questions 300mm lens
618 posts
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Posted 16/06/2010 - 20:41
Stefan.
At heart, I am a macro person. The macro subject mostly is still. Just thought with the summer I would take a journey into wild life. Visited a wetland in Northern Ireland and my 18-250 was just so inadequate.
SO!! Thinks. Must get a long lens and a prime lens at that, because that is what all the snappers had at the wetland.
I had no idea just what a difficult journey that would be.
Having researched the Pentax brand I wanted the best. A 300mm F4.5. Nobody on this Forum has taken pity on me and offered such a lens.
I am grateful for all the advice I have been given and such a lot and very helpful.
At the cottage we stayed in N.I. was a little plaque. It read simply.
'Please God grant me Patience but grant it now'.
Somehow. That fits this situation.
Do keep up the encouragement.
regards Thoramay
At heart, I am a macro person. The macro subject mostly is still. Just thought with the summer I would take a journey into wild life. Visited a wetland in Northern Ireland and my 18-250 was just so inadequate.
SO!! Thinks. Must get a long lens and a prime lens at that, because that is what all the snappers had at the wetland.
I had no idea just what a difficult journey that would be.
Having researched the Pentax brand I wanted the best. A 300mm F4.5. Nobody on this Forum has taken pity on me and offered such a lens.
I am grateful for all the advice I have been given and such a lot and very helpful.
At the cottage we stayed in N.I. was a little plaque. It read simply.
'Please God grant me Patience but grant it now'.
Somehow. That fits this situation.
Do keep up the encouragement.
regards Thoramay
20 posts
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 18:48
Chris. Can only see the kite pic, but that is enough to get my 'wants' juices flowing again. Seems that everyone with the 300 4.5 is keeping them under lock and key, so to speak.
Am at present playing with mamiya lens, a bit in desperation. Cannot see me handholding and capturing a bird in flight with that set up.
I am getting some nice results with flowers, though. Will put one on the Gallery in a while.
regards Thoramay
Am at present playing with mamiya lens, a bit in desperation. Cannot see me handholding and capturing a bird in flight with that set up.
I am getting some nice results with flowers, though. Will put one on the Gallery in a while.
regards Thoramay
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 19:44
Don't rule out the DA*300, if the 300 4.5 is better I'll be honestly staggered, I'm not sure what you'd have to do to beat the DA.
I often use it at f/4 because I can see no difference in sharpness wide open or stopped down (depth of field excepted of course), it focuses down to 4.5 feet, so I use it for flowers, butterflies and dragonflies too. Build quality's superb, it's weatherproof (has withstood several downpours)... I don't think I'll ever sell it, it's absolutely my favourite lens.
I know it's pricier than the 4.5, and a bit larger, but it's available...
Here are some of my Red Kites: https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/red-kites-at-rhayader-13176/p-0
Dan
K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...
I often use it at f/4 because I can see no difference in sharpness wide open or stopped down (depth of field excepted of course), it focuses down to 4.5 feet, so I use it for flowers, butterflies and dragonflies too. Build quality's superb, it's weatherproof (has withstood several downpours)... I don't think I'll ever sell it, it's absolutely my favourite lens.
I know it's pricier than the 4.5, and a bit larger, but it's available...
Here are some of my Red Kites: https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/red-kites-at-rhayader-13176/p-0
Dan
K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 19:54
Having tried the DA* 300mm f4 and keeping the F* 300mm 4.5 I can honestly say I saw no difference whatsoever between the two.
I kept the F* simply because it was half the price and a lot faster focusing than the SDM DA* ... the WR would be nice though.
The F* also performs very well with the 1.7x teleconverter.
When you consider this is a 100% crop taken with the F* 300mm and 1.7x handheld I think it does ok .. and I'm afraid no one can tell me SR didn't help at this focal length.
. My Flickr
I kept the F* simply because it was half the price and a lot faster focusing than the SDM DA* ... the WR would be nice though.
The F* also performs very well with the 1.7x teleconverter.
When you consider this is a 100% crop taken with the F* 300mm and 1.7x handheld I think it does ok .. and I'm afraid no one can tell me SR didn't help at this focal length.
. My Flickr
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 19:58
Daniel Bridge wrote:
Don't rule out the DA*300, if the 300 4.5 is better I'll be honestly staggered, I'm not sure what you'd have to do to beat the DA.
I often use it at f/4 because I can see no difference in sharpness wide open or stopped down (depth of field excepted of course), it focuses down to 4.5 feet, so I use it for flowers, butterflies and dragonflies too. Build quality's superb, it's weatherproof (has withstood several downpours)... I don't think I'll ever sell it, it's absolutely my favourite lens.
I know it's pricier than the 4.5, and a bit larger, but it's available...
Here are some of my Red Kites: https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/red-kites-at-rhayader-13176/p-0
Dan
Don't rule out the DA*300, if the 300 4.5 is better I'll be honestly staggered, I'm not sure what you'd have to do to beat the DA.
I often use it at f/4 because I can see no difference in sharpness wide open or stopped down (depth of field excepted of course), it focuses down to 4.5 feet, so I use it for flowers, butterflies and dragonflies too. Build quality's superb, it's weatherproof (has withstood several downpours)... I don't think I'll ever sell it, it's absolutely my favourite lens.
I know it's pricier than the 4.5, and a bit larger, but it's available...
Here are some of my Red Kites: https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/red-kites-at-rhayader-13176/p-0
Dan
As above, totally stunning lens, Ihave trouble removing it to fit a genuine macro lens it's that good.
Regards,
John
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In LBA hiatus.
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 20:02
This is the DA*300 + Teleplus 1.5x TC @ 100% crop, hand held:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/kinfisher-redux-17891/large
John
PPG link
In LBA hiatus.
https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/kinfisher-redux-17891/large
John
PPG link
In LBA hiatus.
Last Edited by johnwhit on 17/06/2010 - 20:02
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 20:14
DA*300/4 @ f/4 wide open 100% crop, hand held
https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/four-spotted-chaser-18355/large
John
PPG link
In LBA hiatus.
https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/four-spotted-chaser-18355/large
John
PPG link
In LBA hiatus.
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Posted 17/06/2010 - 23:09
thoramay wrote:
Chris. Can only see the kite pic, but that is enough to get my 'wants' juices flowing again. Seems that everyone with the 300 4.5 is keeping them under lock and key, so to speak.
Am at present playing with mamiya lens, a bit in desperation. Cannot see me handholding and capturing a bird in flight with that set up.
I am getting some nice results with flowers, though. Will put one on the Gallery in a while.
regards Thoramay
Chris. Can only see the kite pic, but that is enough to get my 'wants' juices flowing again. Seems that everyone with the 300 4.5 is keeping them under lock and key, so to speak.
Am at present playing with mamiya lens, a bit in desperation. Cannot see me handholding and capturing a bird in flight with that set up.
I am getting some nice results with flowers, though. Will put one on the Gallery in a while.
regards Thoramay
I am certainly hanging on to mine! I dropped it a couple of years back and had it repaired. Good as new now! I would be surprised if tha DA 300 is not a very good lens, and as others have indicated it is available. However, I see no need to replace my FA with the DA. Autofocus works great on the K7 (and also K10D). So no worries.
Chris
Chris
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Posted 18/06/2010 - 10:46
Dan. Your wild life photos are stunning, as always and interested to hear that you use the DA. Have you used this with the Pentax 1.7 converter?
John. I am envious of your kingfisher shot. It is photos like these of you guys that drives me on to wanting a 300mm.
I know the DA is currently available, but its price is holding me out for an earlier model. The 4.5 is rated at 10, even higher than the DA on that other Pentax forum, which, I suspect is the reason that they never appear on the marketplace.
I just need to get lucky.
regards Thoramay.
John. I am envious of your kingfisher shot. It is photos like these of you guys that drives me on to wanting a 300mm.
I know the DA is currently available, but its price is holding me out for an earlier model. The 4.5 is rated at 10, even higher than the DA on that other Pentax forum, which, I suspect is the reason that they never appear on the marketplace.
I just need to get lucky.
regards Thoramay.
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Posted 18/06/2010 - 19:41
thoramay wrote:
Have you used this with the Pentax 1.7 converter?
Have you used this with the Pentax 1.7 converter?
No, I had the 1.7x but sold it. Not sure if I had the two at the same time...
I have the Tamron 1.4x converter, and the few times I've used it with the DA* it seemed fine, but it's very rare that I want/need to take something with that combination. In fact I've been thinking of selling the Tamron, as it so rarely gets used, and the price they go for these days is daft, to be honest.
The damselfly shot in this thread might have been taken using it, but I can't remember for sure.
By the way, if I already had the F or FA lens, I doubt I'd upgrade to the DA, but I had an old Tamron f/2.8 lens, and the step up was significant.
Dan
K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...
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johnwhit
Member
Rainhill
Ah well. That's got my despondency off my chest. There is always tommorrow.
regards thoramay
That's the spirit, just keep clicking
Regards,
John
PPG link
In LBA hiatus.