-----Original Message----- From: Don Sanderson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 5:49 PM To: PDML Subject: Question for owners of FA 80-320/4.5-5.6
I bought this lens about a week ago and am reasonably pleased with it from 80 to about 200mm. >From 200 on the forward-most section has A LOT of play. With it set at 320mm and focused as close as possible (longest extension) very gentle pressure on the very front by the filter threads will deflect the front over 5mm. Just turning it from right side up to upside down will allow the front element to "flop" a bit over 2mm. Would those of you who own this lens please tell me if this is normal or unusually "sloppy"? The images are OK but when looking thru the viewfinder on the D this amount of movement is clearly obvious to the eye. I had to mount the camera on a regular Bogen 3030 panhead because my favorite, the 3025 "3D" head actually let the front of the lens "shiver" when the shutter fired. This was using "mirror prefire" mode with the self timer! This was clearly evident as image blur. The narrower AOV on the D makes it even more apparent. I am trying to sort out the lenses I will actually use from those I simply won't be able to trust when it really counts. I've just purchased a Sigma EX 50/2.8 Macro and a Tamron Di 28-75/2.8 zoom. (Bought the Sigma from a list member and it is awesome, the Tamron was purchased at the recommendation of several PDML folks and though I don't have it yet I'm sure it will be a joy to use also.) Compared to these and some of my other "better" lenses the 80-320 seems awfully sloppy. TIA Don
