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10-15-2018, 06:50 AM - 2 Likes   #46
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A couple of other points about the PLM. (With limited experience I admit) I have found that all the advice about it being "soft" at the extreme is true. If you can dial it back to the 200-250 range you should get sharper images. Also, I have had good and bad "luck" with enlarging and cropping in editing.

10-15-2018, 02:17 PM - 3 Likes   #47
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QuoteOriginally posted by Oktyabr Quote
Hmmm... that's a good tip! Due to the inclement environment I frequently find myself in, it must be WR or AW. Buying anything else for this particular purpose is just throwing away money, and I don't make near the sort of salary that might justify replacing a four digit telephoto on a regular basis.
The DA*300mm f4, DFA150-450mm f4.5-5.6 and DA 560mm f5.6 and the DA 1.4x TC are all WR or AW.

Just sayin'.
QuoteOriginally posted by Oktyabr Quote
I'm hoping that the 55-300 PLM, between it's WR and compact build, will survive at least an entire season at my job, and may well prove adequate for the birds near enough that I even spot them with my naked eye. Similarly, I may carry a tripod on occasion, but most shots, I suspect, will be taken handheld in a fleeting moment. We'll see! Answers to questions like that are exactly why I'm getting back into this hobby.
The PLM can do really well when the birds are within a reasonable distance - say 30'/10m for a small bird, with a 24mp sensor so you can crop freely. And its compactness and light weight really do encourage you to have it with you all the time.

Just one word of caution. The PLM has a plastic barrel. It's well built, but it won't take a heavy knock or fall. How do I know? What to avoid with your 55-300 PLM lens! - PentaxForums.com You don't need to baby it, just take reasonable care. Retract it and put it in a bag when not in use. Don't drive with it on the seat. Wrap the camera strap around your wrist when carrying the camera with lens attached. Stuff like that.

As for shooting handheld, yes that what I do most of the time too. The birds don't wait for you to set up a tripod. (It's different if you are going to a hide or some particular site where you can predict where the bird will be.) The key is to concentrate on getting a steady stance and use good technique when shooting handheld at longish focal lengths. I see you've been shooting for years, but even experienced photographers can get some good tips from this excellent article: Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

One more thing. When your new gear arrives, do the usual tests with each lens. In particular, test for decentering (https://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/photo-articles/how-to-check-your-lens-...centering.html) and test the AF on each lens and use fine adjustment if necessary.

Last edited by Des; 10-15-2018 at 02:24 PM.
10-15-2018, 03:43 PM - 1 Like   #48
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The PLM motor is more suited to lightweight components from memory, so whilst it's quick and quiet, the moving components need to be lightweight too.
We are unlikely to see it on large aperture lenses for example.

It's possibly too early to comment on the long term reliability of the motor, but we all obviously hope it's (much) better than the SDM debacle.

The 5 Lens Autofocus Drive Types Explained - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com
10-15-2018, 06:04 PM - 1 Like   #49
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Thanks for the tips and the links!

One thing is for certain: both the K-70 and the PLM will get a serious work out in my hands. I'll be sure to post everything I discover!

10-15-2018, 10:07 PM - 1 Like   #50
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QuoteOriginally posted by richandfleur Quote
It's possibly too early to comment on the long term reliability of the motor, but we all obviously hope it's (much) better than the SDM debacle.
If there were problems with the PLM motor they would have started to show up by now. A few people seem have had the retracting lock button stick, but there don't seem to be any more reports of problems with this lens than with any of the other current zooms.
QuoteOriginally posted by Oktyabr Quote
One thing is for certain: both the K-70 and the PLM will get a serious work out in my hands. I'll be sure to post everything I discover!
Good to hear. There are plenty of thematic threads to post in (wildlife, insects, flowers, trees, forest walks, jetties, pets, agriculture, minimalism, monochrome, you name it), plus the lens-specific threads mentioned above, plus the 300mm+ lens club for your telephoto shots.

Get out and shoot!
10-16-2018, 04:27 AM - 1 Like   #51
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QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
The DA*300mm f4, DFA150-450mm f4.5-5.6 and DA 560mm f5.6 and the DA 1.4x TC are all WR or AW.

Just sayin'.

The PLM can do really well when the birds are within a reasonable distance - say 30'/10m for a small bird, with a 24mp sensor so you can crop freely. And its compactness and light weight really do encourage you to have it with you all the time.
I'd love to have any of those! Maybe next year. On the super long lenses, what do you find of their longest FL, handheld? Or are these really tripod babies?

QuoteQuote:
Just one word of caution. The PLM has a plastic barrel. It's well built, but it won't take a heavy knock or fall. How do I know? What to avoid with your 55-300 PLM lens! - PentaxForums.com You don't need to baby it, just take reasonable care. Retract it and put it in a bag when not in use. Don't drive with it on the seat. Wrap the camera strap around your wrist when carrying the camera with lens attached. Stuff like that.
I've never broken a lens before but I'm critically wary of doing so! I know some don't like wearing a sling around the neck; I won't take a shot without it (unless it's on a tripod, of course!). Often I use both, the sling AND the wrist strap.

QuoteQuote:
As for shooting handheld, yes that what I do most of the time too. The birds don't wait for you to set up a tripod. (It's different if you are going to a hide or some particular site where you can predict where the bird will be.) The key is to concentrate on getting a steady stance and use good technique when shooting handheld at longish focal lengths. I see you've been shooting for years, but even experienced photographers can get some good tips from this excellent article: Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles
GREAT article! As an American, I have had some exposure to shooting lead too, and I never really thought about it but yeah, the techniques are remarkably similar. Still, it was a great refresher that I'm glad I read! (I actually quit hunting decades ago and decided that photographing animals supplied just as much challenge... perhaps more, because with a camera I can "hunt" animals I wouldn't otherwise want, or be legally able, to pursue any other way.)

QuoteQuote:
One more thing. When your new gear arrives, do the usual tests with each lens. In particular, test for decentering (How to Check Your Lens for Decentering - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com) and test the AF on each lens and use fine adjustment if necessary.
I never thought of that! Thanks!

You take the sort of bird shots that I hope to achieve! Nice work!
10-16-2018, 02:40 PM - 1 Like   #52
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QuoteOriginally posted by Oktyabr Quote
On the super long lenses, what do you find of their longest FL, handheld? Or are these really tripod babies?
The longer the focal length, the harder it is to handhold successfully. But there are plenty of people who regularly take very good images with these lenses handheld. For me, one of the attractions of the 300mm prime plus teleconverter combination (I have the FA*300mm f4.5 and Kenko 1.5x TC, for an effective 420mm f6.3) is that it is much lighter than the 2kg lenses like the DFA 150-450 or the Bigma; I find that manageable for handholding. But others who aren't weaklings like me find the extra heft of the bigger lenses helps to stabilize them better for handholding. Like much in photography, mileages vary.

QuoteOriginally posted by Oktyabr Quote
You take the sort of bird shots that I hope to achieve! Nice work!
Thanks very much. I say with no false modesty that I'm Joe Average. It's just a matter of practice and opportunity.


In bright light, when you can shoot 1/1600th f8 ISO100, you have a clear view and the subject is close, it's a snack. But most of the time it's not like that. So usually you have to compromise - drop the shutter speed, raise the ISO, widen the aperture, add flash, focus manually to get the bird flitting in the branches or whatever. What the best compromise is for any given situation is something that just takes trial and error. If you can practise before you go out in the field - so you know what you can do, what the camera can do and what the lens can do in a variety of situations - you can speed up the learning process a lot and be better prepared for the once-in-a-lifetime sighting.

One more tip. There are plenty of discussions in this forum about the best settings for birds in flight (BIF). It's worth having a look for them. Many of us save the BIF settings to one of the User modes, so when the moment comes just spin the mode dial to the relevant User mode and shoot away.

10-17-2018, 05:23 AM - 2 Likes   #53
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QuoteOriginally posted by BigMackCam Quote
The Tamron 60-300 is a lovely old lens. I have a mint copy, and I'm surprised by how good it can be optically. But even my non-PLM HD DA55-300 runs rings around it, so given that the PLM is reputed to be better still, I think you'd be extremely satisfied with it
I have ordered my new 55-300mm PLM. Now the decision is what do I sell to help fund the purchase? The following list in decreasing order of pain for an addicted Pentaxian
1. Sell the Tamron SP which is joy to handle and delivers magnificent images, but is long and heavy (and only cost me $50 with the mount)
2. Sell the M 80-200mm/4.5 which is a classic Pentax lens and balances beautifully on the K70. That one cost me $70.
3. Sell the DAL 55-200mm, which is not so sharp but is really light to walk around with all day
4. Sell the Sigma 18-250 HSM and commit to always carrying at least two lenses
5. Sell a couple of very old lenses that may not fetch very much, but I will probably never use now - Sigma DL 100-300mm (it's poor on the K-70), Tamron Adaptall-2 135mm/f2.5 (great IQ), Tokina RMC 200mm/f3.5 (OK IQ but heavy and as big as the M 80-200), Sigma aspherical 20-90mm (great on low MP sensors)
6. Sell my backup body (K-m) with the old 1990s-era Sigma 18-50 and 55-200 DC lenses - I will not get much money but the lenses perform OK at 6MP, although lousy IQ on the M-70.

The dilemmas of a lens addict! I could sell a body with four or five lenses and still struggle to match the cost of one new lens. I just could not resist buying the latest. A cheaper hobby than a saltwater aquarium, or mud-jumping jeeps, at least.
10-17-2018, 06:43 AM - 1 Like   #54
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Selling all of those lenses seems like a pretty good idea, honestly. The one lens that I might hold onto out of those listed is the Tamron 135mm f2.5. Otherwise, yeah, move them on.
10-18-2018, 02:05 PM   #55
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gary H Perth Quote
I have ordered my new 55-300mm PLM. Now the decision is what do I sell to help fund the purchase?
Congratulations on the PLM Gary.

I think you need to look at your kit as a whole. I don't see a case for keeping any of the zooms in the list, if you have a better option and aren't likely to use it. The Sigma 18-250 could have a place when carrying and changing lenses is impractical and you want a wide range - like on a boat cruise, for example - but if you haven't used it for say 18 months, sell it.

As for the primes, the Tamron 135 f2.5 sounds interesting. The Tokina 200 f3.5 doesn't.

I'd sell the K-m if you are only keeping it "just in case". Keeping it on a shelf won't help to preserve it anyway. If something happens to the K-70, deal with it then.
10-18-2018, 02:14 PM   #56
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gary H Perth Quote
1. Sell the Tamron SP which is joy to handle and delivers magnificent images, but is long and heavy (and only cost me $50 with the mount)
2. Sell the M 80-200mm/4.5 which is a classic Pentax lens and balances beautifully on the K70. That one cost me $70.
3. Sell the DAL 55-200mm, which is not so sharp but is really light to walk around with all day
4. Sell the Sigma 18-250 HSM and commit to always carrying at least two lenses
5. Sell a couple of very old lenses that may not fetch very much, but I will probably never use now - Sigma DL 100-300mm (it's poor on the K-70), Tamron Adaptall-2 135mm/f2.5 (great IQ), Tokina RMC 200mm/f3.5 (OK IQ but heavy and as big as the M 80-200), Sigma aspherical 20-90mm (great on low MP sensors)
6. Sell my backup body (K-m) with the old 1990s-era Sigma 18-50 and 55-200 DC lenses - I will not get much money but the lenses perform OK at 6MP, although lousy IQ on the M-70.
What lens is #1 talking about?

Sell the #2 M 80-200 unless you have film cameras you want to use with it. The 55-300 should outperform it handily.
Sell the #3 (Assume you mean 50-200?) unless you really need super light.
Keep #4 until you decide (really decide) there is no utility to a one lens option for occasional use. Also compare long ends and make sure you are clear how much you give up to use it.
Sell the Sigma 100-300, Tokina 200 3.5, Sigma 20-90 and try to keep the 135 f2.5 and see if you like it as much for portrait and short tele work as we suspect you will.
Sell the backup body unless there are places you go that you don't want to take the better body or there is a need or desire to have a beater body and lenses to toss in the car on a whim. Sell the Sigma 18-50 and 55-200 if you feel they fail on the K-70 and are not keeping the older body.

Even if you don't get a ton - you regain space and have some cash to play with.
10-18-2018, 03:47 PM   #57
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
What lens is #1 talking about?

Sell the #2 M 80-200 unless you have film cameras you want to use with it. The 55-300 should outperform it handily.
Sell the #3 (Assume you mean 50-200?) unless you really need super light.
Keep #4 until you decide (really decide) there is no utility to a one lens option for occasional use. Also compare long ends and make sure you are clear how much you give up to use it.
Sell the Sigma 100-300, Tokina 200 3.5, Sigma 20-90 and try to keep the 135 f2.5 and see if you like it as much for portrait and short tele work as we suspect you will.
Sell the backup body unless there are places you go that you don't want to take the better body or there is a need or desire to have a beater body and lenses to toss in the car on a whim. Sell the Sigma 18-50 and 55-200 if you feel they fail on the K-70 and are not keeping the older body.

Even if you don't get a ton - you regain space and have some cash to play with.
The new toy has arrived and I am thinking the same way as you suggest. Even just testing with a few shots I think the PLM has a great balance of size and sharpness and simply for that reason most of the others would never come off the shelf.

The #1 is the Tamron Adaptall SP 60-300mm, which is the sharpest and best colours of the whole list above, but is nearly a kilogram with the lens hood. It is in mint condition, as is #2, the M 80-200, so I might keep those for sentimental reasons. The 135mm is a favourite and I will keep it as a sharp low-light tele.

I have a two-lens kit now that weighs just a bit more than the Sigma (my new PLM and a sharp model of the DA16-45) so I think the Sigma will go. I have not felt any attachment to my Sigma lenses except for the 10-20mm f4-5.6. I will probably sell the DA 16-45 soon when I become addicted to my newish 16-85mm and then I have a slightly heavier kit but optically and operationally superb combination.

You are right that if I never use the lenses in #3-6 then somebody else is welcome to enjoy them and give me the cash to pay for the new PLM.
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