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Need Recommendation on Long Lens for m43
  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    Looking for good 300 or 400mm lens to use for shooting wildlife with my GH4. Should have tripod collar. My budget is $200-$300. I realize that would restrict me to legacy glass. Anyone have any recommendations?

  • 16 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Why not 100-300mm Panasonic lens?

  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    I borrowed one and at 300mm it looked very soft. Under 250mm it looked good. But 300 or 400mm is where I need to be.

  • fancydancerfancydancer

  • kurthkurth

    canon 300mm f4 fd

  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    L or non-L?

  • kurthkurth

    I think the consensus depends on whether you use an extender , or not. The L is at least double the price and harder to find.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    To be serious, you need OIS and good monopod or tripod shooting 300mm at m43. Really.

  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    I always shoot on a rock solid tripod. Do you think a good copy of the Canon 300mm f4 FD without extender would exceed resolution of the Panasonic 100-300?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    I always shoot on a rock solid tripod.

    It is not easy to shoot wildlife on tripod, as it, kind of, moves or flies :-)

    Do you think a good copy of the Canon 300mm f4 FD without extender would exceed resolution of the Panasonic 100-300?

    You need to check tests and feedback. Only quite long old lens I like is 80-200mm F4 L FD.

  • mrbillmrbill

    I have the panny 100-300 and have yet to find a soft spot on it's zoom range. I would try another copy were I you - it's a good bit of glass

  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    Ok, I will give it another try.

  • csynccsync

    have you considered the contax zeiss vario-sonnar 80-200mm? should get you right where you want to be on m43. it's a bargain and within your price range including the CY adapter.

  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    Already have the Panasonic 45-175mm. Getting a 80-200mm wouldn't get me to where I want to be which is 300 or 400.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @natureflixs

    Are you making prints? As for all computer works it is usually better to have shorter and good lens and crop.

  • csynccsync

    do you want the equivalent field of view of a 35mm camera with a 400mm lens or an 800mm lens? with the GH4's crop factor a zoom that takes you up to 200mm should be just where you want to be. if you need to be at 800mm most people recommend an extender i would think.

  • natureflixsnatureflixs

    This will be video. I shoot from a blind in a baited area thus being able to lock down the the camera. My 45-175mm gives me an equivalent view of 90-350mm which is not close enough. A 300mm lense would be 600mm which is where I want to be. Some may say use "ex tel conv" but I do not like how it looks. I want to shoot in 4k for the best quality then down convert to 1080 via Edius.

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