A decision made

Conqueror · 12-31-2012, 01:05 PM

So after much deliberation etc...

I've gone for a DA 55-300mm

I would have preferred to have got a wide at this stage, but the lure of generally well regarded and discounted lens (£369.99 down to £225.00) that plugs a gap at the other end seemed to make sense.

I will now be resisting various offers on bodies and will be keeping my K7 longer.

So I think I'm starting to build a decent setup. I just need something wide eventually when I can afford it. Probably a Samyang prime.

K7
18-55mm wr
50-200mm wr
100mm wr
35mm FA
55-300mm

I may well end up selling the 50-200mm wr.

Theres a shot I have in mind that hopefully I'll be able to nail with the 55-300mm (closer to the 300mm end). I just don't have the reach with my 50-200mm for it right now. It will involve getting up early to (I'm not great at that haha)

Thanks for the input and voices of sanity on the other threads I've created.

jeffw · 12-31-2012, 01:54 PM

K-30 with DAL 55-300 . I like it as a light walk around with great reach and fairly good IQ.

Jean Poitiers · 12-31-2012, 01:56 PM

I have a DA 55-300 and it's a good lens ... also thinking like you for a Samyang WA or possibly a Tamron 10-24 ... J

nanok · 12-31-2012, 06:25 PM

for wide on a budget, also consider the zenitar 16/2.8 fisheye, it's been discussed here many times before, i think (in brief: compact, light, good optical quality, well built, cons: needs to be defished sometimes (easy), not so sharp wide open (but who cares about that in an ultrawide), quirky lens cap, filters not trivial to fit (again, you might not care, keep in mind polarizers are rarely useful with ultrawides); keep in mind, once defished, this is more like a 14mm rectilinear, the 16mm focal length is misleading because fisheyes have different angle of view for the same focal length, compared to rectilinears); do not underestimate how light and compact it is compared to most other ultrawides.

imho, it wasn't worth it, just to get the 300mm from the 200 you have, but i guess it's too late now, and irrelevant, hope you enjoy it.

**boriscleto** · 12-31-2012, 06:34 PM

They can have my 55-300 when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers...

Or Pentax releases a WR version.

tabl10s · 12-31-2012, 07:31 PM

Originally posted by jeffw

K-30 with DAL 55-300 . I like it as a light walk around with great reach and fairly good IQ.

I just place the pic on my desktop.

jeffw · 12-31-2012, 09:09 PM

Thanks. I work at an airport so the 55-300 makes a nice choice to carry in an Ape case holster and keep with me in the truck . We have a number of hawks so a lot of good photo ops . What is even better , I picked up the DAL plastic mount version for $200 usd brand new on Fleabay ! When you consider the price and the results not a bad lens .

tabl10s · 12-31-2012, 10:37 PM

I'm a Skycap for Delta & American. All we get Blackbirds and Crows.

jeffw · 01-01-2013, 02:52 PM

I am an Ops specialist so wildlife management is part of my job . Crows get a different kind of shot ! The 55-300 allows a light weight quick shot capability. Sometimes the action comes fast . The lens has its limitations but in good light it works just fine . Bad day to be a mole !!

nanok · 01-01-2013, 04:21 PM

i love raptors. if the 55-300 enables you to take nice shots of them, i guess that's all that matters. i've been hearing a lot of good stuff about this lens, but i guess i'm just reluctant when it comes to "cheap telezooms", the 50-200 seems perfect to me as far as such lenses are concerned, but to each his own.

thanks for posting the pics

**ramseybuckeye** · 01-01-2013, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by Conqueror

So after much deliberation etc...
I've gone for a DA 55-300mm

Congratulations, you'll probably never use that 50-200 again. The 55-300 is a great lens as far as IQ goes at 300mm. It does have a noisy autofocus and can suffer in low light, but it can give you great results once you learn to use it. It's not weather sealed but I've used n=mine in the rain quite a bit using a cheap Optec rain sleeve.

bigted · 01-01-2013, 06:58 PM

Originally posted by boriscleto

They can have my 55-300 when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers...

Me too.

It's my favourite lens.

tabl10s · 01-02-2013, 01:19 AM

Originally posted by jeffw

I am an Ops specialist so wildlife management is part of my job . Crows get a different kind of shot ! The 55-300 allows a light weight quick shot capability. Sometimes the action comes fast . The lens has its limitations but in good light it works just fine . Bad day to be a mole !!

it picked a bad day to surface.

12-31-2012, 01:05 PM	#1
Conqueror Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: UK Posts: 440	A decision made So after much deliberation etc... I've gone for a DA 55-300mm I would have preferred to have got a wide at this stage, but the lure of generally well regarded and discounted lens (£369.99 down to £225.00) that plugs a gap at the other end seemed to make sense. I will now be resisting various offers on bodies and will be keeping my K7 longer. So I think I'm starting to build a decent setup. I just need something wide eventually when I can afford it. Probably a Samyang prime. K7 18-55mm wr 50-200mm wr 100mm wr 35mm FA 55-300mm I may well end up selling the 50-200mm wr. Theres a shot I have in mind that hopefully I'll be able to nail with the 55-300mm (closer to the 300mm end). I just don't have the reach with my 50-200mm for it right now. It will involve getting up early to (I'm not great at that haha) Thanks for the input and voices of sanity on the other threads I've created.

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12-31-2012, 01:56 PM	#3
Jean Poitiers Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,076	I have a DA 55-300 and it's a good lens ... also thinking like you for a Samyang WA or possibly a Tamron 10-24 ... J

12-31-2012, 06:25 PM	#4
nanok Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 969	for wide on a budget, also consider the zenitar 16/2.8 fisheye, it's been discussed here many times before, i think (in brief: compact, light, good optical quality, well built, cons: needs to be defished sometimes (easy), not so sharp wide open (but who cares about that in an ultrawide), quirky lens cap, filters not trivial to fit (again, you might not care, keep in mind polarizers are rarely useful with ultrawides); keep in mind, once defished, this is more like a 14mm rectilinear, the 16mm focal length is misleading because fisheyes have different angle of view for the same focal length, compared to rectilinears); do not underestimate how light and compact it is compared to most other ultrawides. imho, it wasn't worth it, just to get the 300mm from the 200 you have, but i guess it's too late now, and irrelevant, hope you enjoy it.

12-31-2012, 06:34 PM	#5
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	They can have my 55-300 when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers... Or Pentax releases a WR version.

12-31-2012, 07:31 PM	#6
tabl10s Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento(formerly from B'Ham, England). Posts: 1,424	Originally posted by jeffw K-30 with DAL 55-300 . I like it as a light walk around with great reach and fairly good IQ. I just place the pic on my desktop.

12-31-2012, 09:09 PM	#7
jeffw Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Gallery Posts: 182	Thanks. I work at an airport so the 55-300 makes a nice choice to carry in an Ape case holster and keep with me in the truck . We have a number of hawks so a lot of good photo ops . What is even better , I picked up the DAL plastic mount version for $200 usd brand new on Fleabay ! When you consider the price and the results not a bad lens .

12-31-2012, 10:37 PM	#8
tabl10s Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento(formerly from B'Ham, England). Posts: 1,424	I'm a Skycap for Delta & American. All we get Blackbirds and Crows.

01-01-2013, 04:21 PM	#10
nanok Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 969	i love raptors. if the 55-300 enables you to take nice shots of them, i guess that's all that matters. i've been hearing a lot of good stuff about this lens, but i guess i'm just reluctant when it comes to "cheap telezooms", the 50-200 seems perfect to me as far as such lenses are concerned, but to each his own. thanks for posting the pics

01-01-2013, 06:33 PM	#11
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,291	Originally posted by Conqueror So after much deliberation etc... I've gone for a DA 55-300mm Congratulations, you'll probably never use that 50-200 again. The 55-300 is a great lens as far as IQ goes at 300mm. It does have a noisy autofocus and can suffer in low light, but it can give you great results once you learn to use it. It's not weather sealed but I've used n=mine in the rain quite a bit using a cheap Optec rain sleeve.

01-01-2013, 06:58 PM	#12
bigted Moderator Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Jessica Lake, Whiteshell Provincial Park, or Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,592	Originally posted by boriscleto They can have my 55-300 when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers... Me too. It's my favourite lens.

01-02-2013, 01:19 AM	#13
tabl10s Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento(formerly from B'Ham, England). Posts: 1,424	Originally posted by jeffw I am an Ops specialist so wildlife management is part of my job . Crows get a different kind of shot ! The 55-300 allows a light weight quick shot capability. Sometimes the action comes fast . The lens has its limitations but in good light it works just fine . Bad day to be a mole !! it picked a bad day to surface.

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