[Leica] Lens opinion

[Frank Filippone]

This particular lens, the 75-240 AF F4.5 to 5.6  is really light at 330g 
.  It is a good lens, but the fixed F4 70-210 version is optically 
better ( and much heavier at 760g).

The 70-240 has a PLASTIC lens mount.  Which does break.  Check before 
you buy.  It was marketed as a consumer lens... and therefore has a bad 
reputation.

  I have tested it and find it variable in quality but when you get a 
good one, WOW!  Not terribly good with a 1.4x.

The 1.4x will cost you about the same as the fixed 300mm lenses out 
there.... and the 300's are sharper.

The 4-5.6 lens is in the $50 range.  The 70-210 fixed F4 version was 
only produced for a limited time period ( maybe a year?) and therefore 
less common and more $$$.  In the $100-150 range.

If you intend to manually focus these, the focus ring is at the end of 
the lens and is both too easy to turn and pretty hard to find.... they 
were made for AF, therefore the MF option is not so easy to use as other 
lenses.  The hood turns with the focus.

There is a sleeper lens at 300MM out there... the Komura 300mm f5.0.  It 
is good optically and is very light ( F5, remember?). Heavier is the 
Nikon 300 F4.5 AIS lens.  Superb.  Doug  Herr recommended it highly.  
almost a Kilo in weight.

The 300 f4.5 Nikon was on ebay last few days for $85.  A STEAL!

A reference for all lenses Nikon.... 
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/specs.html

NOTE: The old AF Nikon lenses used a turning gear to move the focus.   
Newer lenses used an electrical signal. no physical connection  I am not 
sure that ANY Z Nikon body has this feature available.  Check first.....!

Else prepare to MF for the rest of your time with these older and cheap 
lenses.

Frank Filippone
BMWRed735i at gmail.com

On 8/13/2022 7:21 AM, Keith Wessel wrote:
> I bought a 70-210 Nikon f4/5.6D last month for $84.  I looks brand new.
>
> See the head shots on this page for some images I made with it.
>
> http://krw.wesselphoto.com/political/lucas-kunce
>
>
>
> Sent from Mail for Windows
>
> From: Aram Langhans via LUG
> Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 9:08 AM
> To: Leica Reflex; LUG
> Cc: Aram Langhans
> Subject: [Leica] Lens opinion
>
> Since I  now have a mirrorless, it opens up a vast array of lenses that
> can be adapted to the body.  I rarely use anything over my 120mm range I
> have now, but was thinking of a 300mm. Since I don't use it often and it
> would be most likely for static objects, I am looking at a few vintage
> type 300mm lenses as they would be not much of an expenditure for the
> limited use they would get.  Weight is also a factor in whatever choice
> I make..  Pentax 300/4, Olympus  300/4.5, a few varieties of Nikon are
> all brands that in my mind made some excellent glass and could be
> adapted easily.  I am wondering if the would be as good as the Nikon
> 70-200/4 at 200 + 1.4 extender I had owned.  I think I regret selling
> that combo, but with the needed Nikon full auto adapter it would have
> defeated my main goal of the Z7, weight reduction. These lenses lenses
> could get by with a very light totally manual Z adapter.  I bought one
> for F to Z to accommodate some of my F mount accessories like microscope
> adapter and bellows and it is pretty light.
>
> I welcome any opinions.
>
> Aram
>
>