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Pentax 55-300 DA ED vs Pentax HD 55-300

Yecora99
Posted 07/07/2017 - 13:37 Link
Hello,

I have a Pentax DA 55-300mm f4-5.8 ED lens and have seen the Pentax HD 55-300mm lenses available.

Is there any noticeable difference in image quality between the two lenses? is it worth upgrading for use on a Pentax K5?
Quote:
Pentax K5D, Pentax 16-45mm f4 DA ED AL, Pentax 55-300mm ED, Pentax 100mm Macro f2.8 D-FA, Tamron 28-200mm, Sigma 170-500mm.

JAK
Posted 07/07/2017 - 14:27 Link
Both the DA 55-300mm f4-5.8's are basically the same lens with the HD version having a different coating and more of a Ricoh styling.
However, there is a newer design of it named HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mmF4.5-6.3ED PLM WR RE which won't work on the K-5 unless a firmware update is made available at some stage to make it compatible with PLM lenses. On a compatible camera it focuses faster and has a more compact design.
John K
Edited by JAK: 07/07/2017 - 14:28
sportyman531
Posted 07/07/2017 - 21:51 Link
I picked up a used example of the DA ED version a couple of years ago and it is razor sharp, I use it with a K5. I have read somewhere in a review that the HD coating is useful to minimise problems with flare so, unless you are regularly shooting into the sun, I think that the difference between the two would be minimal.
Flickr
DA AL 35mm f2.4, K3,18-135 WR, DA 55-300, Pentax KX, K5 x 2, 18-50 50-200 kit lenses, Tamron 17-50 f2.8, Fuji X10, 2x Mamiya 1000s 2x 80mm f2.8, 150mm f3.5, 210mm f4, Yashica 124G TLR, 2x Yashica FX3 Super 2000, Tamron 28mm f2.8, 90mm SP f2.5, 135mm f2.5, Olympus 35RC, 2x Yashica FX2, Kodak Pocket Instamatic, Kodak Box Brownie
reso
Posted 07/07/2017 - 22:07 Link
i to have a da ed 55-300 and on the k5iis is a nice sharp lens and works very well with a pz af 1.5 teleconverter
a very under rated lens
k5iis k3ii sigma 10-20 hsm tamron 17-50 pentax faj 18-35 pentax da 18-135 tokina 20-35 tokina 28-70 atx pro pentax dfa 100 wr
pentax da*50-135 pentax da plm 55-300 sigma apo 150-500 hsm os
Pentax af aw 1.4 rear converter and a flash
jeallen01
Posted 07/07/2017 - 22:31 Link
TBH: my very original version 55-300 never worked well at all with my Kenko 1.4X PzTC on the K-5
K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)

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