Sony A mount Zoom lens suggestions

plamen_gb

plamen_gb

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Plamen
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I am pretty much wandering around for a while now about the lens I should get for my A7 + LA-EA4 adapter, I was thinking of getting a 70-210 F4 and then if it pops-up on ebay either Sigma 150-500, 50-500, 150-600 or maybe a 70-300 though I am not sure if it is worth buying the Sony 70-300 SSM, so any suggestions are welcome. I would love to get a cheap gem that can keep me busy while I am searching for very long zoom lens
 
hi I am sony user a77 mk2 and recently a7 and la-ea4 I wouldn't bother with the sigma 150-500 I had one from new and used it twice and found it very disappointing hence now sold, I have the 70-200 a mount and 70-400 a mount both awesome lenses but would recommend the 70-400 its great on the a7 with a mount adaptor, I also have the 70-300 a mount very nice lens but will be a bit short on a7 full frame shooting, I have bought the 70-200 f 4 e -mount lens and that's a great lens but again maybe short on reach, I have a Minolta 300.2.8 lens awesome at the zoo on a77 with 1.4 x converter, anyway would go for the 70-400 sony or maybe a tamron 150-600 although I have not used the tamron its seems to have a good following
 
You could also consider the Tamron 70-300 USD if you are looking for a quality lower priced lens.
It's close to the 70-300G in quality, but significantly cheaper (the 70-300G is very good)
Otherwise it's very much a question of how much reach do you want, and how much can you afford?

I've seen very good results with the Tamron 150-600 on the A7II (I use mine on an A900), but it's not light!
The 70-400G is another good option - until the Tamron 150-600 appeared it was on my wish list, but as I have the 70-300G as a general zoom, it's difficult to justify the 70-400 as well :)
 
If you want something cheap while saving for something newer, the old Minolta 70-210 f4 "beercan" is a great lens. I used to have one on my Sony a350. Ebay prices are between 50 and 80ish, so a bargain for a zoom with constant f4. It's not too heavy either and with steady shot in the body, they're a worthwhile cheap fix.
 
yeah my beercan is really nice :)

theres also a 100-200 f4.5? which is fairly rair but lightweight and good

my SAL75300 is also surprisingly good
 
I owned the Tamron 150-600 and it was easily the match of the Sony 70-400 G at 400mm.

So why did I sell it and buy the Sony 70-400G?

Well I felt the last 200mm simply weren't as good and it felt like having a good 400mm lens with a cheap bolt on extender which had none of the advantages but made the lens longer and heavier than it needed to be. It also only matches the Sony at f8 and not wide open. Sony 70-400G is a great lens, (I have the mk2 version).you can buy twice like me or....;-)
 
Thank you all for the suggestions, I was looking at a 70-400 at Dyxum, but it is from Croatia, otherwise it is a bit too expensive and it might be easier for me to go straight for the 150-600, I was wondering whether I should go for 70-210 F4 or the Tamron 70-300 USD for now and potentially once a good deal appears for any of the better ones buy one of them.
 
pingu666 said:
yeah my beercan is really nice :)

theres also a 100-200 f4.5? which is fairly rair but lightweight and good

my SAL75300 is also surprisingly good
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I was actually wondering if the 75-300 is good for a start, how does it compare to other zoom lenses if you have any experience?
 
well sonys sample variation of recent production is quite bad, but sharpness wise our 75300 seems really good, colour wise it dont have that specialness of the 70400, or focus speed, as its screw drive.

the tamron has that extra 5mm wide end and pzd drive, heavier and the lens is made flexible plastic, atleast the outside.

beercan has most character :)
 
plamen_gb said:
Thank you all for the suggestions, I was looking at a 70-400 at Dyxum, but it is from Croatia, otherwise it is a bit too expensive and it might be easier for me to go straight for the 150-600, I was wondering whether I should go for 70-210 F4 or the Tamron 70-300 USD for now and potentially once a good deal appears for any of the better ones buy one of them.
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Why buy twice?
 
Mainly because my ultimate lens would be the 150-600 or the 70-400 and I don't have the money to buy it brand new, and used they surface quite rarely on ebay or Dyxum and I want to have a zoom lens in the meantime, I will sell it once I am done with it anyway
 
plamen_gb said:
Mainly because my ultimate lens would be the 150-600 or the 70-400 and I don't have the money to buy it brand new, and used they surface quite rarely on ebay or Dyxum and I want to have a zoom lens in the meantime, I will sell it once I am done with it anyway
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What about a Tamron 70-300 VC? Not to expensive but way better than the other cheapos and you wouldn't lose money on it.
 
I was wondering how it compares to the 70-210 F4, I have heard the beercan is great, but not sure how it compares to the Tamron
 
plamen_gb said:
I was wondering how it compares to the 70-210 F4, I have heard the beercan is great, but not sure how it compares to the Tamron
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The beercan is good, for an old lens, but its an old lens. Old AF, old optics, old coatings etc.
 
Minolta Beercan is a good lens, but as has been said, it is an old lens now - but not too bad a price.

My FIL has the Sony 70-300G lens and it's a belter of a lens, he loves it and gets great results - but it caries a price
 
andyred said:
Minolta Beercan is a good lens, but as has been said, it is an old lens now - but not too bad a price.

My FIL has the Sony 70-300G lens and it's a belter of a lens, he loves it and gets great results - but it caries a price
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I ave bee checking the prices for the 70-300 and they do go for around £350, there's a lens I am looking at AVForums Sigma 100-300 EX DG HSM, does anybody have any experience with it, I couldn't find any reviews for the latest model only for the previous one
 
You should be able to get a used 70-300G for £350, I have sold one myself for that amount. I have also had the Tamron 70-300 USD and in terms of optical quality they are close enough to be the 'same' lens!
 
hi again just to make it clear I have the 70-400 mk 2 and it s awesome yes expensive but worth it I think, I think I am right in saying that you can not use a convertor on the a 7 on the a-mount adaptor or at least that's what the manual implies. I intend buying a tamrom 150-600 for my a7 at some point because I have seen good results and on the full frame there is no crop factor so reach for wildlife is for me king
 
Thank you for the reply, the only negative I have figured out for me would be the size of the 150-600, it would be hard to travel with, too.
 
plamen_gb said:
Thank you for the reply, the only negative I have figured out for me would be the size of the 150-600, it would be hard to travel with, too.
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Especially when all that extra size and weight over the 70-400 is wasted. Let's say you have a nice mk2 Sony 70-400 would you go to the trouble of bolting something on that is half a kilo and degrades image quality more than simply up scaling the image.
 
Brazo said:
Especially when all that extra size and weight over the 70-400 is wasted. Let's say you have a nice mk2 Sony 70-400 would you go to the trouble of bolting something on that is half a kilo and degrades image quality more than simply up scaling the image.
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The problem is that a 70-400G II is £1400, while the Tamron 150-600 is £749 (best prices from Camera Price Buster a moment ago).
That's a big price differential, and while the Tamron is not as good as the G, it's still a good lens. When I was researching it before buying the reviews seems evenly split as to the better option (70-400 + crop, or 150-600) - but all thought it was fairly close.
 
Faldrax said:
The problem is that a 70-400G II is £1400, while the Tamron 150-600 is £749 (best prices from Camera Price Buster a moment ago).
That's a big price differential, and while the Tamron is not as good as the G, it's still a good lens. When I was researching it before buying the reviews seems evenly split as to the better option (70-400 + crop, or 150-600) - but all thought it was fairly close.
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Yes the price differential is there I forgot to mention that! Of course a 70-400 mk1 would reduce that price deficit but the ugly silver paint was too much for me!
 
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