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Heron & Pike With New Lens

GlynM
Posted 25/11/2016 - 15:19 Link
Having upgraded my K-3 with the latest firmware yesterday I was tempted to order a HD Pentax-DA 55-300MM F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE which arrived just before lunch today. Being a very nice sunny day I decided to walk up the local canal and try it out.

As I arrived I disturbed a Heron who was crouched down on the edge of the tow path. He had obviously just caught some thing large as he had a lot of trouble getting airborne and just about made it to the opposite bank dropping his catch on a wall.

These images are certainly not perfect having been shot in bit of a hurry, with a lens that I had not used before but I really wanted to show them because I believe I have identified the fish as being a pike!

These images are all shot with the lens extended to its maximum of 300mm. They were shot raw then processed in LR5 and cropped and resized in PSE14.

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Having turned his back on me he dropped the fish and just stood there. So I left him in piece to get on with his lunch.

Glyn
JAK
Posted 25/11/2016 - 15:24 Link
All sounds a bit fishy to me!
Glad you made instant use of your new lens, the photos look really fine.
John K
malfis
Posted 25/11/2016 - 15:42 Link
Nice capture (on two counts) and it certainly looks like a pike.

😊
Lots of gear - but not a lot of idea!
Edited by malfis: 25/11/2016 - 15:43
Chrism8
Posted 25/11/2016 - 15:56 Link
I'm not surpassed he struggled to get airborne, that Pike's huge, I'd have been happy to catch one that size when I was into fishing.

Well captured and well done that Heron, enough fish for a week I would have thought
Chris

www.chrismillsphotography.co.uk

" A Hangover is something that occupies the Head you neglected to use the night before".

-------------------------------------------------------------
K1 - Sigma 85mm F1.4, Pentax DFA 150 -450 F4.5 / 5.6, Pentax DFA* 24 - 70 F2.8

Samyang 14mm F2.8, Pentax DFA* 70-200 F2.8

K3iii + K3ii + K5iis converted to IR, Sigma 17 - 70 F2.8, Pentax 55 - 300 F4.5 / F5.6 PLM
Posted 25/11/2016 - 16:20 Link
Yep its a pike - fair size for a heron!
Learn how to live and you'll know how to die; learn how to die, and you'll know how to live.

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paulyrichard
Posted 25/11/2016 - 17:01 Link
Nice shots...

I'd be interested in hearing about your findings with this lens. Can you tell me anything about it? Is it a good performer and what is the IQ like, as well as how sharp is it at all focal lengths?
"Ifamericatoldthetruthforjustonedayitswholeworldwouldfallapart "
"All the technique in the world doesn’t compensate for the inability to notice." - Elliott Erwitt

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GlynM
Posted 25/11/2016 - 17:33 Link
I have only had it for a few hours and just spent a hour early this afternoon walking about with the lens on my K-3. So I have not really done any serious testing. First impressions though, hand held, felt quite impressive. It focuses very quickly and quietly. The electronic aperture control also works fine on my updated K3 and is also silent. It is smaller that my old original DA 55-300, about the same size as the DA18-135. The zoom functions a bit like the Q 06 telephoto lens in that you have to extend it to the 55mm start position which on this lens involves pressing a button on lens.

I had a couple of odd events when pointing the camera down to look at the menus when the screen suddenly went black. I think it dropped back in the photo taking mode. I found the best way to stop this was to park the zoom in its storage position, before the 55mm start, while fiddling around in the menus.

It was very bright today and I was out soon after midday so not in the best conditions for a decent landscape but I thought it performed quite well:

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I hope this helps.

Glyn

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