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09-13-2008, 01:03 PM   #1
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K100D 500mm-600mm Telephoto for Surf Photography

Hi. I am interested in taking surfing photos from the beach. I have a Pentax K100D. From what I have read I should probably get something in the 500mm - 600mm range. I am looking for something more entry level than high end/professional.

I would be extremely grateful if someone could point me in the right direction for a suitable lens that is compatible with my camera that I can purchase easily within the UK at a reasonable price.

Thank you in advance.

09-13-2008, 01:41 PM   #2
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no point getting anything that long, and you wont find anything "entry level" in that range. Are you joking? I have done surf photography, from a beach,, and you dont need anything like that unless you are trying to get peoples faces.

Go for a 300mm, either the pentax 55-300 or the sigma 70-300

the pentax DA* 300 might also be good for its weather sealing against sand and water
09-13-2008, 03:07 PM   #3
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500 or 600, I'd say the Sigma range would cover it for you, but even 2nd hand, its going to be quite a lot of money. Also remember the hassles in terms of weight and setup/portability with those bigma's., and you will DEFINITELY need to tripod it up very sturdy.

If you are willing to consider your 1.5x crop factor, then a 300mm would "seemingly" produce 480 mm...
I have a Sigma 70-300 APO, and I am really happy with it, I don't do surfers really, but I do airshows and offroad bike races, and it does wonders.

But shop around indeed, anything new for a pentax mount will work on your camera
09-13-2008, 03:55 PM   #4
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Thanks for the replies. I have read quite a few posts on here and on some of the surfing forums about the Sigma Bigma 50mm-500mm which seems to get the thumbs up all round. If I can afford it would this be a better option than one of the 300mm options.

PS: What do all the letters after the lens mean??

09-13-2008, 04:18 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeffski Quote
PS: What do all the letters after the lens mean??
Here are some of the suffixes Sigma gives to its lenses: Lens Technology - SIGMA CORPORATION
09-13-2008, 04:37 PM   #6
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If you don't mind manual focusing, you can usually find a manual 400MM lens fairly cheap on eBay, or on here. I bought a Vivitar 400mm from one of the members here, and it is a nice lens, a bit heavy, and totally manual, but once you get it dialed in, it can produce some nice images.
09-13-2008, 05:49 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeffski Quote
Thanks for the replies. I have read quite a few posts on here and on some of the surfing forums about the Sigma Bigma 50mm-500mm which seems to get the thumbs up all round. If I can afford it would this be a better option than one of the 300mm options.

PS: What do all the letters after the lens mean??
the bigma weights 2kg. be prepared to bring some kind of support or work out :P

09-13-2008, 10:16 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeffski Quote
Hi. I am interested in taking surfing photos from the beach. I have a Pentax K100D. From what I have read I should probably get something in the 500mm - 600mm range. I am looking for something more entry level than high end/professional.

I would be extremely grateful if someone could point me in the right direction for a suitable lens that is compatible with my camera that I can purchase easily within the UK at a reasonable price.

Thank you in advance.
Consider one of the mirror lenses. There are a large number of 500mm f/8 mirror lenses out there, and several 600mm f/8 as well. These are not perfect; the specular highlights will show as doughnuts, there is no ability to adjust the aperture, and they can be very touchy to focus. However, you can pick up a good one (check all the reports before buying!) for much less than $200, and often less than $100. As the mirror lenses can go out of alignment easily, ask for images taken with it before buying, or buy from a reputable used dealer such as KEH in the USA.
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