> It's a one-touch zoom so this is slightly irksome - the ring will > slip and change focal length according to gravity rather than > staying put as the other lens does.
This is a personal preference issue, it seems to me. If you want to use the lens pointed up or down on a tripod, then I can see that zoom ring looseness would be problematic. I also suppose that, even hand-held, if you wanted to set the focal length and then "forget it", that there might be an annoyance. However, I have used a couple of these critters for many years as hand-held zooms, and have found the so-called "looseness" to be perfect for such use. I ~like~ being able to zoom in or out quickly, focusing as I zoom as needed (for moving targets), and/or zooming as I focus as needed (for cropping). The lens works very well for tracking and cropping moving targets. I would not like the zoom ring to be "fighting me" as I am adjusting it. For me, if I am going to be shooting in this FL range on a tripod (with the lens aimed in any direction), I am probably going to be using a suitable prime lens anyway. I would think that a 2-touch zoom would also be a good possibility for such use. Your mileage may vary, of course... Fred
