[Davidparis]

Howdy folks,
I'm a die-hard Pentaxian, for better or worse, and generally try to defend the brand and promote its numerous qualities. Using Pentax has forced me to become a better photographer and I'm thankful for that.

However, today I do want to ferociously complain about the DA 55-300 HD version. While the lens can indeed produce a sharp image with somewhat pleasing bokeh on still life and other non-moving subjects, for sports or anything moving the lens is an absolute loser. I've practiced enough throughout the years with my previous version. We all know the screw drive is slower than molasses and louder than a train wreck. We anticipate and compensate for that. Earlier this year, I spent about 5 hours shooting a (horse) polo match from the field using AF.C and all the proper settings. Focus hit rate and keeper ratio were acceptable and I did get some sharp shots of a very dynamic sport. Pretty confident, once again, that I could tackle situations with this lens.

HOWEVER, just got back from 3 weeks in Peru. Dustier than hell, but the K-5IIs performed admirably as expected. The failure occured in the Colca Canyon region while shooting the Andean condors. Had good early-morning light, blue sky, no clouds, Condors were flying and I had several good spots to shoot from. The birds were soaring peacefully anywhere from 30 to 80 meters from my shooting position.

The DA 55-300 HD was literally an absolute catastrophe. Hunting, whining, whirring, spitting, coughing and protesting continuously. Jumped from AF.C to AF.S and myriad complmentary settings to get it right for the conditions. Lots of thinking and anticipation coupled with many years of experience produced very poor results. Of about 350 shots of condors in flight, I swear I may have 10 keepers, none of which I'd dare publish here for fear of being ridiculed to no end...It was an unbelievable session. The lens was just clearly out of its league. The challenge was too great and the lens failed miserably. OOF rate was astronomical.

The Canon guys with their long white lenses seemed content enough, probably due to the quick focus capability of their equipment.

My gripes here are known to all of us. When will Pentax produce an AF system capable of rivaling Canikon and allowing action/sports shooting on a reasonable level? Why didn't Pentax produce this updated lens with the same motor drive as the DA18-135 and DA16-85? Why is the newest 55-300 PLM incompatible with my K-30 and K-5IIs? Will it perform better on an appropriate body?

I still enjoy Pentax and am pleased with my other shots. However, it is disappointing to realize that action/sports remain a serious shortcoming for the brand. Hopefully, Ricoh will make some progress on this aspect in the future.

OK, my group therapy session on PF was successful as I feel better now...but it still sucks thinking about those amazing condors I attempted to capture with an inadequate lens.

Good day to all.

---

Last edited by Davidparis; 08-22-2016 at 03:35 AM.

[NZ_Ross]

OK, my group therapy session on PF was successful as I feel better now...but it still sucks thinking about those amazing condors I attempted to capture with an inadequate lens.

Congratulations on getting to Peru and seeing such wonderful sights.

I have a DA 55-300 HD myself, with a K-3. It has its limitations, although I have found it hunts much less on my K-3 than my old K-5. It does still hunt, especially when after BIF against a neutral sky background.

I have had success with this lens with planes and bats, but much less so with a fish eagle last year in the Solomon Islands - with the eagle I didn't get anything I wanted to share, and ended up wishing I had a good fast focussing 300mm prime with me (which I didn't).

My conclusion with this lens - it is light, it gives you reach, it is good for landscapes, static telephoto work, aircraft etc. It is not very good with BIF, especially where they are small, faster moving, or distant (my eagle). I have essentially given up using it in those circumstances for birds.

In my case it serves well as a light travel telephoto, where any BIF photography is quite opportunistic as it presents while visiting areas around the world. I would not attempt to use it for serious and specific bird photography. I think the DA 55-300 HD is what it is in the end.

Ross

[Adam]

Telephoto screwdrive lenses without IF can indeed be a catastrophe at times. This is exactly why Pentax just released the new 55-300mm with a fast PLM motor. Too bad that lens won't work with your K-5, though This was definitely a marketing decision to compel users to upgrade to newer bodies, as older cameras like the K-30, K-50, and K-5 certainly have all the requisite hardware to meter with KAF4 lenses. Note that the lens will still focus on older bodies, it'll just always shoot at the same aperture.

That said, if you got a premium lens, the performance would be much, much closer to what other brands offer. The D FA* 70-200mm is only fractions of a second slower than the corresponding Nikon 70-200mm, for example.

[D1N0]

This was definitely a marketing decision to compel users to upgrade to newer bodies,

Nonsense. for one lens you don't upgrade.

[Na Horuk]

Too bad for your experience, bud. The replies so far are correct, though.
While the HD DA 55-300mm is possibly the best lens that goes to 300mm in that price range, it is still far from the top notch telephoto lenses like the 70-200mm or even 150-450mm.
Shooting against blue skies is especially difficult for a camera, because the sky itself has no contrast and no.. anything. The birds are often smaller than the AF point of the camera, and the lens is not super fast to begin with. When I tried taking photos of birds (sparrows and pigeons) against blue sky, I quickly realized my DA L 50-200mm will never catch anything with AF, so I switched to MF and f14 (for wider DoF) and got some more keepers than previously, with AF and automatic aperture selection
So, yeah. I don't know if there is much more you can do in terms of skills, but at least now you know that your skills/experiences are at the level where kit gear is starting to hold you back. Might be time to think about upgrading the telephoto lens, especially if you use it often (as it seems, you do. I almost never use telephoto, so I never upgraded from the 50-200mm)
I know this comment isn't going to fix your experience, but hey, live and learn and live some more

Nonsense. for one lens you don't upgrade.

Definitely not for one budget telephoto zoom, but most likely more will come. And I do think it is silly that Pentax doesn't offer a firmware update that would allow this compatibility, at least with the K-30 generation and onward (though, optimally, even the older cameras should be given this). Especially since Pentax is generally considered to be great in the "compatibility" department and has so far been above such silly cash grabs. As stubborn as we Pentaxians are, it is possible we will ignore PLM lenses on purpose, just to teach Ricoh a lesson

[Davidparis]

Congratulations on getting to Peru and seeing such wonderful sights.

I have a DA 55-300 HD myself, with a K-3. It has its limitations, although I have found it hunts much less on my K-3 than my old K-5. It does still hunt, especially when after BIF against a neutral sky background.

I have had success with this lens with planes and bats, but much less so with a fish eagle last year in the Solomon Islands - with the eagle I didn't get anything I wanted to share, and ended up wishing I had a good fast focussing 300mm prime with me (which I didn't).

My conclusion with this lens - it is light, it gives you reach, it is good for landscapes, static telephoto work, aircraft etc. It is not very good with BIF, especially where they are small, faster moving, or distant (my eagle). I have essentially given up using it in those circumstances for birds.

In my case it serves well as a light travel telephoto, where any BIF photography is quite opportunistic as it presents while visiting areas around the world. I would not attempt to use it for serious and specific bird photography. I think the DA 55-300 HD is what it is in the end.

Ross

Yep, indeed. The DA 55-300 can be adequate and quite satisfactory for some subjects and horrible for others. I'll just have to accept that for a lens at its price point.
I'd rather be found at fault on skill level rather than equipment performance, however. In this instance, my "budget" lens did not allow me to do what I wanted. Oh well, not the end of the world.

---------- Post added 08-22-2016 at 03:17 AM ----------

Telephoto screwdrive lenses without IF can indeed be a catastrophe at times. This is exactly why Pentax just released the new 55-300mm with a fast PLM motor. Too bad that lens won't work with your K-5, though This was definitely a marketing decision to compel users to upgrade to newer bodies, as older cameras like the K-30, K-50, and K-5 certainly have all the requisite hardware to meter with KAF4 lenses. Note that the lens will still focus on older bodies, it'll just always shoot at the same aperture.

That said, if you got a premium lens, the performance would be much, much closer to what other brands offer. The D FA* 70-200mm is only fractions of a second slower than the corresponding Nikon 70-200mm, for example.

Hi Adam,
Fully agree with your comment. I neglected to divulge that I was expecting miracles from a budget lens and then proceeded to complain about it. It's true that with a higher-end lens, such as the one you mentioned, it would probably have produced better results. However, that requires not only a serious budget but also some thinking on the future of my bodies...APS-C or FF? When? For how much total investment? Tough questions these days...

[Sandy Hancock]

If you want a lens to compare with the white Canons, don't use a consumer super zoom.
Save up for a DFA150-450.

[D1N0]

The 55-300 HD is just a refreshed version of the SMC Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED with new coating and WR. You can't compare it with L-glass that costs three times as much. It also may have been a temporary glitch or some defect. You can't tell by just one session.

[Davidparis]

Too bad for your experience, bud. The replies so far are correct, though.
While the HD DA 55-300mm is possibly the best lens that goes to 300mm in that price range, it is still far from the top notch telephoto lenses like the 70-200mm or even 150-450mm.
Shooting against blue skies is especially difficult for a camera, because the sky itself has no contrast and no.. anything. The birds are often smaller than the AF point of the camera, and the lens is not super fast to begin with. When I tried taking photos of birds (sparrows and pigeons) against blue sky, I quickly realized my DA L 50-200mm will never catch anything with AF, so I switched to MF and f14 (for wider DoF) and got some more keepers than previously, with AF and automatic aperture selection
So, yeah. I don't know if there is much more you can do in terms of skills, but at least now you know that your skills/experiences are at the level where kit gear is starting to hold you back. Might be time to think about upgrading the telephoto lens, especially if you use it often (as it seems, you do. I almost never use telephoto, so I never upgraded from the 50-200mm)
I know this comment isn't going to fix your experience, but hey, live and learn and live some more


Definitely not for one budget telephoto zoom, but most likely more will come. And I do think it is silly that Pentax doesn't offer a firmware update that would allow this compatibility, at least with the K-30 generation and onward (though, optimally, even the older cameras should be given this). Especially since Pentax is generally considered to be great in the "compatibility" department and has so far been above such silly cash grabs. As stubborn as we Pentaxians are, it is possible we will ignore PLM lenses on purpose, just to teach Ricoh a lesson

Thanks Na Horuk,
These are all lessons learned...I'll definitely approach the DA 55-300 with a greater measure of caution for some types of shoots even if it does perform well for certain subjects. It was either naive or optimistic of me to expect more from this lens under the conditions I described. Anyway, it was interesting pushing this kit to its outer limits.

---------- Post added 08-22-2016 at 03:31 AM ----------

The 55-300 HD is just a refreshed version of the SMC Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED with new coating and WR. You can't compare it with L-glass that costs three times as much. It also may have been a temporary glitch or some defect. You can't tell by just one session.

The limitations inherent to the "new" lens are exactly and precisely the same as the older versions. For me this was no glitch or defect. It was simply being used in conditions beyond its ability to perform. At the end of the day, for a 300 USD lens, it's quite nice as long as you know what its limits are. Unfortunately, I believe that it was pushed (coupled with the K-5IIs) further than its ability to render correctly. Perhaps with the K-3 series it may have been different, maybe not. I'll live with these limitations
and begin thinking about other solutions, budget permitting.

---------- Post added 08-22-2016 at 03:34 AM ----------

If you want a lens to compare with the white Canons, don't use a consumer super zoom.
Save up for a DFA150-450.

Trying to figure out how to state that to the Minister of Finances in order to justify...but I agree.

[Sandy Hancock]

Trying to figure out how to state that to the Minister of Finances in order to justify...but I agree.

Tell her I said so

[MJSfoto1956]

Nonsense. for one lens you don't upgrade.

Um, sure we do. Diehard Nikon shooter here. Waited for years for Nikon to release the D400. While waiting had a chance to try a K-3 + DA* 60-250mm. Compared it to my D800 + AF-S 80-400mm and I was sold. To this day, it is my most used lens on my K-3ii. (I still use my D800 for the majority of my wide and portrait shots.

Michael

[bdery]

We all know the screw drive is slower than molasses

I don't "know that". Screw-drive on many lenses is extremely fast. Take the DA40, DA21, even the old F50 F1.7.

and louder than a train wreck

Depends on the lens.

The Canon guys with their long white lenses seemed content enough

White lenses are comparable to DA* lenses. Not consumer zooms.

Nonsense. for one lens you don't upgrade.

The new 55-300 is a first step, I hope you realize that

[D1N0]

The new 55-300 is a first step, I hope you realize that

It was done mainly for video AF. The lens exists next to the previous model if you need the range. When you need faster AF it is always advisable to upgrade to a newer body anyway. The K-3 also isn't supported, but you have no upgrade path in aps-c (yeah K-3 II but that is just a minor improvement when you don't care about pixel-shift or gps). The K-1? Not everybody wants a heavier full frame body and the need to buy new lenses. Nobody is very confident about a K-3 (II) successor at Photokina. So that can't be it. At speed at which Pentax refreshes and replaces lenses, almost everybody will have a supported body when a decent number of KAF4 PLM lenses are available.

[gatorguy]

Um, sure we do. Diehard Nikon shooter here. Waited for years for Nikon to release the D400. While waiting had a chance to try a K-3 + DA* 60-250mm. Compared it to my D800 + AF-S 80-400mm and I was sold. To this day, it is my most used lens on my K-3ii. (I still use my D800 for the majority of my wide and portrait shots.

Michael

There's what looks like a wonderful deal on that Pentax lens over at Amazon. "Like New" for $872? If I hadn't bought so much studio gear lately I would have jumped on it myself.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F514F4?m=A33WCYBDCMVXH2&ref_=v_sp_widget_detail_page

[jatrax]

We all know the screw drive is slower than molasses and louder than a train wreck.

No, not really. The screwdrive is actually faster than many in lens motor lenses. And no it is not louder than a train wreck, ever been at a train wreck? What screwdrive is NOT good at is the constant adjustment needed for AF.C. For that you need an in lens motor with finer stepping than the screwdrive can provide.

The lens was just clearly out of its league. The challenge was too great and the lens failed miserably.

Perhaps. It definitely is not a BIF lens by any means. It is what it is, and trying to make it do things it is not capable of is the photographers fault, not the lens. The 55-300 in any of the screwdrive versions is an inexpensive consumer zoom that does just fine for static objects. For the price it is an exceptional value, just don't push it beyond it's abilities. For BIF you need a modern lens like the DFA*70-200 or the DFA 150-450. The older DA*60-250 is also adequate but focuses too slow to be really good at BIF.

The Canon guys with their long white lenses seemed content enough, probably due to the quick focus capability of their equipment.

More likely due to the extra $$$$$$ they invested in their equipment. If you want that performance buy Canon or Nikon. Or buy a modern Pentax not a 4 year old camera with a consumer zoom. Try the K-3II or the K-1 with the 150-450 instead. As good as a modern Canon FF? Maybe not but miles ahead of what you were trying to use. Pentax has made strong improvements over the last few models, far more proportionally than Canon or Nikon. But of course they have no real need for that improvement as they are already very good.

My gripes here are known to all of us. When will Pentax produce an AF system capable of rivaling Canikon and allowing action/sports shooting on a reasonable level?

They already have. Or very close. The tracking is not up to speed yet, but AF speed and accuracy is top notch. You just have to move up from a 2012 camera.