[luftfluss]

Expanding on this, the new Sony 600mm f4 is just 3kg. The Pentax FA 600mm f4 is over 6.8kg. I'd love to see some modern long prime glass from Pentax, though I admit I'd never be able to afford it. I just recently picked up an A 300/2.8, it's a gem and I have no complaints about the weight

Wow, I didn't realize the Sony 600/4 was so light! The amount of cash ($13,000!) it costs might weigh more than the lens itself! Talk about lightening one's wallet...

[luftfluss]

Pentax I guess can’t offer enough choices to satisfy everyone.

Can any system?

Speaking for myself, I'm in a happy place with my Pentax gear. I have "light" gear, "heavy" gear, DA lenses, good quality legacy glass... I've owned and used other systems so I know what I'm missing, but I know I'd miss what I have if I didn't have it and I don't miss what I don't have.*



*OK, I don't have the A* 600/5.6 and that lens I'm missing even though I've never had it. But I want it.

[Merv-O]

i also have some heavy lenses, including Leica multi-element glass and metal sheathed lenses. I like the weight and the balance it gives me. Example: the K-1 is a big, stout body, yet with a FF Pentax or Tamron, it feels solid in my hand. I trust the balance of the weight so much on the K-1 that I rarely use a flash with it. Remarkably, the clarity on the ISO is usable up to 12500, and though somewhat grainy, post-processing for smaller prints makes it worthwhile. 6400 and 3200 are ideal with a fast lens such as a 1.4 or 1.8 prime. Finally, I am 60 years old and still feel i can carry at least 3 FF lenses in a weekend kit, yet on a recent 5 day jaunt through Napa vineyard country, I brought my KP which also performed with great results--lighter, almost as fast, with more compact glass.

[DWS1]

It's all relative to your fitness level. I'm 65+ and found my DA*300 getting almost too heavy to carry anymore. I used that feeling as motivation to get myself in better physical condition so I can still enjoy doing things I like. Now I don't have a problem with it. I also rigged a secondary strap from a ladies hand bag that's tied into the load lifters on my back pack. That puts all the weight on my shoulders and hips. BTW, carrying water on a hike is harder than carrying a DSLR with a big lens.

[monochrome]

Can any system?

Speaking for myself, I'm in a happy place with my Pentax gear. I have "light" gear, "heavy" gear, DA lenses, good quality legacy glass... I've owned and used other systems so I know what I'm missing, but I know I'd miss what I have if I didn't have it and I don't miss what I don't have.*



*OK, I don't have the A* 600/5.6 and that lens I'm missing even though I've never had it. But I want it.

Photography is like fly fishing. There’s a progression. :

• Any Fish
• Many Fish
• Big Fish
• Challenging Fish

While big lenses can be challenging on many levels (including just carrying them), complaining about them is like complaining about fly rods. The entire point is the meeting the challenge to obtain the result.

[reh321]

Photography is like fly fishing. There’s a progression. :

• Any Fish
• Many Fish
• Big Fish
• Challenging Fish

While big lenses can be challenging on many levels (including just carrying them), complaining about them is like complaining about fly rods. The entire point is the meeting the challenge to obtain the result.

and what is the point to continuing to complain about non-existent complainers????
As I have said multiple times by now, most of us comment about weight - we do not "complain" about it.

some people fish primarily to eat - so they use whatever method works, just of us take photos to have photos.
If other people want some sort of challenge, that is fine with me, but I choose not to, not to manually focus, not to lug unneeded weight.

[RobA_Oz]

I thought people were commenting about the non-existing complainers, rather than complaining about them. If they weren’t, then they’d be complainers.

Like I said, the only real complaints I’ve seen have been about the lack of light-weight, slower lenses for the K-1. Those who have remained with APS-C are spoiled for choice. Remainers aren’t complainers.

[kiwi_jono]

I think humans are generally rubbish at gauging how heavy a few killograms feels after carting it around for a while. We are just not great at relating to weight numbers and I think people are quite often surprised when they get a lens in their hands (or carrying in a pack for a while).

My biggest lens is the Tamron SP 70-200 f2.8, which is considered a relatively light 70-200 f2.8. But even that surprised me a bit on its affect on my bag. But to be fair its mainly the size of it that I did not take sufficiently into account. While its the size I was expecting, I found its very rarely in my bag due to space (and to a degree weight) and if I was doing it again I would be happier living with a good quality f4 aperture lens.

Another point worth considering is, just because its small doesn't mean it has poor image quality. The limited lenses testify to that.

[hypermodern]

I try not to complain, but I do consider the weight of lenses, particularly for days when photography isn’t the primary focus but I want to bring a camera in case I see something good or to snap the kids. K3ii plus Sigma 18-35 is about the heaviest I can comfortably use one handed so I’ve made that a weight limit. But it’s not a hard limit, and as you say, long lenses are heavy and for good reason, and that’s fine.

[aslyfox]

In my case, I find how I carry the big lens seems to affect how I feel

I vary with the set up hanging off of my right hip, with and without my hand on the joby hand grip, or cross body with the lens supported by the crook of my left elbow, and even with the set up balanced over my shoulder.


the weight, of course, doesn' t change, just how it feels to me as I go along

[35mmfilmfan]

I wish I could afford the large, heavy glass that appears to be the subject of these 'comments'. As a non-driver, and user of public transport, what I take out I carry all day, whether it's photo gear or birding gear (basically camera body, two lenses, water bottle, spare batteries, sandwiches, binoculars and Leica scope on Manfrotto tripod). I'm 69 next April (17th if anyone's taking notes - hint, hint), and my 'workouts' consist of lugging that lot around (which a couple of younger friends can't even lift), usually some 5-6 miles over reasonably flat but muddy terrain. Mayhap, if I get the long lens I hope to, my comments will alter - but I'll know the drawbacks before I start.

[texandrews]

Photography is like fly fishing. There’s a progression. :

• Any Fish
• Many Fish
• Big Fish
• Challenging Fish

While big lenses can be challenging on many levels (including just carrying them), complaining about them is like complaining about fly rods. The entire point is the meeting the challenge to obtain the result.

And....do you also fly fish?

[Apet-Sure]

I want to say, 'get over it," but that's a phrase that's gotten too much use of late.

I'm not sure what you are referring to, but I didn't mean to offend. I meant it as a light-hearted jab.

[RobA_Oz]

In my case, I find how I carry the big lens seems to affect how I feel

I vary with the set up hanging off of my right hip, with and without my hand on the joby hand grip, or cross body with the lens supported by the crook of my left elbow, and even with the set up balanced over my shoulder.


the weight, of course, doesn' t change, just how it feels to me as I go along

Your carrying gear makes a big difference to how you feel about the weight of your photo gear while walking with it.

As much as I like my messenger bag for its storage potential and ease of access, I find I use it less and less because of the torsional strain it puts on my spine, even when I fill it with APS-C gear. It got so bad last year while on holiday in Europe, that I bought a small wheeled backpack that improved matters out of sight. Having a sway back and several compressed discs is more the source of my structural problems, rather than age, although that doesn’t help much, either.

Paradoxically, I find that my sling strap is a godsend for my K-1 mounted with one of a number of heavier lenses. The difference, I suspect, is due to that fact that I can easily move it from one side to the other, plus it doesn’t stay on my hip for long while I’m walking, as the camera gets used frequently, of course.

All of this means that, with luck, I’ll be able to continue my photographic peregrinations into the foreseeable future. My walking friend (also a member here) needs some serious knee work to keep up, but his gear is even heavier than mine! When he gets that work done, it’ll be my turn to keep up.

[08amczb]

The FA limited are so good and so light (and small). My favorite kit. With my new Nikon I definitely miss them and I wish I could have similar lenses with fast and accurate focus. I ended up with Tamron's 35, 45 and 85, but those aren't that light. Anyway I switched to Nikon and I'am keeping only my film Pentax cameras, so somewhere I decided it will be better overall.