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01-28-2011, 12:02 PM   #1
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K-5 and 300mm+ lenses

Just curious is there anybody out there who have the K-5 and any long lens like the DA300 or Sigmas reaching 500mm? I'm about to upgrade from the da55-300 and need advice. Currently looking at the DA300 f4 but also looking at the Sigma 150-500.

Thanks Andras

01-28-2011, 12:13 PM   #2
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I just got a sigma OS 120-400mm, haven't used it much yet beyond a few quick tests though. The OS version is nice, getting a stabilized image in the viewfinder is definitely advantageous with these longer focal lengths.
01-28-2011, 12:29 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by planedriver Quote
Just curious is there anybody out there who have the K-5 and any long lens like the DA300 or Sigmas reaching 500mm? I'm about to upgrade from the da55-300 and need advice. Currently looking at the DA300 f4 but also looking at the Sigma 150-500.

Thanks Andras
Hey Andras. I don't have the DA*300 any longer but do have a few A*s. I put some examples up on the 300+ lens club.....

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/55946-300mm-pl...lenses-88.html

I can't speak for the Sigma, but the DA*300 was a really nice lens. I kept the A*300 as it is faster at F2.8, but that isn't as much of an issue with the K5 as higher ISO is very usable.
01-28-2011, 12:43 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by smc Quote
Hey Andras. I don't have the DA*300 any longer but do have a few A*s. I put some examples up on the 300+ lens club.....

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/55946-300mm-pl...lenses-88.html

I can't speak for the Sigma, but the DA*300 was a really nice lens. I kept the A*300 as it is faster at F2.8, but that isn't as much of an issue with the K5 as higher ISO is very usable.

Ohh those are beautiful pictures..I don't think it's easy to find those kind of lenses..actually my dream lens is the FA 400 5.6. (still being an AF shooter..don't really know why). Don't get me wrong after owning three Pentax bodies and sevaral lenses I'm very very happy with them..still the one and only reasonable reason which I have ever considerd to switch brand was Canon's more or less affordable 400 f5.6 prime. Anything else Canon would offer me was not tempting.

Andras

01-28-2011, 12:48 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by pxpaulx Quote
I just got a sigma OS 120-400mm, haven't used it much yet beyond a few quick tests though. The OS version is nice, getting a stabilized image in the viewfinder is definitely advantageous with these longer focal lengths.
How is the os compared to the pentax sr?
01-28-2011, 12:54 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by planedriver Quote
Ohh those are beautiful pictures..I don't think it's easy to find those kind of lenses..actually my dream lens is the FA 400 5.6. (still being an AF shooter..don't really know why). Don't get me wrong after owning three Pentax bodies and sevaral lenses I'm very very happy with them..still the one and only reasonable reason which I have ever considerd to switch brand was Canon's more or less affordable 400 f5.6 prime. Anything else Canon would offer me was not tempting.

Andras

Thanks! If you look long enough, they do come up from time to time. If there is someone around where you are that has a A* lens, you should see if you can try it. Focusing is really easy with these lenses and you gain some control over AF. Although, the FA400 would be a nice lens to own
01-28-2011, 12:58 PM   #7
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I haven't done any real testing to compare yet (not sure if I will). The OS works well though. I don't have any examples (deleted the junk), but one photo in particular caught my eye - sitting on the couch with it I took a photo of the tv, at 400mm and 1/80th (handheld but fairly stable). First glance my thought was oh, just a crumby photo (given the subject matter of course) - then I zoomed in and it was resolving the pixels on the tv - so yeah, the OS seems to work well, and like a said, a stabilized VF is a definite plus.

01-28-2011, 02:32 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by planedriver Quote
Just curious is there anybody out there who have the K-5 and any long lens like the DA300 or Sigmas reaching 500mm? I'm about to upgrade from the da55-300 and need advice. Currently looking at the DA300 f4 but also looking at the Sigma 150-500.

Thanks Andras
I frequently use the K5 with mainly the FA*600 and sometimes DA*300; results are really excellent, some of them published in the "300mm + ..." thread or on the dpreview fourm. In body SR works fine, being able to use the 600 down to 1/125 with sharp images (on a monopod... the lens is too heavy).
Regards
01-28-2011, 03:12 PM   #9
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Hi, Andras. I have the DA*300/4 and would not give it up even if you pulled off my fingers.
01-28-2011, 03:21 PM   #10
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I don't have the K5 but I have the Sigma 150-500. I like it well enough, especially for airshows.

Samples:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/113777-k-7-airshow...ml#post1261943

I use it mostly on a monopod though it is not super-heavy (bad shoulder though), but have not extensively tested the difference between OS and SR the few times I alternated them. I prefer using SR as it is one less thing I don't have to remember to set when going to other lenses...

Nice and quiet HSM. I have no SDM lenses, so it took a few times out to get used to "looking" for the focus rather than "listening" for the focus :-)
01-29-2011, 01:24 AM   #11
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Thank You all for your feedback. I' m seriously considering the 150-500 Sigma (thanks for the airshow SpecialK). My only fear is that Pentax sooner or later comes out with something longer than the DA300..which is also very tempting IQ and size wise. (I always thought one of the strong side of Pentax is it's size).

I'm "playing" with the DA55-300 and the K-5 right now and the usability of this lens hugely increased with the AF and the high iso IQ this camera can deliver. However I have to admit that I rarely use it at 300mm (leaving it around 260) and like to stop it down to at least f8. So the DA300 would be a huge step up in these areas and resolution-wise too I guess..

..(I know this is not the rumours and news forum..but any word about a DA400 maybe??..the K-5 would definitely deserve it...

Appetite comes while eating...
I took this yesterday and posted it around I'm so happy with this..and it has nothing to do with me..it is just the AF and high iso that makes these kind of pictures possible with the K-5 and the 55-300:




Andras
01-29-2011, 01:55 AM   #12
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I do much of my wildlife shooting with Sigma 300/2,8 and 500/4,5 lenses. They work fine with both K 7 and K 5 bodies. My recent two-week trip into the wildlife sanctuaries in North-Western India was the first serious test for the K 5. See https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/130270-nature-tigers-indian-wildlife.html

K 5 ´s improved AF is a benefit, especially if you go for some of the slower telezooms.
01-29-2011, 02:27 AM   #13
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I just got the Sigma 150-500, but have only tried it out once. I think it's ok'ish at 500. I think the pictures need some sharpening. Here's two straigt out of the K-5.





I didn't manage to catch a bird in flight, but that might as well be an operator error.
01-29-2011, 04:49 AM   #14
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I'm excited about the K 5 for the same reasons many of you are. In my case I’m looking for improved performance with my older Pentax MF telephotos. Most super telephoto lenses, especially the older MF ones I own, are fairly slow starting at f 5.6. Shooting wide open they are prone to CAs and purple fringing in the digital format. In my case this is especially true of my K 300/4 and M 400/5.6. Stopped down a bit they invariably show vastly improved performance with CAs and PFs significantly reduced. Being able to shoot at ISO 1600 or higher with a faster shutter speed will make these older MF lenses much easier to use and much more valuable.

The K5 offers benefits that should be immediate with increased depth of field and much less camera shake to soften the image due to faster shutter speeds. In my case f16 to f22 is the sweet spot on my M 400/5.6. Sadly, I'm seldom able to work in this range as my subject, usually birds, like to hide in dark unlit areas. As a result I often shoot at 1/250 sec. around f8 and all the shortcomings of my optics are enhanced. Being able to double or triple the shutter speed and shoot at f16 has been something of a dream.

Old manual MF macro lenses will get similar benefits for the same reasons. The 50 and 100mm K and M series f4 macros should get a performance boost from the K5 as well as the older MF telephotos. Watch the prices on this old gear start to go up soon as people realize how well this equipment can perform on a K5.

Can't wait to get my hands on a K5 to check out my theory.

Tom G.
01-29-2011, 05:38 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by 8540tomg Quote
Being able to shoot at ISO 1600 or higher with a faster shutter speed will make these older MF lenses much easier to use and much more valuable.

The K5 offers benefits that should be immediate with increased depth of field and much less camera shake to soften the image due to faster shutter speeds. In my case f16 to f22 is the sweet spot on my M 400/5.6. Sadly, I'm seldom able to work in this range as my subject, usually birds, like to hide in dark unlit areas. As a result I often shoot at 1/250 sec. around f8 and all the shortcomings of my optics are enhanced. Being able to double or triple the shutter speed and shoot at f16 has been something of a dream.
I have a preference to stay close to the native sensitivity of the sensor, and only with great reluctance crank the ISO- setting much above that. With the K 10 I considered ISO 800 to be the absolutely highest usable setting. With the K 7 I have occassionally used ISO 1600, both of these requiring a noise reduction run with Topaz DeNoise.

Right now I am processing pictures from my Indian trip. In some cases I just had to go up to ISO 3200 with the K 5. Sometimes I find it difficult to believe my eyes! The image quality and lack of noise is just amazing!

However, being able to use high ISO´s does not eliminate the need for fast shutter speeds. Freezing motion is a typical situation were you have to go for fast shutter speeds. Here lens speed often becomes significant. Of course being able to use high ISO´s gives you more leeway.

For people considering some of the long telezooms. There is a number of people here on the forum using these lenses. The characteristics of these lenses have been discussed, and are pretty well known.
Among the key things worth noticing are:
-of course having a zoom gives you flexibility with the focal lengths
- due to being somewhat slow these lenses sometimes have a tendency to hunt in AF, especially under low light/low-contrast conditions. K 5´s new AF module probably helps somewhat in this respect.
-the optical design of long telezooms is usually not optimized for the extreme end of the zoom range. Therefore they often lose some of their sharpness in the long end.
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