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Can I get your thoughts/input on 70-300mm?

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J

jd_davis

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I received the 70-300mm today and I was surprised at how the vendor packaged it, which wasn't very good. Not only was it not packaged very well, but the outside box was not marked as fragile or anything. I figure FedEx probably threw it around like a 50lb. feed sack.

It is huge on the E510 as you can see, but my first impression of it is that it's not very smooth. It seems kind of clunky when it focuses and it's also noisy and a little slow. (The reason I mentioned the packing.)

If you have this lense, do you hear any noise coming from it? Mine seems to clunk back and forth in the process of focusing. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it, but my first impression is not a good one. I figured the focusing would be smoother, but I also realize that this isn't a high level prime lens.

Any thoughts and comments will be greatly appreciated. This is quite a monster without a collar too...

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jd
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I do plan to go out with the lens to shoot in just a little bit. So I'll be back later on this evening or tomorrow morning.

Thanks in advance,

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jd
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Hi There
Do the pictures work?

if they do, to expect luxury handling and great image quality at this price would be bold indeed!

Enjoy the lens.

all the best
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Jono Slack
http://www.slack.co.uk
 
Jono Slack said:
Hi There
Do the pictures work?
if they do, to expect luxury handling and great image quality at this
price would be bold indeed!
Click to expand...
I did take a few initial shots, but didn't have good subject matter. The only thing I can say at this point is that it seems to be crisp on the outer sides more than the center of the focal point.

I'm wondering if it's defective??? (Hope not...)

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jd
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JD, regarding your comments about the "rough" or "lumpy" zooming. I read on "the other" forum, a post by a gentleman who also had the same problem with his 70-300. He had worked at a photo shop years before and was aware that sometimes the lubricant used in lenses is not always evenly distributed. So

he said that he sat for 15 min zooming the lens continuosly and it smoothed out considerably, and now after some use is silky smooth. Might work for you too.
BJM
 
Mine is great it arrived yesterday , nice build , a little hesitant focusing sometimes but nothing you cant work round. Few problems on moving subjects especially indoors. Zoom and handling is fine and best of all is the iq !!

Regards

Tim Hughes
http://www.artwanted.com/timhughes

300mm F5.6 E500 iso 400

 
I have the lens and it takes a bit to get used to. The motor is loud compared to smaller lenses and yes, it does search a bit....in out in out in out.

Pics for me with the lens have been good and not so good....you need to have enough light to get good crisp focus, especially with the lens all the way out.

For example, I just had interaction with a squirrel tearing bark off a tree and eating it...would have come out nice except my shutter was at 1/500 for capturing the birds I was hunting earlier and I forgot to lower the shutter so all my squirrel pics came out dark...oh well.

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Tho nowhere near silent, my 70-300 doesn't clunk. It does whir, however AF focusing is smooth. If the movement is jerky, or it's not making good focus, there could be a problem from rough handling/innusficient packaging.

(Oh, if the lens doesn't focus smoothly during slow manual focusing, that's apparently 'normal')
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Art P



Select images may be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8131242@N04/
 
I have the lens and find it to be optically very good. Zooms smoothly but as one poster mentioned it occassionally will focus in out in out. Don
 
When I got my 70-300 it was, quite frankly, as rough as guts. A couple of days at the motorcross races proved that it works like a charm. I just set my e-410 to C-AF and the lens to f6.3 and had at it - it was a bright day so shutter speeds were pretty fast and the results pin sharp. It clunked and whirred like a second hand chaff cutter but at the end of the weekend it was a LOT smoother. For the money I reckon it's an outstanding lens.

Ooroo
Mark F...
 
If you think the 70-300 is big, what do you make of this?



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Art P

Select images may be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8131242@N04/

was going to edit my note, but got bumped by a phone call just as I was about to hit send, and #& @$# verizon DSL couldn't reconnect in time :p
 
Jim

The focus is normally quite smooth. As to the focus if you miss focus the lens ratchets all the way back and then out again. I sometimes find CAF works better. As to no collar that was one of my beefs but it is quite light and sits on a tripod quite nicely. The lens is quite sharp The autofocus is slow and a bit noisy.

I was not sure about the lens initialy and compared it to the 135-400. It is optical better than the 135-400 although the 135-400 is better built with faster focus and a tripod collar. (that said the 135-400 been with sigma for 3 week with a backfocus problem.)

This lens has grown on me and I realy like it.

It has some short comings as to build and speed but for $400 it a fantastic buy.

IMage quality and IQ wise its very good.

These where taken this afternoon.







P.S. I would lose the sticker.

Collin
 
Has anybody tried both the 70-300 and the 50-200 old version?

How is the focus speed of those compared to each other? I am thinking of getting one.
Thanks.
 
I'd be a bit concerned regarding the shipper and shipping methods. That said, I think that you've gotten some good advice above.

I'm looking for a longer lens. I've had a try with the 50-200 and it's awesome but, even the old version is a bit out of my price range. I saw one on E-Bay for $785 at the Olympus Auctions.

I was considering the soon to be released Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 but I doubt that I'll be able to swing that either.

I've seen some great images posted here and on other Forums with the 70-300 and I've also seen some not so good ones.

Tim's look great! Once you have your issues sorted out, I'd like to see your final impressions.
Thanks.
--
Troll Whisperer
Bill Turner

Recent Images:
Please do not edit my images without asking permission.
Thanks.
http://www.pbase.com/wmdt131

 
The 70 - 300 isnt that fast focusing initially but if you are close to your target and refocus it is pretty decent , the shorter the distance the better it is. The initial focus from nothing to say bird in tree can be slightly annoying. I don't have the 50 - 200 but I m certain it would kick the 70 - 300 backside in the focusing department . Lookng at samples at a very rough calculation the 50 - 200's iq is 10- 20% better depending on all the usual parameters!

However it is 100% + more in cost!!

Regards

Tim Hughes
 
--especially on the E-510 and E-3. I have both these lenses and oddly, it did not AF very well at all on my E-1, but the E-3 has made it a super lens. During AF, it does growl and whine a bit on the E3, but zooming is smooth w/ mine.

I agree with what others have said above: it's excellent for a $400. lens-- plenty sharp, but slower AF and aperture, and also no weather sealing. The 50-200 is a much more "pro" type lens and much more expensive.

Just IMHO, but the 70-300 is small/light for a 600mm equivalent lens, and lighter than the 50-200 too.

Cheers. Craig
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'Edit ruthlessly' me, November 2002-- after purchase of E-1.
Equipment in profile.
 
and it does make some noise while trying to focus..... but mine seems smoother now, just after several uses.....and even a bit quieter..........or maybe i am used to it now. The lens does what was advertised and at a nice price.....I think it was great value! Put it on and enjoy..........but i do find that I wih it had a tripod insert on it .
Ron

A Camel is a horse designed by a committee.......
 
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