[blucoala]

I am not holding my breadth on whether pentax will release the much needed 70-300 consumer telephoto for K1/K1 II.

Initially I used the 55-300 PLM lens but not happy with the vignetting. Then I got the DA* 300 it was a fun lens.
But weight and constant worry with whether the SDM will holdup led me to sell it (to a forum member here).
However I need a telephoto zoom and as much as I hate the vignetting on the PLM it seems to be the best temporary
solution.
Between the 55-300 PLM and the older (red ring) HD 55-300 which has a larger image circle in general.
From the K-1 DA compatibility chart it seems the older HD lens is slightly better at this. (I know PLM
autofocus is miles ahead but I am only concern with image quality/ usable area).

[Adam]

With the DA 55-300mm F4-5.8, you get marginally more coverage at certain focal lengths at the expense of (a lot of) focusing speed, so that isn't the way to go IMO.

If you do want complete coverage, there are film-era options such as the F 100-300mm or FA 80-320mm, which share the same focusing issues as the old 55-300mm but at least cover the frame.

I agree that a modern budget telephoto FF lens is a much-needed addition to the lineup. Let's hope it comes out soon!

[Paul the Sunman]

I've got some great shots with the (old) 55-300 on the K1, but you do have to crop a little. I actually like to use it in 1:1 mode, where it's perfect.

[pepperberry farm]

there are also the Sigma/Tamron 70-300mm options until Pentax releases this zoom....

[blucoala]

there are also the Sigma/Tamron 70-300mm options until Pentax releases this zoom....

Among those two which one is better at the far end?

[pepperberry farm]

Among those two which one is better at the far end?

no idea - I had the Sigma ages ago and sold it because the DA 55-300 was so much better and had a much better build quality...

but I was making sure you knew that they were available and some variants are FF....

[Paul the Sunman]

See the reviews:

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Tamron 70-300mm F4-5.6 AF Di LD Macro Lens Reviews - Tamron Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Neither are in the class of the Pentax 55-300s, but may be suitable stop-gaps.

[tibbitts]

I have owned multiple (I think five, I lost track) Pentax 55-300s and would say that a good copy of a 55-300 (DA with or without HD) is in the same class as my 70-300 Tamron, but I have only my 16mp bodies to test them on. The difference is mostly in terms of the Tamron's excessive purple fringing under certain conditions, especially at the long end. Both can produce good pictures. The non-rotating filter mount on the Pentax is nice, although honestly I often forget to rotate my polarizers when necessary with any of my lenses. Realistically minor focusing differences don't rotate the polarizer enough to matter - it's completely forgetting to rotate the polarizer when I change the angle or orientation of an image that usually does me in. Now I use the 60-250 Pentax, but hate carrying it. And I still forget to rotate the polarizer when I have to. I do think it's trickier to use the 60-250, in a couple of ways - partly just because it's faster so you have to focus more accurately if you take advantage of that. The 60-250 gives good results across the (crop) frame from wide open, especially from 60-200mm or so, while the other lenses improve more when stopped down. It wouldn't surprise me if the Tamron was horrible at the edges/corners on full-frame, but I have no experience with that.

[mbukal]

I used K-x / r / 30 / 3 in apsc and on them DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED, for me on K1 FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6 SILVER is sharper and faster focusing at good light, unfortunately, the problem with walking in focus is both,
I would like the Pentax has a telephoto lens in the middle class: HD DFA 80-320/4 ED [IF] or // HD DFA 60-250/4 ED DC AW // ,with a decisive and fast focus and a constant aperture, the top has a DFA * 70-200 / 2.8 ED DC AW in the beginning it can be DFA 70-300 / 4.5-5.8. ED PLM WR, what's the you need, how much money you have so much music and you have a choice, Such a variety of choices would attract a lot of new users====No one has ( does ) what Pentax has

Pentax K-30 + SMC Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED




Pentax K1 + SMC Pentax-FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6 SILVER

[blucoala]

I used K-x / r / 30 / 3 in apsc and on them DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED, for me on K1 FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6 SILVER is sharper and faster focusing at good light, unfortunately, the problem with walking in focus is both,
I would like the Pentax has a telephoto lens in the middle class: HD DFA 80-320/4 ED [IF] or // HD DFA 60-250/4 ED DC AW // ,with a decisive and fast focus and a constant aperture, the top has a DFA * 70-200 / 2.8 ED DC AW in the beginning it can be DFA 70-300 / 4.5-5.8. ED PLM WR, what's the you need, how much money you have so much music and you have a choice, Such a variety of choices would attract a lot of new users====No one has ( does ) what Pentax has

Ideally I want a 100-400mm DFA RE PLM WR f4.5/5-6.3. But I don't think pentax will make such a lens as it may eat into the 150-450 sale.
Is there any possibility either Tamron or Sigma will release a pentax mount?

[mbukal]

I do not understand why you want something that you already have about the same, Pentax has no telephoto lens in the middle class nor in the initial class in ff format, there are my desires, the telephoto star is DFA * 70-200 / 2.8.
Customize SMC Pentax-DA * 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM for ff format as HD DFA 60-250 / 4 ED DC (IF) would be a glass fantasy at a minimal expense from the Pentax side, a large range, high quality glass, decent constant aperture, fast and decisive autofocus with DC motor, internal focusing IF, or even worse version but even cheaper that would be the starting rank would be FA 80-320 / 4,5-5,6 processing into HD FA 80-320 / 4,5-5,6 but with new focus-no strolling in focus search from a minimum to a maximum, ie a decisive and fast screwdriver focus. I think I have a real desire rather than a fantasy.

If DFA 70-300 / 4,5-5,8 appears with a screwdriver focus as a cheaper startup in ff format or DFA 70-300 / 4,5-5,8 ED PLM WR without focus limiter but as a more expensive version then we still have only processing DA 60-250 / 4 ED [IF] SDM WR in ff format , same as DFA 70-200 / 4 ED SDM WR without focus limiter at approximate price as YES 60-250 / 4 ED [IF] SDM WR

[Shenloanne]

Among those two which one is better at the far end?

Hi I've shot off both Tamron and Sigma 70-300s. Sharpness wise the sigma drops off around the 210mm mark but the tamron is a wee gem if you can get past the purple fringing.

I'll post some shots later when I'm home. Sigma was from my K7 and the Tamron was from the K100D.

Ok first up Sigma 70-300 @ 300mm f/6.3 @ 1/200s and iso 640


Dublin Zoo Trip October 3rd 2015. by Emmanuel Diver, on Flickr

And now the Tamron
300mm f/8.0 1/500th second iso 200 and I wanna say taken as JPEG in camera because it was ten years ago!


Windsurfer 3 by Emmanuel Diver, on Flickr