I have been researching a bit but not sure what to do here. I am about to get a Canon 300 4 L IS and wondering if its possible to adapt it to the NEX and if so what is the best alternative. If not what is the best choice for 300mm range for te NEX ?
I did see some adapters for EOS to NEX but I think you lose AF and Im guessing you lose the IS as well. Not a deal breaker for me but I would like to get the best adapter available.
Are you planning on using this lens on Canon as well, or just nex? If just nex, You can save a lot of money or get a faster lens by going with a manual focus lens (you'll lose af anyway). There's lots of good ones in the 300mm range, depending on your budget, but here's some ideas:
Fd 300mm f4 l
Fd 300mm f2.8 l
Nikon 300mm f4.5 ais
Nikon 300mm f2.8 ais
Olympus om 300mm f4.5
Leica 350mm f4.8
flashinm wrote:
Are you planning on using this lens on Canon as well, or just nex? If just nex, You can save a lot of money or get a faster lens by going with a manual focus lens (you'll lose af anyway). There's lots of good ones in the 300mm range, depending on your budget, but here's some ideas:
Fd 300mm f4 l
Fd 300mm f2.8 l
Nikon 300mm f4.5 ais
Nikon 300mm f2.8 ais
Olympus om 300mm f4.5
Leica 350mm f4.8
I am getting a T2i that I had given as a gift and it went unused. The lens was mine and sold to a friend with the understanding that I would have the option to buy back. It was like new and when he got it from me and has not been out of the box. Will cost me $900.
I had planned on selling the T2i and put towards that lens and using it on the Sony. I want to keep the Sony because its more convenient and the AF during video using the Sony lenses. Since Im losing AF ( or at least taking huge hit on AF performance), Im wondering now if I should just keep the T2i.
A different lens is not out of the question though. My plans are wildlife shooting as a hobby, typically animals that will be close enough for 300mm. If there is a fast 300 with IQ to match the 300 L IS then Im all for it. I can shoot from a tripod and manual focus.
In the list you gave will any of those lenses be readily available at $900 or less ?
Lots of lenses available that fit in the budget of a Canon EF 300/4 L IS,
just search ebay for 300mm in the lens section, Contax 300/4 float your boat?
My knowledge of other lens brands in terms of what IQ to expect in comparison to a Canon L is limited. As long as it matches or surpasses Im open to any brand.
Im not sure what to expect as far as vignette issues either.
All of those lenses I listed should fall under the $900 mark. If it were me I would get either the fd 300mm f2.8 L or the Leica 350mm. They're both excellent optically. The canon also gives you the ability to add a 1.4X without much penalty and have a longer f4 when you need more reach.
Or keep the T2i and save some more money to buy the 300mm L back. Depends on whether or not you need AF.
Actually, it's hard to beat the Canon IS lenses as good long-lens options for the NEX system if you buy the Smart Adapter as you get IS from these lenses.
The main alternative is of course the A mount lenses, which offer you fast AF instead of IS via the LA-EA2 adapter.
The real alt options can give you better optics, but pretty much require you to have good support and/or excellent technique as you don't get AF or IS. That said, they can also be real value options, it's hard to get a decent quality 300mm in a native mount for $150, but it's quite doable for the alt options (that's what I payed for my Nikkor 300/4.5, which does acceptably well on my NEX-7).
Note from that list I'd get the Leica, it's simply stellar and is far smaller/lighter than the f2.8's.
mawz wrote:
Actually, it's hard to beat the Canon IS lenses as good long-lens options for the NEX system if you buy the Smart Adapter as you get IS from these lenses.
The main alternative is of course the A mount lenses, which offer you fast AF instead of IS via the LA-EA2 adapter.
The real alt options can give you better optics, but pretty much require you to have good support and/or excellent technique as you don't get AF or IS. That said, they can also be real value options, it's hard to get a decent quality 300mm in a native mount for $150, but it's quite doable for the alt options (that's what I payed for my Nikkor 300/4.5, which does acceptably well on my NEX-7).
Note from that list I'd get the Leica, it's simply stellar and is far smaller/lighter than the f2.8's....Show more →
Im just looking for the best IQ I can get within that $900 budget (lower the better ) regardless of AF or IS. The 300 mm or better range and I would like ot be F4 or faster.
pcvrz22g wrote:
Im just looking for the best IQ I can get within that $900 budget (lower the better ) regardless of AF or IS. The 300 mm or better range and I would like ot be F4 or faster.
Then you need to pick IQ or speed. Best IQ will be the Leica 350/4.8, but the FD 300/2.8 (or a Nikkor 300/2.8, which can be had for $900 with some care) will come second.
If you decide to go with an MF lens, consider the Zeiss C/Y 300/4. It's a bit of a beast and the tripod mount is fixed, so it doesn't allow for an easy rotation between landscape and portrait orientations, but the IQ is impressive.
If you're considering Leica, I'd skip the 350 and go for a 250/4 (e67). It's shorter and lighter than the 350, and a better performer wide-open. Add a 1.4x to get to 350, and it's still shorter and lighter with just a half a stop of light lost.
freaklikeme wrote:
If you decide to go with an MF lens, consider the Zeiss C/Y 300/4. It's a bit of a beast and the tripod mount is fixed, so it doesn't allow for an easy rotation between landscape and portrait orientations, but the IQ is impressive.
If you're considering Leica, I'd skip the 350 and go for a 250/4 (e67). It's shorter and lighter than the 350, and a better performer wide-open. Add a 1.4x to get to 350, and it's still shorter and lighter with just a half a stop of light lost.
i'll just add that the leica 350/4.8 isn't very much lighter than the 2.8s. great build adds a lot of weight. the leica is what i currently use, but i've been looking for something easier to squeeze in a bag for a while. i'm relatively sure the 300/4 L IS is better corrected for CA than the leica as well.
The Tamron SP 300/5.6 is an excellent performer, it's relatively inexpensive (~$200), and it's very compact; MFD = 1.4m, wt = 0.7kg, L = 170mm, D = 65mm. If you want something longer than the 300/4L IS, then the manual focus Nikkor * ED 400mm f/3.5 and Nikkor ED 500/4 P are both very nice, and way less expensive than equivalent AF lenses. OTOH, the 300/4L IS is very nice. I used one for many years, until going to the 300/2.8L IS.
) regardless of AF or IS. The 300 mm or better range and I would like ot be F4 or faster.