Where to test my 300mm?

Dear fellow Pentax Users,

I need your advices! I bought a few weeks ago a Sigma 300mm f4 APO Tele Macro and haven't tested it yet. Do you know where near London (West of London even better) I can find some interesting subjects to test it?

There is a London WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) site that will offer lots of fast moving wildlife to challenge you.

http://www.wwt.org.uk/

Send it to me, I'll give it a bloody good test

Brilliant! 10 minutes away from home!

You are very welcome to join me

Great lens and works really well with the 1.4x EX converter, I keep mine as a backup to my DA*300/4

John

You were probably meaning, 'photographically".

I, however, had the chain-saw, jack-hammer and 3-phase 450 volt supply to hand.

Now that's what I call a test

Can you tell I'm a wee bit jealous ???

I heartlly recommend Richmond Park (especially), Bushy Park, and also Bedfont Lakes... all in West London (or outer west London) where there are ponds (ducks, geese...) other birds, rabbits, Deer and loads of bugs, all for free. As John says, the WWT at Barnes is ace, and I go there often, although (unless you are a WWT member) will cost a tenner to get in. Lots of guaranteed subject matter ideal for a 300mm lens, though, in their collection (there's a fair few shots from there on my Flickr...)

Yes, photographically (my instinct tells me that I am missing something here).

Matt, thanks for the advices. You have a very good bird gallery!

Haven't been to the WWT this week end but tried the lens on different subjects. I already like its close focus capability.



Essai Sigma 300 f4 - 1 par xiaoxav, sur Flickr



Essai Sigma 300 f4 - 2 par xiaoxav, sur Flickr



Essai Sigma 300 f4 - 3 par xiaoxav, sur Flickr

Lovely and sharp, beautiful colour.

John

I have finally been to the Wetland Centre. It is a lovely place and feel totaly out of London!










And it does some kind of macro as well!







And what about the lens? Well the results are pleasantly sharp,doesn't too sharp at focus close to infinty though. Colors are nice. AF is not the fastest in the world but fast enough.
At f4 it seems a bit soft and have some CA. I haven't done any pictures to test the resistance to flare but I think wide it might not be the best thing.
More to come later!