HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE - Show us what it can do, what it CAN'T!

**DW58** · 07-27-2018, 10:35 AM - **4 Likes**

K-70. 55-300 @ 230mm. Cropped quite a bit.

northcoastgreg · 07-27-2018, 02:13 PM - **1 Like**

Glacier NP:

Wbwhit · 07-28-2018, 10:10 AM - **3 Likes**

First photo is a red-bellied woodpecker taken with a ks-2. Second photo is 2 mating flower flies taken with a ks-2 plus a raynox dcr-150 which I think pairs pretty well with the 55-300.

SSGGeezer · 07-28-2018, 07:26 PM - **4 Likes**

A brave fly sharing a flower cluster with two wasps and another of my one onion flower with a wasp working it for some sweets.

Attached Images

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**ehrwien** · 07-28-2018, 07:45 PM

Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? The PLM has obviously super fast AF and is WR, but how much better can I expect image quality to be compared to my cheap Tamron?

SSGGeezer · 07-28-2018, 07:50 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by ehrwien

Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? The PLM has obviously super fast AF and is WR, but how much better can I expect image quality to be compared to my cheap Tamron?

I don't know about the Tamron 70-300, but it is better than the 18-250 Pentax, (And so it is better than the Tammy 18-250 since the design is the same except for coatings.) And better than the other WR DA 55-300 even though your max aperture is 0.5 larger with the PLM. And silent fast focusing as long as you have a K-50 or newer camera with latest firmware. (Or hacked K-30 to K-50 firmware.)

Wbwhit · 07-28-2018, 08:01 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by ehrwien

Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? The PLM has obviously super fast AF and is WR, but how much better can I expect image quality to be compared to my cheap Tamron?

I have a used copy of the tamron 70-300. It’s pretty good for a really cheap macro lens (or an intro to macro lens really), but as a zoom I felt CA/purple fringing was really severe on the tamron, which is what prompted me to purchase the plm.

**Des** · 07-28-2018, 10:17 PM - **4 Likes**

Rhyll, Phillip Island, Victoria. K-3 + DA 55-300 PLM, handheld.

northcoastgreg · 07-29-2018, 11:33 AM - **5 Likes**

Originally posted by ehrwien

Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s?

I briefly owned one of the Tamron 70-300s years ago. The DA 55-300 PLM is sharper (particularly at the wide and middle ends), contrastier, and renders better. Your images from this lens will look better than Tamron images at all image sizes: better colors, more pop, more natural, better rendering of detail. Just keep in mind that the lens, like all such variable aperture "consumer grade" zooms, loses resolution at the long end. Images shot at 300mm can still look pretty good on screen or in smaller prints, but they're not going to look as sharp and detailed if printed large, especially if set side by side with images shot with the DA* 300.

Setting sun and Humboldt Bay Pulp Mill shot @190mm:

**DW58** · 07-29-2018, 03:03 PM - **3 Likes**

North and Middle Sister from Dee Wright Observatory. Oregon Cascades. Attached to K-70 @ 88mm and unfortunately mid afternoon.

**SteveinSLC** · 07-29-2018, 06:06 PM - **5 Likes**

A very cooperative and photogenic mountain goat on Bald Mountain in the Uintas this morning. Glad I had the 55-300 with me this morning, as I don't always hike with it.

bobmaxja · 07-29-2018, 06:43 PM

I just bought that lens for my western trip, thanks to show how good this lens is. Now , I just need to get the K-70 or KP. Just sold today my K-5

**DW58** · 07-29-2018, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by SteveinSLC

A very cooperative and photogenic mountain goat on Bald Mountain in the Uintas this morning. Glad I had the 55-300 with me this morning, as I don't always hike with it.
Attached Images

Liked. Plus two. Nice shots.

**Des** · 07-31-2018, 12:41 AM - **12 Likes**

I've been on a lot of whale watching cruises, but I've never seen this before. This is a young male Humpback whale, about 13 metres long and weighing about 25 tonnes, breaching off Phillip Island, Victoria.

We had been following him and his companion for about half an hour. When he dived this time, the crew of the boat said that it was a deep dive and he might breach, but there was no telling where he would emerge. So I didn't zoom in too far (108mm as it happened) and relied on the fast AF, fast shutter (1/1250th), decent DOF (f9) and some cropping to get the result. Fortunately, it worked pretty well. At a guess, he emerged about 70 metres away.

Definitely one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen. I was very lucky to see it, and luckier still to capture it. Hooray for the PLM.

northcoastgreg · 07-31-2018, 06:47 AM - **4 Likes**

Running Eagle Falls in Glacier NP:

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07-27-2018, 10:35 AM - 4 Likes	#136
DW58 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rural Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,082	K-70. 55-300 @ 230mm. Cropped quite a bit.

07-27-2018, 02:13 PM - 1 Like	#137
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,175	Glacier NP:

07-28-2018, 07:45 PM	#140
ehrwien Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 2,784	Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? The PLM has obviously super fast AF and is WR, but how much better can I expect image quality to be compared to my cheap Tamron?

07-28-2018, 07:50 PM - 1 Like	#141
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Originally posted by ehrwien Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? The PLM has obviously super fast AF and is WR, but how much better can I expect image quality to be compared to my cheap Tamron? I don't know about the Tamron 70-300, but it is better than the 18-250 Pentax, (And so it is better than the Tammy 18-250 since the design is the same except for coatings.) And better than the other WR DA 55-300 even though your max aperture is 0.5 larger with the PLM. And silent fast focusing as long as you have a K-50 or newer camera with latest firmware. (Or hacked K-30 to K-50 firmware.)

07-28-2018, 08:01 PM - 2 Likes	#142
Wbwhit Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Maryland Posts: 42	Originally posted by ehrwien Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? The PLM has obviously super fast AF and is WR, but how much better can I expect image quality to be compared to my cheap Tamron? I have a used copy of the tamron 70-300. It’s pretty good for a really cheap macro lens (or an intro to macro lens really), but as a zoom I felt CA/purple fringing was really severe on the tamron, which is what prompted me to purchase the plm.

07-28-2018, 10:17 PM - 4 Likes	#143
Des Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Victoria Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 6,424	Rhyll, Phillip Island, Victoria. K-3 + DA 55-300 PLM, handheld.

07-29-2018, 11:33 AM - 5 Likes	#144
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,175	Originally posted by ehrwien Has someone made the switch to this from one of the cheap Tamron/Sigma 70-300s? I briefly owned one of the Tamron 70-300s years ago. The DA 55-300 PLM is sharper (particularly at the wide and middle ends), contrastier, and renders better. Your images from this lens will look better than Tamron images at all image sizes: better colors, more pop, more natural, better rendering of detail. Just keep in mind that the lens, like all such variable aperture "consumer grade" zooms, loses resolution at the long end. Images shot at 300mm can still look pretty good on screen or in smaller prints, but they're not going to look as sharp and detailed if printed large, especially if set side by side with images shot with the DA* 300. Setting sun and Humboldt Bay Pulp Mill shot @190mm:

07-29-2018, 03:03 PM - 3 Likes	#145
DW58 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rural Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,082	North and Middle Sister from Dee Wright Observatory. Oregon Cascades. Attached to K-70 @ 88mm and unfortunately mid afternoon.

07-29-2018, 06:43 PM	#147
bobmaxja Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laval, Quebec Canada Posts: 2,171	I just bought that lens for my western trip, thanks to show how good this lens is. Now , I just need to get the K-70 or KP. Just sold today my K-5

07-29-2018, 07:03 PM	#148
DW58 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rural Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,082	Originally posted by SteveinSLC A very cooperative and photogenic mountain goat on Bald Mountain in the Uintas this morning. Glad I had the 55-300 with me this morning, as I don't always hike with it. Attached Images Liked. Plus two. Nice shots.

07-31-2018, 12:41 AM - 12 Likes	#149
Des Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Victoria Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 6,424	I've been on a lot of whale watching cruises, but I've never seen this before. This is a young male Humpback whale, about 13 metres long and weighing about 25 tonnes, breaching off Phillip Island, Victoria. We had been following him and his companion for about half an hour. When he dived this time, the crew of the boat said that it was a deep dive and he might breach, but there was no telling where he would emerge. So I didn't zoom in too far (108mm as it happened) and relied on the fast AF, fast shutter (1/1250th), decent DOF (f9) and some cropping to get the result. Fortunately, it worked pretty well. At a guess, he emerged about 70 metres away. Definitely one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen. I was very lucky to see it, and luckier still to capture it. Hooray for the PLM.

07-31-2018, 06:47 AM - 4 Likes	#150
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,175	Running Eagle Falls in Glacier NP: