Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
03-05-2009, 09:58 PM   #1
New Member




Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Orlando
Posts: 18
DA 55-300mm

After reading the reviews about this lens, it is said to be noisy and slow. I only have DA 16-45mm. Compared to 16-45mm, is 55-300mm slower and more noisy? Thanks

03-05-2009, 10:19 PM   #2
Forum Member




Join Date: May 2008
Location: Lima, Peru
Posts: 68
Yes, it is slower. And it has a variable aperture, as opposed to your 16-45, and that might be an inconvenience. Personally, I like it when i think "this glass goes until f/4, or that one until f/2.8", instead of remembering its max aperture for a determined focal length. The extreme case is when you have your perfect metering for the widest aperture at the widest focal, but then you want to shot at a longer focal and the max aperture varies and everything screws up.

Another thing to consider is that at 300mm, the max f6.3 might be useless (you would need a very high shutter speed and/or high iso, or a sunny day.)
03-06-2009, 12:08 AM   #3
Veteran Member
Sean Nelson's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Posts: 353
QuoteOriginally posted by chenliubo Quote
After reading the reviews about this lens, it is said to be noisy and slow.
QuoteOriginally posted by ariahspam Quote
Yes, it is slower. And it has a variable aperture, as opposed to your 16-45, and that might be an inconvenience.
Just to clarify an obvious point of confusion - it looks like ariahspam is interpreting "slow" to mean "small aperture" and not "takes a long time to autofocus".
03-06-2009, 12:44 AM   #4
Inactive Account




Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: australia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 248
Its not so bad

Attachment 29596
Hi,ive had the DA 55-300mm for a while now.I think you will be surprised how quik it does focus.On bright sunny days its pretty quik but does slow down as the light drops.It can be slow on low contrast days but in good light its pretty good.I took this pic using the K20D in the early morning it focused in a second.I had it printed at 11x14 and the other customers in the print shop said how nice it was.Sometimes for a change i play around using the K20D as a Point and shoot
it was in Auto mode ISO 800, Let the camera do the work for me,the reults are surprising.Its a top lens in good light just have to work a bit harder in low light but the results are there.Il be taking it to a Rodeo nxt weekend hoping for some good shots.Ive used it for sports to with no prob so give it some serious thought.
Thnx Paul


Last edited by trumpyman; 03-14-2009 at 07:01 PM.
03-06-2009, 01:22 AM   #5
Ash
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Ash's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toowoomba, Queensland
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 23,920
Slow AF? - not really. Noisy, perhaps, but considering the much longer focus throw of this lens (like all telephoto lenses), it has a lot more distance to travel to get focus. The FA 100 macro has an almost 360 degree focus throw but I wouldn't call it a slouch in focusing...

Slow lens? - also not really - for a consumer telephoto zoom. What other AF telephoto zooms offer anything faster than f/5.6 at 300mm? If someone finds one, it'll be substanitally pricier than the DA 55-300. Any faster, and you'll be looking at primes.

Max aperture for this lens at 300mm is actually f/5.8, not 6.3, and yes, it can be used at that aperture and produce sharp images.
03-06-2009, 03:12 AM   #6
Veteran Member
Jasvox's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 3,107
I think if you read a little further (other reviews) you'll find the image quality trumps everything else. Who cares about auto-focusing sound unless you are shooting at a funeral...in which you can manually focus anyway since the subject is most likely still.

Jason
03-06-2009, 05:29 AM   #7
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,252
QuoteOriginally posted by Jasvox Quote
I think if you read a little further (other reviews) you'll find the image quality trumps everything else. Who cares about auto-focusing sound unless you are shooting at a funeral...in which you can manually focus anyway since the subject is most likely still.

Jason
Why would you care about noise at a funeral? By this point, you're not going to wake them up.

03-06-2009, 06:28 AM   #8
New Member




Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Orlando
Posts: 18
Original Poster
Thanks you all. I decide to buy one but wait for a good price,lol
03-06-2009, 08:14 AM   #9
Veteran Member
alohadave's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Quincy, MA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,024
QuoteOriginally posted by asdf Quote
Why would you care about noise at a funeral? By this point, you're not going to wake them up.
For the same reason that you don't wear a clown suit. To show respect to the surviving family and loved ones.
03-06-2009, 08:35 AM   #10
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,252
QuoteOriginally posted by alohadave Quote
For the same reason that you don't wear a clown suit. To show respect to the surviving family and loved ones.
I was kidding.

BTW, in New Orleans, AF motor noise is not a problem:

YouTube - New Orleans Jazz Funeral for tuba player Kerwin James
03-06-2009, 08:55 AM   #11
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: La Crescenta, CA
Posts: 7,450
I like mine a lot, but it does have a tendency (like many Pentax lenses I've owned) to double-travel the entire focus range before locking on with the AF.
03-06-2009, 08:58 AM   #12
Veteran Member




Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,911
i found it was a tad slow to acquire focus, what you should do is use the quick-shift to get focus and then use AF, then it's pretty fast. if you're shooting the same stuff at similar distances, then AF speed shouldn't be a big problem
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
16-45mm, 55-300mm, da, k-mount, pentax lens, slr lens
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
DA 55-300mm shoots some pretty decent pseudo-macro shots at 300mm G-Diesel Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 14 10-19-2010 07:47 PM
Pentax 55-300mm versus Sigma 70-300mm DG APO Macro mazdamazda Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 49 07-27-2010 12:46 AM
Pentax DA 55-300mm vs Tamron 70-300mm at long end (brickwall) tcdk Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 17 11-15-2009 12:52 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:44 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top