Best telezoom 70-300 for K-5?

Sten · 05-09-2013, 01:09 AM

I am thinking about getting a telezoom to my K-5. I have looked at the Sigma AF 70-300/4-5,6 DG OS, and it is probably good but it is big and it seems to suffer from some zoom creep, and it has anti-shake which is not necessary with Pentax although it can be turned off (or that of the camera body can be turned off).
I would appreciate your view of which is the best 70-300 lens for K-5.

Best regards,
Sten

**fs999** · 05-09-2013, 01:35 AM

I think the DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED is so sharp that it is a shame at that price

.

Bob from Aus · 05-09-2013, 02:25 AM

Not the sigma 70-300. From 250 to 300 my copy was very poor.

abmj · 05-09-2013, 04:03 AM

I've been pretty happy with my Pentax DA 55-300, too. It is smaller and lighter than the stabilized competition because it doesn't have that mechanism and has reasonable sharpness at the longer end. At the price, it is a steal.

Yos · 05-09-2013, 04:30 AM

Originally posted by abmj

I've been pretty happy with my Pentax DA 55-300, too. It is smaller and lighter than the stabilized competition because it doesn't have that mechanism and has reasonable sharpness at the longer end. At the price, it is a steal.

+1 on DA 55-300mm

lumbangorat_16 · 05-09-2013, 06:06 AM

Forget Sigma/Tamron 70-300, just go to DA or DAL 55-300 you don't need stopped down at 300m to get sharp photos.

noVICE · 05-09-2013, 06:19 AM

+1 on DA 55-300mm
It can suffer from CA when wide open, but if I lost my one I would buy another in a heartbeat.

SpecialK · 05-09-2013, 06:20 AM

All the previous threads on the subject generally have the same conclusion as posted above. I like the Pentax 55-300 though I sold it due to having 2 other lenses in that range.

reeftool · 05-09-2013, 07:53 AM

I've had a Sigma 70-300 for a few years. If you do most of your shooting outdoors in strong light, it's not a bad lens. It has a macro/close up range in the 200-300 focal length range that works very well. I think the longer range of this lens is optimized for the close focus. The long end is pretty good if you can shoot stopped down to f/8 or more and f/11 is the best with my copy. Consider also that this lens sells for $150 new.

Sagitta · 05-09-2013, 07:57 AM

I have one of the Sigma's. It really is soft unless stopped way down at the long end, but you can pull of some decent shots with it under the right conditions. I'll be following this thread since I want to replace it at some point (physically broken as opposed to just wanting to get rid of the thing on my part).

reeftool · 05-09-2013, 11:15 AM

I use my MF 200 and 300mm primes much more for my telephoto shooting these days. Probably the biggest use I get out of the Sigma is for close ups while paddling my kayak around. It does an excellent job and the 200-300 length gives me a very workable distance from subjects when I'm on the water. I'm going to upgrade myself soon but since I'm still hopping around on crutches and can't shoot much I'm not rushing into another purchase. My Sigma took a drop a while back and while it still works, the zoom mechanism isn't working right and I can hear pieces rattling around. It's on borrowed time.

Black Mesa · 05-09-2013, 11:51 AM

I run a Sigma AF 70-300/4-5,6 DG OS.

I use it for stuff like this:

and this:

I can't be happier with it. I've had for a little more than a year and have several thousand race images I've shot with it. I was happy with the $35 75-300 that I had bought off EBay and it did a good job, but this lens is leap years ahead in quality and highly recommend it.

abmj · 05-09-2013, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by reeftool

... I can hear pieces rattling around. ...

!!!

reeftool · 05-09-2013, 02:05 PM

Even after the drop, it still works. Some Sigma 70-300 shots. Most of my shots with this lens go back to my K10D. These were shot in January 2012 at the Dew Tour in Killington, VT. with my K5.

My daughter, Charity Mersereau, in the pipe.

Freeskier Devin Logan (I think) in the pipe.

Sagitta · 05-10-2013, 01:30 PM

Originally posted by reeftool

Even after the drop, it still works. Some Sigma 70-300 shots. Most of my shots with this lens go back to my K10D. These were shot in January 2012 at the Dew Tour in Killington, VT. with my K5.

My daughter, Charity Mersereau, in the pipe.

Freeskier Devin Logan (I think) in the pipe.

Mine suffered from a twist in the wrong direction when trying to zoom. Something inside of mine snapped so while I can twist to zoom out, I need to physically push the lens back into itself to retract it back towards the 70mm end of things. Its annoying, but it hasn't harmed the IQ of the thing any.

These were all shot post-bustification for mine.

05-09-2013, 01:09 AM	#1
Sten Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 103	Best telezoom 70-300 for K-5? I am thinking about getting a telezoom to my K-5. I have looked at the Sigma AF 70-300/4-5,6 DG OS, and it is probably good but it is big and it seems to suffer from some zoom creep, and it has anti-shake which is not necessary with Pentax although it can be turned off (or that of the camera body can be turned off). I would appreciate your view of which is the best 70-300 lens for K-5. Best regards, Sten

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05-09-2013, 01:35 AM	#2
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,645	I think the DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED is so sharp that it is a shame at that price .

05-09-2013, 02:25 AM	#3
Bob from Aus Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,094	Not the sigma 70-300. From 250 to 300 my copy was very poor.

05-09-2013, 04:03 AM	#4
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	I've been pretty happy with my Pentax DA 55-300, too. It is smaller and lighter than the stabilized competition because it doesn't have that mechanism and has reasonable sharpness at the longer end. At the price, it is a steal.

05-09-2013, 04:30 AM	#5
Yos Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 533	Originally posted by abmj I've been pretty happy with my Pentax DA 55-300, too. It is smaller and lighter than the stabilized competition because it doesn't have that mechanism and has reasonable sharpness at the longer end. At the price, it is a steal. +1 on DA 55-300mm

05-09-2013, 06:06 AM	#6
lumbangorat_16 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cirebon Photos: Gallery Posts: 29	Forget Sigma/Tamron 70-300, just go to DA or DAL 55-300 you don't need stopped down at 300m to get sharp photos.

05-09-2013, 06:19 AM	#7
noVICE Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 164	+1 on DA 55-300mm It can suffer from CA when wide open, but if I lost my one I would buy another in a heartbeat.

05-09-2013, 06:20 AM	#8
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	All the previous threads on the subject generally have the same conclusion as posted above. I like the Pentax 55-300 though I sold it due to having 2 other lenses in that range.

05-09-2013, 07:53 AM	#9
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	I've had a Sigma 70-300 for a few years. If you do most of your shooting outdoors in strong light, it's not a bad lens. It has a macro/close up range in the 200-300 focal length range that works very well. I think the longer range of this lens is optimized for the close focus. The long end is pretty good if you can shoot stopped down to f/8 or more and f/11 is the best with my copy. Consider also that this lens sells for $150 new.

05-09-2013, 07:57 AM	#10
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	I have one of the Sigma's. It really is soft unless stopped way down at the long end, but you can pull of some decent shots with it under the right conditions. I'll be following this thread since I want to replace it at some point (physically broken as opposed to just wanting to get rid of the thing on my part).

05-09-2013, 11:15 AM	#11
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	I use my MF 200 and 300mm primes much more for my telephoto shooting these days. Probably the biggest use I get out of the Sigma is for close ups while paddling my kayak around. It does an excellent job and the 200-300 length gives me a very workable distance from subjects when I'm on the water. I'm going to upgrade myself soon but since I'm still hopping around on crutches and can't shoot much I'm not rushing into another purchase. My Sigma took a drop a while back and while it still works, the zoom mechanism isn't working right and I can hear pieces rattling around. It's on borrowed time.

05-09-2013, 11:51 AM	#12
Black Mesa Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: LZ Chaos Posts: 10	I run a Sigma AF 70-300/4-5,6 DG OS. I use it for stuff like this: and this: I can't be happier with it. I've had for a little more than a year and have several thousand race images I've shot with it. I was happy with the $35 75-300 that I had bought off EBay and it did a good job, but this lens is leap years ahead in quality and highly recommend it.

05-09-2013, 12:43 PM	#13
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	Originally posted by reeftool ... I can hear pieces rattling around. ... !!!

05-09-2013, 02:05 PM	#14
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	Even after the drop, it still works. Some Sigma 70-300 shots. Most of my shots with this lens go back to my K10D. These were shot in January 2012 at the Dew Tour in Killington, VT. with my K5. My daughter, Charity Mersereau, in the pipe. Freeskier Devin Logan (I think) in the pipe.

05-10-2013, 01:30 PM	#15
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Originally posted by reeftool Even after the drop, it still works. Some Sigma 70-300 shots. Most of my shots with this lens go back to my K10D. These were shot in January 2012 at the Dew Tour in Killington, VT. with my K5. My daughter, Charity Mersereau, in the pipe. Freeskier Devin Logan (I think) in the pipe. Mine suffered from a twist in the wrong direction when trying to zoom. Something inside of mine snapped so while I can twist to zoom out, I need to physically push the lens back into itself to retract it back towards the 70mm end of things. Its annoying, but it hasn't harmed the IQ of the thing any. These were all shot post-bustification for mine.