[offshore5]

Hello all,
I'm not sure what category I should ask this in but. I am considering buying K1-11 or a DA 150-450 lens. I am shooting with a K3-11 with a DA 300 mm and 1.4 TC for wildlife shots.
I want something that focus's faster. I know with the k1-11 I will loose distance with the full frame sensor, so would you go for the camera or the lens?
Thanks.

[Adam]

Hello all,
I'm not sure what category I should ask this in but. I am considering buying K1-11 or a DA 150-450 lens. I am shooting with a K3-11 with a DA 300 mm and 1.4 TC for wildlife shots.
I want something that focus's faster. I know with the k1-11 I will loose distance with the full frame sensor, so would you go for the camera or the lens?
Thanks.

Go for the lens. The 150-450mm focuses faster than the 300mm for sure. Also, the 1.4x TC is not FF-compatible.

[aslyfox]

Welcome to the forum

if I was you, I would not make a decision without spending some $ and renting equipment from one of the rental companies

I use Lensrental.com

and conducting my own trials to determine what fits my needs.

____________________

I have the DA * 300mm

and the DA 1.4 rear converter

and the D FA 150-450mm zoom

all fine lenses

I would choose the D FA 150-450mm if I were you

HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews - on ASP-C bodies

HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews - on full frame

____________________


and should you be interested in " experienced " equipment instead of new, check out what might be available from forum members in the market place - " buy/sell "

[pschlute]

I want something that focus's faster. I know with the k1-11 I will loose distance with the full frame sensor, so would you go for the camera or the lens?

Go for the lens. As Adam said the 150-450 focuses a lot faster that the 300 on any camera.

As far as losing distance, that is only because the K1 has a smaller pixel pitch compared to the K3, not because it is a FF sensor. If you were to compare k1 versus k5 the image resolution would be the same

[C_Jones]

The lens would be a wise step toward super telephoto wildlife shooting. I have the K-1 II and the detail in crops of its images is excellent, but if you plan on doing dedicated wildlife shooting with FF in the future, having super telephoto such as the 150-450 would be a very useful and effective piece of equipment.

[offshore5]

Thanks all , I have been leaning towards the lens.

[Fenwoodian]

.
Good choice. I'd go for the lens too.

For serious bird photography I've always used an APS-C camera, even though I have full frame cameras too that I could use.

Get the lens now, then in a year or so when the next new Pentax APS-C camera comes out (K3iii), you'll already have the lens and the skills to upgrade camera bodies at that time...

[Eyewanders]

Though this is not a film SLR question (it'd get more help in the DSLR section) I have to disagree with most above. I've had most of these at one point or another and there are simply a VERY select few lenses, particularly newer ones, that have utterly impressed me as much as the DA* 300/4 - that thing is a gem, and it's quite literally one of the only reasons I even keep DSLR (still have a K-3 purchased on day-of-release which may well be my last "upgrade") around at all. On APS-C it is near birding perfection (and again that's almost the only thing I use it and the K-3 for).

I've poured over hundreds bird and wildlife shots from other photogs using each of the above mentioned lenses, and 19 out of 20 times, the DA300 shots are the clear standouts in terms of pure IQ and gorgeous rendering. That and 300mm on a crop sensor is pretty much where I live with zoom for birds anyhow - it's the sweet spot length for that application.

---------- Post added 04-24-18 at 05:44 PM ----------

I shot this on a whim, one hour ago out my living room window, handheld.
Almost SOOC, but for the a 1:1 square crop; completely unedited from the RAW file, except "Low" export sharpening to JPG out of Lightroom.

Purple Finch - K-3 DA*300 - unedited

[angerdan]

I am considering buying K1-11 or a DA 150-450 lens. I am shooting with a K3-11 with a DA 300 mm and 1.4 TC for wildlife shots.
I want something that focus's faster.

Thre other options when buying the K-1 II are these:

• Convert the DA* 300mm to screwdrive (for free )
• Get the FA* 400mm 5.6 (cheaper than the D FA 150-450mm)
• Buy the Tamron 1.4x Pz-AF TC with electronic contacts for SDM lenses (still cheaper than DFA150-450)

[clickclick]

Another vote for the lens. I have the K3II, K-1, and the 150-450. Unless I'm loosing my light, my K3II is the goto bird/wildlife camera.