Tameron/Pentax

Had the Sigma 70-300 when I first got my GX10, the IQ was terrible and the Macro (close focus) setting was next to useless, build quality was about the same as the Tamron as was the auto focus, I might have just got a dodgy copy I suppose!.

Dont know about the newer OS version but it looks ok.

Thanks Cliff, to be honest I think I'm more confused than before, ChrisA might have a Pentax one coming up for sale so I might wait and see what he wants for that first.

Hi Stiggy,
I had the Sigma 70-300 and soon afterwards got my hands on a Pentax 55-300 the difference in image quality is huge. As for the macro it is also not that great, the Tamron is no better either. Save the extra cash and make sure you choose the Pentax as it really is that much better.

Check out the classifieds.

To be honest Brian if I had the money at the time I would have gone for the Pentax if that helps!!

PM sent

Stigg,

I have just put a DAL 55-300 in excellent condition on the classifieds section at £115 if you are looking for a low budget version of the Pentax 55-300 lens. This lens is optically identical to the DA 55-300. Optical quality of this lens is unrivalled for the money whichever version you go for IMHO.

Ed

If you really need closer focusing on a 55-300 (which I have, and totally support the other very positive comments in this thread!), then a possible solution is a 58mm fitting high quality No 1 close-up lens - like this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoya-Pro-1-Digital-Closeup-Filter/dp/B000KZ98BC/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1326033632&sr=1-1-spell - to attach to the front of it.
Expect to pay around this sort of price - although you can get the same C/U lens cheaper elsewhere (Ebay is a good place to start - but not the only one).

You will then probably also need a replacement lens hood, and I find that a collapsible circular rubber hood works fine (the original Pentax hood for mine stayed in the box from Day 1 as I already had a collapsible hood to fit - but they are pretty cheap anyway, and can stay attached to the lens all the time!)

I had the Sigma for quite a while till I sold it, then bought the Pentax DA 55-300mm on this forum.
The Pentax knocks spots off the Sigma at 300mm.

If the extra cash is a barrier i'd take a (optically excellent of course) second hand Pentax 55-300 over a new Sigma or Tamron anyday. If you are worried about warrenty look at srs microsystems used section.

If budget is a constraint why not go for the DAL 55-300mm. Same optically, I wouldn't worry about the plastic mount or the hood, just the quickshift which is handy but is it worth an extra £100? That way will only cost you about £20 more than the Tammy, which I had before and thought was good value, but not as good as the Pentax.
Dave

For pictures of the moon, no.

For animals or birds moving about, or aeroplanes, I reckon possibly so.

Get the Pentax. I started with the Tammy, but the purple fringing in high contrast areas drove me to distraction. Like DCWeather says the DAL version is optically the same for practically the same money. The image quality is outstanding for the price.
Go the the Pentax Gallery and compare the DA55-300ED images with the £1000 DA*60-250. It makes it hard to justify the extra £600+ for most users.
(that's bound to start a fight!)

I don't have any experience of the Tamron, but I changed from a Sigma 70-300 (macro version) to a Pentax 55-300 about a year ago, and the difference in image quality was immediately noticeable even on my laptop screen. Out of the zooms listed below it seems to be the sharpest, even at 300mm.

Before I bought the DA 55-300 I hired the DA*60-250 from SRS (Excellent service by the way!)for a trip to Skomer to photograph puffins.
As far as I can see now there's little, if any difference in image quality.
The only advantage of the 60-250 seems to be the Autofocus is silent.