Looking for something cheap and fast

Rusky40 · 05-15-2012, 07:28 PM

Looking to a good cheap fast zoom lens I really want the sigma 70/200 but money is o so very tight, don't mind if it's a little older help please

Chaos_Realm · 05-15-2012, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by Rusky40

Looking to a good cheap fast zoom lens I really want the sigma 70/200 but money is o so very tight, don't mind if it's a little older help please

Depending on how "cheap" your talking about, I suggest looking at a second hand 70-200 Tamron or Sigma. You can generally pick one up for $500-550 on fleabay if you keep any eye on it.

Other than that I am not sure there are any in the 70-200 range that would come in cheaper.

D0n · 05-15-2012, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Looking for something cheap and fast

take my wife. PLEASE!

go with the 50-200 wr... good buy even if it isn't very fast..

Rusky40 · 05-15-2012, 07:46 PM

I need as fast as I can get it mainly to shoot track days but will use for other stuff

Chaos_Realm · 05-15-2012, 07:54 PM

Originally posted by Rusky40

I need as fast as I can get it mainly to shoot track days but will use for other stuff

athletics ? motor sport? which kinda track days? and are they day or night (or both) events?

**dms** · 05-15-2012, 08:07 PM

Not hard to find used, and excellent--but manual focus. Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f2.8-4 Version 3--make sure 62mm filter ring and serial number begins with 28 (Komine built). Vey sharp, great color and contrast.

**dms** · 05-15-2012, 08:11 PM

Oh, the other great part--about $100. for the lens.

RioRico · 05-15-2012, 08:11 PM

With longer zooms, the terms "cheap", "fast", and "good" are mutually exclusive. Let's include "holdable" there also. Good long fast zooms are big and heavy and expensive. Long cheap zooms are smaller and not so good. Cost is especially an issue with AF (autofocus) zooms.

There is a VERY good moderately-fast MF (manual focus) zoom that's rather heavy but quite affordable, the Kiron-made Vivitar Series 1 70-210/3.5 (version.1) that usually sells for under US$100. (Or the Komine-made version.3 that dms mentioned.) There is the well-liked and optically good but not super-speedy DA55-300 (autofocus) which I think is usually above US$350. (Someone correct me if necessary.) Anything faster and good costs rather more.

Bargain option: Get a slow cheap zoom and boost your ISO up to a usable level.

Good luck!

jimr-pdx · 05-15-2012, 08:24 PM

My DA 55-300 is f/4.5 at around 200mm.. that's not bad. Nothing like f/2.8, but it's a decent 55-190 f/4-4.5 - and it has bonus range for better light.

civiletti · 05-15-2012, 08:58 PM

If you are using a K-5, you don't need a fast lens. Increase iso.

Chaos_Realm · 05-15-2012, 09:06 PM

Originally posted by civiletti

If you are using a K-5, you don't need a fast lens. Increase iso.

FYI OP has a k-m listed on his profile.

liukaitc · 05-15-2012, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by Rusky40

I need as fast as I can get it mainly to shoot track days but will use for other stuff

you want fast auto focus or fast aperture?
some lens does not have fast aperture but focus pretty fast.
for example, Pentax-F 70-210mm F4-5.6 does not have fast aperture but people report it has very fast auto focus speed.
and it is very cheap. I think it might be a good daylight sports lens.

Rusky40 · 05-16-2012, 02:22 AM

Originally posted by Chaos_Realm

athletics ? motor sport? which kinda track days? and are they day or night (or both) events?

motorbike trackdays wait is not to much of a worry as i tend to use a monopod alot my camera is the Km if that helps and skipping between my tamron 18/200 and my qua(cant spell) 75/300

Chaos_Realm · 05-16-2012, 05:00 AM

Originally posted by Rusky40

motorbike trackdays wait is not to much of a worry as i tend to use a monopod alot my camera is the Km if that helps and skipping between my tamron 18/200 and my qua(cant spell) 75/300

I think that during daylight you should have enough shutter speed to play with on the lenses you have. You may need to bump the ISO a little but 500-1600 would only be for really late in the day type stuff. I think if you are on a tight budget I would make do with what you've got and save for the tamron/ sigma 70-200 f2.8 zooms as they are quite versatile lenses.
At least that is my opinion anyway. I have the sigma and it is fantastic all round.

bdery · 05-16-2012, 05:06 AM

Originally posted by Rusky40

need as fast as I can get it

There is no free lunch, sadly. Cheap, fast, high-quality don't go together. The 55-200 is a cheap and reliable lens. If you want faster then the advice of getting a Vivitar series 1 70-210 f3,5 or f2,8/f4 is great. Otherwise, you're looking at the higher-end 70-200 f2,8 and these will not be cheap. Otherwise everyone would own one.

05-15-2012, 07:28 PM	#1
Rusky40 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: england Photos: Albums Posts: 104	Looking for something cheap and fast Looking to a good cheap fast zoom lens I really want the sigma 70/200 but money is o so very tight, don't mind if it's a little older help please

05-15-2012, 08:11 PM	#8
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	With longer zooms, the terms "cheap", "fast", and "good" are mutually exclusive. Let's include "holdable" there also. Good long fast zooms are big and heavy and expensive. Long cheap zooms are smaller and not so good. Cost is especially an issue with AF (autofocus) zooms. There is a VERY good moderately-fast MF (manual focus) zoom that's rather heavy but quite affordable, the Kiron-made Vivitar Series 1 70-210/3.5 (version.1) that usually sells for under US$100. (Or the Komine-made version.3 that dms mentioned.) There is the well-liked and optically good but not super-speedy DA55-300 (autofocus) which I think is usually above US$350. (Someone correct me if necessary.) Anything faster and good costs rather more. Bargain option: Get a slow cheap zoom and boost your ISO up to a usable level. Good luck! Last edited by RioRico; 05-15-2012 at 08:16 PM.

05-16-2012, 02:22 AM	#13
Rusky40 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: england Photos: Albums Posts: 104 Original Poster	Originally posted by Chaos_Realm athletics ? motor sport? which kinda track days? and are they day or night (or both) events? motorbike trackdays wait is not to much of a worry as i tend to use a monopod alot my camera is the Km if that helps and skipping between my tamron 18/200 and my qua(cant spell) 75/300 Last edited by Rusky40; 05-16-2012 at 02:44 AM.

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05-15-2012, 07:39 PM	#2
Chaos_Realm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,251	Originally posted by Rusky40 Looking to a good cheap fast zoom lens I really want the sigma 70/200 but money is o so very tight, don't mind if it's a little older help please Depending on how "cheap" your talking about, I suggest looking at a second hand 70-200 Tamron or Sigma. You can generally pick one up for $500-550 on fleabay if you keep any eye on it. Other than that I am not sure there are any in the 70-200 range that would come in cheaper.

05-15-2012, 07:39 PM	#3
D0n Banned Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 530	Quote: Looking for something cheap and fast take my wife. PLEASE! go with the 50-200 wr... good buy even if it isn't very fast..

05-15-2012, 07:46 PM	#4
Rusky40 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: england Photos: Albums Posts: 104 Original Poster	I need as fast as I can get it mainly to shoot track days but will use for other stuff

05-15-2012, 07:54 PM	#5
Chaos_Realm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,251	Originally posted by Rusky40 I need as fast as I can get it mainly to shoot track days but will use for other stuff athletics ? motor sport? which kinda track days? and are they day or night (or both) events?

05-15-2012, 08:07 PM	#6
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	Not hard to find used, and excellent--but manual focus. Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f2.8-4 Version 3--make sure 62mm filter ring and serial number begins with 28 (Komine built). Vey sharp, great color and contrast.

05-15-2012, 08:24 PM	#9
jimr-pdx Pentaxian Join Date: May 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,897	My DA 55-300 is f/4.5 at around 200mm.. that's not bad. Nothing like f/2.8, but it's a decent 55-190 f/4-4.5 - and it has bonus range for better light.

05-15-2012, 08:58 PM	#10
civiletti Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oregon Photos: Albums Posts: 1,435	If you are using a K-5, you don't need a fast lens. Increase iso.

05-15-2012, 09:06 PM	#11
Chaos_Realm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,251	Originally posted by civiletti If you are using a K-5, you don't need a fast lens. Increase iso. FYI OP has a k-m listed on his profile.

05-15-2012, 09:28 PM	#12
liukaitc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 1,008	Originally posted by Rusky40 I need as fast as I can get it mainly to shoot track days but will use for other stuff you want fast auto focus or fast aperture? some lens does not have fast aperture but focus pretty fast. for example, Pentax-F 70-210mm F4-5.6 does not have fast aperture but people report it has very fast auto focus speed. and it is very cheap. I think it might be a good daylight sports lens.

05-16-2012, 05:00 AM	#14
Chaos_Realm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,251	Originally posted by Rusky40 motorbike trackdays wait is not to much of a worry as i tend to use a monopod alot my camera is the Km if that helps and skipping between my tamron 18/200 and my qua(cant spell) 75/300 I think that during daylight you should have enough shutter speed to play with on the lenses you have. You may need to bump the ISO a little but 500-1600 would only be for really late in the day type stuff. I think if you are on a tight budget I would make do with what you've got and save for the tamron/ sigma 70-200 f2.8 zooms as they are quite versatile lenses. At least that is my opinion anyway. I have the sigma and it is fantastic all round.

05-16-2012, 05:06 AM	#15
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,362	Originally posted by Rusky40 need as fast as I can get it There is no free lunch, sadly. Cheap, fast, high-quality don't go together. The 55-200 is a cheap and reliable lens. If you want faster then the advice of getting a Vivitar series 1 70-210 f3,5 or f2,8/f4 is great. Otherwise, you're looking at the higher-end 70-200 f2,8 and these will not be cheap. Otherwise everyone would own one.