Amongst f/2.8 lenses, I think that the best price/performance ratio still remains with a multicoated (MC) copy of the Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8/180.

[Attila]

[LucisPictor]

That one perhaps?

Click here to see on Ebay.de

Yashica-Contax YC 200mm f/3,5 Tele-Tessar T*

[iangreenhalgh1]

Thanks for the adivce people, I was hoping to get an answer such as 'oh, such and such Nikkor or Rokkor is better' but it doesn't surprise me that there isn't much better than the Pentacon within my price range.

I do have a Ross Xpress 8.5 inch (240mm) I remounted that is superb, no CA, very sharp, very saturated colours, that is an f4.5 so fairly fast for it's length.

On the subject of 2.8/200s, which are the best?

[Attila]

2.8/200 I know only Carl Zeiss Jena 200mm f2.8 and Soligor 200mm f2.8 , they are not in same leaguage.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I have never seen that CZJ lens, how good is it?

The Canon FD 2.8/200 interests me but I would prefer one that I can use on EOS without modification.

[walter g]

[Gerrit]

I like very much a Novoflex 200mm F3.8 Due to the follow focus system very easy to handle

[martinsmith99]

[BenediktW]

What about a Mamiya Sekor/SX 200mm F3,5? This seems to be a pretty good lens, M42 mount, and reasonably priced. It also exists as a Rolleinar QBM-Clone.

But I think the best idea would be to buy a Nikkor (Ai or Ai-S) 200mm F4? This one is perfectly sharp, it always amazes me again, and its image quality sticks far out. It is of course not "fast", but it is so good already at F4.

[Pancolart]

I love Jupiter-6-2 2.8/180mm. Sonnar 2.8/200mm has the edge in sharpness but Jupiter has soul. Resize only. Nasty light on first.
Album: https://picasaweb.google.com/pancolart/Jupiter6228180mmM423D?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TWotcJZaKiI/TooWXrd9f8I/AAAAAAAADi8/RqJVxBEKvj8/s1201/J1.jpg (Image too large)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4JA6A11a4CM/TooW3HJzBtI/AAAAAAAADj0/2ZY8Ckx_Ix8/s1201/J16.jpg (Image too large)

[woodrim]

Those images stand out very nicely. I've only seen the Jupiter 6a couple of times at auction where it didn't have reserve of go out of site. They are quite uncommon. Remember, Ian has never paid more than 7 quid for a lens.

Whenever asking what is a better - or best lens, one must first define the terms. That Jupiter offers wonderful IQ from what I can see. As I indicated in my Sonnar 180mm post, I'll be making some direct comparisons with my Vivitar Series 1 200mm f/3. I also have Meyer Orestegor 200mm f/4, Vivitar f/3.5, and Kashimura Dianon f/4.5. Perhaps a comparison of this eclectic collection is in order. The Series 1 is the lens to beat.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I was just wanting a 200mm-ish lens that is very sharp and has no CA, but was a bit faster than what I already have and hopefully a little smaller and lighter.

I already have such a lens in this Ross but it's not exactly small or light, it's very sharp wide open and has no CA.

[Lloydy]

I was very tempted by a Jupiter 21M yesterday at the camera fair. There was two for sale, and the best one, in excellent condition, was £30. But it's f4, and I've got the wonderful Takumar 200 which is also f4, so I left it alone.

[jjphoto]

The APO-Telyt-R 180/3.4 is another excellent option but is still not a cheap lens.

[james]

I'd have to agree re: 180 Telyt APO; great at distance but mediocre for close-in subjects. But just because you mentioned your 180 Summicron, I am partial to this lovely:



Of course it won't go to f/2 but according to the eminent Erwin Puts, it's marginally sharper than even the mighty Summicron starting at f/2.8 (wouldn't go that much slower since these are nearly diffraction-limited lenses at maximum aperture) and easier to handle. The images have a brilliance to them, second only to the Leica 280 Telyt APO.

Sorry in advance for the digression...

[iangreenhalgh1]

No chance of me being able to afford any Leica lenses I'm afraid.

Perhaps I can go the route of a MF lens, anyone got any recommendations?