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Yes, I struggle, took a few and this one hit it. I now have a loupe but I need one with dioptre correction really. Lots of shuffling of glasses for me!

Anyone know how the IQ of these two compares at the wide angle end, especially at 18mm?

Obviously the DA* 300 mm is a prime candidate and rarely take it off that now. Also good with DFA 100mm macro.
Dave

Fotodiox one with aperture control and tripod adapter is a good one. Focusing requires good eyesight and good light. Stop down one stop for DA*300 and good results are possible. Particularly useful for distant video of say wading birds. With modern sensors you can crop a good lens like the DA*300 to not far short of those shots but there is that crossover distance where optical beats digital cropping.
This Red backed Shrike was about 20m away. Sometimes it works
(View large to see feather detail)

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Won't be any left where I live in Essex then

........... or how much will you give me not to forward these posts to Sue

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You could get some money back hiring it to me for £20 a day Neil

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Me too! Can't fault it really for the price. I've actually got the basic L shape without the swinging arm so have to put the lens mount to the side but works great.
Dave

I'm really excited about the lenses provided they are not priced out of the market. As for a future upgrade to the K3 I can't see the point. Apart from perhaps a better ISo performance in the 400-1600 range there is little to improve - EXCEPT the autofocus. It is time for Ricoh to bite the bullet as no amount of tweaking and adding extra focus points is going to give the quantum jump required to match the opposition. They need a new AF system. I have reached the point in my wildlife photography where everything is perfect with the K3 itself except for this. I don't think I would not use the K3 but I would consider a lower end body from one of the other two and maybe a third party 150-600mm lens to fill the gaps.
Dave

Finally got lens back and it is working well now thankfully. Went to JPS via SRS who said they couldn't get the parts for the SDM repair which included matching circuit board. Went back to SRS then Johnsons so took 2 months and £200 so I hope it continues to work well for at least another 2 years!