300mm mid-price suggestions?

[astral]

<p>I am looking for a 300mm f4 or f5.6 prime lens (around Eur/US$180) for occasional use. It will be used for <em>'atmospheric'</em> landscape and architectural subjects (comprising B&W prints up to 16x10 and for slide projection).<br /> <br /> Fast lenses are well beyond my price range, so my top picks would be a Canon 300mm f4, Vivitar Series 1 300mm f3 and Tamron SP 300 f5.6 - but these are really pretty scarce nowadays and generally quite expensive. In the next lower price group I understand that the ubiquitous Canon 300mm f5.6 models do not enjoy particularly good reputations, and that most of the budget independents are a mixed bunch too.<br /> <br /> So, is the "shoe-string" answer to use a 1.4xTC on my (B/L) FD 200mm f4.5, or are there any other good, affordable "sleeper", 300mm - or even 400mm - lenses I may have missed?</p>

[astral]

<p>I should add that my last teleconverter experience was in 1971 ..... I'd be quite reluctant to repeat such trauma ;-)</p>

[User_502260]

<p>The Vivitar lens you refer to is the 200mm f/3 Series 1. I have never seen or heard if a 300mm f/3 Vivitar lens in Canon FD mount. The 300mm f/5.6 Tamron SP is not terribly rare. It's notable feature is its close focusing ability. I use a 300mm f/5.6 Canon FD SSC. Mine is the later IF model. I find the lens to be a good performer. The first problem to be overcome with any 300 this slow is the ability to focus it properly. I use a Canon F-1 with a L D screen. The second problem is keeping the camera steady. The old adage that the sharpest lens is a good tripod is most true when it comes to telephoto lenses. Other less expensive 300mm lenses you might consider include the 300/5.5 Vivitar T4 and the 300/5.6 Vivitar TX. There was also no Canon 200mm f/4.5 FD lens. There was a Canon 200mm f/4.5 FL lens as well as a faster 200/3.5 FL.<br>

If you are willing to get a non-Canon body then some other possibilities include the 300/4.5 Minolta MD, which is also an IF lens and the 300/4.5 Konica Hexanon. Greg Weber might be a source for the Konica 300. With the right adapter you could use one of the 300mm Nikkor lenses on a Canon but without auto diaphragm operation. I have the Minolta and Konica 300s but no 300mm Nikkors.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>If you can find Nikon>FD or M42>FD adapters, or an FD T-mount, there are a number of possibilities.</p>

<p>There was a Spiratone 300mm Mirror lens, but it usually sells for more than you want to spend. Ironically, a number of the Spiratone 500mm Mirror f/8 lenses are available for your price. (T-mount)</p>

<p>There is also a rather good 400mm f/6.3 T-mount refractor from Spiratone that often sells for under $50 and is almost always for sale by somebody on eBay.</p>

<p>There are a huge number of 300mm lenses available in various other mounts ranging from Nikon to M42 and beyond. Non-AI Nikkors often sell for peanuts since they generally won't work on digital Nikon cameras. If you can get the Nikon>FD adapter, they will work well as manual focus, stop-down meter lenses on any EOS camera. Ditto for Zeiss Jena and Takumar lenses in the Praktica (Pentax=M42) mount.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>Alan, the FD 300/4 L is only a little beyond your budget, and is a fabulous lens.</p>

[awahlster]

<p>In order of best to acceptable:</p>

<p>Canon 400mm f4.5<br>

Canon 300mm f4.0L<br>

Canon 400mm f4.0<br>

Canon 300mm f5.6L<br>

There are some third party lenses worth trying but I have no experience with anything but the one listed below</p>

<p> AND STAY MILES AWAY from the Sigma 400mm f5.6</p>

 

[paul_de_ley]

<p>The non-L FD 300 f4 shows up fairly regularly in keh.com for approx $200 with tripod mount, without the original canon mount mount you would expect to pay a good $50 less than that.</p>

<p>Another off-brand option to consider would be one of the M42 screwmount versions of the Pentax 300 f4 (see <a href="http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/showproduct.php?product=272">here for comments</a> about it in pentaxforums.com) for which you'd expect to pay approx $150, there is a page somewhere on the web that reviews the different versions of this lens in more detail but I hadn't bookmarked it when I ran across it and google isn't picking it up now. With an M42-to-FD adapter these should work fine.</p>

<p>A while back I managed to pick up a cosmetically worn but still good Nikkor*ED AIS 300 f4.5 from feebay for $200, so it's not impossible and that one will probably give you the least chromatic aberration in this age-range for a cost below that of the FD 300 f4 L.</p>

<p>If you keep an eye peeled for all of the better models mentioned already in your OP and by the responses in this thread, then it shouldn't take too long at all to find one that will serve you well without exceeding your target budget.</p>

[barryreid]

<p>Alan, Ithink you are also in the UK? If so, MXV and Ffordes both have the 300/5.6 for £60-80, Mifsuds have a 300f/4 (Not L) for £199.<br>

If you can wait a bit there may be the odd bargain to be had on eBay. For example I recently picked up an 85-300/4.5 S.S.C for £26 it was filthy but after a few hours cleaning I've got a nice lens.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>FD, I meant work on any (or most) FD mount camera of course, not EOS. Force of habit, old horse goes straight to the stable, etc.</p>

[astral]

<p>Thanks folks - very clear and concise. So, it looks like the options narrow down to an 'L' version .... so I'll check for any forgotten piggy banks lying around the house. Anyway, staying with a Canon lens seems to be the better option if I choose to use my T90.</p>

<p>I haven't seen many references to the Canon 85-300 SSC, but it'd be an option at that sort of price. That said, it seems a good idea to grab a Pentax/Nikon>Canon adapter when I see one and re-use some older lenses (though my 300mm f4.5 AIS, non-ED, Nikkor isn't a top choice lens).</p>

<p>BTW, Jeff, yes my FD 200mm is indeed f4, though focussing with long lenses is less of an issue than setting up a Unilock tripod - "like wrestling with an octopus!". ... Oh yes, and the 300mm f3 Vivitar is purely mythical apparently ;-(</p>