I spent half a day following this cheetah mother while she taught her three cubs to hunt. Idube game reserve in northern South Africa. Again, using the Pentax 400/2.8 A* ED IF on Kodachrome 64 transparency film...
As much as I would love a 300/400 f2.8, it isn't in the budget or weight/size I'm looking for haha.
I carry my gear in either a crumpler 5mil or Patagonia mini mass shoulder/messenger bag. A slim 300 would probably be a little easier to pack than my tamron 500.
Are there any solid Olympus Zuiko 300mm lenses? I know Olympus made some interesting exotic fast lenses like the 250/2.0 and the 350/2.8 which again are out of your size constraints and budget. Before everything went AF and plastic it was Olympus and Pentax that were making beautiful small lenses...
PhotoMaximum wrote:
I spent half a day following this cheetah mother while she taught her three cubs to hunt. Idube game reserve in northern South Africa. Again, using the Pentax 400/2.8 A* ED IF on Kodachrome 64 transparency film...
Are there any solid Olympus Zuiko 300mm lenses? I know Olympus made some interesting exotic fast lenses like the 250/2.0 and the 350/2.8 which again are out of your size constraints and budget. Before everything went AF and plastic it was Olympus and Pentax that were making beautiful small lenses...
Looking at your list again I see you mention the Canon EF 300/4 L which might warrant a closer look? I know this is not an alt lens but Canon makes really nice long lenses. This lens is way smaller than the f/2.8 version and might have good resale value if you need to go down that road. While I have not used this lens I have held it before. It is bigger than the Pentax 300/4 we were yacking about earlier...
PhotoMaximum wrote:
Looking at your list again I see you mention the Canon EF 300/4 L which might warrant a closer look? .... It is bigger than the Pentax 300/4 we were yacking about earlier...
The EF 300/4L IS has significantly better IQ than the SMCP-M* 300/4, and the EF has a much shorter minimum focus distance, MFD (1.5m vs. 4.0m), plus it has AF and IS. I didn't mention it because of the forum... Also, I didn't notice it in the OP list.
The EF 300/4 might be out of your budget as well. The new version with IS goes for around $1350. Used copies can be found for less. The older non IS can be found for way less as well, but I am not sure if Canon is still servicing this version?
I always think about resale value if I need to undo my purchase of any lens. Paying top dollar for a used lens of very limited appeal makes no sense if you may need a "do over"...
No exotic glass elements, but I always recommend the Yashica 300/5.6 MLC for compactness and low cost (my pristine copy was $130). Downside is LCA w/o, and some TCA near the edge. With a C/Y mount, it's easily deployed on a Canon DSLR.
I know all about the EF 300. I figured it would be understood I was talking about the FD version. There is a plain f4, then the L. They appear to both be internal focus. The non L is cheap. I really want to stick to Nikon for consistency, but the FD may be worth a shot.
Then it should be noted that Nikon and Pentax focus the same direction if muscle memory and brain function is an issue when using multiple lenses. Most brands like Canon focus "the other way..."
I'm looking to spend less than $400 BTW.
I know the plain Jane FD f4 can be had for under $200. Might be able to score an L for $400.
The nikkors should also be in budget, as is the Olympus.
The Olympus looks very small, but is heavier than the FD and not internal focus.
Earlier, I said that the Tamron SP 300/5.6 was no longer a close friend of mine, but that's because I have other options - all of which exceed your budget.
You should be able to pick up a Tamron SP 300/5.6 with Adaptall 2 to EOS adapter for about $220.
