Saturday at SRS

Had managed to salvage a couple of hours on Saturday morning hoping to get to Watford and then into the city and then my wife throws something else at me!

I'll be there in the morning.

I haven't bought any kit for way too long...

Well guys have a good day at SRS today and fill us in on all the news and what freebies I'm missing out on by having to work today

Can someone ask if there's a DA* 11-16 f2.8 coming soon? And when the 1.4 teleconverter is due ( and why they don't re-release the 1.7 AF adapter?)

Thanks. (and Good Luck Chris!)
Mark

I had a very enjoyable couple of hours trying out lenses and the ring flash at SRS. The pre-production models of the 60-250 were impressive but not a very discreet lens! The DA* 55 1.4 is nice too, although the lens hood looks like the top half of a thermos cup, albeit felt lined. The DA* 200mm and 300mm lenses are impressive too. The ring flash worked well in auto mode (both camera and flash) and has five settings for balancing left v. right sides of the ring. The DA Limiteds are stunningly tiny. The 70mm Ltd was dwarfed on my K10D with the battery grip.

The Pentax guys were, however, unwilling to commit themselves as to when the new teleconverter will be available... Sorry all, but I did ask.

Freebies consisted of a Pentax baseball cap, a nice pen set and a little torch.

Thanks all at SRS and the Pentax reps, it was great to play with all those toys. I just need to win the lottery now. Opps, I don't play the lottery...

Cheers, Kris.

I was impressed by the ring flash too

Not so keen on the 60-250, a bit big and heavy for my style of shooting. I liked the 200/2.8 more than I expected to and I still like the little 35 macro.

The thing that I found myself thinking about most on the way home though was the K-m; tried it with my FA43 attached and, while not exactly pocketable, was nicely compact and discreet.

I'd forgotten it was match day and the train was full of football supporters and there was even a police van parked outside of SRS

Like Hefty, I wasn't too impressed by the 60-250 as it's as large as the 300 (and even more expensive), but without the reach. I don't really see the point of it!

I also quite liked the K-m, which seems to be the fastest focussing Pentax DSLR so far It had no trouble focussing quickly and accurately in the dim light of the shop.

One of the Pentax guys was saying the DA15 was going to be £500-600, which I think is maybe a bit too much

I came away with a nice Pentax mug, which was nice.

Anyway, thanks to Chris and everyone for laying all this on.

R

The 60-250 serves a completely different requirement to the DA*300 (which is still slightly larger) or any long prime. Anyone who has pottered, like I do, around a zoo, bird reserve, where the birds are quite tame, or at an airshow, finds a long fixed prime severely restricts your shooting. Having had a FA*300 f4.5 for a considerable time, I speak from experience, I actually use my 55-300 so much more I sold my FA*300, even though I miss the IQ! I'm hoping the 60-250 is not too far behind the DA*300.

I consider the DA*60-250 a very much better concept than the huge Siggy 100-300 EX, again which I've had. The reach below 100 is much more useful than the extra to 300mm, and it's less expensive as well.

I rang Chris this morning to apologise that I couldn't make it (due to health issues) as I was very keen to try the 60-250. He said they had two samples and that people were snapping away and was sure that examples would soon appear, so come on folks, where are the shots!

I was able to try the DA*55 a few weeks ago when we had a shoot in London, it was nice, but not my kind of lens. I felt my FA 50 macro blew it away as far as IQ was concerned with both at f2.8.

I'm glad that all who attended had a good day, I'm sorry I couldn't make it.

All the best!

I guess the difference is I'm usually shooting things where I never have enough reach
(or if I have, I prefer something more easily hand-holdable)

I stood the 60-250 and the 300 next to each other and the 60-250 is considerably fatter than the 300, although 300 was slightly longer.
The weight of each felt very similar in the hand and I wouldn't like to say which was actually heavier.

R

Reuben

So, do you have the DA*300 now? What is your impression of it?

I did try the 60-250 at the shop but didn't like it. Like you R I tend to usually shoot things where I also never have enough reach, as a consequence my 55-300 images are most if not all at the long end.

When I picked up the 60-250 at the shop today I immediately aimed at that poster which Chris often has been joking about that they asked the restaurant across to put up there specially for us to test the lenses and they would have a free ad across the www , and I felt instantly that it had a shorter reach for what I would like. So for me the 50mm definitely makes a difference. Following on I picked up the DA*300 and wanted to have a go at it again and aimed at the poster and bingo, the impression it left on me was absolutely phenomenal.

So I guess the choice for me still remains, Sigma 150-500 or DA*300

No contest - go for the DA* 300

Yes, I bought one after selling my M*300 (see this thread).

As good as the M*300 was, the DA has much better bokeh, contrast and colour. It also has a complete absence of fringing (useful when shooting things like birds, against a bright sky).

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It is heavy though and I usually use mine with a monopod.

R

I thought so .
So it wasn't just my impression, the DA*300 is that much better isn't it?

And I must say, once someone has a go at that fantastic focusing mechanism, fast and silent, that's when one starts evaluating really the marvels of the lens .

I did have a go at the Sigma 150-500 a few days ago comparing with the DA*300 at the same time, but I must say, the DA*300 just left me stunned with great impression.
Unless something new that I have overlooked comes up about the Sigma then in my view the DA*300 is definitely the winner in my eyes, personally of course.

I went through the same process last year before buying the DA* 300 and have never regretted the decision.

For longer reach, I will use the Pentax rear converter when it eventually arrives

Don't hold your breath...

Just want to say thanks to Chris & the Pentax guys for today as I managed to get away from work on time to come over. Wondered what was going on when I saw loads of Plod in the High St then realised the footie was on...

It was good to see such a large selection of glass and bodies on hand and I was impressed with the K-m in particular...I know I've got a K20d but you never know I've got a 60-250mm on pre-order and thought it performed okay when I tried it in the shop but I didn't realise that it extended at the 250mm end? Just an observation...

Also they seemed very sure when it was going to be released - "April" but when I asked how much different story - "between £800-£900"

I wasn't going to buy anything today but came out with my first Pentax flashgun, the AF360 so not a total disaster and a bag of freebies of course! BTW Kris thought I saw you as I left the shop about 3.15pm?