[netuser]

Netuser: what's your budget? If you plan to stay with Pentax, then a budget is still needed. You can be successful with birding at 300mm, but it takes a different approach and more patience.

Having a 500mm lens is nice, 600mm is even better, but often you want even more. It depends on the subject! Shorebirds and such can be approached with some techniques that will let you fill the frame at 500mm (using a blind). I guess I am saying you need to clarify what birds you wish to photograph and how approachable they are. Most of the time my subjects are not used to human presence, so they move away or readily take flight. Hummingbirds are an exception if you still relatively still, but they are incredibly small at ~7-9 cm from head to tail.

Give us some thoughts/answers and perhaps we could help out more definitely for you...

Regards,
Marc

Thanks Marc

I'm with Pentax not only for the gear but also due to the passion. You all prove my point.
Pentax will have to stick with me

About birds, my "kind of photography" was until now mainly landscapes and normal portraits. Now, and living in the Azores, I'm thinking about birding.
I have tamron 70-200 f2.8 and I have done already some testing. I'm still exploring, on field and on reading.
Using a hide it's possible to make great shoots with shorter lens but a longer lens is also nice to have.
Now, I'm using a friends second body (canon 40d due to the 400mm that comes along) to go shoot with him for the learning oportunity. He only shoots birds

I'm on the way to build my own "portable" hideout so I can give it a try with tammy 70-200 with the option for 1.4x. My feeling is, for now to wait for a possible DA*400mm.

About the budget, I have a mint/new FA600mm/4 available for 3000 euros. (Professional Photographer moving to D700)

I'm just not very confortable giving "so much money" for a lens since:
1) I don't master this kind of photography
2) I don't know if I will keep birding or not. I'm just seeing if I like this kind of photography/shooting.

So, for now, I think the wise thing to do is just seat in the fence. I might loose this opportunity but on the other hand, DA*400 or DA*600 might arrive meanwhile.

(I didn't decide yet to buy or not to buy this FA600 )

Does this make any sense ?

[Miserere]

Matsuiyastore is always good for a laugh

[Miserere]

Does this make any sense ?

No, it doesn't. If you're into birding, then you need lenses such as the 600 f/4. We have no idea what long glass, if any, Pentax is planning, nor when it will be released. You could wait 2 years and find out Pentax is releasing a DA 400mm f/5.6.

If you buy that 600mm f/4 lens NOW, you will be able to use it during those 2 years.

If after buying it you decide birding isn't for you, then you sell it. Chances are you will rcover most of the cost because Pentax glass depreciates very little. Imagine that after 1 year you sell it for €400 less than you paid for it: You will have paid €400 to "rent" a fantastic lens, and you'll have many wonderful photos to show for it.

[melander]

I dont need to buy your wife, I got a real date

[netuser]

No, it doesn't. If you're into birding, then you need lenses such as the 600 f/4. ......

Exactly. I'm still exploring if I like this kind of photography or not

[Votesh]

If you can get it for €3000 I bet you could sell it for just as much if you decided you didn't need it. As long as you take care of it it should retain its value for a long time, since it doesn't seem like Pentax will be releasing any lenses with similar spec any time soon.

Exactly. I'm still exploring if I like this kind of photography or not