more zoom advice needed!

[jonathan_pingree]

I'm still looking for a lense... thanks to everyone that has

previously given me advice on this topic. I'm tossing up between the

80-200 f4 and the 70-210. What is the going price for units in good

order, and why do people shy away from the 70-210? I'm currently

living in Korea, and there is not much of a used FD lense selection

(I haven't even seen an 80-200, and only two 70-210's). Pros and

cons, prices, and a general "how to buy a lense" would be great.

Cheers!

[steveh552]

i priced a sigma 70-300 zoom for my nikon and can get it for right at 159.00.

[bob_hill]

See Adorama for prices:

 

http://www.adoramaphoto.com/catalog.tpl?op=category&sid=10199514761933232&cat1=Used

[jonathan_pingree]

Jonny here again...

I forgot to mention that I'm looking at Canon items only.

Thanks again.

[psul_aul]

I am not sure of the the difference between the 80-200 and 70-210. I am assuming you are looking only at Canon FD lenses.

 

A good place to get an idea of price is on ebay. You can do a search of completed sales and get an idea of the current price situation.

I also think, most sellers there will ship anywhere in the world as long as you pay in US dollars.

[alan_swartz]

Jonathan,

 

I don't know much about the 80-200. It has a good reputation. It is a 2-touch zoom, with separate focusing and zooming rings. A one-touch "L" version was released near the end of the FD lens production. It is wonderful, but quite expensive. KEH.com has several on hand at present.

 

The 70-210 is a one-touch lens, with a w-i-d-e focusing ring that you push or pull to zoom. This lens was very popular in the mid-eighties because of its focal length range, the one-touch zoom, and its reasonable price. Many people are leery of the late FD lenses because of plastic failures, but this one doesn't use so much plastic in critical areas. It seems solidly built, definitely much more so than the 28-85 f/4 or the 35-70 f/3.5-4.5. I've used it a little, and have no complaints with its performance. It's not obviously inferior to the other non-"L" lenses I have, and I have quite a few. You will find these on Ebay for $135-200 US.

 

How to buy: find a seller you trust. Check cosmetic condition. I remind myself that the more knocks and scrapes, the more impacts the internal pieces have weathered. Set the mount to the on-camera, mounted position and try the diaphragm at all apertures. Peer through the lens with the diaphragm closed, looking for oiliness on the leaves. Shine a flashlight through the lens with diaphragm open, looking for haziness, strings of white fungus, or other damage or dirt. Check the zoom and focus mechanisms for smoothness and proper play. Shake the lens--avoid ones with excessive internal noise.

 

The zooms often used plastic pads and bumpers in the mechanism, and many of these plastic cushions have turned to goo or fallen apart, causing looseness and knocking in the zoom mechanism, rattling, and misalignment of the lens elements. Due to this, I think it's important to choose a zoom more carefully than a prime lens.