nikonissuperb

yeah i think the 500mm f8 bokeh donuts are a pretty established issue with the lens- the problem being that getting anything close to your set up is likely going to be over budget for the OP- a ...

thats a great thought actually- budget and reach; at this cost I dont think the drawbacks of the lens outweigh the size/cost advantage.

i use the 18-105f4 and it was perfect for me in traveling/ im not sure if i would have preferred the recent acquired 18-200 but I would say the combo is a lot easier to handle than a full frame...

im pretty sure they are alluding to it being the first 4.1x f2.8 constant aperture zoom ratio, not the f4 in the Fuji zoom.

The bigger issue is probably how important that 400mm length is for you- if you can shoot at 300mm comfortably and dont need more reach, I would go for the 70-300 G. I have the G II version and it ...

I think mine was probably more of a blow of money vs a need, but I recently picked up a demo model at near half off the MSRP from my local cam shop - I find the old 50mm f1.4 SAL adequate for IQ ...

thats a really good video that both makes me want to get the a99ii and the minolta 80-200 moreso.

cool- let us know what its like when you get it!

fair enough :) good luck with hunting the lens! personally I think its worth the extra money to save up over an MF only third party lens, and it looks like the minolta would be the easiest entry ...

i dont have the a900 but i have the very similar a850; its easily one of my favorite bodies to shoot with. without all the extra fuss of modern cameras, it feels like im a lot more intimate with ...

i watched the prices for the Minolta 85mm f1.4 before getting my zeiss 85mm f1.4- i ended up paying about 200 CDN more (lowest 85mm f1.4 would be 500 CDN vs the 675CDN I paid for my used 85mm ...

good to know about that difference with the a57. I think in the end, the 85mm f2.8 is a good lens for IQ but as you noted, there are limitations with the lens operational wise which I think was ...

I think it depends on your budget- you can find the SAM 85mm f2.8 for quite cheap on the used market, and the reviews are generally solid for that lens. I would say at this price point, its worth ...

good to know, thats food for thought. I never considered full body portraits for this lens, but that does make sense for its focal range. I'll give it a shot this month to shoot with it in this ...

Thanks! thats a great write up. It does sound like the a7riv is more likely the next step for me and then the a99ii when the price is right if i can get lucky. I'm definitely more interested in ...

not sure if you have commented already on this, but I would love to hear your impressions of the la-ea5 adapter on teh a7riv vs the a99 ii's tracking and overall AF. This is likely the next ...

I think you've nailed it with the portraits- I would agree as a portrait lens its got a very unique character and takes portraits quite well. Very pleasing with its rendering. Its just an odd ...

I love the LCD articulation for sure and the handling of the a99 body - the top mount LCD is a nice extra for me. I also have a small army of M batteries that I would like to continue using. I've ...

definitely I can see native lenses on native body would be ideal- using my a-mount lenses on the la-ea4 adapter and my a7 is a pretty rough experience in terms of focusing in particular. the ...

I'm still quite likely to buy an a99ii at some point, but with the high costs of the used a99ii market, and differences in generations with the current e mount bodies, I am being more open to an ...