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TheEmrys
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Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Fri May 24, 2013 9:00 pm

Well, a Minolta 300mm/4 APO G is available in Denver. I'm going to pull the trigger. While not the most expensive lens in absolute terms, it will be me first >$1k purchase. Scary! I figure between it and a Minolta 1.4x APO teleconverter, I'll not miss my Minolta 500mm/8 reflex lens (selling on ebay to fund the new lens). Setting up a meet with the buyer for next week, but man. Want this lens. Oh, you can read about it here or some user reviews here.
Sony a7II 55/1.8 Minolta 100/2, 17-35D, Tamron 28-75/2.8
 
TheEmrys
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Re: Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Mon May 27, 2013 6:09 pm

Alright, new plan. I did some research and found that I was within $100 of getting a Sony 70-400mm G lens. For those coming from other mounts, the Sony G is the high end, like the Canon L or Nikon.... VR? Used to be ED, but that's everywhere now. Well, the Sony 70-400mm G is a pretty nice piece of glass. While heavy, its regarded as sharp throughout its range. It does suffer from pincushioning which the camera (and LR) can correct for. To say I am excited is an understatement.

So, in essence, I'm trading a Minolta 24/2.8, 28-135mm, 100-300 APO, 500/8, and a Tamron 200-400/5.6 for this lens. The only real loss to me will be the 24/2.8, a lens that has amazing corner sharpness and rivals the new Carl Zeiss 24/2 in this regard. But, I simply don't use it, and for Colorado wildlife and eventual kid's sports, I've hit the jackpot.
Sony a7II 55/1.8 Minolta 100/2, 17-35D, Tamron 28-75/2.8
 
Airmantharp
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Re: Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Mon May 27, 2013 6:22 pm

Wow, that's a tank of a lens, congrats!
 
TheEmrys
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Re: Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Mon May 27, 2013 9:29 pm

Yeah, its a biggie, but for my needs it will be perfect. And I'll have an excellent 70-300 for more portability. And while I was sad to see my Minolta 500/8 reflex lens go, the IQ will be better on the 400 cropped down. But man, that 500/8 was so portable. The little thing was only 4 1/2 inches long. But, I can always pick one up for ~$500 down the road, if I find I need one.
Sony a7II 55/1.8 Minolta 100/2, 17-35D, Tamron 28-75/2.8
 
Airmantharp
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Re: Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Mon May 27, 2013 9:35 pm

TheEmrys wrote:
Yeah, its a biggie, but for my needs it will be perfect. And I'll have an excellent 70-300 for more portability. And while I was sad to see my Minolta 500/8 reflex lens go, the IQ will be better on the 400 cropped down. But man, that 500/8 was so portable. The little thing was only 4 1/2 inches long. But, I can always pick one up for ~$500 down the road, if I find I need one.


What about a 1.4X extender? I've been thinking about using extenders, as I've started to think of springing for Tamron's new 70-200/2.8 VC instead of Canon's 70-200 F/4 IS. How narrow of an aperture will your Sony autofocus through?
 
TheEmrys
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Re: Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Mon May 27, 2013 10:27 pm

A 1.4x teleconverter would work, but you lose out on IQ. I had had a 2x Tamron that I used on my 70-210/4. And it would get to 420mm, but it was pretty poor IQ. The magic number for Sony's to retain AF is f/8 - anything beyond that, and the bodies will simply not allow focus. To be honest though, if I were going to do it, I'd do it right and get the Sony branded (and supported) ~$500 T/C. The off-brands, aside from the Kenko Pro, just don't work all that well.

However, if I need to really reach out, I can use a virtual T/C built into my body, but then I have to shoot jpegs. Its a pretty cool little feature when I need the extra reach, even if the resolution drops. For 1.4x, I would be dropped down to 12mp, for 2x I would be at 6mp. For those extra reach moments, I don't know if I would go down to 6mp, but I may for 12mp. Getting a shot framed right at 560mm is awfully appealing, jpeg or 12mp notwithstanding.
Sony a7II 55/1.8 Minolta 100/2, 17-35D, Tamron 28-75/2.8
 
TheEmrys
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Posts: 2529
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Re: Pulling the trigger on a .. 70-400mm G

Sat Jun 01, 2013 10:16 pm

I got it. And its amazing. Pictures coming.
Sony a7II 55/1.8 Minolta 100/2, 17-35D, Tamron 28-75/2.8

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