Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

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Archive 2008 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

Justin D
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p.1 #1 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

Hi guys, looking for a cheap (under$350-400 US) relatively small tele lens. Speed not a major concern - 4.0-5.6 is fine. So far, the Oly OM 300 4.5 looks ok if the IQ is ok. Are there Nikons? What about the Contax lenses in the range? Pentax? The shots from pbase are a sensation, but I think they are just samples from two excellent photographers rather than random samples of the lens.
Would a Nikon 180 ED AIS 2.8 with a 1.4x be as good as the cheaper 300s out there? If so, which 1.4x? Canon, Kenko or on old Nikon <300? This would give me two lenses, I guess - one of them is meant to be fairly special.
Thanks in avance.

Edited on Aug 07, 2008 at 10:27 AM

Aug 07, 2008 at 06:31 AM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #2 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

You should look at the Nikon Ais 200mm f/4. It weighs just over a pound and is generally considered to have good IQ. You should be able to get one from between $100 and $150. At 300mm, there are a lot fewer option that are cheap and or light. Do you have a price and or weight limit in mind?

Aug 07, 2008 at 01:00 PM

Lotusm50
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p.1 #3 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

Zeiss c/y 200mm f4.0 Tele-Tessar. Compact, light, built-in lens hood, Zeiss-look.

Edited on Aug 07, 2008 at 01:40 PM

Aug 07, 2008 at 01:40 PM

mawz
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p.1 #4 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

Lots of good options here. The Pentax SMC 200/4's are excellent, available in several versions from screwmount through SMC-A.

The Nikkor 200/4 and 180/2.8 are excellent, both can be paired with a Nikon TC14B 1.4x TC with good results and even the 180 is fairly compact. Nikon 300mm f4.5's are also a good option and cheap, the ED's are even better but rub the upper edge of your budget.

Vivitar has a well regarded 200mm as well from the glory days of Series 1, a 200mm f3

Aug 07, 2008 at 02:45 PM

pdmphoto
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p.1 #5 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

I have a Nikon 300/4.5 AIS (non ED) that's excellent. I swear it is ED, as it's better corrected than the Canon 200/2.8L's I've tried. Jay Tiger has an older model he's very happy with as well. I'd forget about the Oly 300/4.5 as it is no cheaper than the Nikon and not up to par perfromance-wise.

The Nikon 180/2.8 ED AI-S is a great lens. Fast, and sharp across the frame from wide open. It performs great with TC's, but they must be the kind that don't have the front element that sticks out - so you can't use the Canon 1.4x. The Nikon 180 would definately qualify as more special and versatile to me, since it performs so well as a f/2.8 lens (for nice bokeh shots), but also very well with 1.4x-2x TC's. But, if your priority is a great 270-300mm lens, then you should get that focal length lens.

Disclaimer: I have my Nikon 180/2.8 ED AIS on the BS board (only because I got a Angenieux 180/2.3)

Edited on Aug 08, 2008 at 02:32 AM

Aug 08, 2008 at 02:31 AM

telyt
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p.1 #6 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

pdmphoto wrote:
I have a Nikon 300/4.5 AIS (non ED) that's excellent.

If you decide on the 300mm f/4.5 Nikkor, avoid the old Nikkor-P version which has more lateral CA than any other lens I've seen.

Aug 08, 2008 at 02:51 AM

rico
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p.1 #7 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

200/4 is nice and compact. My choice is the C/Y-mount Yashica ML C: should run 100 bucks.

I note that eBay regular "dscamera" is selling a copy (item 310071958977).

Edited by rico on Aug 08, 2008 at 02:21 AM GMT

Edited on Aug 08, 2008 at 08:21 AM

Aug 08, 2008 at 03:16 AM

pdmphoto
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p.1 #8 · Cheap, small 200-300mm lens

Not surprising since the Nikkor P is the oldest of the 300/4.5's, from the early 60's. I wouldn't suggest going that far back. I don't think you can go wrong with an AIS version. Here's a history of the different Nikon 300/4.5's, by serial number:

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#300

telyt wrote:
pdmphoto wrote:
I have a Nikon 300/4.5 AIS (non ED) that's excellent.

If you decide on the 300mm f/4.5 Nikkor, avoid the old Nikkor-P version which has more lateral CA than any other lens I've seen.

Edited on Aug 08, 2008 at 04:00 AM

Aug 08, 2008 at 03:54 AM

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