[swanlefitte]

I have an old takumar 300 and the 55-300plm. The old lens is much sharper and in the right conditions is better. Not in sun, not when things are moving much. For other conditions think about carrying a brick with your 55-300, thats about it and now you have some cheap lens sharpness at the above cost. I still can't make the call which is better but i will almost always go with the 55-300plm

[UncleVanya]

I have an old takumar 300 and the 55-300plm. The old lens is much sharper and in the right conditions is better. Not in sun, not when things are moving much. For other conditions think about carrying a brick with your 55-300, thats about it and now you have some cheap lens sharpness at the above cost. I still can't make the call which is better but i will almost always go with the 55-300plm

Do you know which Tak 300? I think I recall the model 1 is a bit of a dog - you have the model 2 I'd wager?

[swanlefitte]

I have the smc tak f4. Its big but was only $70.

---------- Post added 03-19-18 at 02:04 AM ----------

S-M-C/Super Takumar 300mm F4 Reviews - M42 Screwmount Telephoto Primes - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Its only 946g instead of 1500+g of version 2.

[UncleVanya]

I have the smc tak f4. Its big but was only $70.

---------- Post added 03-19-18 at 02:04 AM ----------

S-M-C/Super Takumar 300mm F4 Reviews - M42 Screwmount Telephoto Primes - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Its only 946g instead of 1500+g of version 2.

Reviewers seem to pan the version 1. Is it bad, or were they hyper critical?

[grispie]

The preferred path in Pentax land is DA*300 and 1.4TC. That's likely your next move... you just have to save your pennies.

I tend to agree on this. I bought the da300 with TC recently and pretty happy about taking the plunge. I find the da55 300 to be very good. da300 is just quite better & significantly more room for cropping. I have not used it extensively yet. But worth saving for.

Not sure how it performs on a k10d though nor whether your upgrade path would have to be a more recent body first.. Depends on the way you make photographs i guess..
my 2cents

[Ronald Oakes]

Reviewers seem to pan the version 1. Is it bad, or were they hyper critical?

Since I have 3 of the four 300mm Takumar versions (don't have SMC version 4) I can say this.......I kept version 1 for 2 days and ditched it after testing ! It wasn't as bad as the reviewers made it out to be , but significantly less than all the other later versions.
Its a tossup between version 2 and version 3. Version 3 is much easier to work with simply because of its much smaller size.

As a Noob to these 300mm lenses , I can say they are not really lacking much , especially with smaller images and a bit of PP really helps.

They are ALL little "Beasts" that require some work and thought using them , yet they are also highly underrated.

Much of the dislike and lower ratings on these lenses , other than being Big , Heavy , and all Manual , is they don't focus closer than about 18 feet !

[SSGGeezer]

If you want to save some money (and avoid being tied into a monthly subscription), I'd highly recommend trying the latest version of Darktable for Windows. It's completely free, not all that dissimilar to Lightroom in operation and capabilities, and just an awfully good bit of software all round. The noise reduction and lens correction tools aren't, IMHO, as good as Lightroom, but in most other respects it does a very good job. The full documentation is available online too, and it's very well written and easy to follow.

Lots of good YouTube videos on how advanced users put Darktable to work for them with good examples for workflow and how to use the various tools that Darktable offers.

[mgvh]

I have the DA-L 55-300, the Super Takumar 300mm F4, and a FIVE STAR 500mm 1:8 Ø67mm.
I can get better results with the SuperTak 300 than the DAL, but it depends on how well I've been able to focus. I can get more keepers w/ the DAL with its autofocussing.
If it's simply magnification, that cheap, old long tube FiveStar 500mm gets the best results (compared to upsizing from 300mm on the other lenses), but it certainly needs to be tripod mounted.

[pres589]

I don't think I've seen anyone in this thread tossing out the idea of getting a higher megapixel camera body and cropping in post to "increase" the effective zoom. I think I'd start there, keeping the existing 55-300 that the OP has today, and upgrade lenses later. As much as it pains me to suggest this next part, I think I'd go for something that supports KAF4 lenses, so the K-5's are out. I really like my K-5 II but a 24mpx sensor and KAF4 would drive me to a K-3, the K-70, or a KP. I never care about this myself as I never seem to shoot longer than 135mm besides silly projects with my DA-L 50-200 (which should say just how serious I am about telephoto shooting).

EvilBay suggests that $500 for a good condition used K-3 would get him there. I don't know if that's inline with the proposed budget or not; feels like a no, but, that's still my first suggestion. A good TC with AF is going to be about half that, right? What's a better lens going to cost, probably $500 again?

[swanlefitte]

other than being Big , Heavy , and all Manual , is they don't focus closer than about 18" !

I think you mean 18'! In Spinal Tap that same mixup led to a very tiny prop of Stonehenge.
This is the scene. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DPyh1Va_mYWI&ved=0ahUKEwjiiYbH5fjZAhXJ5YMKHVTrDr8QtwIIJTAA&usg=AOvVaw0yRXwPwphIF8YduTVuxNE6

[Ronald Oakes]

I think you mean 18'! ....

Lol....I wish it were 18 inches.....Edited post. I haven't had my Coffee yet this morning......lol.

[UncleVanya]

I don't think I've seen anyone in this thread tossing out the idea of getting a higher megapixel camera body and cropping in post to "increase" the effective zoom. I think I'd start there, keeping the existing 55-300 that the OP has today, and upgrade lenses later. As much as it pains me to suggest this next part, I think I'd go for something that supports KAF4 lenses, so the K-5's are out. I really like my K-5 II but a 24mpx sensor and KAF4 would drive me to a K-3, the K-70, or a KP. I never care about this myself as I never seem to shoot longer than 135mm besides silly projects with my DA-L 50-200 (which should say just how serious I am about telephoto shooting).

EvilBay suggests that $500 for a good condition used K-3 would get him there. I don't know if that's inline with the proposed budget or not; feels like a no, but, that's still my first suggestion. A good TC with AF is going to be about half that, right? What's a better lens going to cost, probably $500 again?

That was the consensus at one point - suggested in post #2 and seconded by several others.

[pres589]

Ah yes. I see that now. Put me down for voting in support of this move as well.

[aslyfox]

Thanks, a newer body like a K3 is another thing I am considering. . . .

if you are interested in the K 3,

is a new K 3 II of interest

B & H is continuing its deal where you pay $7.00 over the price of the K 3 II alone and get the battery grip plus the K 3 II

Pentax K-3 II DSLR Camera with Battery Grip Kit B&H Photo Video

don't forget the deal available if you buy from the forum's sponsors

FREE Marketplace Access if you shop at B&H, Adorama, or Topaz Labs - PentaxForums.com

[Ronald Oakes]

If you want to save some money (and avoid being tied into a monthly subscription), I'd highly recommend trying the latest version of Darktable for Windows. It's completely free, not all that dissimilar to Lightroom in operation and capabilities, and just an awfully good bit of software all round. The noise reduction and lens correction tools aren't, IMHO, as good as Lightroom, but in most other respects it does a very good job. The full documentation is available online too, and it's very well written and easy to follow.

THANK YOU ! I never even knew darktable existed until now. I just tried it and its relative easy use has me really excited. Thank You Sincerely.

---------- Post added 03-19-18 at 12:52 PM ----------

Ah yes. I see that now. Put me down for voting in support of this move as well.

+3.....what he said ^