Hi folks,

I know similar questions have been asked many, many times before and so I've tried as best I can to fully research my options before posting. Please bear with me!

I own a K5 and the Sigma 70-200mm EX DG HSM II, and I want to get a teleconverter to complement the lens and gain a little extra reach for bird shots and other wildlife photos. If I had the K3 I'd probably be able to get away with cropping instead, but I think with the K5 I could benefit from a decent 1.4 or 1.5x TC.

I understand that I need either the Tamron-F PZ-AF 1.4x, or the Kenko PZ-AF 1.5x SHQ, in order to get any kind of autofocus with the HSM II, but I've also heard that AF is unreliable over 170mm even with one of these fabled TC's.

This lead me to consider the Pentax A 1.4X-S (which I believe will still transmit aperture info through to the camera) and going manual focus only. If AF is indeed going to be sketchy, I might as well ditch it altogether is my thinking! I tend to mostly take photos of perching birds, so it's very rare that I need to track a subject.

I'm wondering if anyone has either combination (or ideally both! Are you out there?) and can steer me in either direction. If AF is going to be unreliable with the Kenko/Tamron, image quality would be the decider for me.

Thanks,

Mark

Received safely and extremely quickly via RMSD. Everything's in new condition, couldn't be happier! Thanks Tony.

Mark.

Hi Sam, I've just looked through my PM history as I thought your name rang a bell... Hope she served you well during your time in ownership! I've been looking for a longer/faster replacement for that lens since then, around two years ago! I'm hoping that I'll be able to spend more time behind the camera (and on the forum) this year. Call it a resolution

Once again, thanks to Robin.

Mark.

Lens received today, very well packaged and also included were the Sigma protective case and an unexpected Kood UV filter! Absolutely pristine condition, feeling like a very lucky boy. Can't wait to try her out!

I'll be down the Great Central first thing tomorrow for the steam gala

Thanks Robin,

Mark.

I'd agree with John's first impressions having had around 10 months of use out of mine. It is a decent lens at f8+ but you're then restricted to higher-ISO/slow shutter in less than perfect light. So... not much use on a cloudy day, unless you're a) really creative or b) you don't mind a bit of noise.

As budget 400mm lenses go it's a solid one.

Hi John,

I've got the original version of this lens and generally like the results. There have been a number of occasions though where I could've done with a lens that can cope at its maximum aperture rather than feeling required to stop down to get usable images.

A couple of samples;

400mm
http://static.zooomr.com/images/5548131_df0afb2f6e_b.jpg

230mm
http://static.zooomr.com/images/6007622_0773a8a07f_b.jpg

270mm
http://static.zooomr.com/images/5872863_101b196ee5_b.jpg

John kindly agreed to sell me his K100D, which was received promptly and very well packaged. The camera and lens are like new! Thanks to John there is now one more Pentaxian in the world - my girlfriend. I'll make sure she treats it well

Apologies for the delay in posting some feedback... Keith agreed to sell the GX20 + lens to me and the transaction went through very smoothly. Keith posted the camera first thing in the morning after I'd sent payment via Paypal, and I received the very well packaged goods the next working day. GX-20 and lens are working exactly as described - they've already had a good workout in the Lakes.

Pleasure doing business with you!

From John's replies it seems he thinks i'm not competent enough to take a straight shot at a black line in the viewfinder on a tripod in my dining room from a foot away! Fortunately my camera is (just) within the vendor's 30 day return period so hopefully they'll replace it without questions. To those outside of this I wish the best of luck. It is, to the owners affected, a serious problem affecting every photo they take and a blight on their photography with this otherwise great camera.

If it would please some members of the forum I could upload some test shots with clear results on a tripod with 2 second self timer? Give me a few minutes and I should have some for you.


PS. You misinterpreted what I typed regards rebadging. No need to get uppety! Of course the Samsung is a rebadged pentax, being a student I merely chose the best value I could find.

Here are two simple test images... the first was composed so that the dark black line at the bottom was exactly parallel with the bottom edge of the viewfinder. The second image had the same dark line running exactly along the bottom of the overlays on the viewfinder.







The degree of misallignment is quite astonishing really.