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11-14-2018, 12:47 AM   #1
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Will a DA 55-300mm handle PF better?

I have a Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD Tele-Macro [1:2]
I’m happy with the sharpness, but over exposed areas suffer from purple fringing, and I only consider it usable at f8 or slower but there's still too much purple fringing.

Would a DA 55-300mm handle purple fringing better?

Would a
I’m only interested in shooting at 300mm.

All photos uncropped, 300mm.



f5.6 macro mode (pf is same in macro mode)


f8


f11


f11

11-14-2018, 02:07 AM   #2
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i really don't care much, purple fringing can be fixed easily with software nowadays
11-14-2018, 02:31 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by KoolKool Quote
i really don't care much, purple fringing can be fixed easily with software nowadays
Not so much 'fixed' as 'hidden'.

I don't recall seeing much PF with my DA55-300 at 300mm or thereabouts :

Search: 55-300mm | Flickr
11-14-2018, 02:40 AM   #4
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While easy to fix in post, the original DA55-300 that I had showed very little purple fringing, much less than your photos.

11-14-2018, 03:09 AM   #5
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Should clean up nicely in Lightroom, Pentax360!
11-14-2018, 03:22 AM   #6
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Consumer telephoto zooms are generally less corrected for PF and other chromatic aberrations than their more pricey cousins, and the smc DA55-300 is no exception. With my copy, I see what I would call moderate amounts of PF @ 300mm in high-contrast situations. Whether that is significant enough a difference to warrant ditching your Tamron only your own eyes and tastes can decide, maybe starting with a Flickr search.

I can only say that it has never bothered me much, especially since it is so easily mitigated, and usually removed completely in post (LR4 or higher; any version of DxO OpticsPro/PhotoLab that I have used from 2015). Perfect, or at least near-perfect correction for PF lens-wise requires more optical complexity and use of specialty glass, which can affect colour rendition, microcontrast, and flare resistance in negative ways. Considering its affordability, and the confident IQ it delivers (snappy contrast, beautiful colours), I have no regrets that I made it my telephoto workhorse back in 2011. Even on my 24MP K-3 it holds up pretty well; I have no hesitation about shooting it @ 300mm and F6.3 or F7.1.
11-14-2018, 03:53 AM - 1 Like   #7
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if you are only interested in shooting the DA 55-300 at 300mm, why not look into a 300mm prime? or even a 200mm prime and either crop or pair it with a decent teleconverter?

11-14-2018, 05:59 AM - 1 Like   #8
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I find my 55-300 PLM WR RE is better than my earlier 55-300 ED WR. I'd do some searches in the image section to see if one jumps out at you or not.

Pentax Camera & Lens Sample Photo Search Engine - PentaxForums.com

And I agree with the recommendation to check out some 300mm primes if that's your preferred focal length.
11-14-2018, 06:15 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by pentax360 Quote
Would a DA 55-300mm handle purple fringing better?
The short answer is yes, it would, especially the PLM version. In addition to being sharper, more compact, having silent AF and being quicker to focus.
11-14-2018, 06:50 AM   #10
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The FA 80-320 was about like what you showed here. The DA 55-300 (SMC) I have seriously outperforms it in this area. I would expect improvement but I don't have any direct data between your lens and the 55-300 models available.

---------- Post added 11-14-18 at 08:57 AM ----------

I do think if your main interest is at 300mm you should consider that some have reported the PLM version as slightly softer than the earlier version at the full 300mm. I have no direct basis for comparison. Additionally, a prime 300 like the F/FA/DA * lens would be superior at the cost of weight and $. Of these the DA version seems best at handling this particular problem

Finally, if this mainly happens on overexposed areas couldn't you enable highlight protection or shoot with an exposure bias to reduce the times this happens?

Last edited by UncleVanya; 11-14-2018 at 06:57 AM.
11-14-2018, 07:24 AM   #11
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I have a DA 55-300 and never really noticed purple fringing, and certainly not as shown in the pictures. In addition, if shooting jpg, the camera will apply the needed CA correction. So, yes, the DA 55-300 will almost surely be better.

But, as others said, if used mostly at 300mm, it's certainly worth using a fixed 300mm lens which will perform significantly better than any zooms.
11-14-2018, 08:10 AM   #12
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I use both the DA55~300mm and the DA*300mm. Neither one has given me fringing problems. Imo: I understand economics, and if you are doing lots of “300mm” shots, you should step up to the DA* 300mm, seriously! It is superior at 300mm. Add the TC too. Rent it and see if you agree.
11-14-2018, 09:00 AM - 1 Like   #13
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I've had no problems with purple fringing with my DA 55-300 PLM, and I've given it some opportunities.

A perfect DA 55-300 candidate for purple fringing, bird in partial shadow back ground brighter than foreground. A shot where purple fringing might occur. As we move away from film era lenses more attention is being applied to correcting lens aberrations. The DA 55-300 compared to earlier versions might be an example of that.

11-14-2018, 11:57 AM   #14
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My copy of the tamron 70-300 was a fringing machine past about 100mm. Never saw anything like it with any copy of the 55-300 and I've owned several. AF speed is another matter.. but you pick your compromise and live with it.
11-14-2018, 03:30 PM   #15
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yes....
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