SMC PENTAX-F 1:4.5-5.6 100-300mm

Aanund · 05-28-2007, 03:50 AM

Hi everyone.

I may be able to buy a SMC PENTAX-F 1:4.5-5.6 100-300mm lens for approx 100usd. But i would like to know if anyone has any experience with it. Good or bad. It is not listed in the lens review but I´m hoping someone has some experience with it anyway.

I have been thinking of the sigma 70-300 but the pentax would be alot cheaper.

Thanks in advance

MJewell78 · 05-28-2007, 11:16 AM

I have that lens, and the only problem I have with it is the slowness of the f/5.6 at the long end. I shoot a lot of nature/wildlife... at least I try to... and unless I want to bump up the ISo and get the resulting noise, it's pretty much gotta be very sunny, and little movement to get a sharp image with that lens.

Aanund · 05-28-2007, 01:13 PM

MJewell78

Thank you very much for your input. It´s much appreciated. I read something also about purple fringing with this lens, have you experienced this as well?

Regards

MJewell78 · 05-28-2007, 01:16 PM

yeah there is a bit of that as well, but it's really only noticable at 100% and when shooting in bright sunlight... which as my previous post stated is almost a given... it's an OK lens for the price, but if it's only a matter of $20 - $50 then I'd go with the more expensive one. I got mine off e-bay for $90 so I've been happy with it.

Aanund · 05-28-2007, 01:22 PM

It´s quite affordble for my student bugdet and with autofcus it will be a great deal more practial than my tamronn 400 m42mount.

Thanks again (that was a quick reply)

MJewell78 · 05-28-2007, 01:44 PM

You're very welcome, like I said, it's a pretty good lens for the price, just don't expect it to be super high quality.

jajurek · 05-30-2007, 11:00 AM

I have found some tests (in polish, alas); according to them, the best sharpness gives SMC-FA 100-300mm/4.7-5.8 (over 40 lines/mm in the middle by the open aperture for DSLR with crop), other 100-300 are weaker, 80-320 too.

raz · 06-07-2007, 04:55 AM

jajurek can you please post that site ? I was looking for a super-telephoto and some tests would help.

jajurek · 06-11-2007, 02:29 PM

Hi!

Here is that site, tests are rather old (2002year), and in Polish

testy - obiektywy

From my lens, SMC Pentax-FA 100-300/4.7-5.8 is OK; but better IQ gives SMC Pentax-M 200/4 + teleconverter 2x; disadvantage is, that with MF only.

little laker · 06-11-2007, 04:00 PM

Here's a linkl to a Polish to English translator that seems to work nicely
http://www.poltran.com/

raz · 06-17-2007, 07:02 PM

Thank you both !!!

But...I see in the chart for the 100-300, they are using a 80-320 scale...so what's wrong ? Here is the link http://www.foto.com.pl/stare/zdjecia/obiektywy/r14.gif

And they are also speaking in the 100-300/4.7-5.8 about 80-320..but even with the translator, I cannot understand to well what they are saying ? maybe someone can help ?

Thanks

jajurek · 06-18-2007, 12:10 AM

I will try to explain and translate some sentences:

1) In the table it is evidently the error: should be 100mm 200mm 300 mm;

2) Translation:

According to the sharpness, this lens is a bit better than 80-320 mm. The best is for the shortest focal distance: 55/45 lines/mm for f/11. For the longer focal distances it has only 50/45 lines/mm and 50/40 lines/mm. It should be praised for the sharpness in the center by open aperture; at least 40 lines/mm...
Sunshade is the must!

Greetings

raz · 06-18-2007, 08:39 AM

thank you jajurek

But what do you think of this 100-300 lens ? Is it good in real life conditions ? Do you use it a lot ? Do you think it's better in image quality as the Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro ?

jajurek · 06-18-2007, 12:21 PM

Hi!

Here you have link to the Tamron's post:
Pentax Forum: Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Di Review - photo.net,
and in the polish tests are 4 Tamrons. All of them suffer from CA, their sharpness is no more than fair (especially for 300mm), and haven't SMC coating! My 100-300/4.7-5.6 is good enough, very light to carry and not too big. You see, Pentax is the second branch of my eqipment (the first is Canon) and for Canon I have 3 telezooms of high quality and more expensive; alas, Pentax doesn't provides long zooms of such quality for non-professionals. Sigma and Tamron are comparable. There are some wonderful lens, such as Sigma 100-300/4 EX and Tokina 100-300/4 ATX, (but I don't know, if for Pentax mounts), and they are expensive; besides they are big and heavy (about 1,5kg). Greetings!

raz · 07-01-2007, 09:27 PM

thanks jajurek, I appreciate it.

05-28-2007, 03:50 AM	#1
Aanund Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 88	SMC PENTAX-F 1:4.5-5.6 100-300mm Hi everyone. I may be able to buy a SMC PENTAX-F 1:4.5-5.6 100-300mm lens for approx 100usd. But i would like to know if anyone has any experience with it. Good or bad. It is not listed in the lens review but I´m hoping someone has some experience with it anyway. I have been thinking of the sigma 70-300 but the pentax would be alot cheaper. Thanks in advance

06-18-2007, 08:39 AM	#13
raz Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Timisoara, Romania Posts: 248	thank you jajurek But what do you think of this 100-300 lens ? Is it good in real life conditions ? Do you use it a lot ? Do you think it's better in image quality as the Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro ? Last edited by raz; 06-18-2007 at 09:25 AM.

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05-28-2007, 11:16 AM	#2
MJewell78 New Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Shelby Township, MI Photos: Gallery Posts: 18	I have that lens, and the only problem I have with it is the slowness of the f/5.6 at the long end. I shoot a lot of nature/wildlife... at least I try to... and unless I want to bump up the ISo and get the resulting noise, it's pretty much gotta be very sunny, and little movement to get a sharp image with that lens.

05-28-2007, 01:13 PM	#3
Aanund Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 88 Original Poster	MJewell78 Thank you very much for your input. It´s much appreciated. I read something also about purple fringing with this lens, have you experienced this as well? Regards

05-28-2007, 01:16 PM	#4
MJewell78 New Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Shelby Township, MI Photos: Gallery Posts: 18	yeah there is a bit of that as well, but it's really only noticable at 100% and when shooting in bright sunlight... which as my previous post stated is almost a given... it's an OK lens for the price, but if it's only a matter of $20 - $50 then I'd go with the more expensive one. I got mine off e-bay for $90 so I've been happy with it.

05-28-2007, 01:22 PM	#5
Aanund Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 88 Original Poster	It´s quite affordble for my student bugdet and with autofcus it will be a great deal more practial than my tamronn 400 m42mount. Thanks again (that was a quick reply)

05-28-2007, 01:44 PM	#6
MJewell78 New Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Shelby Township, MI Photos: Gallery Posts: 18	You're very welcome, like I said, it's a pretty good lens for the price, just don't expect it to be super high quality.

05-30-2007, 11:00 AM	#7
jajurek Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wroclaw, Poland Posts: 17	I have found some tests (in polish, alas); according to them, the best sharpness gives SMC-FA 100-300mm/4.7-5.8 (over 40 lines/mm in the middle by the open aperture for DSLR with crop), other 100-300 are weaker, 80-320 too.

06-07-2007, 04:55 AM	#8
raz Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Timisoara, Romania Posts: 248	jajurek can you please post that site ? I was looking for a super-telephoto and some tests would help.

06-11-2007, 02:29 PM	#9
jajurek Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wroclaw, Poland Posts: 17	Hi! Here is that site, tests are rather old (2002year), and in Polish testy - obiektywy From my lens, SMC Pentax-FA 100-300/4.7-5.8 is OK; but better IQ gives SMC Pentax-M 200/4 + teleconverter 2x; disadvantage is, that with MF only.

06-11-2007, 04:00 PM	#10
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	Here's a linkl to a Polish to English translator that seems to work nicely http://www.poltran.com/

06-17-2007, 07:02 PM	#11
raz Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Timisoara, Romania Posts: 248	Thank you both !!! But...I see in the chart for the 100-300, they are using a 80-320 scale...so what's wrong ? Here is the link http://www.foto.com.pl/stare/zdjecia/obiektywy/r14.gif And they are also speaking in the 100-300/4.7-5.8 about 80-320..but even with the translator, I cannot understand to well what they are saying ? maybe someone can help ? Thanks

06-18-2007, 12:10 AM	#12
jajurek Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wroclaw, Poland Posts: 17	I will try to explain and translate some sentences: 1) In the table it is evidently the error: should be 100mm 200mm 300 mm; 2) Translation: According to the sharpness, this lens is a bit better than 80-320 mm. The best is for the shortest focal distance: 55/45 lines/mm for f/11. For the longer focal distances it has only 50/45 lines/mm and 50/40 lines/mm. It should be praised for the sharpness in the center by open aperture; at least 40 lines/mm... Sunshade is the must! Greetings

06-18-2007, 12:21 PM	#14
jajurek Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wroclaw, Poland Posts: 17	Hi! Here you have link to the Tamron's post: Pentax Forum: Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Di Review - photo.net, and in the polish tests are 4 Tamrons. All of them suffer from CA, their sharpness is no more than fair (especially for 300mm), and haven't SMC coating! My 100-300/4.7-5.6 is good enough, very light to carry and not too big. You see, Pentax is the second branch of my eqipment (the first is Canon) and for Canon I have 3 telezooms of high quality and more expensive; alas, Pentax doesn't provides long zooms of such quality for non-professionals. Sigma and Tamron are comparable. There are some wonderful lens, such as Sigma 100-300/4 EX and Tokina 100-300/4 ATX, (but I don't know, if for Pentax mounts), and they are expensive; besides they are big and heavy (about 1,5kg). Greetings!

07-01-2007, 09:27 PM	#15
raz Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Timisoara, Romania Posts: 248	thanks jajurek, I appreciate it.