I really messed up my planning here lol. I finally bit the bullet and jumped over to a Sony A7III after using Fuji for like five years but I spent way too much on the body and now I am staring at my bank account realizing I have almost nothing left for glass. I need a decent zoom for this mountain bike event I am shooting in Colorado next weekend so the timeline is super tight. I thought I could just adapt my old glass with a smart adapter but the autofocus is hunting way too much and I cannot miss these shots when the riders are coming through the trees.
Requirements are pretty strict:
- Must be under 800 bucks (second hand is totally fine)
- Needs to go up to at least 180mm or 200mm
- Fast enough AF to track bikes coming downhill
- Not a total brick because I am hiking with it up the trails
I was looking at the Tamron 70-180mm first gen because I heard the vxd motors are quick but I also saw that Sigma has a 100-400mm which might be too slow for the lighting in the woods? I dont know. My head is spinning trying to compare all these third party options and I really dont want to end up with something soft or something that cant keep up with the burst rate. What are you guys actually using that doesnt cost as much as a used car? I need to pull the trigger tonight to get it shipped in time...
In my experience, the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD is your safest bet. I've tried many zooms and that f/2.8 is vital when light drops under the trees. The Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS has reliable native AF, but its just too slow for fast motion in shadows. Over the years, I've found the Tamron tracks bikes well and wont kill your shoulders while hiking.
^ This. Also, how dense is the canopy where youre shooting? I tried using the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary for a trail run last year and that f/6.3 was a nightmare in the shadows. I had to crank my ISO way up just to keep my speed. Be careful with slow apertures in the woods... you might want to consider sticking with a faster lens if the light is really bad.
Regarding what #2 said about the canopy...
- unfortunately my setup had issues with tracking accuracy tho
- missed focus during a dark race
- buying cheap gear just wasnt worth the risk
Late to the party but this whole thread is 💯. Glad I found it.
