Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

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Archive 2011 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

skibum5
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p.3 #1 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

JimboCin wrote:
The Canon 100-400 is the only Canon-mount lens that I know of that is push-pull.

Are there others?

100-300L and some old non-L things and some other L things and I think there have been a few for third party too

Dec 09, 2011 at 07:04 PM

Jeff Nolten
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p.3 #2 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

I'll add that I like the zoom lock on the 100-400 as well. Clamp it at any length and it stays there, for example clamped at 400 as you are sliding down the slope at the side of the road to get a little closer to the critter.

Dec 09, 2011 at 07:31 PM

jcolwell
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p.3 #3 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

Jeff Nolten wrote:
I'll add that I like the zoom lock on the 100-400 as well. Clamp it at any length and it stays there, for example clamped at 400 as you are sliding down the slope at the side of the road to get a little closer to the critter.

Same goes for the 28-300L IS. It's a very useful feature.

Dec 09, 2011 at 09:27 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.3 #4 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

+1

I wish Canon had this feature on my 24-105! :-)

Dan

Dec 09, 2011 at 09:33 PM

troy12n
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p.3 #5 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

PetKal wrote:
troy12n wrote:
n0b0 wrote:
Never had any problem with the 100-400L either. Faster way to zoom than a rotating zoom I reckon.

I suspect the issue or weakness of push/pull zoom had been exaggerated by internet parrots. If you use it with an open mind, it won't be long before it becomes second nature.

I dont know what you mean by weakness, but as far as accuracy, a twist or rotating zoom is MUCH easier to control precisely than push/pull. This is a fact. There is a reason primes are not push-pull focus...

You are probably right, but that zooming precision is of no practical consequence.......I can not imagine a situation where I'd need to fine tune FL to within 5% or some such. However, the manual focus requirements are much more exacting, and I suppose a telescoping kind of MF mechanism wouldn't work as well as the standard rotary type.

It's very important if you are tracking moving targets, especially things coming to / going away from you...

Dec 09, 2011 at 09:46 PM

troy12n
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p.3 #6 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

scalesusa wrote:
troy12n wrote:
JimboCin wrote:
The Canon 100-400 is the only Canon-mount lens that I know of that is push-pull.

Are there others?

100-400
28-300
35-350
100-300

At least those, only the top 2 are still made.
Also

35-105mm
70-210mm f/4
70-210 f/3.5-4.5

I loved the old 70-210 twist and zoom, you could manually focus and zoom in one fast motion, at the time, it was great for fast action that needed zooming to follow it. Still is.

The variable aperture 70-210 USM was NOT push-pull, only the f4 version was, and it sucked anyway...

Dec 09, 2011 at 09:49 PM

jcolwell
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p.3 #7 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

troy12n wrote:
---<snip>---
The variable aperture 70-210 USM was NOT push-pull, only the f4 version was, and it sucked anyway...

It probably also blew.

Dec 09, 2011 at 10:01 PM

Andrew_T
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p.3 #8 · Push/Pull Zoom vs Rotating Zoom Ring

no real learning curve at all. I use the 100-400 and I actually really like the design

Dec 09, 2011 at 11:46 PM

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