Nature Testing Pentax HD DA 55-300mm F4-5.8ED WR

Testing Pentax HD DA 55-300mm F4-5.8ED WR · 12:53 PM

I took my new lens with me and give it a quick try by the pool. Took some pictures of ducks. It was a dark day again, so had to keep ISO-setting pretty high. These are my first shots with this lens, I just wanted to compare it with my old gear.
Focusing is not the quickest one. And with the real wildlife it is too loud. But it is not the issue with these birds.

The first photo is just sharpened a little and converted to jpeg. No cropping or anything else. Other photos are cropped and tuned.

**Kerrowdown** · 02-26-2014, 01:16 PM

The big question is... are you happy with it?

Supakatti · 02-26-2014, 01:52 PM

Too early to answer.
What comes the sheer optical quality, I think it is good for its price 449€.
I had tamron SP 70-300MM F/4-5.6 Di VC USD with my Canon. And I feel this Pentax is clearly better, what comes to the optics. It has WR. And it does not weight so much.
But the focusing.... It may be something, that starts annoying me: It is loud, it is slow, it feels unreliable.
I have to get to know this lens more.

**Kerrowdown** · 02-26-2014, 02:23 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Supakatti

It is loud, it is slow, it feels unreliable

I only manually focus still, so if any of that happens to me I'm afraid it's down to me.

Supakatti · 02-26-2014, 10:10 PM

How fun it is to compare these optics and peep the pixels, I have to confess that my most unreliable gear and effect stands behind my camera :
I envy those people, who just have "the" touch in taking photos. I have a long road ahead of me, but fortunately it is a fun road to travel.

ausmoose · 02-26-2014, 10:32 PM

Interesting shots, I really like the DOF in the second one, I'm sure you'll produce some really nice photos with this lens.

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02-26-2014, 01:16 PM	#2
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	The big question is... are you happy with it?

02-26-2014, 01:52 PM	#3
Supakatti Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Tuusula, Southern Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 135 Original Poster	Too early to answer. What comes the sheer optical quality, I think it is good for its price 449€. I had tamron SP 70-300MM F/4-5.6 Di VC USD with my Canon. And I feel this Pentax is clearly better, what comes to the optics. It has WR. And it does not weight so much. But the focusing.... It may be something, that starts annoying me: It is loud, it is slow, it feels unreliable. I have to get to know this lens more.

02-26-2014, 02:23 PM - 1 Like	#4
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by Supakatti It is loud, it is slow, it feels unreliable I only manually focus still, so if any of that happens to me I'm afraid it's down to me.

02-26-2014, 10:10 PM	#5
Supakatti Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Tuusula, Southern Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 135 Original Poster	How fun it is to compare these optics and peep the pixels, I have to confess that my most unreliable gear and effect stands behind my camera : I envy those people, who just have "the" touch in taking photos. I have a long road ahead of me, but fortunately it is a fun road to travel.

02-26-2014, 10:32 PM	#6
ausmoose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Sydney, NSW Photos: Albums Posts: 968	Interesting shots, I really like the DOF in the second one, I'm sure you'll produce some really nice photos with this lens.