[k100d]

samples!!!

welcome to the forum! nice find, the photos look pretty good
and it definitely should be with the Tamron and Sigma lurking at much lower prices

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Last edited by k100d; 04-11-2008 at 08:36 PM.

[lesmore49]

I spoke to my local Pentax dealer yesterday and he was saying that the Pentax 55-300 should be available by the end of April. He estimated that the price would be $ 450 Canadian.

I live in the Western Canadian Prairies, but I note that at a Toronto dealer (Henry's) the 55-300 may be available now for $ 449. Don't know if they have thenm in stock, or are just taking orders.

BTW, first time I've seen pix from the 55-300 (see samples) and it's looking good, even at 300. I want to get one for my K10D for bird pictures....wild, not domestic.

Pulled the trigger and pre-ordered this Lens from Calumet Photo today. They say that it will be in stock within two weeks.

I sold my Tamron 70-300 and thought I had sold my DA 50-200 (buyer got an immediate case of buyers remorse). It's on e-bay now, if you're interested.

So I picked the 55-300 up to replace both of those. Which were pretty much redundant F/L's anyway. The non-rotating lens and Quick shift were the deal makers for me.

I'll share the good news, or bad news, about this lens in, I hope, a couple of weeks.

BTW, Calumet's price on the lens is $329.95.

Ed

[heatherslightbox]

I'm thinking that once I sell off the last lens I currently have in the marketplace, I may go ahead and preorder one of these for myself, too. While no lens is completely perfect, it looks as if this one doesn't have a lot of the same issues as the current 70-300 offerings. It's size is also a plus--the lighter the lens, the easier it is to keep steady.

If I get it, my kit would look something like this:
Sigma 17-70
DA55-300
FA43
DFA100 macro (on it's way)

Other than possibly getting another wide (24-28) prime, this should make a decent enough kit.

Heather

[jsherman999]

If I get it, my kit would look something like this:
Sigma 17-70
DA55-300
FA43
DFA100 macro (on it's way)

Other than possibly getting another wide (24-28) prime, this should make a decent enough kit.

Heather

That's actually a great kit, lotta good IQ at every focal range, got your macro covered very well, got a limited, you're set!



.

[Peter Zack]

I agree. Very well rounded package that can do just about everything well. If you find you want something wider for landscapes and indoor shooting, there are a couple of good options in reasonable price ranges (Sigma 10-20) but the 17 should be more than enough the vast majority of the time. I find a more compact setup with good lenses is much easier to manage and have recently sold some lenses that just don't get the use I thought they would.

[Derridale]

I'm a little confused here - are we talking a "standard" DA lens here, or is this one the next in the DA* series? Here in Australia we tend to get things late, and they are VERY expensive.

If this is NOT the next DA* lens, then what will it be? I have the 16-50 and the 50-135, but would love to get that extra cover out to about 300.

If this DA 55-300 is NOT a DA* lens, then apart from the lack of the SDM focusing, how does it stack up, quality-of-glass-wise, with the DA* series?

Do I look for one of these now, or do I wait for the next DA*? Or is this it?

[séamuis]

not its not a * lens.

[heatherslightbox]

I've got a little more info for you on the 55-300 from the dpreview Pentax forum:
Pentax SMCP-DA 55-300mm [Page 2]: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Even though I haven't seen any professional reviews yet, I'd be surprised if the 55-300 wasn't better than any of the Tamron/Sigma 70-300s.

I'll keep an eye on Photodo to see what they have to say about it, though.

I still am tempted to go ahead and preorder anyway because while the Sigma 100-300 is OK, I still find it lacking in some ways. See what I mean...
croppedsquirrel.jpg photo - Heather photos at pbase.com
This pic is cropped and it's OK for a crop, but I wonder if I can do better with the 55-300.
Here are a couple more uncropped:
100mm...
IMGP1973.JPG photo - Heather photos at pbase.com
300mm...
IMGP1974.JPG photo - Heather photos at pbase.com

If the 55-300 is better than this, then I definitely want it.

I know that there are some people who have bellyached about the price, but if can outperform the Tamron/Sigma 70-300s or the Sigma 100-300 that I have, then I would say it's worth it.

Heather

[heatherslightbox]

I was shopping around and found this unbelievable deal...
Pentax 21720 55-300MM F4-5.6 Telephoto Zoom Lens - Focus Camera
$209? Are they sure they aren't getting it mixed up with the 50-200?

Heather

I was shopping around and found this unbelievable deal...
Pentax 21720 55-300MM F4-5.6 Telephoto Zoom Lens - Focus Camera
$209? Are they sure they aren't getting it mixed up with the 50-200?

Heather

Heather,

It's hard to tell. But, it appears that the lens pictured is the DA 50-200 lens.

sure going to be a lot of disappointed people ordering that one.

BTW,

Now that I've done all of my selling and, hopefully, all of my buying.

This is what my kit will look like when everything is here.

K20D, FA 35 f/2, FA 43 f/1.9 Limited, FA 50 f/1.4, FA 77 f/1.8 Limited, Tamron SP 90 f/2.8 macro, DA 18-55 f/3.5 - 5.6 II and DA 55-300 f/4.5 - 5.8, AF 540FGZ

And when that happens, I will be completely broke.

[heatherslightbox]

Broke...but satisfied.

After buying the 55-300, I'm thinking that I'll lay off on the lenses for a while and see about saving up for the new tripod and PS Lightroom. It's going to take a while to save up for the 31 & 77, so I may as well get the other stuff I've been wanting before I embark on completing my lens collection (between the tripod and Lightroom, I don't expect to spend more than $500).

Have fun with all your new toys.

Heather

[Derridale]

With all the close comparisons between the three main suspects (Sigma and Tamron 70-300, and the Pentax DA 55-300), I'm finding it increasingly difficult to decide what to get to cover that range. I already have a Bigma 50-500, but it's not the sort of thing you wear on the camera slung round your shoulder, that's for sure!

Perhaps waiting for the next in the DA* series may be the way to go? But then I'm not really sure what that is likely to be - I've seen mention of a 60-300, a 135-300, and various other guesses. I already have the DA* 16-50 and the 50-135, so one more covering out to 300 would be nice.

Oh the decisions, the decisions......

[Peter Zack]

Yeah it is most likly a typo. I downloaded the image and it's a 50-200 pictuures. But odd that they have none in stock. There must be tons of this product available. Heather you should write them and see if they'll sell you a 55-300. I'm not in the States or I'd do it even though I'm broker than Ed.

Nice kit Ed Btw. As soon as you can afford some gas for the car, you'll have to get out and do some shooting.

[heatherslightbox]

I just emailed the sales department at Focus Camera to see if the $209 price for the 55-300 was for real or just a typo; I could see $309, but $209?

Anyhow I searched for the 50-200 and found it as a separate listing for $177.95.
Pentax 21567 - Focus Camera

It's rather strange, isn't it...
Heather