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10-20-2018, 11:45 AM   #1
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55-300 - Which to sell?

I got my 55-300 today - the older DAL - ED. It's fantastic - just in a few shots off the porch, I can see how good it is.

Now I have:

1. Tamron 28-105mm 4-5.6
2. Pentax SMC DA 50mm 1.8
3. Pentax SMC DA L 18-50mm 4-5.6
4. Pentax SMC DA L 18-55mm 3.5-5.6
5. Pentax SMC DA L 50-200mm ED WR 4-5.6
6. Pentax SMC DA L 55-300mm ED 4-5.8
7. Tamron Adaptall SP 60-300mm (with teleconverter)

I'm thinking I'm going to sell the:

1. 18-55mm
2. 28-105mm
3. 50-200mm

I'm still debating the Adaptall. I was thinking I'd like to get a long, fast, prime for moon shots (or a good teleconverter for the 55-300). The Adaptall is fantastic at macro work, but the 18-50mm focuses closely. The advantage to the Adaptall is that it is both long and macro, for a good walk-around lens.

Thoughts?

10-20-2018, 11:54 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Seems reasonable.
10-20-2018, 11:55 AM - 1 Like   #3
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If WR is important to you I would keep the 50-200 WR. Your version of the 55-300 is not WR I think. The 50-200 is a nice light lens also when that becomes important.
10-20-2018, 02:21 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentax Syntax Quote
If WR is important to you I would keep the 50-200 WR. Your version of the 55-300 is not WR I think. The 50-200 is a nice light lens also when that becomes important.
I tend to agree, if only for the WR feature. The 50-200 isn't an amazing lens... It really works best around f/8 - f/11 (although it's pretty good at f/5.6 around the 135mm mark). BUT... it's weather-resistant, and that might count for a lot in certain situations...

10-20-2018, 03:31 PM   #5
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I missed that the 50-200 was WR - but the 18-50 DAL is WR also. I'm more inclined to think the 18-50 would be used in wet conditions, but the 50-200 WR is a nice complement to it. I would probably still sell it unless the OP expects to need something longer than the 18-50 in the shooting in conditions where WR will be important.
10-20-2018, 04:37 PM   #6
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If WR is important to the OP, and he likes the 55-300, sell the DA-L 55-300 and the WR 50-200 and get the HD-WR version.

For the record, I like the 50-200 just fine in the middle of its range, but the 55-300 is just better.
10-20-2018, 05:53 PM - 1 Like   #7
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I have a similar dilemma. A new PLM 55-300mm arrived this week and first experiments show me that the images and handling are really good.

See in the similar thread 55-300 PLM and... Help me spend my money?!? - PentaxForums.com where I listed all the lenses that are covered by the new purchase, and received useful advice from members. I will be selling a couple of lenses that have been favourites in the past but now are out-performed by the new lens.

I have an Adaptall SP 60-300mm and that is the only older lens that I will certainly keep and use. It has great IQ, even wide open and also with the 01F Adaptall teleconverter. Its also a very convincing piece of classical photographic engineering that looks great, feels solid and functions perfectly

I suggest that the SP 60-300mm +01F combination would be ideal to keep for moon shots. You will be using a tripod, bench support or similar, so the weight is actually a stabilizing factor (reducing physical movement of the whole setup when you are outdoors) and no filters on the front. The moon images that I get are really sharp and colours are impressive, and manual focus is not an issue with the moon -it's not going anywhere quickly.

10-20-2018, 07:52 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gary H Perth Quote
I have a similar dilemma. A new PLM 55-300mm arrived this week and first experiments show me that the images and handling are really good.

See in the similar thread 55-300 PLM and... Help me spend my money?!? - PentaxForums.com where I listed all the lenses that are covered by the new purchase, and received useful advice from members. I will be selling a couple of lenses that have been favourites in the past but now are out-performed by the new lens.

I have an Adaptall SP 60-300mm and that is the only older lens that I will certainly keep and use. It has great IQ, even wide open and also with the 01F Adaptall teleconverter. Its also a very convincing piece of classical photographic engineering that looks great, feels solid and functions perfectly

I suggest that the SP 60-300mm +01F combination would be ideal to keep for moon shots. You will be using a tripod, bench support or similar, so the weight is actually a stabilizing factor (reducing physical movement of the whole setup when you are outdoors) and no filters on the front. The moon images that I get are really sharp and colours are impressive, and manual focus is not an issue with the moon -it's not going anywhere quickly.
Gary,

I intend to locate a teleconverter for the 55-300 that still permits autofocus. I want to test it against the 60-300. But, as my first "long" glass, the 60-300 is a love with which I am unlikely to part. Question, however: have you used the older 55-300 like mine? Also, see attached for 60-300 moon photo from tripod (with t/c).

---------- Post added 10-20-18 at 07:59 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
I missed that the 50-200 was WR - but the 18-50 DAL is WR also. I'm more inclined to think the 18-50 would be used in wet conditions, but the 50-200 WR is a nice complement to it. I would probably still sell it unless the OP expects to need something longer than the 18-50 in the shooting in conditions where WR will be important.
I don't plan to be in conditions that are wet, if I can help it. At least, that is, for the foreseeable future. And if I am, it will certainly be in conditions where I will not need a 50-200 lens. But, who knows?

Last edited by jawats; 10-20-2018 at 08:05 PM. Reason: Added photo.
10-20-2018, 09:33 PM   #9
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I don’t think there is a teleconverter that will really work with the 55-300, it’s really to slow for that. Also look at the lenses that you may sell and decide if it is really worth it. I’ve sold a few that I should have just kept. But to sell them I would think
one of the 18-5X is redundant as is the 50-200 unless you do need the WR. Kozloc’s idea is a great one if you can afford it. After using the 55-300 you may never use the adaptall again, unless you use it on a tripod a lot.
10-21-2018, 05:27 AM - 1 Like   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by ramseybuckeye Quote
I don’t think there is a teleconverter that will really work with the 55-300, it’s really to slow for that. Also look at the lenses that you may sell and decide if it is really worth it. I’ve sold a few that I should have just kept. But to sell them I would think
one of the 18-5X is redundant as is the 50-200 unless you do need the WR. Kozloc’s idea is a great one if you can afford it. After using the 55-300 you may never use the adaptall again, unless you use it on a tripod a lot.
I love the Adaptall for its versatility, and macro capability. I don't mind carrying it on hikes because of that. But with the T/C, it's purely a tripod mount, as you say. The only reason I'd get a T/C for the 55-300 would be for pictures of the moon.
10-21-2018, 07:01 AM   #11
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I am not sure that any teleconverter you get and put on your 55-300 will give you a better result than the Adaptall - that shot you put up in this post is exceptionally good. I suggest the only way for you to get noticeably better images would be to get a longer focal length lens. I have a K70 so manual focus is still a 3-part test (liveview, the beep and the red dot in viewfinder, I can get all of these when tripod mounted).

I will be testing my recently-acquired Tamron AD2 500mm SP in the next week or so, with the 01F teleconverter. I will let you know how it goes. That gives me a 1000mm focal length at f16 on an APS-C sensor definitely a tripod exercise.
10-21-2018, 08:06 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gary H Perth Quote
I am not sure that any teleconverter you get and put on your 55-300 will give you a better result than the Adaptall - that shot you put up in this post is exceptionally good. I suggest the only way for you to get noticeably better images would be to get a longer focal length lens. I have a K70 so manual focus is still a 3-part test (liveview, the beep and the red dot in viewfinder, I can get all of these when tripod mounted).

I will be testing my recently-acquired Tamron AD2 500mm SP in the next week or so, with the 01F teleconverter. I will let you know how it goes. That gives me a 1000mm focal length at f16 on an APS-C sensor definitely a tripod exercise.
Is that the 55B/B? I've been eyeing those. I had some old Sigma, but I couldn't get the $#@$ thing to focus to infinity. I was also looking at the 200 - 500 F/5.6, but those tend to be more expensive than the 55B/B. I've also read on here (someplace) that to get better IQ, I should use a long, faster, prime.

And thank you!

So, I've been eyeing Tamrons (mostly because I have the 01F already), which aren't always fast, but generally good optics, and the moon's not going anywhere as long as you're above 1/100th or so :P, such as:

1. The CT-300 - Tamron Adaptall ( Chinon ) 300mm f/5.6 ( CT-300) Lens Reviews - Tamron Adaptall Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
2. The aforementioned 55B/B.
3. The 60B - Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 300mm f/2.8 LD IF (60B) Lens Reviews - Tamron Adaptall Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
4. The 65B - Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 400mm f/4 LD IF (65B) Lens Reviews - Tamron Adaptall Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
5. The 107B - Tamron Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 300mm f/2.8 LD (107B) Lens Reviews - Tamron Adaptall Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

At the price ranges for these lenses, though, I can probably find these (relatively) fast primes:

1. Sigma 400mm f/5.6 APO - Sigma (AF and MF) 400mm F5.6 APO Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
2. Variant - Sigma 400mm F5.6 APO (AF) Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
3. Tamron 670 f/5.6 - Tamron 670 preset t-mount 300mm f5.6 Lens Reviews - Tamron Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
4. Various 400mm Tokinas
5. A Russian lens or three that Uncle Vanya will tell you about.
6. 300mm f/2.8 - Rikenon - Tokina 300mm f2.8 Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
7. A stupid-long Pentax - Pentax K Prime Lenses - Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

However, if I am serious about astrophotography, apparently what I should aim for is a telescope like:

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-9895-Apochromatic-Refractor-Telescope/dp/B0000X...ntaxforums-20&

https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Watcher-ProED-Doublet-Refractor-Telescope/dp/B004...ntaxforums-20&

William Optics ZenithStar 61mm f/5.9 Doublet Apo Refractor - Blue # A-Z61BU

Sigh. I just need to win a lottery. :P
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