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Which Telephoto Lens?

leytono
Posted 22/04/2009 - 20:40 Link
I seem to be spending more time wandering around areas with interesting wildlife and in particular birds.
Looking for a suitable Telephoto lens to capture some nice images and would like some recommendations

The hides are usually empty or at worst one or two others so a tripod can be used, mine is a very sturdy stable affair so can get set up quite nicely

Already have a 50-200 zoom and looking for something longer with a fixed aperture, will be used on a K100d Super, so SDM lenses are compatible

Thanks
Rich
leytono
Posted 23/04/2009 - 05:40 Link
Thanks for the reply, few to choose from there then

Must admit to liking the look of the DA*300 and sure it would be a big improvement over my existing 50-200, is a bit pricy though.

Think I will look for a few reviews and sample pics of some of the others you mentioned.
Got a bad feeling that I might keep coming back to the 300 although I am determined to keep an open mind.

Cheers
Rich
pschlute
Posted 23/04/2009 - 08:45 Link
I have the DA* 300 and it is a cracking lens. For what you want to photograph your only problem will be at times it will be too short !
mr.mellow
Posted 23/04/2009 - 17:50 Link
Have a look at the Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG HSM, it should be ok in a hide with a tripod. £599 at SRS.
The older I get the faster I was.
Dave
K-3 II, K10D, DA16-85, DA*50-135, DA12-24, DA18-55, DA 50, Sigma EX DG 70mm Macro, Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma DG 120-400mm APO HSM.
Metz 58 AF-1.

My Flickr link
leytono
Posted 23/04/2009 - 20:21 Link
Thanks, had a little look round and have to agree that the 300 might leave me a bit short.

What do you reckon on that Sigma you mentioned Dave? Always nice to get a personal view

Cheers
Rich
digitron
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:13 Link
I've been using the sigma 170-500mm APO handheld and have no problems with the lens. It all depends on the available light and anything you can use as a steady. A tree, wall or post works fine.

Both the hawks in my portfolio taken with this lens.

I did find Out from experience that a monopod or tripod will improve things got one today.
K10D + K20D + DA 18-55mm, Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 170-500mm, DA50-135mm F2.8, 50mm F1.7
Hyram
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:16 Link
My view would be a DA* 300 + cropping until the teleconverter eventually sees the light of day.
Hyram

Bodies: K20D (2), K10D, Super A, ME Super, Auto 110 SLR, X70, Optio P70
Pentax Glass: DA* 300, DA* 60-250, DA* 50-135, DA* 16-50, DA 70 Ltd, FA 31 Ltd, DA 35 Ltd, DA 18-55 (2), DA 12-24, DA 10-17, M 200, A 35-70, M 40, M 28, Converter-A 2X-S, 1.4X-S, AF 1.7, Pentax-110 50, Pentax-110 24
Other Glass: Sigma 105 macro, Sigma-A APO 75-300
Flash: Metz 58 AF-1 P, Pentax AF160FC ringflash, Pentax AF280T
Mike-P
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:19 Link
Mine would be a used F* or FA* 300mm and a Pentax 1.7x converter.
Or the DA* 300mm and 1.7x if you can afford the extra.
Edited by Mike-P: 23/04/2009 - 21:19
leytono
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:27 Link
Would this be worth a bash just to see if that sort of length works or is it just not worth bothering with?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SIGMA-AF-400mm-f-5-6-lens-for-Pentax_W0QQitemZ320361352792...
George Lazarette
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:41 Link
leytono wrote:
Would this be worth a bash just to see if that sort of length works or is it just not worth bothering with?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SIGMA-AF-400mm-f-5-6-lens-for-Pentax_W0QQitemZ320361352792...

It looks pretty old, and at one time Sigma was a synonym for cheap and nasty. So beware. Recent Sigmas are much better.

For slightly less I snapped up an old (but seemingly unused) M 400mm 1:5.6 three or four years ago. It's manual focus of course but the quality is excellent. There is an A version, which would be slightly more convenient, but at these focal lengths one tends to shoot wide open anyway. That means you can use the lens in Av or P modes (or even Tv and Sv).

If on a tight budget, one of the Pentax 400s would be a good choice. You might have to wait a bit to find one, though I think there was one advertised here recently.

G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
George Lazarette
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:45 Link
Just had a quick look on Ebay, and found a nice Pentax 400mm 1:5.6.

It's a screw-mount, but that doesn't matter because you'd use it wide open.

However, the price stunned me. £450.00.

Unbelievable.

G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
leytono
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:50 Link
I saw that and was a bit put off by the price too, still can't decide whether to go for a good zoom or maybe the 300mm with converter.

Decisions Decisions, would be great if you could hire lenses to see what would suit best before shelling out so much cash

Thanks again all for the suggestions
Edited by leytono: 23/04/2009 - 21:50
George Lazarette
Posted 23/04/2009 - 21:52 Link
If you have £450.00 burning a hole in your pocket, here is a quote from Stan's site. The writer is referring to the K version, but is basing his comments on the screw-mount version which is (apart from the mount) identical - as is the M version.

"Paul M. Provencher - . . . my impressions of this lens's FORMULA (I have the same lens in screwmount) is that it is terrific. You won't regret it. But you will want to break out that nice sturdy tripod. It balances nicely in the tripod ring, is pretty easy to focus, and gives sharp images as long as you remember that depth-of-field is nil. You also need to use stop-down metering and remember to close the aperture before you shoot. Beat's the heck out of those 400mm f/6.3 generics!"

As I said, shoot full aperture and you don't need to worry about stopping down, metering, etc.

G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Mike-P
Posted 23/04/2009 - 22:05 Link
I did notice the other day a Tamron SP adaptall 2 400mm f4 with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters for £499 plus post which I thought was a pretty good price. Trouble is I cannot find it now but it was on a well known advertisers site under the used section (not SRS).
scottthehat
Posted 23/04/2009 - 22:18 Link
i would go for the sigma 150-500mm, i have a 170-500mm and love it for wildlife look at my portfolio pics, and the 150-500mm is hsm so will be very quick and quiet,
just keep snapping,

https://pentaxphotogallery.com/scottbenson

http://s727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/


CAMERAS = k200d + battery grip.
nikon d300 + battery grip.
LENSES = tamron aspherical DII 18-200mm f3.5/6.3,
nikon 18-200mm afs vr f3.5/5.6 g dx
sigma 150-500mm apo dg hsm os
sigma 170-500mm apo dg
FLASH = samsung sef36pzf flash + more.

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