[jgredline]

Shot with K100D super, Sigma 70-300 non APO and Kenko 1.5TC manual focus...most came out out of focus. These where the only ones I could salvage.

[Miserere]

It's tough to focus and correctly expose dark birds, Javier, so well done here. I like #3 the most; were they courting?

[jgredline]

Hi folks...Went out today with my new Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF and Sigma 1.4TC...I must say, it is an impressive combo...It is large and heavy, but not like the bigma. The image quality is impressive to say the least...Now today was my first day out with it....I should also mention that the Sigma TC will not work with most lenses. It simply will not even fit. I will post some pics of this lens and combo later..

The first samples where all shot at 200 ISO and a distance of appx 120 Yards away...Focal length with TC IS 420MM...All exif in tact...







These next few where taken at ISO 500 and getting pretty dark...My other gear, would be struggling a little bit with the conditions. If you look close, you can see some motion blur that is caused when there is simply not enough light...




These next few I would not have been able to get with my other gear...This beast at F/4 (F/5.6 with TC) is amazing..It focuses really fast...I was using the K10D, not my K20D....These are at ISO 500 and quite dark conditions...With my other lenses, I would have had the ISO at about 1100-1600, but with this large glass, ISO 500 and some EV comp, I was in good shape...

[Derridale]

Very nice pictures, Javier - and a very impressive lens combo.

Now - to throw a curve-ball question into the mix - how does this lens, as a zoom, compare to the new Pentax DA* 300mm f/4 prime? This Sigma is also f/4 throughout, but has the advantage of the zoom. How does it stack up against the DA* 300 in terms of IQ, sharpness, etc?

The Sigma is also much cheaper than the DA*........

Gawd - this LBA can get very confusing!

[gawan]

Hi folks...Went out today with my new Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF and Sigma 1.4TC...

I have plans to buy the 100-300 some day. Did you test it with your Tamron 1.4 TC? Would be interesting to know how they pair?

[Mechan1k]

Wow ... those Sigma shots with TC are nice and crisp.

I had a brief chance to duck outside between rain periods yesterday to have a go with my TAMRON MC4 TC ... attached to my average Pentax FA-J 75-300mm lens. In poor lighting I was impressed though as AF didn't hunt too much (as the max aperature is 75mm = f/4.5 and 300=f/5.8) ... most of my shots are around the 300 mark (420mm).

Will post up some of the images (shot handheld = very difficult in low light with abovementioned aperatures) when i upload them.

But so far so good ... when i get a chance i am going to try some Macro with it (attached to my Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 lens) and see how they turn out ... apparently it will allow me better magnification than 1:1 with the TC .... is that correct????

[Mechan1k]

Here's a few quick and dirty shots ... most at the long end 300mm (420mm) ... although there's some at 75mm (105mm) and one or 2 inbetween. Will look a lot better with a better lens on (see above post due to max. aperture on overcast/rainy day).

All shots are taken on my property at home.





This shot was taken from my back door to my neighbour's garage behind our property ... this place is about 300-odd metres away ... no cropping .. and handheld too.

[cupic]

^^^^^ now Im jealous I'm on the trail for a Tamy 1.4 TC!

[jgredline]

Very nice pictures, Javier - and a very impressive lens combo.

Now - to throw a curve-ball question into the mix - how does this lens, as a zoom, compare to the new Pentax DA* 300mm f/4 prime? This Sigma is also f/4 throughout, but has the advantage of the zoom. How does it stack up against the DA* 300 in terms of IQ, sharpness, etc?

The Sigma is also much cheaper than the DA*........

Gawd - this LBA can get very confusing!

Thanks a bunch for the kind words. Well, Today I took out both my new Sigma 100-300 F/4 and Pentax DA*300 F/4....So far, there is no difference what so ever..None, nada that I can see. I will post some pics tomorrow. By the way, the Sigma 100-300F/4 with out the Sigma TC's HSM motor is quiet and extremely fast and precise. Amazon had three of them when I bought it. I was surprised it was HSM as I thought Sigma was not going put it on pentax mount. With the Sigma TC the HSM does NOT work and it is still pretty fast to auto focus, but noisy...

When I was looking for it, I called Adorama and they had this one.
Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF AutoFocus Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax AF Cameras I am pretty sure this is an old model, but really good.

This is the one I bought.
Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM APO Fast Aperture Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras
Amazon.com: Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM APO Fast Aperture Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo
Along with the dedicated TC that only works with certain APO lenses.
I tried to use this TC on some of my other lenses, but would not even fit.

[jgredline]

Here are a few more from this Sigma combo, taken today...Tomorrow I will post the DA*300 IMAGES.

[Derridale]

Javier - thanks for posting those, and the link to the Sigma lens.

Wow - those pics a sure impressive. If the DA*300 is not significantly better, then I really can't see why one would buy it in preference to the Sigma 100-300 f/4. Having the zoom facility is always a good thing - as long as it doesn't compromise the picture quality. And those pics you've posted are beautifully sharp, good colour, and no CA or PF that I can see.

Are you saying that the Sigma has a HSM focusing motor, and that this works with the K20D? Or the K10D with the v1.3 firmware? Most of the Sigma lenses we can buy here in Australia, that have HSM, carry the rider that "HSM only available in Canon and Nikon mounts". If this Sigma zoom has HSM that DOES work with the Pentax, that is a major step forward for Sigma.

PS - just had a look at that Amazon link - they will only ship to the USA, not Australia.

[cupic]

Try B&H Photo 3 days turn around delivery states to Melb

[Derridale]

Hi Cupic

I tried to buy something from B&H a while ago, but they wanted me to send them photocopies of my credit card and ID. I'm not comfortable about having photocopies of my credit card, complete with numbers front and back, and my signature, floating around out of my control.

I'm sure they're reputable, but who knows where those photocopies end up and who sees them. My signature is very easy to forge too....

So I cancelled the order.

No problems - I'm not in any hurry to make an impulse buy of a $1000 lens, but it looks like a tempting lens in preference to the Pentax DA*300 f/4, which costs over $Aus2000 here.

And I may be going over to the US later this year, so that could end up as my duty-free purchase for the trip

[Mechan1k]

Damn is the DA*300 that price ... holy cow.

[Peter Zack]

So Javier. The 100-300 you got has both the HSM focus system and the screw drive in the same lens? So this lens would work with the Tamron 1.4 TC?