[dkittle]

Well, I'm sure I'll have some regrets, but I'd decided to go with Sigma's 100-300mm f/4 instead of Pentax's 60-250mm.

I love wildlife photography and am getting out more and more. To that end, I think I'll appreciate the extra 50mm on the long end more than the 40mm on the wide end (yes, I know there is a HUGE difference in the field of view gained). I know I'll miss the weather sealing, but I'll like the fact that the lens doesn't extend when zooming. I'm hoping that the screw drive motor won't scare the wildlife away. I'll be thankful for the $500 in my pocket for going with the Sigma.

Having waited for the 60-250mm for what seems like forever, it feels a little strange to be jumping to something else just before it's release.

Is anyone else thinking about doing something similar?

[pentkon52]

Well, I'm sure I'll have some regrets, but I'd decided to go with Sigma's 100-300mm f/4 instead of Pentax's 60-250mm.

I love wildlife photography and am getting out more and more. To that end, I think I'll appreciate the extra 50mm on the long end more than the 40mm on the wide end (yes, I know there is a HUGE difference in the field of view gained). I know I'll miss the weather sealing, but I'll like the fact that the lens doesn't extend when zooming. I'm hoping that the screw drive motor won't scare the wildlife away. I'll be thankful for the $500 in my pocket for going with the Sigma.

Having waited for the 60-250mm for what seems like forever, it feels a little strange to be jumping to something else just before it's release.

Is anyone else thinking about doing something similar?

Yes, but it involves Nikon lenses instead.

I to was waiting for the 60-250 so i could use the K10D for my horse shows, but another season has come and gone with out the lens.

Dave

[jsherman999]

Well, I'm sure I'll have some regrets, but I'd decided to go with Sigma's 100-300mm f/4 instead of Pentax's 60-250mm.

I love wildlife photography and am getting out more and more. To that end, I think I'll appreciate the extra 50mm on the long end more than the 40mm on the wide end (yes, I know there is a HUGE difference in the field of view gained). I know I'll miss the weather sealing, but I'll like the fact that the lens doesn't extend when zooming. I'm hoping that the screw drive motor won't scare the wildlife away. I'll be thankful for the $500 in my pocket for going with the Sigma.

Having waited for the 60-250mm for what seems like forever, it feels a little strange to be jumping to something else just before it's release.

Is anyone else thinking about doing something similar?

Yup. Sadly, going with the Tamron 70-200 2.8. If the 60-250 appeared for sale in late Sept at an initial MSRP of $1000 - soon to drop to $850 - I would probably have been all over it. Delays and $$ helped swing me away from it - at long last.

.

[dkittle]

Interesting! I actually tried Sigma's 70-200 2.8 at the store yesterday. It was decidedly soft (when pixel peeping) wide open. I think for most web postings, though, the lens would be fine. I guess I wanted the reach over the speed.

The Tamron 70-200 is supposed to be really good (sharp). I'll look forward you contributing to a 'why the tamron doesn't suck' thread when you pick it up :-)

For wildlife you will be using 300mm most of the time so I would advice you to pick the pentax 300 f4. It is lighter, weather sealed and motorized for the same price. At any case you cant get wrong with anyone of these lenses.

Good luck

[Wheatfield]

Well, I'm sure I'll have some regrets, but I'd decided to go with Sigma's 100-300mm f/4 instead of Pentax's 60-250mm.

I love wildlife photography and am getting out more and more. To that end, I think I'll appreciate the extra 50mm on the long end more than the 40mm on the wide end (yes, I know there is a HUGE difference in the field of view gained). I know I'll miss the weather sealing, but I'll like the fact that the lens doesn't extend when zooming. I'm hoping that the screw drive motor won't scare the wildlife away. I'll be thankful for the $500 in my pocket for going with the Sigma.

Having waited for the 60-250mm for what seems like forever, it feels a little strange to be jumping to something else just before it's release.

Is anyone else thinking about doing something similar?

I've been patient for 2 1/2 years now waiting for Pentax to put a mid-long range telezoom on the market.
They've managed to put a a few wide angle zooms on the market, all of which are junk in one way or another, and a mid range zoom which is decent during this time, but inexplicably, they have placed zero emphasis on having a focal length anywhere between 150mm and 300mm.
To me, it would have made more sense to drop the 17-70, which turned out to be optical spew, and they had to know it was a garbage lens before they released it (does anyone at Pentax actually take pictures with this stuff before they release it?) since they have the 16-50 (also a junk lens unless you are lucky enough to get one of the few that is assembled correctly), and concentrate on putting a finger in the hole in the telephoto dike.
But, I am just a simple photographer, not a marketing guru, so what do I know.
Apparently, it is a good thing to market crappy zooms to go along with the amateur build bodies. It's not like as if Pentax users have a lot of choice, so our annoyance isn't important.
Sorry for the rant, but Pentax has been even stupider than usual for the past few years.

[dkittle]

Gruoso, I had considered the DA* 300mm. For the last 6 months I've been toting around a Tamron SP 300mm f/2.8. While weight is a LOT of the reason I want something else, I've also been occasionally frustrated by the fixed focal length.

In my last two outings there was someone with a Canon 100-400mm which I think is ideal, but then again she complained that the lens is too slow at the long end so I guess nobody is ever happy :-) But her comments have kept me from waiting for the (equally 'slow') Sigma 120-400mm which seems to be delayed now anyway...

Wheatfield, to your point, if I pick up another lens under 100mm I'm going to have myself committed!

Don, I am affraid that you might find the f4 also slow in many ocassions (particularly in forests) althought it is a better compromise than f5.6 or 6.3. I have been in the same situation than you for a long time and the weight of the lens and high prices is the thing that kills my interest for wildlife. I have tried the Zeiss sonnar200 f2.8, Bigma and the Canon 300 f4IS, each one had their strong points but I found myself more confortable with the canon 300 (hence my recommendation of the pentax 300 which it is similar in weight). I have listened that the focus of the tamron 70-200 f2.8 is erratic in canikon bodies thought they might have solved the problem in subsequent batches and it might not be an issue with pentax.

[Tom S.]

I was also going to suggest the 300mm DA* because of your intended useage. Another suggestion would be the Bigma. Neither are lenses I would normally like to carry all day, but for nature photography, longer is almost always better (unless you are stealthy like Daniel Boone!).

[Alfisti]

I just think 60-250 is neither here nor there. It's too big and heavy for regular 60-100mm useage and too short for semi serious wildlife.

Oh and at $1,500 they are dead set kidding.

[ixian]

I don't know the prices in US - but in UK the difference between Pentax and Sigma will be smaller...
DA* 60-250 - list price is £899, so I would expect the street price somewhere around £800. Perhaps £850, initially. And the competition (street price):

Sigma 100-300/4 - £760
Pentax 300/4 - £800.

Sigma is big and heavy, doesn't have SDM and weather-sealing, isn't significantly cheaper... So Pentax wins here

For wildlife - I would go for DA* 300/4.

[FotoPete]

YEa the price is discouraging when compared to what they are cooking up over at the other camps...

..not that I plan on switching anyways. Too Pentaxian to consider that!

Anyhow, the Tokina AT-X 50-250mm/4-5.6 tides me over more than enough for the time being. (Enough to shake off any impulsive rundowns to purchase the DA55-300 for that matter as well.)

I don't know the prices in US - but in UK the difference between Pentax and Sigma will be smaller...
DA* 60-250 - list price is £899, so I would expect the street price somewhere around £800. Perhaps £850, initially. And the competition (street price):

Sigma 100-300/4 - £760
Pentax 300/4 - £800.

Sigma is big and heavy, doesn't have SDM and weather-sealing, isn't significantly cheaper... So Pentax wins here

For wildlife - I would go for DA* 300/4.

Even better in Germany:

- Pentax 60-250 mm / 4.0 EF (IF) DA* SDM - Foto Erhardt - 1199 Euro - Pentax 60-250/4;
- Pentax 300 mm 4.0 DA SDM - Foto Erhardt - 929 Euro - Pentax 300/4
- Sigma 100-300 mm EX 4.0 DG IF Pentax AF - Foto Erhardt - 1135 Euro - Sigma 100-300/4

Radu

[dkittle]

Ha, if I posted this to get a definitive answer, I was setting myself up for disappointment :-)

Thanks for all your great suggestions, people.

Maybe I'll stick with my 50-135 f/2.8 and invest my money in lessons on walking as quiet as a breeze.