Looking for my next lens

Arielgirl26 · 03-23-2014, 01:32 PM

Hello,

I have a K100D Super Pentax camera. I currently have the stock lens as well as the Pentax 50-200. We are going on holiday this summer and I wanted something with more zoom. Wildlife and whale/ocean photography mostly I guess. Please help.

Giklab · 03-23-2014, 02:26 PM

Budget?

**savoche** · 03-23-2014, 02:31 PM

...and how much weight are you willing to carry?

AquaDome · 03-23-2014, 02:59 PM

The HD DA 55-300mm gives you everything you have now plus 100mm more zoom. When fully compacted, it's barely over an inch longer than the DA50-200mm and is about six ounces heavier.

fgaudet · 03-23-2014, 03:11 PM

The DA 55-300 is one of the very few options at a reasonable price. There's the Sigma 70-300 also and Tamron must have something similar. But they're good, just not great.
Budget will be key here as longer lenses tend to get very expensive. A very good option would be the Sigma 50-500 but it's far from cheap.

DSims · 03-23-2014, 03:16 PM

The F70-210/4-5.6 will improve your Image Quality, but not your range. I like it even better than the DA55-300, and it's good in both Pentax and Takumar versions (same lens, different coating). I like my Takumar version. And the price is very good. At 180mm I'd rather have a shot from this lens than any other Pentax zoom I know of (except * zooms like the DA*60-250 or FA*80-200). IQ can get quite close to that of the DA*60-250.

The DA55-300 (any version) is still very good. I don't think I'd bother getting the more expensive versions. But I sold mine and kept my Takumar F70-210.

The K100D Super was my first DSLR, and it took nice photos. It can take advantage of whatever lens you put on it. I was really happy with my shots from the FA24-90 on it (a nice upgrade from the DA18-55), although Auto Focus could be finicky at times. Likewise, the FA28-105/3.2-4.5 is a great upgrade from the 18-55 for a good price (ditto on the AF sometimes being finicky, but the IQ is really nice).

Arielgirl26 · 03-23-2014, 03:17 PM

Originally posted by Giklab

Budget?

LIkely up to $600 or $700

Arielgirl26 · 03-23-2014, 03:20 PM

Thank you everyone, this really helps direct my research into what I can find in my area and prices, I appreciate the help!

AquaDome · 03-23-2014, 04:46 PM

There are several versions of the 55-300. Some are Weather Resistant, some are not. Since your camera is not WR, you wouldn't need to spend extra money on this recently added feature. Older DA-L models have a plastic mount and don't come with the hood. Lighter and cheaper. Hoods are available separately.

fgaudet · 03-23-2014, 04:55 PM

You could also consider a decent teleconverter... it would "extend" your lens at the cost of some light but for the great outdoors, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. You can find decent AF 1.4/1.5/1.7/2.0 TC on the cheap on ebay and sometimes in the MarketPlace.

6BQ5 · 03-23-2014, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by Arielgirl26

LIkely up to $600 or $700

Wow, with that budget you can get an DA 18-135 WR and a FA 100-300 f/4.7! Get both used and you may even have some money left over for some knick-knacks. Those two lenses together will give you plenty of zoom coverage with great image quality.

Kozlok · 03-23-2014, 06:16 PM

Any thoughts about buying a much higher resolution camera and cropping for more reach? If you bought a K-30 with a 16MP sensor, and cropped down to 6MP, the "effective" reach of your 200mm lens is 320mm. When you don't need the crop, the IQ improvement is nice. For 600, you could probably get the K-30 or K-5 used and a DAL 55-300 also used. Add in a few more dollars for a WR version of the kit lens, and you can shoot in the rain, too.

fgaudet · 03-23-2014, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by Kozlok

higher resolution camera and cropping

Only problem with this setup is focussing, the object will be minuscule in the viewfinder... Mind you that at a distance it would probably be focussed to infinity...

03-23-2014, 01:32 PM	#1
Arielgirl26 New Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 5	Looking for my next lens Hello, I have a K100D Super Pentax camera. I currently have the stock lens as well as the Pentax 50-200. We are going on holiday this summer and I wanted something with more zoom. Wildlife and whale/ocean photography mostly I guess. Please help.

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03-23-2014, 02:26 PM	#2
Giklab Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,182	Budget?

03-23-2014, 02:31 PM	#3
savoche Master of the obvious Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Lowlands of Norway Posts: 18,311	...and how much weight are you willing to carry?

03-23-2014, 02:59 PM	#4
AquaDome Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: New Carlisle, IN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,475	The HD DA 55-300mm gives you everything you have now plus 100mm more zoom. When fully compacted, it's barely over an inch longer than the DA50-200mm and is about six ounces heavier.

03-23-2014, 03:11 PM	#5
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	The DA 55-300 is one of the very few options at a reasonable price. There's the Sigma 70-300 also and Tamron must have something similar. But they're good, just not great. Budget will be key here as longer lenses tend to get very expensive. A very good option would be the Sigma 50-500 but it's far from cheap.

03-23-2014, 03:16 PM	#6
DSims Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Southern California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,236	The F70-210/4-5.6 will improve your Image Quality, but not your range. I like it even better than the DA55-300, and it's good in both Pentax and Takumar versions (same lens, different coating). I like my Takumar version. And the price is very good. At 180mm I'd rather have a shot from this lens than any other Pentax zoom I know of (except * zooms like the DA60-250 or FA80-200). IQ can get quite close to that of the DA*60-250. The DA55-300 (any version) is still very good. I don't think I'd bother getting the more expensive versions. But I sold mine and kept my Takumar F70-210. The K100D Super was my first DSLR, and it took nice photos. It can take advantage of whatever lens you put on it. I was really happy with my shots from the FA24-90 on it (a nice upgrade from the DA18-55), although Auto Focus could be finicky at times. Likewise, the FA28-105/3.2-4.5 is a great upgrade from the 18-55 for a good price (ditto on the AF sometimes being finicky, but the IQ is really nice).

03-23-2014, 03:17 PM	#7
Arielgirl26 New Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 5 Original Poster	Originally posted by Giklab Budget? LIkely up to $600 or $700

03-23-2014, 03:20 PM	#8
Arielgirl26 New Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 5 Original Poster	Thank you everyone, this really helps direct my research into what I can find in my area and prices, I appreciate the help!

03-23-2014, 04:46 PM	#9
AquaDome Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: New Carlisle, IN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,475	There are several versions of the 55-300. Some are Weather Resistant, some are not. Since your camera is not WR, you wouldn't need to spend extra money on this recently added feature. Older DA-L models have a plastic mount and don't come with the hood. Lighter and cheaper. Hoods are available separately.

03-23-2014, 04:55 PM	#10
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	You could also consider a decent teleconverter... it would "extend" your lens at the cost of some light but for the great outdoors, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. You can find decent AF 1.4/1.5/1.7/2.0 TC on the cheap on ebay and sometimes in the MarketPlace.

03-23-2014, 05:19 PM	#11
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Originally posted by Arielgirl26 LIkely up to $600 or $700 Wow, with that budget you can get an DA 18-135 WR and a FA 100-300 f/4.7! Get both used and you may even have some money left over for some knick-knacks. Those two lenses together will give you plenty of zoom coverage with great image quality.

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03-23-2014, 06:16 PM	#12
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	Any thoughts about buying a much higher resolution camera and cropping for more reach? If you bought a K-30 with a 16MP sensor, and cropped down to 6MP, the "effective" reach of your 200mm lens is 320mm. When you don't need the crop, the IQ improvement is nice. For 600, you could probably get the K-30 or K-5 used and a DAL 55-300 also used. Add in a few more dollars for a WR version of the kit lens, and you can shoot in the rain, too.

03-23-2014, 06:21 PM	#13
fgaudet Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 726	Originally posted by Kozlok higher resolution camera and cropping Only problem with this setup is focussing, the object will be minuscule in the viewfinder... Mind you that at a distance it would probably be focussed to infinity...