New lense: advice

Tallon

Hey guys, thinking about getting this...

Sony 500mm lense



I want more zoom but don't know if this is a bit extreme

What do you's think

Sleepy

With a max aperature of f8 you'd need an exceptionally bright day to get reasonable shots with that of anything other than a stationary subject...

The images posted look very grainy so presumably the photog was using high ISO and they don't look the sharpest either, I'd save my money tbh.

homerun_homer

That's a 50mm lens?

silverside

Viz Top Tip : "Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view."

It's a 500mm lens

mrmac

Nah, link & picture is 500mm.

Finally!!!!

Proof that "Bigger" is not always better!

Tallon

Thanks guys, exactly the blunt type of advice I wanted.
Any recomendations on an alternative for a bit of zoom?

homerun_homer

I noticed it was 500 on the pic and the link but I had to comment on the initial error with the link. I think the pictures it gives as examples are very unremarkable.

mrmac

You have a Sony α200, right?
What lense came with it?
What kind of zoom are you thinking about, i.e. 10m or 50m?

Tallon

mrmac wrote: »

You have a Sony α200, right?
What lense came with it?
What kind of zoom are you thinking about, i.e. 10m or 50m?

Yeah thats right, I got the a200K so it came with 18-70mm Lens.

I dont know what im looking for, just something fairly cheap. and something that I could use on a regular basis, i.e. Zoo, rally, sporting event, castles

I love my Olympus 550UZ as it has 18X optical zoom , but I dont bring that with me much

Mycroft H

That lens in the ebay link is probably a t mount lens adapted to the alpha mount. You will have to use manual mode and no auto focus, if that dosent bother you i'll recomend a better one.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TAIR-3-PhS-300mm-f-4-5-M42-LENS-FITS-PENTAX-K-CANON-EOS_W0QQitemZ230344521168QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN?hash=item35a19a75d0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 is a tair 300mm russian prime. (dont laugh, they made some very good lenses in their time)

I use this one on trips when ringing birds, its nice and sharp at f5.6 and above. As with the majority of russian lenses it has no purple fringing. Its heavy but well built. The colours arent as good as modern lenses but its nothing that p.p cant sort out.


Another option is the tamron 70-300 f4.5-5.6. Its not as sharp or as fast as the old tair but it has auto focus.

My advice is, if you dont mind manual focusing get the tair but if you prefer auto focus, get the tamron.

mrmac

Why not have a look for some second-hand Minolta lenses?

I see a seller on adverts has an 80-200 he'll sell for €50, and he's not a million miles away from you. At least it'll give you an idea of the range at 200mm?