HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED WR Review
What's New - Weather Sealing
Up until now the only changes we've discussed have been relatively minor and shouldn't make you want to replace the older smc variant with the new "red ringer." Yes, the coating should help a bit, but even without getting to the coating comparison page, it's pretty obvious that isn't enough to shell out your hard earned. And aside from that coating, all other modifications to come to this lens are merely cosmetic ones. Save for one: a Pentax mainstay.
Weather Sealing
Click on the above .gif if you want to see a slightly larger version of the same animation.
There is no doubt that the addition of the "Weather Resistant" epithet is the most exciting and critical modification to this lens. In the event you stopped counting, the HD 55-300 WR debuts as the 12th lens in the Pentax lineup not including the 645D medium format system to offer weather sealing. Note that this does not include the 645D medium format system. Pentax has a storied tradition in the digital photography era of offering proven weather sealed lenses and cameras (and now two external hotshoe flashes).
Understandably, there has been confusion as to what "weather sealing" amounts to, as that's a pretty open-ended (and exciting) term. With Pentax, you'll know if something is ready to brave Mother Nature (as long as you are!) thanks to specific designations in the product's official name. Note that for Pentax's camera bodies, this information is merely stated in the specifications rather than the name. The following list identifies Pentax's different grades/levels/tiers of weather sealing found throughout its product line:
- WR - "Weather Resistant" - protected from water ingress
- AW - "All Weather" - protected from water and dust ingress
- DA* - a specific line of premium grade lenses that incorporate AW level dust and water resistance
It is critical to note that none are rated as submersible (despite a few intrepid Pentaxians purposefully dunking their cameras in pools) when it comes to water ingress protection, but rather water spray, light and heavy rain, snow, shower heads, hoses, faucets etc. Zooming with the lens while wet may increase the chance of water ingress.
In our experience, we have not witnessed much of a practical difference between WR and DA*/AW. Both levels have proven excellent guardians against both water and dust, although our confidence is surely with DA*/AW when the tiny particles become a true nuisance.
Lens Mount Difference - smc vs HD
The below image shows the lens mounts of the two 55-300 variants, with the newer, sealed zoom on the left, clearly identifiable by the red ring around the entire circumference of the metal mount. Made of rubber, it compresses when the lens is attached to the body, creating an effective barrier that blocks water and dust from entering the largest and most hazardous opening in any camera - the lens mount. This is just like the rubber seals along the edges of all the windows and doors in your car.
Notice that the rubber ring is on the outside of all the electrical contacts. This ensures that even while out in the rain, the critical internals of your camera and lens are kept dry. Without it, at best your day as a photographer would be over as it would just stop working because of the water, forcing you to wait until it dried up and stopped inhibiting the transmission of electrical signals. At worst, it would short circuit the entire camera and lens combo, effectively "bricking it" and presenting you with a toddler's first camera.
(Short aside: that is what became of a flooded Pentax K-5 thanks to the photographer forgetting to re-install the battery grip contacts' rubber cover before venturing under a New Zealand waterfall, rendering the camera unsealed. Committed to professionalism, we will not name who that idiot photographer was.)
Lastly, the new model requires a bit more force to twist it into position once you attempt to mount the lens onto a camera. Not a whole lot, but it was immediately noticeable, and we have no doubt this difference is a result of the o-ring's presence.
Blizzard Excursion
We had the lens with us during a trip to the Austrian Alps with the intent of taking it skiing (photos in the sample gallery on the penultimate page of this review). The morning after Christmas Day, we awoke to a foggy blizzard enveloping the entire valley. So, since skiing that day was clearly out of the question, a perfect opportunity to test the weather resistance of the HD 55-300 WR arose! Another excuse to enjoy the great outdoors, we set off on a hike into the white mountains.
The below image is the result of accumulated snow on the K-3 and HD 55-300 WR after the five hour odyssey, which was never put away in a bag/covering - the camera and lens were left exposed to the elements for every step of the way.
Taken at the end of the hike with the Pentax K-5 IIs/D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR--also left exposed for the entire duration--both cameras and both lenses endured the trip without so much as a hiccup. As you can see, the snow still wasn't letting up by the time we retired for the evening.
Below is a gallery of the images taken during that hike. More important than what is technically capable (we have a myriad of comparison tests and sample photos for you to scrutinize in the following pages), they demonstrate new opportunities afforded by a weather sealed combination that previously were not possible considering the previous version's (and the rest of the industry's) lack of weather sealing in this zoom range; the only Pentax option would set you back over $1,000 (the DA* 60-250 F4).
All of the following images were shot with the Pentax K-3 in RAW (DNG format), imported into Adobe Lightroom 4.4, and then given "Auto" tone levels before exporting as JPEG's. No other adjustments--sharpness, clarity, lens corrections, etc.--were made.
Clicking on any photo will enlarge it.
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 55mm, 1/250s, F9, ISO 400, Handheld |
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(Pictured: Pentax K-5 IIs + D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR) |
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None of the above photographs will win any awards for sharpness or clarity, but what is important is the mere fact that they were taken. And just as critical, with peace of mind to let you focus on the hike and the vistas rather than babying your costly investment thanks to Pentax's proven weather sealing, which was clearly put to the test for the purposes of this review.
Along the same vein, look again at the first image in the second row above (a woman followed by a man carrying a snowboard on his back). Notice anything? Click here to take a closer look.
With the HD DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED WR, Pentax has given us yet another way to not be her.
A more detailed look at the construction and handling of the HD 55-300 WR is next.
