[Lowell Goudge]

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I bought the 560 used, knowing the barrel had a slight wobble. There are some screws loose in one of the sections of the lens and a camera shop is repairing the lens now.

A users note here. After 14 months use mine has also developed a slight wobble, and will be going into Ricoh shortly for repair as it is still under warranty (in Canada the warranty is 2 years)

After thinking about it I realized that the issue with the “wobble” is the location of the strap attachments, near the rear of the lens. This hangs the heavier front portion of the lens off the screws even if you carry it like I do, with the foot inverted as a handle, and the rest of the load carried by the strap on the lens. I have since the there’d the carrying strap off the end of the adaptor plate used on the foot to balance the lens on the gimbal mount. I think this reduces the loads on the screws significantly.

[StigVidar]

In case you were wondering which lenses come with a PF filter when purchased new, the instruction manual indicates there are only two lenses which include the filter, the F* 600 f/4 and the A* 645 600 f/5.6. I also thought it was interesting the FA* 250-600 was not listed in the documentation under compatible lenses. I'd be interested in testing this filter with the FA* version to see if any vignetting occurs.

The FA*300/2.8 also comes with a PF filter, but it has another design than the one you bought. The one that cames with 300/2.8 has some rubber in the front part of it.

[builttospill]

Thank you for this; I don't have either the opportunity or the equipment to take photos in the same vein as yours, but I do have a Tamron 90 Macro, so your comparison photo is definitely worth a thousand words. Great wildlife photos, by the way; too good for the tools to get all the credit.

You're certainly welcome. Thanks for the kind words.

A users note here. After 14 months use mine has also developed a slight wobble, and will be going into Ricoh shortly for repair as it is still under warranty (in Canada the warranty is 2 years)

After thinking about it I realized that the issue with the “wobble” is the location of the strap attachments, near the rear of the lens. This hangs the heavier front portion of the lens off the screws even if you carry it like I do, with the foot inverted as a handle, and the rest of the load carried by the strap on the lens. I have since the there’d the carrying strap off the end of the adaptor plate used on the foot to balance the lens on the gimbal mount. I think this reduces the loads on the screws significantly.

Lowell, sorry to hear this. Mine was a challenge to repair because when the lens was originally assembled the second lens section had an excessive amount of thread locker over the screws. The third section was the one with loose screws in my lens.

The FA*300/2.8 also comes with a PF filter, but it has another design than the one you bought. The one that cames with 300/2.8 has some rubber in the front part of it.

Good to know. I'm guessing my documentation was published before the FA* lenses were released.

[Andrea K]

The drop-in filter is present?

[builttospill]

The drop-in filter is present?

Yes, for both lenses.

[Lowell Goudge]

Lowell, sorry to hear this. Mine was a challenge to repair because when the lens was originally assembled the second lens section had an excessive amount of thread locker over the screws. The third section was the one with loose screws in my lens.

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Fortunately there is a Ricoh authorized repair center within 20 minutes of my house. Since it is still under warranty I am not too worried, but it means for a few days I will be “stuck” shooting my sigma APO 70-200/2.8 EX and 2X TC

[Jack]

As much as I'd like to go back to Alaska to replicate the filter tests to see if there is less purple fringing with the new filter, I won't be able to do this any time soon. I purchased a new Pentax 112mm PF filter and removed the B+W F-Pro 112mm filter from the DA 560. I haven't had any purple fringing since switching filters, but again I haven't been able to take the exact same shots for a fair comparison. The photos I've taken have had high-contrast areas though. Both filters are high quality but the Pentax one was not quite double the price of the B+W filter.




In case you were wondering which lenses come with a PF filter when purchased new, the instruction manual indicates there are only two lenses which include the filter, the F* 600 f/4 and the A* 645 600 f/5.6. I also thought it was interesting the FA* 250-600 was not listed in the documentation under compatible lenses. I'd be interested in testing this filter with the FA* version to see if any vignetting occurs.


The filter is large at 112mm, but it is also thick. It protrudes deeply from the collapsed hood on the F* 250-600 and although it fit, it was a little too snug in the custom case I designed for the lens (shown below). I have now switched the filters so the B+W one is on the F* 250-600 and the Pentax one is on the DA 560.




These images were taken with the K-1 ii and the Tamron 90 Macro (272E version). The Tamron 55mm lens cap is placed next to the filter to give you an idea on the size and thickness.


From left to right, B+W F-Pro 112mm filter, Tamrom 55mm lens cap, Pentax 112mm PF filter.

What website did you go to to buy the filter? Great pictures and post by the way.

[builttospill]

What website did you go to to buy the filter? Great pictures and post by the way.

Thank you. I use eBay as a last resort to find things when I can't find them anywhere else. That was the case for this filter.

[Jack]

Thank you. I looked there and haven't had any luck yet. I'll keep trying.