Super telephoto zoom recommendation.

So I have a k30 as my walk about and I love it. It pretty much has the 18-270mm on there all the time. I'm currently looking at my options regarding a telephoto zoom that's gonna occupy the longer end when I go to sports matches and do some casual nature photos. I don't want to carry too many lenses around hence looking for a zoom and not a fixed length lens.

I've been looking for a lens that's boarder line compact enough to carry around. Of course if Tamron made the 200-500mm for Pentax it would be perfect but they don't. I know one of my choices is the 150-500mm Bigma but I was wondering if anyone had any more suggestions? By compact I mean it still looks like a lens and not a telescope so the FA 250-600 is out and I don't really care about constant aperture. Oh and if anyone even thinks about mentioning mirror lenses...

135-400 Sigma, or variant.

if you,re looking at the Sigma 150-500 why not go the whole way and get the 50-500. I love mine and most other users do too.
CHEERS Vic.

For nature photos the Pentax 55-300mm + suitable TC is very light
and gives good IQ and closer focusing.

55-300 is great, but I've tried it with TC's and it doesn't seem to like them. IQ was poor and focussing dire. The siggy 150-500 is superb, but not very compact!

Regards
David

Remember that as the lenses get longer, they become more difficult to handle (bigger, heavier, slower and more prone to shake). This means your technique becomes much more important, possibly more important than minor differences between various lenses. Usually it means shooting at slower shutter speeds/higher ISOs with a lens more likely to shake and less forgiving of shake - at the same time giving your AF a harder job to do.

SR helps a lot, but sometimes even framing can be a problem if you're trying to fill the frame with a moving subject.

Whilst a 150-500 might be great for birding on a tripod/beanbag, trying to use one at something like an airshow might be too bulky/heavy to be effective (as you get tired your muscles start to tremble...). For sports a monopod might be a very useful investment.

Whilst IQ is very important, shake kills an image completely, as do mis-framing and focus errors - these are my biggest concerns.

It also depends on what you're shooting and how you'll be displaying the shots (using a shorter lens and cropping might be better if you don't need full-res images).

EDIT - Oh and whichever lens you buy, you'll probably wish you'd bought a longer one

Regards,

John.

Just to say my 150-500 is handheld over 95% of the time, and with Sigma OS I've shot regularly at 1/125 sec. Slowest sharp shot being at 1/20 sec https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/user-11709/fox-37127

Hi Alan,

I'm not suggesting you can't hand hold one, but that there are circumstances where its harder to do so well. Tracking aircraft across the sky with a heavy lens for a prolonged period can be quite heavy going (arms, head, neck). Propellers need a shutter speed of 1/250th or less to show movement.

Obviously it varies person to person, but you should consider how relevant it is to your needs before buying the lens.

John.

Obviously it will only work with a TC that suits it and like all
long lenses you need to have good focusing technique. With the
55-300mm it's better set between 10M and INF before you start
and the target is better if it's got good contrast.

The Jessop MC 1.7x Pz/AF TC hardly effects the performance of this
lens and I'll be leaving it on my lens more or less permanently
from now on. It loses 1 to 1.3 stops which can be allowed for by
increasing the ISO.

I've also got the Sigma 150-500m, but it's far too heavy to lug any
distance and the DA*300mm is too restricted to the one view.

See https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/test---pentax-da-smc-55-300mm-f-4-5-8-ed-...

These two were from a few weeks back when the weather wasn't
as bight as it is today.

Rabbit K-5 400ISO




100% Crop




Blackbird K-5 800ISO




-

Which is why I replied Jon. Just to balance your view. I'll agree the arms are aching after a session of 600 shots or so tracking seabirds in flight on the Farne Islands

I think knowing the OP's age and level of fitness would help. I'm overweight and in my early fifties.

Hi Alan. What's your problem? I'm in my 70's and use my 50-500 on a tripod, on a monopod, and handheld. NO PROBLEM.
CHEERS Vic

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I can echo these findings exactly!

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I can echo these findings exactly!

I love the DA55-300 but my teleconverters don't work well with it. But the reach is not signifigcantly different to your 18-270.
The Bigmos (Sigma 150-500, the 'Bigma' is the 50-500) is also brilliant but as others have said not compact or light weight. Fortunatly my muscles are used to carrying to much weight, so I can cope with using it handheld for about half an hour at a time, but it doesn't come out with me very often, while the 55-300 lives in my camera bag (it's significantly lighter than my old F100-300).
I've also tried mirror lenses, which are much lighter, but a pain to focus and lacking in contrast. Since getting the K7 cropping the DA55-300 gives better results than using the mirror, so perhaps it's time I sold it.

Much of the decision will come down to can you manage the weight of the Bigma/Bigmos (or afford them). Try carrying a couple of kilos of sugar/pasta or simialr with you on some typical trips to see how the weight feels.

Two thumbs up Vic !

If you want reach in Pentax (without paying a fortune for exotic lenses) then the 50-500 is as good as it gets and the weight really isn't an issue on a monopod (if you are shooting wildlife then you need to put up with a certain degree of weight/discomfort, it's all part and parcel of the genre) carried over your shoulder when walking.

You'll get better results on a mono than handheld too. I'd definitely add one of those GBP100 gimbals you can get off EBay - far far better than a ball head. Use a strap too (a Black Rapid copy works great) as redundancy (it's saved my gear more than once).