Buying Old Telephoto Glass

I have a Vivitar Constant f3.5 70mm to 210mm FD that looks great. The only problem is that it weighs a ton and can a bit tricky to use without a darn good tripod. In fact it isn't usable at all without a good tripod. Very fast especially on the long end compared to tele Lumix lenses however. A tele prime may be easier and lighter to use but still will be more of a challenge then a native lens.
 
I have Version 3 of the lens that Thomas mentions and it's a bit different in that the aperture is f/2.8-4.0. I bought this version after reading up on the different manufacturers:

http://www.robertstech.com/vivitar.htm

I actually haven't put it through a lot of use just yet, I mainly grabbed it since it was a steal on eBay ($60). I'll echo the comments that it is certainly unusable without a tripod, but the aperture range is a nice change from my Lumix 14-140. For the price, I'd definitely recommend it if you find a similar deal.
 
Ryan Farnes said:
I have the Lumix 100-300 f/4-5.6....nice lens, but too slow for filming in thick deciduous forests at the start or towards the end of the day.

I'm thinking of getting an older 200mm f/2.8, sacrificing some distance for way more light. What do you guys think about old Canon FD glass similar to this listing:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hard-to-Fin...mera_Lenses&hash=item5894cb6634#ht_500wt_1125

Anyone else here using older fast telephotos?
Click to expand...

The majority of the work I do is with long glass and until recently I was well-invested in Canon FD, I was using an FDn 300mm f2.8L (flourite), an FDn 300mm f4L and I went through several of the 200s. If you can find one that is in good condition they are still very effective lenses and a generally a bargain (although clean 300 f2.8s are always in demand). I've also seen some really nice footage from the FDn 300 f4 non L, and those go for a song. I recommend looking for the FDn versions, internal focusing really is a big advantage--particularly if you can use a FF rig, also the coatings were a little improved in some designs and flare is always an issue when using telephotos.
 
Another option to consider is a shorter fast zoom and use the extended tele mode on the GH2. For example a 135mm long end on a zoom would become a 350mm with this extended mode for shooting video. It may be easier to find fast zoom lenses on the shorter end. It is my hope to eventually get the 35mm to 100mm Lumix f2.8 lens and use it as a 91mm to 260mm F2.8 zoom.
 
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