[christiandre]

Dimensions / weight necessarily confined the 150-450mm in a static practice, it may be difficult to use the lens on hikes or rides in nature, unless you are a serious bodybuilder
Canon (100-400mm) or Nikon (80-400mm) better defined the sizes & weight of their lenses of the nearly same range, to offer people, perhaps fearful compared to investment / use, a better alternative, with a wider and less exclusive use.
pentax 150-450 : is it definitely dedicated to this type of static & motionless exercise ?
is it still possible, at this stage, to take a K3 and 150-450, and to walk 3 to 4 hours in a forest to shoot over the meetings of animals, without that not becoming a very painful exercise because of the size/weight of the lens?

[biz-engineer]

Yes, it's possible to carry 3 kg for 3 to 4 hours. For instance, waking-up at 3 am and carrying a K-3 + DFA 150-450 (3kgs) or a K-3 + DA560 (4kgs) + tripod, up is the alps with a head lamp, to reach observation point. It's a matter of motivation. Or hike in the evening to the observation point; slip in a low profile tent, when waking up before sunrise, keeping silent, surrounded by lots of animals. Same with Canon gear, I met guys with 500 f4 (huge and heavy). It depends on motivation and if you want to specialize in wildlife. Otherwise, for photographing horses or animals in zoos, zoom lenses such as 60-250 or 70-200 are fine, even 18-250 or 18-135 can do the job in a zoo.

[derekkite]

I carry the Sigma 500 f4.5 around for miles wandering through the bush, along with a tripod, so this one would be lighter and more flexible.

Both the Canon and Nikkor have 77mm filter, so a smaller front element. The pentax is 86mm. That extra 50mm reach makes for a larger lens, all the elements larger and heavier.

If you want lighter, the DA*300 with TC is compact, but is slightly shorter. It too uses the 77mm filter on the front element.

With long lenses everything you get is at the cost of something else. A shorter lens will weigh less; it depends how much that 50mm is necessary. In low light conditions filling the frame gives you better high iso results.

For $2k, with seemingly excellent IQ, flexible zoom with a close focus distance it is a very compelling package.

[christiandre]

Thanks a lot biz and derekkite
... and more precisely, without a tripod ?
just hand carry.. like a DA*300, maybe with just a monopod... can you see ? walking... listen nature... stand by a couple of minutes, watching.... oups, a black-capped chickadee.... hey, a lesser goldfinch... gosh a fox chasing in a meadow... damn, here it's a running hare... not the same as staying static in a profile tent... is it possible ?
I already have a DA*300, but it's sometimes short...but carrying it is not a problem, and i only ask if the 150-450 could return to the same category of use

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Last edited by christiandre; 08-01-2015 at 08:18 AM.

[UncleVanya]

Do you have the hd 1.4x TC? If not that brings you the same basic reach (420mm) for a very small investment in money and weight. And you don't lose any f/stops since the 150-450 is already f/5.6 by that point.

[jpzk]

Do you have the hd 1.4x TC? If not that brings you the same basic reach (420mm) for a very small investment in money and weight. And you don't lose any f/stops since the 150-450 is already f/5.6 by that point.

Really ? I thought my DA*300/4 with the TC would result @f/5.6 ...
(Mind you, I haven't installed the TC on that lens for quite a while so I can't remember).

JP

---------- Post added 08-01-15 at 11:43 AM ----------

just hand carry.. like a DA*300, maybe with just a monopod... can you see ? walking... listen nature... stand by a couple of minutes, watching.... oups, a black-capped chickadee.... hey, a lesser goldfinch... gosh a fox chasing in a meadow... damn, here it's a running hare... not the same as staying static in a profile tent... is it possible ?

The way you are explaining your outings means that you don't really "carry" for too long at any one time: thus this 150-450 lens shouldn't be too much of a strain on you.
I too have a DA*300/4 (sometimes with the TC) and I did "test" the 150-450: the latter much heavier but with good balance on my K5+grip.
I got a "shoulder" strap (sits on both shoulders) ... that helps a lot for carrying purposes. Maybe that is something to consider for your comfort zone?

JP

[stevebrot]

is it still possible, at this stage, to take a K3 and 150-450, and to walk 3 to 4 hours in a forest to shoot over the meetings of animals, without that not becoming a very painful exercise because of the size/weight of the lens?

Definitely possible, though any pain would be dependent on your health and state of fitness. My field kit for 4x5 film photography fills a day pack and has weight similar to the K-3/DFA 150-450 combo. It is what you do to get the shot. I remember several years ago encountering two guys in the northern Cascade Mountains. They were on a week-long photo trek with one guy carrying the view camera, tripod, film carriers, lenses, and film and the other carrying the camping gear and food for both. The packs were about the same size.

As for using the 150-450 for wildlife photography...I have friends who have done it for a living for the last 35 years or so and according to them, it involves a lot of sitting and waiting for the animals to come to you. There may be some stalking or shooting from the hip, but not as much as you might think.


Steve

[derekkite]

Definitely possible, though any pain would be dependent on your health and state of fitness. My field kit for 4x5 film photography fills a day pack and has weight similar to the K-3/DFA 150-450 combo. It is what you do to get the shot. I remember several years ago encountering two guys in the northern Cascade Mountains. They were on a week-long photo trek with one guy carrying the view camera, tripod, film carriers, lenses, and film and the other carrying the camping gear and food for both. The packs were about the same size.

As for using the 150-450 for wildlife photography...I have friends who have done it for a living for the last 35 years or so and according to them, it involves a lot of sitting and waiting for the animals to come to you. There may be some stalking, but not as much as you might think.


Steve

A friend shot with a Nikon 300 2.8 VR and 2x extender for years, great results. It is a heavy lens but he loved the results. He is getting older and has difficulty packing and holding the weight for BIF, so he got himself the new Nikon 300 f4, using the 1.4 extender. He loves it, it is light and easy to swing around. But he gives up a stop and a bit of IQ.

The DA*300 is very nice, but too short.

I carry the 500mm Sigma with a decent tripod, and it is heavy. If I want to shed some weight I use a monopod, but it is a bit of a beast for that type of support. But I go to get the photos, so that is what I carry. And usually a back pack with some other lenses, and a second body on a Peak Design clip on the backpack straps. In another decade and a half I don't think I'll be doing that anymore.

[boriscleto]

Really ? I thought my DA*300/4 with the TC would result @f/5.6 ...
(Mind you, I haven't installed the TC on that lens for quite a while so I can't remember).

The 150-450 is f5.6 @450mm, so the 300 + 1.4x would be 420mm f5.6. That is all UV was saying...

[christiandre]

Do you have the hd 1.4x TC? If not that brings you the same basic reach (420mm) for a very small investment in money and weight. And you don't lose any f/stops since the 150-450 is already f/5.6 by that point.

no TC with my DA300... thinking something is lost... quality, IQ.. Anyway one lower quality than 150-450

---------- Post added 08-01-15 at 09:33 AM ----------

...found that, is it a good idea ?

[biz-engineer]

no TC with my DA300... thinking something is lost... quality, IQ.. Anyway one lower quality than 150-450

I'm not sure if the 150-450 would outperform the DA*300+TC, for sharpness/rendering. What is sure is the 150-450 offers flexibility. For example I was walking in the forest , when I stumbled on a young bear who was in a tree, but I had to walk backwards because 300mm was too long, I could not frame the bear. If I had the 150-400 or 70-200, I could have framed the bear without moving (avoiding to make more noise). A small bird was also there, but for him, the 300mm was too short.

[Franc]

I'm not sure if the 150-450 would outperform the DA*300+TC, for sharpness/rendering.

IMO it does, i've tried both combos and the 150-450 is better

[Tom S.]

Dimensions / weight necessarily confined the 150-450mm in a static practice, it may be difficult to use the lens on hikes or rides in nature, unless you are a serious bodybuilder
Canon (100-400mm) or Nikon (80-400mm) better defined the sizes & weight of their lenses of the nearly same range, to offer people, perhaps fearful compared to investment / use, a better alternative, with a wider and less exclusive use.
pentax 150-450 : is it definitely dedicated to this type of static & motionless exercise ?
is it still possible, at this stage, to take a K3 and 150-450, and to walk 3 to 4 hours in a forest to shoot over the meetings of animals, without that not becoming a very painful exercise because of the size/weight of the lens?

Your question depends directly on you and what kind of physical shape you are in. Without that info, there is no way to know. I know the typical soldier will hump 60 or more pounds on maneuvers, so unless you are very out of shape or old, seven and a half pounds of camera shouldn't kill you, even if you add a lightweight tripod or monopod (which could also serve as an walking stick).

[christiandre]

i'm 44, I am in good physical condition, but it can be very tough and finaly find uncomfortable or painful the exercise, instead of fulfilling...

maybe a camera vest carrier ?

[derekkite]

i'm 44, I am in good physical condition, but it can be very tough and finaly find uncomfortable or painful the exercise, instead of fulfilling...

maybe a camera vest carrier ?

Two of my friends have the Cotton Carrier and really like it.

I like to have the tripod attached, so after much experimentation and a box full of bad ideas, I use a Peak Design Slide strap. I have their anchor links attached to the lens strap mount that is on the body mount end, and to the arca swiss plate. Nothing on the body. The lens hangs at my hip with the tripod under my arm. It is reasonably comfortable and quick to set up if I run into something.