Which El Cheapo Long Zoom Lens would you pick?

Driline · 01-18-2014, 05:13 PM

The Sigma APO AF 70-300 F 4-5.6 (NO DG)

Or Pentax FA 100-300 F 4.7-5.8

For the life of me I can't find this particular Sigma lens in the review section. All of them are either DG or something else. Here are a couple of pics I grabbed from Ebay poor as they may be.

Both can be had for well under $100. I'm just interested to see if I like the long end of the 300mm zoom.

vonBaloney · 01-18-2014, 05:22 PM

The Pentax FA (silver one -- which I just sold in the marketplace yesterday), no question. The Sigma is a purple fringing monster and has an extremely stiff zoom ring. I think it also has a "macro" function which the Pentax does not have, but for telephoto the Pentax all the way...

Driline · 01-18-2014, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by vonBaloney

The Pentax FA (silver one -- which I just sold in the marketplace yesterday), no question. The Sigma is a purple fringing monster and has an extremely stiff zoom ring. I think it also has a "macro" function which the Pentax does not have, but for telephoto the Pentax all the way...

What did you sell the Pentax for if you don't mind me asking?

vonBaloney · 01-18-2014, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by Driline

What did you sell the Pentax for if you don't mind me asking?

As long as you don't say it was too much (since the buyer hasn't even gotten it yet)...$80 shipped. Worth every penny optically, although the build isn't impressive...

jimr-pdx · 01-18-2014, 05:44 PM

I paid about $30 for a Sigma/Quantaray 100-300mm f/4.5-6.7 and it's quite good optically. Yes it's dreadfully slow after 250mm at f/6.7 but at f/8 and good lighting it works great and is decently sharp, and it focuses faster than the DA55-300. In indifferent light it hunts fast

but otherwise it serves me quite well. I had a copy a few years ago that had rather low contrast which implied a soft image; my current copy is quite crisp and hard to beat for the price. The FA also gets good reviews, I've never encountered one of those.

Driline · 01-18-2014, 05:50 PM

Originally posted by vonBaloney

As long as you don't say it was too much (since the buyer hasn't even gotten it yet)...$80 shipped. Worth every penny optically, although the build isn't impressive...

That's a fair price I think

Driline · 01-18-2014, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by jimr-pdx

I paid about $30 for a Sigma/Quantaray

Theres one right now on ebay for $49 plus $10 shipping. I wonder how good they are at 300mm. I suppose the Pentax, Sigma and Quantaray are similar at the far end? Soft

jezza323 · 01-18-2014, 06:47 PM

I also had (have? its at my father's place) the FA 100-300 silver. Its a good lens for the price. Whack a hood on it though.

vonBaloney · 01-18-2014, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by Driline

Theres one right now on ebay for $49 plus $10 shipping. I wonder how good they are at 300mm. I suppose the Pentax, Sigma and Quantaray are similar at the far end? Soft

The Pentax is superior, and not soft at 300mm. It is not *awesome*, but it is quite acceptable. I've had both of these, and the Pentax is just better unless you need close-focusing. (Pentax is min 5ft or so.)

vonBaloney · 01-18-2014, 07:01 PM

These are all from the FA 100-300 silver at 300mm:

Driline · 01-18-2014, 07:08 PM

Originally posted by vonBaloney

These are all from the FA 100-300 silver at 300mm:

Very Nice. I see Pentax also has available another cheap zoom I hadn't contemplated before. The FA 80-320. I wonder if it is any better at the long end than the FA 100-300?

jimr-pdx · 01-18-2014, 07:29 PM

Here are a few with the Quantaray / Sigma

Well cropped, minimal processing (300mm 'wide open')

great color and contrast (100mm)

the cat next door (cropped sharpened and contrast boosted) 150mm

**DeepThrob** · 01-18-2014, 07:29 PM

I just got one of those sigma apo (no dl) and I'm fond of it. here's a pic. (I did hit the auto box in camera raw). I tried a few other Sigma -300 but I think this one the best of the lot. Purple fringing ?

DSims · 01-18-2014, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by Driline

Both can be had for well under $100. I'm just interested to see if I like the long end of the 300mm zoom.

Good luck on that.

You have good glass (I have all the same lenses, except the DA21, which I've used nevertheless). So the answer is neither one - but as you can see above, the Pentax FA 100-300 is at least decent.

In a zoom, the F70-210/4-5.6 is a great bargain; the Takumar version even more so. Very good up to about 180mm.

Time to look at 200mm and/or 300mm primes. MF will obviously save you money. Any of the * lenses, or those that "should have been a star" (e.g. K200/2.5 and the like) will do very well.

You appreciate IQ, so you know you'll end up here anyway.

Driline · 01-18-2014, 08:01 PM

Originally posted by DSims

You have good glass (I have all the same lenses, except the DA21, which I've used nevertheless). So the answer is neither one - but as you can see above, the Pentax FA 100-300 is at least decent.

Understood. I am a fan of IQ. Again I just want to see if I would use the 300mm on a day to day basis and of course would purchase quality glass ~ $1,300 if I find I have a need for it.

In the mean time I want to purchase the best possible piece of glass I can from among the "budget" long zooms available. When I'm through it will make a nice paper weight for the office

01-18-2014, 05:13 PM	#1
Driline Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,705	Which El Cheapo Long Zoom Lens would you pick? The Sigma APO AF 70-300 F 4-5.6 (NO DG) Or Pentax FA 100-300 F 4.7-5.8 For the life of me I can't find this particular Sigma lens in the review section. All of them are either DG or something else. Here are a couple of pics I grabbed from Ebay poor as they may be. Both can be had for well under $100. I'm just interested to see if I like the long end of the 300mm zoom.

01-18-2014, 07:01 PM	#10
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	These are all from the FA 100-300 silver at 300mm: Attached Images

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01-18-2014, 05:22 PM	#2
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	The Pentax FA (silver one -- which I just sold in the marketplace yesterday), no question. The Sigma is a purple fringing monster and has an extremely stiff zoom ring. I think it also has a "macro" function which the Pentax does not have, but for telephoto the Pentax all the way...

01-18-2014, 05:33 PM	#3
Driline Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,705 Original Poster	Originally posted by vonBaloney The Pentax FA (silver one -- which I just sold in the marketplace yesterday), no question. The Sigma is a purple fringing monster and has an extremely stiff zoom ring. I think it also has a "macro" function which the Pentax does not have, but for telephoto the Pentax all the way... What did you sell the Pentax for if you don't mind me asking?

01-18-2014, 05:35 PM	#4
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by Driline What did you sell the Pentax for if you don't mind me asking? As long as you don't say it was too much (since the buyer hasn't even gotten it yet)...$80 shipped. Worth every penny optically, although the build isn't impressive...

01-18-2014, 05:44 PM	#5
jimr-pdx Pentaxian Join Date: May 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,897	I paid about $30 for a Sigma/Quantaray 100-300mm f/4.5-6.7 and it's quite good optically. Yes it's dreadfully slow after 250mm at f/6.7 but at f/8 and good lighting it works great and is decently sharp, and it focuses faster than the DA55-300. In indifferent light it hunts fast but otherwise it serves me quite well. I had a copy a few years ago that had rather low contrast which implied a soft image; my current copy is quite crisp and hard to beat for the price. The FA also gets good reviews, I've never encountered one of those.

01-18-2014, 05:50 PM	#6
Driline Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,705 Original Poster	Originally posted by vonBaloney As long as you don't say it was too much (since the buyer hasn't even gotten it yet)...$80 shipped. Worth every penny optically, although the build isn't impressive... That's a fair price I think

01-18-2014, 06:22 PM	#7
Driline Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,705 Original Poster	Originally posted by jimr-pdx I paid about $30 for a Sigma/Quantaray Theres one right now on ebay for $49 plus $10 shipping. I wonder how good they are at 300mm. I suppose the Pentax, Sigma and Quantaray are similar at the far end? Soft

01-18-2014, 06:47 PM	#8
jezza323 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,421	I also had (have? its at my father's place) the FA 100-300 silver. Its a good lens for the price. Whack a hood on it though.

01-18-2014, 06:51 PM	#9
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by Driline Theres one right now on ebay for $49 plus $10 shipping. I wonder how good they are at 300mm. I suppose the Pentax, Sigma and Quantaray are similar at the far end? Soft The Pentax is superior, and not soft at 300mm. It is not awesome, but it is quite acceptable. I've had both of these, and the Pentax is just better unless you need close-focusing. (Pentax is min 5ft or so.)

01-18-2014, 07:08 PM	#11
Driline Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,705 Original Poster	Originally posted by vonBaloney These are all from the FA 100-300 silver at 300mm: Very Nice. I see Pentax also has available another cheap zoom I hadn't contemplated before. The FA 80-320. I wonder if it is any better at the long end than the FA 100-300?

01-18-2014, 07:29 PM	#12
jimr-pdx Pentaxian Join Date: May 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,897	Here are a few with the Quantaray / Sigma Well cropped, minimal processing (300mm 'wide open') great color and contrast (100mm) the cat next door (cropped sharpened and contrast boosted) 150mm

01-18-2014, 07:43 PM	#14
DSims Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Southern California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,236	Originally posted by Driline Both can be had for well under $100. I'm just interested to see if I like the long end of the 300mm zoom. Good luck on that. You have good glass (I have all the same lenses, except the DA21, which I've used nevertheless). So the answer is neither one - but as you can see above, the Pentax FA 100-300 is at least decent. In a zoom, the F70-210/4-5.6 is a great bargain; the Takumar version even more so. Very good up to about 180mm. Time to look at 200mm and/or 300mm primes. MF will obviously save you money. Any of the * lenses, or those that "should have been a star" (e.g. K200/2.5 and the like) will do very well. You appreciate IQ, so you know you'll end up here anyway.

01-18-2014, 08:01 PM	#15
Driline Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,705 Original Poster	Originally posted by DSims You have good glass (I have all the same lenses, except the DA21, which I've used nevertheless). So the answer is neither one - but as you can see above, the Pentax FA 100-300 is at least decent. Understood. I am a fan of IQ. Again I just want to see if I would use the 300mm on a day to day basis and of course would purchase quality glass ~ $1,300 if I find I have a need for it. In the mean time I want to purchase the best possible piece of glass I can from among the "budget" long zooms available. When I'm through it will make a nice paper weight for the office