Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
08-02-2015, 06:31 PM   #16
Veteran Member
Bob from Aus's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Australia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,094
I understand your view about sticking with the K5 and investing in better glass. If you want very good glass then don't go down the sigma zoom line. The sigma zoom is OK but not brilliant. It comes down to how much you want out of a lens. I like kicking butt. I used a 150-500 sigma in Africa and after the event was really disappointed with the images compared with my Sigma 500 prime.

Both pentax lenses are excellent choices. The pentax 1.4 on my 60-250 zoom sucks. I don't have or need the pentax 300 so while I have no experience of the combo, others give it rave reviews.

Hope you really enjoy which ever choice you go with. New glass after you have been starved for a long time is very exciting.


Last edited by Bob from Aus; 08-02-2015 at 06:44 PM.
08-02-2015, 06:39 PM   #17
Pentaxian




Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NY
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 6,043
QuoteOriginally posted by FreeSpirit9 Quote
Thanks for your advice, much appreciated as I am of everyone else's advice given on this thread.

Thank you everyone for your good comments and ideas on which way to go; good food for thought.
You're welcome. Good luck.
08-02-2015, 06:42 PM   #18
Veteran Member
FreeSpirit9's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Queensland, Australia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 557
Original Poster
Thanks Bob.
08-02-2015, 07:06 PM   #19
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,873
QuoteOriginally posted by FreeSpirit9 Quote
Hi,

I've got a K5 with 18-135 and 55-300 and 2xTC to cover the long end and a few shorter lenses (M and AF) that I rarely use.

The issue that I am pondering is the best option for a K5 user, I've little intention on upgrading my K5 for some years to come unless I win the lottery; so you guessed it, money is a serious consideration.

The issue: Which is the best buy/option? Pentax 150-450 or Sigma 150-500 or the *300 + 1.4 TC.

I enjoy taking photos of birds and wild life, nothing serious but I do like to get nice images of my subjects.

My question to the PF is as follows:

Which is the best option of the three in your opinion?

Cheers.
Don't have any experience with the 150-450.

The 300+cropping produced better images than the 150-500 IMO.

The achilles heel of the 300 is the AF is very poor in wildlife-light-conditions.

08-02-2015, 07:19 PM   #20
Pentaxian




Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Western Canada
Posts: 12,273
QuoteOriginally posted by pathdoc Quote
Reading between the lines, I wonder if OP's upgrade path isn't currently the full frame.
Sigma 150-500 I believe will work both with ASP-C and full frame.
08-02-2015, 07:28 PM   #21
Pentaxian




Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NY
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 6,043
QuoteOriginally posted by lesmore49 Quote
Sigma 150-500 I believe will work both with ASP-C and full frame.
Yes, both the 150-500 and 50-500 will function with a full frame camera. That is what the DG (Sigma abbreviation) means in their titles. Also they will function with APS-C.
08-02-2015, 09:06 PM   #22
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,873
QuoteOriginally posted by lesmore49 Quote
Sigma 150-500 I believe will work both with ASP-C and full frame.
Don't know about the 150-450, but the other two will work with full frame.

08-02-2015, 09:18 PM   #23
Otis Memorial Pentaxian
Otis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis Fan
Loyal Site Supporter
clackers's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Melbourne
Photos: Albums
Posts: 16,394
QuoteOriginally posted by ElJamoquio Quote
Don't know about the 150-450
It's an FA lens.
08-04-2015, 09:01 AM   #24
Pentaxian




Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NY
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 6,043
This is what it said in the announcement(s) for the Pentax 70-200 and the Pentax 150-450.


"Today Pentax announced two new FA lenses that cover the full frame 24x36mm image circle: the 70-200mm f/2.8ED DC AW and the 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6ED DC AW."
08-10-2015, 12:41 PM   #25
New Member




Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2
150-450 with 1.4 tc

I used a k5 with a sigma 150-500 for well over 3 years and about 20k shots. Worked well enough in good light but went soft at the top end.
Recently in Japan I bought the Pentax 150-450 plus the 1.4 tc. (Much cheaper in Japan right now.)
Tried that on a K3. Much better results. Sharp across the whole range and works well with the tc without any firmware upgrade. Good contrast too.
The Pentax is heavier than the Sigma but not as heavy as the Sigma 150-600 sport (no Pentax fit for that.)
THe 150-450 works well on the old K5 of course but the K3 is clearly a better bet.
I do mostly wildlife with lots of bird shots and the weather sealing is a plus for me.
I'm 67 and always shoot hand held. I'm very much an amateur but a few of my K5+Sigma shots have been published in travel mags and other places. Check out my Flickr stream (Bob Brewer) for loads of examples.
If you go for the Sigma I have a used one for sale. :>))
08-10-2015, 01:15 PM   #26
Veteran Member
FreeSpirit9's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Queensland, Australia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 557
Original Poster
Thanks for your comment Bob.
Cheers.
08-12-2015, 03:08 PM - 1 Like   #27
Veteran Member
GeneV's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Albuquerque NM
Photos: Albums
Posts: 9,830
I really could not be much more pleased with the DA*300 + 1.4x. It even subs as a macro lens. This is a 50+% crop of a shot I snapped a few days ago. It is making me rethink whether the 150-450 zoom is close on my radar.
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K-3  Photo 
12-06-2015, 04:15 PM   #28
Senior Member




Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Essex
Posts: 105
QuoteOriginally posted by ElJamoquio Quote
Don't have any experience with the 150-450.

The 300+cropping produced better images than the 150-500 IMO.

The achilles heel of the 300 is the AF is very poor in wildlife-light-conditions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This may not be what some want to hear. But I am a wildlife photographer, predominantly birds. I have stuck with Pentax because the image quality with the DA*300 is sensational.I went to the Sigma 150-500 and that was good for reach but a bit softer. For the last year roughly I have been using the DA*300+1.4TC with my K3. The results are superb with little IQ degradation. But there is a big downside. AF ability. I noticed I was missing so many bird action shots when situations changed suddenly. And all the Canikon boys were getting them. Aircraft were simple, absolutely no problem. On the other forum they liked to say It was a user problem (at the same time some members were saying my pics were the best bird shots they'd seen!). Well there was only one way to resolve this. I bought a mid range Nikon D5300 (doesn't hold a candle to the K3 in most respects although same sensor) cheaply and put the unavailable for Pentax Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary lens on it. I'm afraid the AF ability is in a different world. I'm hitting almost every shot, including hand held BIF despite the combination being slightly heavier and bulkier and the reach longer. The IQ is also at least on a par with the other combination and the camera and lens cost me £1100. I have no intention of ditching my wonderful Pentax K3 system and I appreciate the K3 ii +150-450 may have some improvements to AF speed and tracking but it would have to be an order of magnitude to match this combo for this type of shot I'm afraid.
Dave
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcweather/

Last edited by dc1500; 12-06-2015 at 04:15 PM. Reason: Forgot link
12-06-2015, 04:42 PM   #29
Pentaxian
normhead's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Near Algonquin Park
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 40,442
My choice would be 150-450 with TC. I use the A-400 ƒ5.6 with the TC and it functions well. I'm guessing the 150-450 with TC would work just as good, plus give em AF as opposed to just Focus confirm.
12-09-2015, 10:01 AM   #30
Pentaxian
reeftool's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 9,543
I have an older K300/4 MF lens which gets a good amount of use. It's very sharp, even wide open. When it came down to laying down some bucks on a long AF lens, I decided to go with the Sigma 150-500, mostly because of the zoom versatility. No real regrets on that one. It does the job quite well for what I do, not that I wouldn't love the DA*300. The Pentax 150-450 wasn't available at the time. It's said to be very good. I don't think the 150-500 is still in production although you might still find one and the newer 150-600's aren't available for Pentax. The 50-500 is still available in K mount.
QuoteOriginally posted by dc1500 Quote
I bought a mid range Nikon D5300 (doesn't hold a candle to the K3 in most respects although same sensor) cheaply and put the unavailable for Pentax Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary lens on it. I'm afraid the AF ability is in a different world
I seriously entertained doing something similar but with picking up a used D300.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
issue, k-mount, k5, option, pentax lens, slr lens
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Lenscoat is making patterns for DFA 150-450 and FA* 300 2.8 GlassJunkie Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 13 06-02-2019 04:18 AM
Pentax 150-450 vs Sigma 150-500 questions stemked Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 18 05-28-2018 09:38 AM
Nikon D7200+ Sigma 150-600 S vs Pentax DFA 150-450 Shanti Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 43 12-13-2015 09:02 AM
to update to PDCU v. 5.3.1 if I get the D FA 150-450mmF4 ?? jpzk Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 7 04-04-2015 08:03 AM
For Sale - Sold: Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM for PENTAX 150-500 transam879 Sold Items 3 03-24-2014 05:02 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:56 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top