Help, Alpha users!

Rustico

Rustico

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Rucel (but call me Rusty)
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Hi, everyone!

Well, I have finally reduced my lens choices to two:

The Tamron 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro and
the Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6.

Has anyone had any experience with either, but preferably both, of these lenses? I have read many, many reviews on both but can not make up my mind. I can buy either for about the same amount of money, but is one for sure better than the other? I like the Tamron because it has a bigger aperture at the wide end and because it has macro. However I read that the Sony has better image quality and is sharper.
Any help is much appreciated!
-Rustico
PS: This has been my feeling throughout the process of deciding which one: :bang:
 
i got the sony 75-300 and found it tobe quite good,light and looks good aswell.
my only fault with it is when a object is moving it will focus ok for the first shot but then focuses right out the back inn,by which time iv missed the shot.
not sure if its me or the lens,maybe someone will know about this on here :shrug:
 
of the budget 300mm lenses, the ones which are better regarded are the minolta big beercan & minolta 100-300mm APO
 
The lenses you have mentioned are ok lenses and nothing special about them apart from the price IMHO (and the Tamron is not going to give you 1:1 macro). If its me I would go for a used Sony 70-300 G lens. I know its more expensive but you will be rewarded. I have the lens and its really amazing
 
Before I got my 70-300G I used the Minolta 75-300 (d) which the Sony is a re-badged version of.

I was certainly able to get some nice shots with it, but as architectfadi says the 'G' is head and shoulders above it.

Looking on Dyxum the Tamron gets a 4.01 rating, the Sony 3.83, so people there seem to prefer teh Tamron.

These 'budget' zooms turn up s/h quite a lot (as people upgrade to things like the 70-300G) so it might be worth checking the Classifieds here (and on Sony specific sites like Dyxum or Dynax Digital).
 
Thanks, everyone, for your quick answers! First: I absolutely cannot afford the G lens, unfortunately. It will have to wait for a while :( Second: I believe the Big Beercan is heavier, but less expensive, right? I looked at those on ebay and others, but I forget why I didn't consider those, probably because they're heavy :D I have an a330 and you know with the grip thing...
Thanks for your suggestions of where to look. Hopefully I will be able to make up my mind by the time summer get here!
 
Lol, if you think the beercan is heavy you're gonna crap yourself if you ever get the 300 2.8 or 70-400 :D
 
Well, after looking at Minolta lenses as suggested, I have decided that I could also consider a Minolta. After all they are much less expensive than the other I am considering. Can anyone recommend a good Minolta that goes out to 300mm but is at least 75mm wide?
Thanks!
 
I know its not one of the lens you have mentioned, I use a sigma 70 - 300 DG APO. Its a good lens for the money and does a reasonable job. Cost me £179 and I am very happy with it.
 
You haven't had any problems with the gears stripping? I've read reviews on the Sigma that tell how the gears inside stripped, and I'd rather not have to deal with that, even if the newer ones might be better.
Thank you though!
 
The G is out of my price range... WAY out. And I have been looking that the 70-210. The thing that keeps me from it is maybe after I have bought it I will wish that it had the extra 90mm. I'd really like to have the the lens go out to 300mm, maybe even at the cost of a little sharpness.
 
Rustico said:
Well, after looking at Minolta lenses as suggested, I have decided that I could also consider a Minolta. After all they are much less expensive than the other I am considering. Can anyone recommend a good Minolta that goes out to 300mm but is at least 75mm wide?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Dyxum has an excellent database for Minolta AF/Sony Alpha mount lenses http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/index.asp
There are a couple of versions of the 75-300 F4.5-5.6 that the current Sony is based on (btw there is a rumour that there is a SAM version of the Sony coming which may depress the price of the screw drive version).
There is also an older & heavier lens nicknamed the Big Beercan & another 1 worth considering is the 100-300 APO.

If you could afford £350 then the new Tamron 70-300 SP looks to be good for the money.
 
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Yes, I've been looking on Dyxum; it's just really difficult to look through as it doesn't seem too well organized :) I've been especially looking at the Big Beercan (even though it's huge) and the 100-300, although it doesn't start wide enough for me.
Guess I'll continue slogging through Dyxum :D
 
Rustico said:
Yes, I've been looking on Dyxum; it's just really difficult to look through as it doesn't seem too well organized :) I've been especially looking at the Big Beercan (even though it's huge) and the 100-300, although it doesn't start wide enough for me.
Guess I'll continue slogging through Dyxum :D
Click to expand...

Dyxum is a good reference site if you know the lens you are looking for, not so good for a "what's in the range" search.

Regarding the 100-300, you'll find the difference between 70-300 and 100-300 is not huge - I guess it depends on what you've got at shorter FL. If it's the 18-55, then I can see why you'd want a 70-300, it it's the 18-70 then 100-300 should be fine.
 
That's right, I have the 18-55. Thank you for clarifying, it's been one of my questions. Also, of all the 75/70-300 Minoltas, are there any, other than the Big Beercan, that are well regarded? I was looking through Dyxum and some have good reviews while others not so good.
 
Rustico said:
Well, after looking at Minolta lenses as suggested, I have decided that I could also consider a Minolta. After all they are much less expensive than the other I am considering. Can anyone recommend a good Minolta that goes out to 300mm but is at least 75mm wide?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I did and provided Dyxum link for you :lol:
 
Good heavens, so you did! I saw the link and have looked at Dyxum before... I just didn't see your "+1 for the 'big beercan'" :D
Anywhoo, that's what I'm leaning towards as of now. Of course, I might change my mind between now and July, but why worry about that now?
 
That is a Tamron that I would consider, except that it would take me... (counts on fingers)... oh, about 100 years to get together. That's why I'm looking at some of the excellent, but cheap Minoltas.
Do you know if the second generation of the Big Beercan (http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/Minolta-AF-75-300-F4.5-5.6-II_lens54.html) is as good as the original BBC? I would really prefer something lighter than the BBC but if only the BBC will do the job, I'll buy it.
 
that's not a 2nd generation Big Beercan but the 2nd generation of the "kit" quality 75-300 (the fore-runner of the current Sony 75-300) - notice the difference in weight & the overall scoring.
 
Ok. But, how much IQ would I trade for in losing some of the BBC weight? I'd really rather not have so much weight, but if the IQ is significantly better, I could live with it.
 
Well, once again, I've changed my mind (I told you that would happen :D) Now I am looking at the Sony 75-300mm again. How is the build quality of the Sony compared to the Tamron and the Minolta? I know the BBC is all metal but it would make my kit really heavy. I also think that the Sony might keep its value better compared to the Tamron, especially if I decide to upgrade to the G and sell the Sony. Thoughts? Or is someone entirely convinced with heart, soul and mind that the BBC is better?
 
Rustico said:
especially if I decide to upgrade to the G and sell the Sony.
Click to expand...
if you are already thinking that you may want to upgrade to the G then going via either the Sony 75-300 or the Tamron 70-300 Di LD will cost you more than going straight there ...
Early reports of the Tamron 70-300 SP are very positive at near G quality for less cash & at least in the US a far longer warranty. Weight is pretty much identical to the G & both are lighter than the BBC.
 
Well, here's what I've pretty much decided to do, unless someone comes along and tosses it to the wind with another suggestion: :D This lens: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-75-300mm...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1307307635&sr=1-1 (probably off ebay) and this camera bag: http://www.amazon.com/Case-Logic-DC...2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1307307673&sr=1-2. The Case Logic is the cheapest I could find for what I wanted. Anyone have thoughts on the case? I know it's not a pro bag or anything, but it has room for my camera, 18-55mm, 75-300mm and room for another one, I think.
 
Bump :D Just thought I should let people know what I finally decided to do. I bought a Sony 75-300mm off ebay and just got it today. I haven't played around with it a whole lot yet (bad light) but hopefully tomorrow! Build quality seems pretty decent; the zoom ring is a bit stiff, but not bad. It's a teensy bit awkward zooming with it on an a330, but it's ok.

Also, buy buying it used off ebay (even though it looks new), I saved $50 dollars instead of buying new off Amazon.com.
 
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