Tele lenses for Minolta 35mm manual focusing SLR cameras
X-700 and MD 400mm f5.6 APO Tele Rokkor
The main reason for me to set up this page was to give information about available choises for an amateur photographer owning Minolta manual focusing equipment and looking for longer tele lenses. IMHO there are only a couple of choises of focal length and speed combinations to be considered seriously: 300/2.8, 300/4, 400/5.6 and 500/8 mirrors. Also the long zoom lenses from Tokina, Tamron and Minolta make a reasonable choise. Then there are some special ones which may be interesting if found for a reasonable price: The Tamron 400/4.5, Minolta MD APO Tele Rokkor 600mm f6.3, Sigma 600mm mirror and Minoltas long reflex lenses - maybe others as well. One possible lens is the Pentax 500/4.5 with screw mount, it can be used with Minolta P-adapter. If you are interested in using MF Minolta for nature photography, there are also my suggestions for an ideal system and a tight budget system.
If you know a lens you would like to be added here, please don't hesitate to mail me (and don't forget to remove the "no.spam" from the address) with a pic and all the available information about the lens, including your own experiences in using it - I try to update this page (as well as the other ones) regularily, which, in practice, has been about twice a year. I will add your text and pics here, modified, if I think it is necessary, but always with your name (or nickname, if you prefer). I won't modify your opinions - only the pics (to make them smaller/better if necessary) or cut some non-relevant text (in case there is such.)
300 mm focal length
This is the basic focal length for any nature photographer wanting to capture images of wildlife outside the close-up range, or for a sports fan looking for reaching the events at the field. It is the shortest lens allowing you enough reach to capture images of free-living wildlife, although it usually requires a hide to get close enough. 300mm lenses can be divided into three main categories: The 300/2.8 super teles, 300/4 lightweight teles and slower, usually rather cheap and old constructions.300 mm f2.8 lenses
This is the basic lens type for many nature and sport specialist. It has several advantages: The speed and relatively short focal length allow some hand-holdability, although the weight makes a severe limitation. The large aperture also gives great isolating power, making the unsharp background appear visually much less structured than with slower teles. Also, as the fast shutter speed is needed in most situations with tele lenses, weather you are using a tripod or not, these lenses allow one stop more than the slower ones at similar conditions and same film. One more advantage is that these lenses usually perform well with their matched tele converters - that means you have 300/2.8, 420/4 and 6000/5.6 lenses in your backback only at the weight and cost of 1,4x and 2x converters. This kind of system suits especially well for working wildlife using a hide: You don't need to take the lens out of the blind's opening to change the focal length, and if the hide is well placed, you can get both good overall shots and tight framings of your subject from the same site.Minolta has never produced this kind of a lens for their manual focusing system - their first one was introduced in the AF lens series. So a Minolta manual focusing photographer, who desires this kind of lens, has only two choises: Change to AF or other brand MF system, meaning either two incompatible systems or rebuilding the whole system and giving up the mf Minolta stuff, or accepting third party choises. My advice is, that if this kind of lens is essential for your work, you either don't choose the Minolta mf system at all, or if you already have a limited system of Minolta, you sell it for AF system. If you already have a lot of Minolta manual focusing stuff, for example excellent macro lenses or shorter teles, wideangles etc., a complete movement to other system would mean a lot of money lost, without essentialy giving any better results. Then two incompatible systems would be a choise - after all, usually you don't need AF in macro work and you can save a lot of money if you keep your mf lenses and bodies. Or, go for the third party options.
There are three third-party manufacturers who have produced this kind of lenses for Minolta MD mount: Tamron, Sigma and Tokina. Both Tokina and Sigma have discontinued their manual focusing version production, so the Tamron is the only choise available as new. Tokina and Sigma are also hard to find at used markets in any mount and especially in Minolta MD mount, which leaves the Tamron - using the interchangeable Adaptall mount - practically the only one available.
There have been several versions, this data is for the present model. A personal review is available here.
| Specifications : | |
| Model | 360B |
| Lens Construction (Groups/Elements) | 7-10 |
| Angle of View | 8° |
| Diaphragm Blade Number | 9 |
| Minimum Aperture | F/32 |
| Minimum Focus | 98.4in. (2.5m) |
| Macro Mag. Ratio | 1:7.1 |
| Filter Diameter (Filter drawer) | ø43 |
| Front filter thread | 112mm |
| Weight | 79.9oz. (2,209gm) |
| Diameter x Length | ø4.7 x 8.4in
(ø120 x 212.5mm) |
| Accessory | Lens hood, Case |
| Mount | Adaptall II Interchangeable
mount system |
| Catalog Numbers | B36-100 |
Source: http://www.tamron.com
Tokina AT-X 300mm SD
This may be optically the best choise available: Reviews I have heard
are pretty good. Sad that the MF version is discontinued - the AF version
is still in the production.
Tokina's own description follows: (www.thkphoto.com)
"Tokina's unique patented Internal Rear Focusing
(IRF) system ensures superior image quality from infinity to minimum focusing
distance. By maintaining constant lens length during focusing, it assures
quick focusing and good balance. Other extra features include an electronically
flocked lens hood to reduce glare, an easily detachable filter holder,
plus a tripod mount with 90° click stops. Ideal for professional indoor
and outdoor photos, fast action sporting events or even wildlife in its
natural state".
Sigma 300mm f2.8
I have no experience, photo or any information about this one. But happily Ryujin once again knew things, here are facts about this lens:
The
image scanned from Sigma brochure of 1989
The lens' spec are:
Elements/glasses: 9/12
MinimumF number: F22
Minimum focus distance: 250cm
Largest close up ratio: 1:7.66
Filter size: 30.5mm
Size: 120cm(diameter) x 224cm(length)
Weight: 1980g
Price(maker's recommending price, not a shop
price. Usually, a shop
discounts the maker's price by 30 or 40 percent
off for third party products
and sells them.): 270000yen
Ryujin
300mm f4.5 lenses
These lenses are great compromises of speed, handling, weight and price. They are great for landscape photography, and work fine with large mammals and birds if you just can get close enough, and flying birds. The weak point is the lack of speed with the teleconverters - a 2x tc makes a 600/9 which is rather slow. It is hard to belive what a difference it is between it and a 600/5.6 (=300/2.8 + 2x) until you try it once. Said that, if I were asked an opinion about which tele lens to buy for the first one, I would suggest you buy a 300/4.5 and a 2x TC to learn using a tele without braking either your wallet or your back.Minolta MC Tele Rokkor 300mm f4.5
This is the older version of this lens with conventional focusing system. It has a very solid structure, and one definite advantage: A rotatable tripod collar. Want the best mechanical quality ever made - then look for this lens. Available also with the older, metal focusing ring instead of the standard rubberized grip shown in the picture.
| Spesifications: | |
| Construction: | 6 elements in 6 groups |
| Angle of view: | 8° 10' |
| Min. focusing distance | 4,5 m (15 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | 72mm |
| Diaphgram | f4.5-22 |
| (Image scanned from an old brochure) |
It is of some debate which of the Rokkor 300mm f4.5 lenses is of better
quality. My opinion is: If you intend to use your lens on tripod, then
buy the older one, if you need a lens for handheld or shoulder stock use,
take the later one with IF.
Minolta MD Tele Rokkor 300mm f4.5 IF
The newer version of the 300mm lens in Minolta lineup, with much improved handling and internal focusing. A personal review is available here.
| Spesifications: | |
| Optical structure (elements/groups) | 7/6 |
| Angle of view | 8° 10' |
| Minimum focusing distance | 3m |
| Minimum f-stop | f/32 |
| Filter thread | 72mm |
| Dimensions (diameter x length) | 77,5 x 177,5 |
| Weight | 710 g. |
Minolta MC Tele Rokkor 300mm f5.6
This is an old lens construction, and a tad slow in my opinion. It is best suited for landscape photography, but today I would advise to buy a f4.5 lens if possible.
| Spesifications: | |
| Construction: | 5 elements in 5 groups |
| Angle of view: | 8° 10' |
| Min. focusing distance | 4,5 m (15 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | 55mm |
| Diaphgram | f5.6-22 |
| (Image scanned from an old brochure) |
Tamron SP 300mm f5.6
This is a cheap, small, lightweight and surprisingly good tele - if
you need a light 300mm, you get this for the size of 200/4! For the price
asked it is a bargain - try it, if you need one.
400mm focal length
If you own only one tele lens and want to photograph wildlife, the 400mm is propably the best single focal length - a tad longer than 300mm, which tends to be a bit short, but without the size, weight, cost and availability problems of a 500-600mm lenses. Generally, the only option for a Minolta MF user is the 400mm f5.6. Taken the prize of 400/2.8 this is not a big problem - if you need and can afford to that monster, you can afford to buy a matching camera body for it, too. The Tamron were once again a good option, if it weren't extremely rare.Minolta MD APO Tele Rokkor 400mm f5.6
This is the shorter one of the two APO lenses available in Minolta lens line, I've owned one and there is a personal review available here.
| Spesifications: | |
| Construction: | 7 elements in 6 groups
The second element is made of fluorite. |
| Angle of view: | 6° |
| Min. focusing distance | 5 m (16 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | 72mm |
| Diaphgram | f5.6-32 |
| Size (diam. x legth) | 25.7 x 8.4 cm
10.1 x 3.3 inch |
| (Image scanned from an old brochure) |
Tamron SP 400 mm f4.5 (or f4?)
The fastest 400mm available to mf Minoltas, an Adaptall-2 lens that can be mounted to any SLR with a suitable adapter. It has an excellent reputation as a sharp and contrasty lens, but sometimes it has been critisized being mechanically weak. Discontinued, so it is only available as used, and it is rare!
Tokina SL 400 mm f5.6 SD
| Angle of view | 6°10' |
| Closest focusing | 4,0m |
| Elements and groups | 8/5 |
| Filter size | 72 mm |
| Length | 207,5mm |
| Weight | 980 g |
If I didn't have had the Minolta 400mm lens, this were the one I would have looked after - a lot cheaper and well-reputed among the third-party options. The lens has built-in hood and tripod collar. "Rear focusing" is Tokinas own internal focusing system that moves the rear elements inside the lens.
This is how Tokina describes this lens (www.thkphoto.com)
A super telephoto lens... The long distance
"action" lens. Breathtaking sunsets, incredible
close-ups, spectacular compression effects
- there are a dozen ways this lens can put you
in another class of photographer. Its rear
focusing system assures superior sharpness
and its SD glass gives superior optical
performance
Ryujin soon told about an older, non-SD (=non-APO) version of this lens. Funny, I had just seen it in a used camera swap meet, though in the Nikon mount. Picture scanned by him from an old brochure. This has been said to be a dog - I don't have first hand information of either one.
The lens is older version of TokinaSL400sd.
The old version did not have SD lens.
Otherwise, same design as a newer one(SD version).
Same weight, same dimensions. Same spec except
for SD lens or not.
As you see, not a red line on the old model. Red
line on Tokina lens means a
use of SD glass.
Ryujin
Sigma 400mm f5.6
Too
many variants to be count. Some - mainly the non-APO-versions - have a
questionable reputation, but the APO lens is said to be relatively good.
I have compared some slides taken with such a lens to those taken with
my MD APO Tele Rokkor 400mm f5.6, and they were far from the Minolta quality,
but I'm not quite sure if that is only due to the lens performance - I
don't know for sure how well the photographer handled his 400mm lens and
how sturdy the tripod used was, and the film was not the same - mine was
Kodachrome 64, the film used with the Sigma lens was Elitechrome 100. So,
basically, I should not compare them at all. The photo at left is from
Ryujin. This lens has been available (and more common) in black, too.
Other existing 400mm lenses
Soligor 400 mm f5.6 - no data, I just know it exists
Vivitar 400 mm f5.6 - no data, I just know it exists
Hoya 400 mm f5.6 (This one I have seen in a used equipment shop. It
is an old-looking all-metals structure with MC mount, and it looked reasonably
well made.)
Minolta MD APO Tele Rokkor 600mm f6.3
Photo scanned by Ryujin
The longest Minolta MD lens except the mirrors. A rare super telephoto
lens I have never seen. It tends to be a very expensive one, if found on
the used markets (read: ebay). Since it is a bit slower than a 300/2.8
with 2x, I would not consider this lens as a real choise unless you can
get one in a very reasonable price. Here is what I know about it:
| Construction: | 9 elements in 8 groups |
| The second element is made of fluorite. | |
| Angle of view: | 4.2° |
| Min. focusing distance | 5 m (16.4 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | Rear-mounted |
| Diaphgram | f6.3-32 |
| Size (diam. x legth) | 10.9 x 37,3 cm
4.3 x 14.7 inch. |
| Weight | 2.4 kg (84.6 oz) |
The lens has rotating tripod collar and it uses the same teleconverter as the MD APO Tele Rokkor 400mm f5.6, but adding a 2x to this makes a 1200mm f12,6 lens - maybe not the easiest one to handle, focus or hold steady.
Reflex lenses
There is a lot of info about these lenses in the Internet, and propably even more strict opininons against them than the opinions in the famous Nikon/Canon flame wars. To me it seems that most pros and well-equipped amateurs don't like them. I personally don't, mainly because they are too slow, but I also understand they could work well for others - they have been on the market for decades and still available as new ones, so there is something in them. My experience is also very limited, I've owned only one, RF Rokkor 250mm f5.6.Basic difference to other telephotos is that instead of large glass elements these lenses use mirrors (one large in the back with a small hole in the middle and a small one in the front, in the middle of the front glass) and some additional lens elements in the middle. The structure allows cheaper and a lot smaller construction than the conventional telephoto design, but makes it impossible to include a diaphgram mechanism - these lenses have constant (small) apertures. The only way to reduce the light is to use neutral density filters, which are usually shipped together with the lens in 1 and 2 stops strengths together with the basic colour filters. If buying a used mirror lens, try to find one with these included, as it might be rather hard to find suitable ones. They are usually screwed to the back of the lens, only the smallest ones like RF Rokkor 250mm f5.6 (not included here) can use front filters. The old, large ones may have a fixed filter turret. They work only with manual and aperture priority auto exposures, but no stop-down metering is required (or, actually it is automatically a stop-down metering).
The weak points are small maximum apertures, disturbing out-of-focus highlights (they look like donughts instead of spots due to the front mirror) and slow focusing, the strong points are cheap price and small weight and size. Most serious wildlifers don't accept these lenses but pay 10 to 20 times more for a 500/4 - for a pro it is an obvious choise, but for a normal amateur these are a choise to be considered. Want to handhold a really long (500mm) lens? Try once with 500/4 or a long zoom with f5.6 or f8 aperture - and you understand that the 500/8 mirror might do rather well. But only if used in bright sunlight and fast films.
With MF Minoltas there is a severe limitation in using a 500/8 RF lens, if you want to handhold it. The fastest shutter speed available is 1/1000 (except the XM and XM Motor with 1/2000), and you need at least 1/500 sec. to handhold a 500mm lens. That leaves you only two stops to work with until you need to use a neutral density filter, change the film or use a tripod. In bright sunlight (the f16 rule) using 400 ASA film you have a danger of overexposing (f16 with 1/400 speed gives the correct exposure, it is equivalent with 1/1600 sec with f8!), but if a cloud covers the sun or your subject is in shadow (2 stops off the bright sunlight) you cannot handhold - you get just that 1/400 sec with f8! So you need the tripod, which you absolutely need with longer than 500mm lenses anyway. Some users manage to shoot handheld with these light lenses using such a slow shutter speeds as 1/125 or 1/250 sec. I cannot, but it is up to you and your quality standards - if you get a picture you can accept, then it is fine. Using teleconverters with these lenses is another problem, both because of the slow aperture and the image quality - again, it is your choise.
As you can guess now, I would suggest you try these lenses before buying, if it is at all possible, and see if you like them or not. If you ever get really serious in wildlife or sports photography, you propably will move to conventional super telephotos - if you can afford. But as a learning tool the reflex lens could be a good choise, especially if you think you don't want to carry a heavy 300/2.8 + 2x. And consider also the 300/4.5 with TC, which is my recommendation for the first tele lens. Sadly there are only a few 1.4x TC's for MF Minolta. A 600/9 (=2x 300/4.5) is not any brighter than a 500/8.
There is no APO lenses available in the mirror lenses, because the large lens elements are replaced by mirrors which, in nature, do not suffer from the apochromatic diffractions.
500mm reflex lenses
Minolta RF Rokkor 500 mm f8(Image scanned from an old brochure)
A
classic in mirror lens design, small and easy-to-handle 500mm. This lens
is one of those Rokkors rumoured to be sold under Leica brand. Propably
the best 500/8 available for Minolta optically, but a drawback if compared
to Tamron: The minimum focusing distance is far longer.
| Construction: | 2 mirrors, 6 lens elements in 5 groups |
| Angle of view: | 5° |
| Min. focusing distance | 4 m (13 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | Rear-mounted |
| Size (diam. x legth) | 8.4 x 9.9 cm
3.3 x 3.9 inch. |
| Weight | 0.6 kg (21.1 oz) |
Tamron SP 500 mm f8 macro
A
very close-focusing 500mm mirror tele in Adaptall-2 mount. It can be mounted
into any SLR - even the Minolta AF. You don't get AF and might have to
add exposure correction depending on the body you use, but if it can take
mf lenses, this lens can be used - the adapter needs no optics, unlike
MD/AF adapter, so the image quality is not deteriorated and the infinity
focusing is maintained. There is no tripod mount, unlike the 350mm mirror.
This is how Tamron describes this lens (www.tamron.com):
This is a "Catadioptric" type telephoto lens with
two silver evaporation coated reflective mirrors. The silver evaporation
coating on the rear lens surface compensates for spherical aberrations
on reflective surface giving high quality images throughout the focusing
range. Tele-macro is lso available with a short minimum focusing distance
of 1.7m (67") and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.
| Specifications | |
| Model | 55BB |
| Lens Construction (Groups/Elements) | 4-7 |
| Angle of View | 5° |
| Minimum Aperture | 8 (fixed) |
| Minimum Focus | 66.9in. (1.7m) |
| Macro Mag. Ratio | 1:3 |
| Filter Diameter | ø30.5 (front 82) |
| Weight | 18.9oz. (535gm) |
| Diameter x Length | ø3.3 x 3.6in. |
| (ø84 x 91.5mm) | |
| Accessory | Lens hood, Case |
| Mount | Adaptall II |
| Interchangeable mount | |
| system |
Tokina 500 mm f8 and others
There is a whole bunch of third-party 500/8 mirrors with different qualities - try before buying.
Russian 500 mm f8 (MTO)
A speciality from Russia. It comes in 42mm thread and is therefore adaptable
like the Tamrons to almost any SLR (Nikon and Olympus require optical adapter
to allow infinity focusing). As the mirror lenses don't have any diaphgram
to be automated, you don't loose any automatic functions with these lenses.
The optical quality is said to be good, although I haven't used any so
I cannot tell. I've seen and handled some and they are obviously build
for military use, about like T-72 tanks - rough, full-metal, not-so fine
finishing.
Longer reflex lenses
Some of the longest focal lengths are available only as mirror lenses - I cannot remember any conventional telephoto over 1200mm, longest mirrors being about 2000mm (like the long Reflex-Nikkor).Minolta RF Rokkor 800 mm f8
This lens is available in two versions - the MC era black one and later, MD era version in white. A reasonably fast 800mm lens! The Nikon 800mm f5.6 ED IF is only a stop faster, and you need a 400mm f4 lens to get this fast 800mm with a 2x tc.
| Spesifications of the black version: | |
| Construction: | 2 mirrors, 8 lens elements in 7 groups |
| Angle of view: | 3° 10' |
| Min. focusing distance | 8 m (26 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | Rear-mounted |
| Size (diam. x legth) | 12.4 x 16.8 cm |
| 4.9 x 6.6 inch. | |
| Weight | 1.90 kg (67 oz) |
| (Images scanned from old brochures, and not in scale) |
Minolta RF Rokkor 1100 mm f11
An old lens, no data but heard that it existed.
Minolta RF Rokkor 1600 mm f11
The longest Rokkor available, a rare extreme telephoto. Like the small
cousine, the 800/8, this is also available in two versions, black and white.
| Spesifications of the black version: | |
| Construction: | 2 mirrors, 6 lens elements in 5 groups |
| Angle of view: | 1° 30' |
| Min. focusing distance | 20 m (70 ft.) |
| Filter thread diameter | Built-in or rear-mounted (two different data sources) |
| Size (diam. x legth) | 18.0 x 32.3 cm |
| 7.1 x 12.7 inch. | |
| Weight | 6.85 kg (241.6 oz) |
| (Images scanned from old brochures, and not in scale) |
Russian 1100 mm f11 (MTO)
Like its smaller cousine, 500/8, an M42 lens and available in different
versions.
Vivitar Series I 800mm f/11 Solid Catadioptic Mirror Lens
Here is what Eric Steinberg can tell about one classic mirror lens: Photo by Eric Steinberg.
This
hard to find T-mount Mirror lens is worth mentioning because it
typifies all the strengths and weaknesses of
the mirror design. This
lens is tiny, considering it's optical length,
measuring only 3.3
inches it is half the the length of the RF Rokkor
800! It is slow at
f/11 (one stop slower than RF Rokkor) bright
days and fast film are
mandatory. It is sharp but lacks the contrast
of a conventional lens.
The build quality is excellent and the "solid"
lens construction
prevents element shifting from temperature change.
Physical size
might tempt a user into thinking they could hand-hold.
Optical length
and slow speed make this impossible for sharp
exposures and all basic
techniques for long lenses need to be employed
for pleasing results.
Small size and durable construction make this
lens a wonderful option
for the photographer who wishes to hike or needs
to carry his "big
glass" long distances.
More information is online at: Robert Monaghan's
Third
Party Lenes Resource Megasite
Long zoom lenses
Zoom lenses are an alternative to fixed focals also in the longer focal lengths. The limitations are the same than with shorter zooms - usually they are slower and perform optically weaker than the fixed focals. But many photographers have found these lenses well-suited for their use, so I think they are worth to mention here. To limit the length of this page I have decided to include only the zoom lenses that has the zooming range above the 300mm limit - too many third-party 70-300mm or so variants I don't have interest to.Minolta MC and MD Zoom Rokkor 100-500 mm f8
Minolta MD APO Zoom 100-500mm f8
| Spesifications: | (MD Zoom Rokkor -version) |
| Construction: | 16 lens elements in 10 groups |
| Angle of view: | 24° - 5° |
| Min. focusing distance | 2,5 m (8 ft.) (5.5 feet with the accessory close-up lens) |
| Filter thread diameter | 72mm |
| Size (diam. x legth) | 9.1 x 33.0 cm |
| 3.6 x 13 inch | |
| Weight | 2.03 kg (71.6 oz) |
Minoltas long and heavy zoom lens, originating back to MC era and available in two mounts (MC and MD Rokkors). The MD lens is, of course, always newer with better coatings, which is a major improvement when considering a zoom lens with lots of lens elements inside. There is also a rare MD APO version of this lens - if you have the choise, I would prefer the APO without questioning, but it is usually very expensive, if found in good condition. The late MD APO ZOOM can be recognized from a golden ring around the front.
This lens has a remarkably short focusing distance, which makes it well
suitable for photographing small birds and critters - but not handhold,
with this weight and maximum aperture of f8! Using a blind, feeder, a good
tripod and this lens could make small-bird photography from pain to joy.
There is also a special close-up lens made for this lens. Tripod collar
is rotating.
Tokina AT-X 150-500 mm f5.6 SD
This
is a relatively common lens on the used markets. Some photographers love
it, some are unhappy with its sharpness, specially at the long end - a
common problem for long zooms. Stopping down a bit helps. The fastness
and constant aperture through the zooming range make this lens a reasonable
choise - a 500mm f5.6 is not bad! The weight of the lens is an issue itself:
this is not a hand-holdable 500mm lens. The SD is the Tokina way to say
there is an apochromatic element inside.
| Technical details: | |
| Optical construction | 15 elements in 13 groups |
| Angle of view | 16°30' in 150mm - 4°57' in 500mm |
| Closest focusing distance | 3,1 m (measured from the film plane) |
| Aperture range | f5.6 - f32 |
| Filter size | 95mm (front) or 35,5mm (rear) |
| Diameter | 104mm |
| Length | 314,5 mm |
| Weight | 2 230g |
| Lens hood | Built-in |
Tokina itself describes this lens as follows:
Another superlative among superlatives:
the world's most compact super telephoto
zoom lens with a constant f-stop
of 5.6 throughout the zooming range. Its one touch
zoom focus system lets you focus
while you zoom... so you can capture every moment.
Every sports and outdoor photographer
should add this lens to his or her system.
Source: www.thkphoto.com.
There are a lots of third-party zooms, especially in the focal length range from about 100 or 200mm to 400mm, that I don't have information about - if you can make a short description of a lens like above, and perhaps tell some of your own experiences, I would gladly add it here.
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