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12-20-2015, 05:16 PM   #1
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Cheap 200-300mm options

Hello, I am looking to add a cheap lens in the 200-300mm range. $100 budget, tops. I know it won't be good in that price range but what is least bad? I keep chasing my tail looking at reviews and what's available used.

I would mainly use it for perched birds. I doubt it necessarily needs to be a zoom as I guess more often that not I'll still end up zooming all the way and still cropping. MF is no problem. I enjoy old lenses but wouldn't prioritise that over image quality.

After going through various thoughts I think I'm kinda just leaning back where I started, the DA 50-200mm. Is that a very bad idea?

12-20-2015, 05:20 PM   #2
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One of the Sigma or Tamron 70-300 macros. Or the Pentax FA 100-300 F4.7-5.8 or the FA 80-320 or FA J 75-300.
12-20-2015, 05:29 PM   #3
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The pentax FA 80-320 is fairly inexpensive, and a good lens for birding. I have one, but i've replaced it for the HD 55-300 for the WR. 200 is really too short for bird photography, unless you're just taking pictures of your feeder.
12-20-2015, 05:31 PM   #4
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I came close to buying a DA-L 55-300 in the marketplace for $110 just recently, although that was $110 US. It sold but not right away. If that happens again, paying extra for the 55-300 is probably better than buying a lens you don't like first, then getting a 55-300.

12-20-2015, 05:34 PM   #5
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Perched birds? For that specific use I suggest something longer than 300mm, and manual focus OK. Shop around and shop smart and options within or around the 100 buck mark can include one of the better old presets like the tamron nestar 400mm, tamron 350mm, or a mirror lens like the adaptall 500mm f8.
Otherwise, to get something that covers you up to 300mm with AF, I suggest stretching your budget another 20-30 and looking for a s/h DAL 55-300mm. I paid about that for mine.
12-20-2015, 07:04 PM   #6
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When Adam announces the 55-300 give away, get your entry in,
300 is about the bare minimum for birds, if you plan on cropping (and you will need to), you will need better performance than the 50-200 will give you.

your budget may say only $100 now, but if you buy that 50-200 you will be looking for something longer and sharper before long, and you will spend more over all for another lens to get you there.
12-20-2015, 07:31 PM   #7
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200 mm is too short for birds, even large ones such as herons and egrets unless you can get close. 300 would be better option. I was also looking for 300 mm with a budget of $250 USD. After a lot of looking, new and used, Pentax and 3rd party I ended up buying an HD DA 55 - 300 from B&H since it is on sale at the lowest price I have seen. Unfortunately higher quality lenses such as DA* 300 and DA* 60 - 250 were way higher than I could afford. Hopefully the HD 55 - 300 will work for birding photography. Likely I will need to use manual focus or pre focus with quick shift due to the notoriously loud screw drive on this lens. If the optical quality is good with the significant benefit or WR, I will be very happy with this lens even without SDM quiet focusing.

12-20-2015, 07:37 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by jddwoods Quote
Likely I will need to use manual focus or pre focus with quick shift due to the notoriously loud screw drive on this lens.
I never had any trouble with noise from the screw drive. In some cases it helped. Some of the more curious song birds would come closer to check it out.
12-20-2015, 07:57 PM   #9
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Thanks for the comments so far. I would love a DA 55-300 but most Marketplace sellers won't ship outside US, and ebay and the like seem to be all well over US150 + 20-40 for postage so it's more than a little stretch to my budget.

There is a locally available Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 I'm looking at.

Otherwise I think 300mm might be outside my budget and would be better with the DA 50-200mm or F 70-210mm. ?
12-20-2015, 08:09 PM   #10
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The Tamron 70-300 is a very good lens, one of those "better-than-it-has-any-right-to-be-at-the-price." Here in the US it's under $200 new, an absolute steal. If you do not mind manual focus, the SMCA 200 f4 is a decent lens commonly available on EBAY for around $100. I would strongly recommend the Tamron over the Pentax 50-200. I still have the former, had the latter and found it disappointing and not as good as the longer range Tamron at equivalent focal lengths.
12-20-2015, 09:38 PM   #11
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DCShooter is a good guy to deal with and has a lot of expertise in lenses. The 100-300 is in the same ballpark as the 55-300 with older coatings and less ambitious range overall 100 vs 55. It is a good budget choice.
12-20-2015, 09:41 PM   #12
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If you don't mind manual focus, the Super Takumar 300mm F4 is an option. I can get as good or better results with it as I can with my DAL 55-300, but I can get consistently better results with the DAL because it's lighter, easier to handle, and has autofocus.
12-20-2015, 10:02 PM   #13
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Though I have much more expensive lenses, I still use my 100-300 when I'm messing around out in less than desirable conditions. It isn't the sharpest lens, but it will get you some decent photos and good reach for next to no cost. you can use it for a while to see if the 300 is long enough for what you want to shoot.

It can be had for less than $100 all over the place.
12-20-2015, 11:49 PM   #14
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Hi Russell from a fellow Victorian.

I'd agree that it is worth hanging out for at least 300mm for a birding lens. I used my Tamron 18-250 for years for birds but was often frustrated by the lack of reach. A really really sharp 200 might be good enough to allow heavy cropping (or with a good teleconverter if you have one), but you won't get that for $100.

Much of your low budget will be swallowed by shipping costs if you buy from overseas. I'd suggest looking on ebay au or gumtree (if there isn't one from an Australian seller in the PF marketplace).

Some people use MF lenses with catch-in-focus for birding, but I find AF is really useful for birds. You should be able to pick up a Sigma 70-300 or one of the other budget AF options people have mentioned for $100 or less. Here are some examples from Gumtree at present:
- Sigma Lens 70 - 300mm DG Zoom and macro to suit Pentax Camera | Lenses | Gumtree Australia Salisbury Area - Burton | 1094306763 - Sigma 70-300 asking $50
- sigma zoom lens 100-300. 28-90. for k mount pentax $80 each | Lenses | Gumtree Australia Ryde Area - Ryde | 1092339291 - Sigma 100-300 asking $80
- Pentax camera | Non Digital Cameras | Gumtree Australia Brisbane North West - Ferny Hills | 1098224549 - another Sigma 100-300 asking $50
- Sigma Camera Lens AF 70-300/4-5.6 MS2 F/Pentax | Lenses | Gumtree Australia Tablelands - Atherton | 1096682835 - Sigma 70-300 asking $100

On Gumtree there are a couple more Sigma 70-300 lenses for sale in Melbourne asking $120. They might do them for less and you could possibly pick up.

See this comparison: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/57560-teste...-70-300-a.html (The reviews of the Tamron equivalent all refer to its purple fringing.)

I agree that the 55-300 is the pick of the consumer tele zooms but these lenses (even in DA-L form) seem to go for $200+ in oz at present. The Sigma 70-300 would be great value at less than half the price.

Last edited by Des; 12-21-2015 at 02:28 PM.
12-21-2015, 02:10 AM   #15
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Not mentioned yet is the M200/4.

Seb
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