[eric3929]

Out and about in North Carolina, spotted this wildlife.
Mother bear and her cubs enjoying the warm sunny day.










And this last pic is a large male I saw later in the day. I know this 55-300mm PLM isn't the fastest lens, but when paired with something like the KP that does well in low light I haven't found it to be a major issue. This image was captured at ISO 20,000. Sure, it's a little noisy, but I think it's an acceptable shot.

[Mbaez]

Popocatépetl erupts, sending ashes and gas into the air.
Pentax KP + 55-300PLM

[swanlefitte]

Went to Taylor's Falls with my 55-300 PLM hoping to see some birds. The park was devoid of life compared to 30 years ago. I saw 5 bees a couple flies and an ant for insects where it use to have tons. saw about 5 birds over an entire river valley. I did see a chipmunk, actually 2 hanging around the rock climbers. Kids seeing it for the first time think this is normal.
This was taken by the biggest natural pothole in Minnesota, actually the world. Of course no one knows because they are all filled in. In the 1880's they decided to dig it out and found it was over 60 feet deep. Others were impossible to dig out at the time.

[ddeacon]

Y'all seem to be getting super clear shots on this lens wide open. I just bought it and a K70 and unless it's stopped down to f9 or higher it's not in focus and seems to get this weird colour bleed on edges. Maybe I should create a new topic but since there's a lot of people posting here figured I'd ask.

Doesn't seem to make a difference what the ISO, shutter speed, focal length, raw or JPG, distance, motion correction on/off, tripod or hand held, etc is.

[swanlefitte]

I just bought it and a K70 and unless it's stopped down to f9 or higher it's not in focus and seems to get this weird colour bleed on edges. Maybe I should create a new topic but since there's a lot of people posting here figured I'd ask.

A specific thread will get more general lens knowledge but this thread will get this lens owners experience. Either way we need images for a start.

[Des]

Y'all seem to be getting super clear shots on this lens wide open. I just bought it and a K70 and unless it's stopped down to f9 or higher it's not in focus and seems to get this weird colour bleed on edges. Maybe I should create a new topic but since there's a lot of people posting here figured I'd ask.Doesn't seem to make a difference what the ISO, shutter speed, focal length, raw or JPG, distance, motion correction on/off, tripod or hand held, etc is.

Welcome to PF. As Chris says, we need some images - post them with the EXIF intact. While you are doing that, some other things to address:
- Have you tried other lenses on the K-70? Any similar issues?
- Tried manual focusing? Are the images sharp then?
- Cleaned the contacts on the lens and the camera body?
- Is the lens mounting properly on the body and clicking into place?
- Did you buy the camera and lens new? Are they under warranty?

These images of our friendly resident songbirds are all taken with the DA 55-300 PLM at f6.3.

Darcy, a Grey Shrike-Thrush.



Olive Whistler




Little Wattlebird

[normhead]

Y'all seem to be getting super clear shots on this lens wide open. I just bought it and a K70 and unless it's stopped down to f9 or higher it's not in focus and seems to get this weird colour bleed on edges. Maybe I should create a new topic but since there's a lot of people posting here figured I'd ask.

Doesn't seem to make a difference what the ISO, shutter speed, focal length, raw or JPG, distance, motion correction on/off, tripod or hand held, etc is.

Tess shoot this lens always wide open (on her K-5) and gets great images. You need to exchange your copy if you can.

[ddeacon]

Tess shoot this lens always wide open (on her K-5) and gets great images. You need to exchange your copy if you can.

Wait you can use the PLM version it on a K5? Only person I know that I can test the lens on a different body has a K5.

To answer previous questions:

All clean, both brand new. Mounts properly, only lens so have to go borrow some others to test. Happens with live view and viewfinder, definitely with AF need to test more with manual.

Will get some examples up, was having issues with my Adobe cloud last night and now working today.

[luftfluss]

Wait you can use the PLM version it on a K5? Only person I know that I can test the lens on a different body has a K5.

To answer previous questions:

All clean, both brand new. Mounts properly, only lens so have to go borrow some others to test. Happens with live view and viewfinder, definitely with AF need to test more with manual.

Will get some examples up, was having issues with my Adobe cloud last night and now working today.

You can use it on the K-5, but it will shoot only wide open.

It sounds like there needs to be an AF micro-adjustment done with your K-70, unless the lens is defective.

Try the lens while using Live View. Live View uses contrast detect (instead of phase detect when using the OVF) and thus, in theory, there should be no focusing errors. If your lens is decently sharp when using Live View that would suggest AF micro-adjustment needs to be done.

[swanlefitte]

Now I am curious if anyone has adjusted their plm lens. Mine is great and I never thought about it. Figured it was something to do with the kaf4.
Has any one calibrated and needed adjustment?

[Des]

only lens so have to go borrow some others to test.

Need to do this to work out whether it's the lens or the camera that is the problem. So try the PLM on another body and try another lens on the K-70.

The "weird colour bleed on the edges" has me puzzled. Sounds like something more than chromatic aberration (which should not be pronounced with this lens anyway). I want to see what this looks like.

Has any one calibrated and needed adjustment?

I'm a bit slack on calibrating. I only do it when there is an obvious problem. My current copy of the PLM seems very accurate.
.

[northcoastgreg]

Mattole Road:

[swanlefitte]

Need to do this to work out whether it's the lens or the camera that is the problem. So try the PLM on another body and try another lens on the K-70.

The "weird colour bleed on the edges" has me puzzled. Sounds like something more than chromatic aberration (which should not be pronounced with this lens anyway). I want to see what this looks like.
I'm a bit slack on calibrating. I only do it when there is an obvious problem. My current copy of the PLM seems very accurate.
.

Yeah now knowing that is the only lens to test and a new kp. it could be the kp, or most likely the card or card reader.

[ddeacon]

Need to do this to work out whether it's the lens or the camera that is the problem. So try the PLM on another body and try another lens on the K-70.

The "weird colour bleed on the edges" has me puzzled. Sounds like something more than chromatic aberration (which should not be pronounced with this lens anyway). I want to see what this looks like.
I'm a bit slack on calibrating. I only do it when there is an obvious problem. My current copy of the PLM seems very accurate.
.

Was the best way I could describe what happens, looks sort of like a combination of CA and camera shake but happens on a tripod with body stabilization off.

Luckily there's a park nearby so I shot off a quick example.

[skierd]

Are you manually releasing the shutter or using the 2s timer/MLU or remote? How heavy is your tripod?

---------- Post added 05-25-20 at 08:20 PM ----------

I bought my PLM shortly after my DA*. 50-135’s SDM died. That was my favorite and easily most used lens, but I always wanted something longer; faster focusing would just be a bonus as I found SDM to generally to be enough.

I was wrong. The PLM blows SDM away! My KP actually tracks subject well with it, even BIF or KR (kids running). Optically it’s more than good enough for me, especially as I get to know it and more so now that I’ve had a chance to try it back to back with my old favorite 50-135.

These are cross posted in the 300+ club and the KP threads but I think they show what I love about this lens.

I think this little guy has been eating at the feeder a bit too much...







---------- Post added 05-24-20 at 10:48 PM ----------

Some more, larger critters... Shot one handed over my shoulder out the back window of my truck while in the drivers seat. Try that with a DA*60-250!


roadside moose web-5170 by David Dawson, on Flickr

And some dinosaurs too.

cranes return-4917 by David Dawson, on Flickr


Zoinks! by David Dawson, on Flickr


cranes return-5004 by David Dawson, on Flickr


cranes return-4916 by David Dawson, on Flickr