DA 55-300mm or FA-J 75-300mm

Hi all i was originally thinking of purchasing a 55-300mm in a couple of weeks until i saw the 75-300mm which is basically half the price.

I know the DA is specially made for digital and the other one for film but wondered how the FA-J would perform on a k10/20.

I think that i read somewhere that the FA-J lens still auto focusses on a dslr.

Any help or advice on either of these lenses would be much appreciated.

I've owned and used both these lenses and the FAJ lens, although having a character all of its own, is not a patch on the 55-300mm.

If you don't need 35mm film coverage, go for the DA lens. No contest.

Purple fringing and turning grey blue is usually the problem with these lenses. I'm waiting for a 55-300mm ordered from SRS yesterday, but looking at Richard Days recent test shots, which have already been corrected for CA, its still visible, but it's probably better than the others. I've not seen much from the 75-300mm but expect it's the same.

This is straight jpeg just reduced in size from the 80-320mm. The Grey Heron shouldn't have any blue in it.... just black and grey. You also see it in galvanized steel.

[IMG]http://i545.photobucket.com/albums/hh387/penbx/Heron1.jpg[/IMG]

Compare the colours above with these pics on the blog belonging to Neil (member here) taken with a Panasonic Bridge Camera link Maybe Pentax and Panasonic need to tie up together to make lenses...... not as improbable as it sounds, Sanyo who make some of the Pentax compacts are owned by Panasonic.

shim

Thanks John.

I bet you can't wait shim Let me know what it's like.

[/quote] Let me know what it's like.[/quote]Martin if you are going to buy a 55-300 let me know, as it looks like I'll be moving to Olympus as Pentax still havn't returned my K20D, over 4 weeks now.

Terry you have a PM

[/quote]Terry you have a PM [/quote]Returned.

I bought a 55-300mm off a member here a few weeks ago who was moving to a prosumer camera and to be totally honest I made a reasonable offer for it with the intention of having a play then putting it on Ebay to make myself an easy £20 but after using it a few times it now has a permanent place in m camera bag.

That's nice to know. Mine hasn't arrived today, I wish I'd drove over to Mather's in Bolton, where I bought the K10D from now.

shim

Martin if you are going to buy a 55-300 let me know, as it looks like I'll be moving to Olympus as Pentax still havn't returned my K20D, over 4 weeks now.[/quote]Hope you have it back for the 9th Tel!........

I hope you'll forgive a potentially stupid suggestion, but isn't that just normal shift in colour temperature as the heron is in its own shadow while the rest of the scene is in direct sunlight?

It might be part of the cause on that particular shot, but I still get some blue no matter which side I shoot a heron from. Also one shot had a fisherman lit from the front by the sun and his overalls were blue but not the vivid purple that they were on the photograph.

Hopefully the 55-300mm will be better. It doesn't happen with the 43mm limited.

shim

The 55-300mm has arrived, but the weather changed to cloudy, windy and rain when I went testing it. I'll have to try again tomorrow. I had a look at the galvanized gate that had previously turned blue and that was in the shade, plus it was cloudy. The AWB does not seem to be picking this up. When I tried it on the Cloudy or Shade setting the gate was near to galvanized colour and no blue. So I might be better leaving it on cloudy. I might have a look at some PEF's tomorrow and see what effect changing the WB has.

shim

Re white balance, I set mine to Daylight and Sue sets hers to Cloudy.

Works for us.

I bought a Pentax 55-300mm on Monday along with a K20 body. I've previously used a Sigma 70-300mm and decided to take a punt on the Pentax as it seemed to get such good reviews. I have to say I'm really impressed with it. Possibly the best £199 you could spend on a new lens (actually less as I was able to trade in the Sigma against the new lens).

Okay its not great in low light but that's a given with this type of lens. Otherwise, really sharp, great colour and a pleasure to use.