Recommendations for fast manual zoom?

aliengrove · 2012-07-07T06:02:25+0100

I am looking for a fast (constant f2.8 ) manual focus zoom, and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations? Is there anything available somewhere around the range of say the DA* 50-135? It has to be f2.8, I have an SMC Pentax-A 35-105mm F3.5, which is a fantastic lens, but I would like an extra stop, which could be the difference between shooting at 6400 or 3200 ISO. The reason I want a manual zoom is I want to be able to manually focus at infinity in very weak light, where AF won't work, and I have found my AF lenses are not very good at this, with infinity seeming to vary slightly at different focal lengths. Plus, being an eternal optimist, I don't want to buy any more DA lenses until I see if Pentax are going to bring out a full-frame model later this year.

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Blythman Blythman

4248 posts
15 years
Blyth,
Northumberland

Posted 19/07/2012 - 14:34 Link

Mike-P wrote:

aliengrove wrote:
A bit of a beast at 1.2 kg, but it handles very well.

You should try my A* 300mm f2.8 @ 3kg.

If its too heavy Mike, I'll come and take it away

Alan

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Mike-P Mike-P

13627 posts
18 years
Hythe,
Hampshire UK

Posted 19/07/2012 - 15:00 Link

Blythman wrote:

If its too heavy Mike, I'll come and take it away

It may well be gone Monday afternoon, I just have to arrange a meeting to sort out delivery and payment.

Don't really want to but I would get more use out of a Canon 300mm 2.8 these days and the money would go a long way towards a decent used one.

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Edited by Mike-P: 19/07/2012 - 15:00

Plus Member womble womble

7662 posts
17 years
Hertfordshire,
mostly.

Posted 19/07/2012 - 17:05 Link

I'm still dreaming of owning that lens but my bank account is in no better state now than when Richard sold it to you. If I hadn't bought all that other old manual glass I could probably afford it... Are you selling the matched teleconvertors at the same time?

I couldn't imagine selling it if I ever managed to get one.

Cheers, Kris.

Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.

Mike-P Mike-P

13627 posts
18 years
Hythe,
Hampshire UK

Posted 19/07/2012 - 17:15 Link

womble wrote:
Are you selling the matched teleconvertors at the same time?

Just the 1.4X-L, the buyer has a AF 1.7x so there is really no need for the 2X-L. I will sell that separately as I have nothing left that it will fit on if the 300mm goes.

womble wrote:

I couldn't imagine selling it if I ever managed to get one.

I wasn't going to but the prospective purchaser saw my sale advert on here from a while back when I was thinking of selling and contacted me. He is from abroad but visiting the UK this/next week and it was really the only time we could do a deal as I am not willing to post it outside the UK.

Still, it may not go ahead ... I can't say I will be that upset if it doesn't though.

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