[derekkite]

I've been shooting the K-3 with DA*300 using the 1.4 HD TC. It is sharp, focuses well, but seems to amplify mirror slap. I shoot on a monopod with a gimbal, the Jobu-Design combination. It has been very hard to get a sharp shot, and today with some light being able to shoot at 1/1600 it was slightly better, but far too many soft shots. I have one hand on the body, focusing and shutter, the other firmly holding the lens past the focus ring, and I can feel the vibration transfer down the lens.

I set the body and lens on a tripod to set up the focus adjustments. The lens only was fine with standard shutter release, but the lens plus TC was very soft with motion blur unless I shot mirror up. Not a little bit worse, but sharp to can't read the numbers soft.

Has anyone else experienced this? Do I have some malfunction or looseness in the lens or TC that is causing this?

This is far worse than any other long lens that I have shot.

Edit:
It could be the lens. If you hold your DA*300 and shake it, do you hear movement inside?

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Last edited by derekkite; 04-13-2014 at 05:32 PM.

[jpzk]

Derek: I sure hope you will get an answer/solution for this.

I am reading your post and my stomach almost turns :saying that the TC with the DA*300/4 produces too many soft shots !
One more reason to hold off on the purchase of this TC .... for now.

Note: why is the "Edit" seem to be from someone else but still within the same post ?

JP

[dane.dawg]

Derek I have only tested my 300 and tc on a tripod on the usp code on a can, 40 feet away and even on burst mode the results where sharp on 100 percent crop.

[derekkite]

Derek: I sure hope you will get an answer/solution for this.

I am reading your post and my stomach almost turns :saying that the TC with the DA*300/4 produces too many soft shots !
One more reason to hold off on the purchase of this TC .... for now.

Note: why is the "Edit" seem to be from someone else but still within the same post ?

JP

It is my edit.

---------- Post added 04-13-14 at 06:16 PM ----------

Derek I have only tested my 300 and tc on a tripod on the usp code on a can, 40 feet away and even on burst mode the results where sharp on 100 percent crop.

Thanks. I've got a hardware problem. When I saw your shots using the TC and the 500mm, I figured something is wrong. I think there is something loose in the 300mm and the TC makes it worse. The TC will amplify any problems of the lens attached.

[dane.dawg]

When I shake my 300 I do hear movment inside.

[jbinpg]

I have had to adjust my bird USER mode shutter speed to 1/1500s from 1/500s using the HD TC. All is fine with higher shutter speeds.

Jack

[crewl1]

Derek UPS just dropped off the TC and I did a quick test with my DA*300.

1/2000 sec and 1/640 sec the results look sharp.
These were hand held, I have SR on.
I can try some tripod mounted shots later this afternoon.

I am running FW 1.02, I have not installed FW 1.03 yet.
Even with FW1.02 I get the focal range reported as 420 and max aperture selectable is 5.6, so I will not move to FW1.03 unless I experience issues.

If I shake my lens there is a faint sound of something, I suspect it is related to AF gearing or quickshift.

---------- Post added 04-14-14 at 12:15 PM ----------

DA*300 @1/2000 f4



DA*300 + HD TC @1/2000 f5.6



DA*300 @ 1/640 f4



DA*300 + HD TC @ 1/640 f5.6

[derekkite]

Thanks. I was shooting at 1/1600 and got some shots, maybe 1 in 10 that were sharp. At 1/800 there is movement blur. I've got some looseness somewhere that is exacerbating the vibration. The TC seems tight and solid, and the same thing happens on both bodies. I had my DA*300 repaired, a mount flange replaced, so maybe there is some sloppiness. I'm going to talk to the Pentax repair folks to see if they have any ideas.

[derekkite]

I was using a different DA*300 today, and it is much better. I was able to get sharp shots at 1/800, and distance shots were not blurred. The lens obviously has some sloppiness somewhere that is vibrating.

[crewl1]

That's too bad.
Sorry I never got around to the tripod shots, but sounds like you have identified the problem to the lens.
Good osprey catch.