[Elliot]

I recently bought the new DA 55-300 f4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE and although I have only taken about a dozen photos around the house, find it a solid addition to the lens offerings.

The lens is quiet and fast focusing, and it does not seem to hunt, all benefits over the older 55-300 screw-drive versions. It is decently balanced on the K-3ii, but the zoom is pretty stiff and not smooth -- hopefully this will improve a bit with use.

I only have a couple of photos to post, but expect much more compelling photographs coming from it!


Pentax K-3ii, 190mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO 1600


Pentax K-3ii, 260mm, f/6.3, 1/13, ISO 200

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Last edited by Elliot; 11-01-2016 at 04:24 AM. Reason: Add EXIF data

[acoufap]

Nice!

Here's another one from me


K-1, Mode APS-C, 170mm, f/6.3

[reh321]

Here's another one from me

Nice yourself!!
Black-colored birds are very difficult to photograph well!

[jgnfld]

Not the most artistic picture, but does show starburst and bokeh elements of the lens. Taken directly into sun. 2657x1772 crop before forum processing.

Focal Length 55.0mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm)
Exposure Time 1/1000s (0.0010)
Aperture F/5.0
ISO Equivalent 400

[whyhaveone]

Received this lens today and thought I'd post some size comparison pics.

Top view of lens mounted onto K-S2 body, end view, fully extended. Lens size comparison: SMC Pentax-DA L 18-50mm F4-5.6 DC WR RE; SMC Pentax-DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED WR; SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR; HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE and SMC Pentax-FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6

---------- Post added 02-11-16 at 10:50 ----------

My first impressions are that it is a lot 'stiffer' in construction than the 18-50 and 50-200 DA-L lenses and the 80-320 lens. In fact it feels similar in quality to the 100mm macro.

The other immediate impact is how eerily quiet it is! Especially compared to the 80-320 lens that is very loud (but quick). I'll post some photos once I've played with it a bit.

[GeneV]

Interesting thread. I have owned the DAL 55-300 since it was introduced, and it is a favorite travel lens. It's AF has always been a big downside. This new version looks great. By the way, I have not tried the DAL on my K1, but I shot with it on film quite a bit and found it more than acceptable, with little or no vignetting.


[IMG]

[Nicolas06]

Main issue for me shooting with the HD55-300 is more in picture quality:
- not as great contrast/micro constrast colors as zooms like 17-70, 50-135 or primes like DA/FA ltds.
- almost always a lack of sharpness viewed at 100%. I wouldn't mind honestly because honestly I'am not interrested in 100% crops, but that my longuest zoom, so when shooting wildfe you always want more reach. In some cases, even a moderate reframing show visible lack of sharpness.
- the bokeh tend to be buzy.

The good things are:
- quite interresting price
- truely great build quality.
- acceptable picture quality
- all in all, quite good AF on K3 with a bit of practice.

In the end, I need much more post processing to achieve the same results than with my primes, but I guess that the reason for using them. It just not doable for me for the 200mm+ range. Too expensive and not that practical...

My point is, maybe the RE version has improved AF, but for me the most important would be improved picture quality. A few crop here and there show that the quality look quite similar, maybe a bit better, maybe a bit worse. But we are in same ballpark apparently.

This is still a consumer zoom...

The real upgrade coming from a DA55-300 is likely any variant of a 70-200 f/2.8 (the cheapest tamron start used at 450-500€), or a 60-250. Both would give you, I think much better picture quality. Perfectly sharp crop, possibility to use a TC and again get 100% sharp crops, better contrast/micro constrast and rendering overall.

The RE, like the HD DA is a great deal, no issue with that, but for me the new version is really worth it if you don't have the previous one or if it is really critical for you to have something a bit smaller/lighter (and that legitimate!). If you upgrade for picture quality, I don't think you'd be that satisfied. Quite some money already for comparable performance.

For AF, you may be satisfied, counting you have at least K3-II or K1, otherwise, K70 included, you are better to spend your money on a better body that can track, have precise and fast off center AF points: K3, K3-II or K1.

[surfar]

I have not tried the DAL on my K1, but I shot with it on film quite a bit and found it more than acceptable, with little or no vignetting.

Its on my K1 a lot and with a 1.4x Sigma TC, produces images I'm pleased with.Some scenes the "little" vignetting is more noticeable.The square


crop should eliminate that though.


I like the look of the comparison with the "hunter" lens...FA80-320, which is so frustrating it only gets a go manually(very good) in the Q bag.The new 55/300 will certainly save some room in the bag!

[GeneV]

Its on my K1 a lot and with a 1.4x Sigma TC, produces images I'm pleased with.Some scenes the "little" vignetting is more noticeable.The square


crop should eliminate that though.


I like the look of the comparison with the "hunter" lens...FA80-320, which is so frustrating it only gets a go manually(very good) in the Q bag.The new 55/300 will certainly save some room in the bag!

In my experience with scans of film, a PP profile took care of the minor vignetting without the converter. My experience has been that a converter shot needs the square crop with a number of lenses. For example, my DA*300 works flawlessly on the K1 without the 1.4x. With the rear converter, there is a circle which often cannot be removed with vignetting correction.

The importance of professional levels of sharpness at all apertures is often overstated, and the importance of space in the bag understated. The size of the MX and the size of M lenses were a big factor in my investing in Pentax products 40 years ago.

[surfar]

M lenses were a big factor in my investing in Pentax

A good investment at any point in time!

[acoufap]

For those who are interested in another sharpness example:

Treetop

K-1, APSC mode, DA55-300PLM@150 - ISO100, 1/320s, f6.3

100% crop - 800 x 533px


Do you find the crop in the original image? In the crop you can even see the small insects flying around the tree crown on pixel level. Only a little bit sharpening in CaptureOne (input sharpening) - not much room for improvement IMO.

[Nicolas06]

For those who are interested in another sharpness example:

Treetop

K-1, APSC mode, DA55-300PLM@150 - ISO100, 1/320s, f6.3

100% crop - 800 x 533px


Do you find the crop in the original image? In the crop you can even see the small insects flying around the tree crown on pixel level. Only a little bit sharpening in CaptureOne (input sharpening) - not much room for improvement IMO.

This is comparable to what the previous version does. Mine at leat can be sharp on a subject like your tree, no issue, until at least 190mm. Event at f/4.5 this isn't bad at all. At 260mm and up, that's another story.

What is really interresting is to see what the lens does at 300mm...

[jgnfld]

This is comparable to what the previous version does. Mine at leat can be sharp on a subject like your tree, no issue, until at least 190mm. Event at f/4.5 this isn't bad at all. At 260mm and up, that's another story.

What is really interresting is to see what the lens does at 300mm...

The osprey pics here https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/328778-opin...ml#post3764266 from earlier in the thread and the caribou/snowy owl pics here https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/328778-opin...ml#post3765912 from earlier in the thread are all at 300mm. All hand held pics taken at targets-of-opportunity...though the caribou and owl were at a reserve.

[acoufap]

This is comparable to what the previous version does. Mine at leat can be sharp on a subject like your tree, no issue, until at least 190mm. Event at f/4.5 this isn't bad at all. At 260mm and up, that's another story.

What is really interresting is to see what the lens does at 300mm...

An example of sharpness @300 I have already shown here - also very good IMO.

[Zygonyx]

Just a few recent samples... this lens is probably the best walkaround compact one you can bring in public gardens / zoos...

1-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @ 78mm f/5 1/125s ISO 160 -1IL

2-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @230mm f/6.3 1/320s ISO 640 -1IL

3-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @150mm f/5,6 1/80s ISO 5000

4-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @300mm f/8 1/160s ISO 5000

5-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @150mm f/5.6 1/80s ISO 5000

6-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @230mm f/5.6 1/80s ISO 320

7-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @300mm f/6.3 1/80s ISO 1250

8-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @210mm f/7.1 1/160s ISO 2500

9-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @78mm f/4.5 1/160s ISO 3200

10-
K-S1 + HD 55-300mm @55mm f/4.5 1/160s ISO 1600 -1.3IL