Steve'sDigicams

snooked · Apr 24, 2008, 8:37 PM

First impression on opening was , solid feel andgood looking lens. Case is a little flimsy (like fisheye 10-17mm but larger). Had to get used to quiet focus, hear nothing but view snaps into focus quickly. Focuses faster than Sigma EX 100-300mm F4 or Tokina ATX 840. Took lens to Rookery I have been following for 7 to 8 weeks. Lens seems to be sharp, on first impression of viewing results. Worked with Kenco 1.5 Teleconverter but focus noticably slower. Without Teleconverter my first impression is a higher percentage of BIF in focus.

As of now I am pleased with the trade off. I did not miss having no zoom for this kind of use and will use the Tokina when needed. At this point I am happy with the change. This weekend I will post some similar photos with and without the TC and with and without croping. I did not try any BIF with TC.

Ed

snooked · Apr 24, 2008, 8:38 PM

Egret crop

Old Engineer · Apr 24, 2008, 9:05 PM

Simply beautiful. What a lovely creature. I vote for you keeping the lens.

Can you share the camera stats and lens settings?

What am I likely to have to save (hide) for eventually buying one of those lenses?

Old Engineer

mtngal · Apr 24, 2008, 9:06 PM

Pretty impressive for a first day shot, and a white bird, too. I'm going to be following your experiences with this lens with great interest - though I'm still not convinced I'd be any better off. I actually like not having the zoom - less to think about when you are looking way out there.

philneast · Apr 24, 2008, 9:31 PM

I'm jealous

:angry:

Phil

Lyrics51 · Apr 24, 2008, 11:24 PM

Phil and Harriet sum it up pretty well. First day with the lens and you get shots like that!!??As Paulie said at the Thunderlips fight (ie. Rocky III for those too young to remember), "I don't need this!"

Glenn

Peacekeeper · Apr 25, 2008, 6:42 AM

Ed,

Its a shocker, Terrible, terrible. Quick send it to me and I will take it off your hands. :blah:

Great Shot

looks to be an excellent lens.

PK

Monza76 · Apr 25, 2008, 8:43 AM

I want one!!! My F 100-300mm f4.5-5.6 zoom simply is not as sharp and cannot focus fast enough to keep up (one stop slower and no SDM, along with the usual zoom compromises).

I think you have a great lens there, and the simpler optical formula of a prime lens should give better results with the teleconverter than you would get with a zoom. (Although there are always many variables to take into account when we mix optical devices)

Ira

bigdawg · Apr 25, 2008, 9:14 AM

Looks good so far...I would still prefer a f/2.8 though.

Dawg

penolta · Apr 25, 2008, 12:33 PM

Congratulations - the faster focus should be a boon for bifs. Besides the nonSDM TCslowing the focus speed by reverting to mechanical focus (or isn't that why it is slower?), TCs have been known to degrade an image, especially if not specifically matched to the lens, so it will be interesting to compare shots with the TC with crops to the same size from images tzaken without the TC. You might be better without it.

Apr 24, 2008, 8:37 PM	#1
snooked Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,411	First impression on opening was , solid feel andgood looking lens. Case is a little flimsy (like fisheye 10-17mm but larger). Had to get used to quiet focus, hear nothing but view snaps into focus quickly. Focuses faster than Sigma EX 100-300mm F4 or Tokina ATX 840. Took lens to Rookery I have been following for 7 to 8 weeks. Lens seems to be sharp, on first impression of viewing results. Worked with Kenco 1.5 Teleconverter but focus noticably slower. Without Teleconverter my first impression is a higher percentage of BIF in focus. As of now I am pleased with the trade off. I did not miss having no zoom for this kind of use and will use the Tokina when needed. At this point I am happy with the change. This weekend I will post some similar photos with and without the TC and with and without croping. I did not try any BIF with TC. Ed Attached Images

Apr 24, 2008, 8:38 PM	#2
snooked Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,411	Egret crop Attached Images

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Apr 24, 2008, 9:05 PM	#3
Old Engineer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 179	Simply beautiful. What a lovely creature. I vote for you keeping the lens. Can you share the camera stats and lens settings? What am I likely to have to save (hide) for eventually buying one of those lenses? Old Engineer

Apr 24, 2008, 9:06 PM	#4
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Pretty impressive for a first day shot, and a white bird, too. I'm going to be following your experiences with this lens with great interest - though I'm still not convinced I'd be any better off. I actually like not having the zoom - less to think about when you are looking way out there.

Apr 24, 2008, 9:31 PM	#5
philneast Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Hobart Tasmania Posts: 489	I'm jealous :angry: Phil

Apr 24, 2008, 11:24 PM	#6
Lyrics51 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northwest Ohio Posts: 1,965	Phil and Harriet sum it up pretty well. First day with the lens and you get shots like that!!??As Paulie said at the Thunderlips fight (ie. Rocky III for those too young to remember), "I don't need this!" Glenn

Apr 25, 2008, 6:42 AM	#7
Peacekeeper Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,024	Ed, Its a shocker, Terrible, terrible. Quick send it to me and I will take it off your hands. :blah: Great Shot looks to be an excellent lens. PK

Apr 25, 2008, 8:43 AM	#8
Monza76 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,154	I want one!!! My F 100-300mm f4.5-5.6 zoom simply is not as sharp and cannot focus fast enough to keep up (one stop slower and no SDM, along with the usual zoom compromises). I think you have a great lens there, and the simpler optical formula of a prime lens should give better results with the teleconverter than you would get with a zoom. (Although there are always many variables to take into account when we mix optical devices) Ira

Apr 25, 2008, 9:14 AM	#9
bigdawg Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Thach Alabama Posts: 14,981	Looks good so far...I would still prefer a f/2.8 though. Dawg

Apr 25, 2008, 12:33 PM	#10
penolta Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 5,206	Congratulations - the faster focus should be a boon for bifs. Besides the nonSDM TCslowing the focus speed by reverting to mechanical focus (or isn't that why it is slower?), TCs have been known to degrade an image, especially if not specifically matched to the lens, so it will be interesting to compare shots with the TC with crops to the same size from images tzaken without the TC. You might be better without it.