[christiandre]

Thanks!

I did take a look at the images from your link.
I would say that, at 450mm, the 150-450 is a tad "soft".
Amazingly, some users post razor sharp pictures here with that very same lens at 450mm and wide open .... is there such a thing as "good copy" and "bad copy" or has this something to do with the camera used, or the technique used or "whatever" ?

Same conclusion for me.... Lake of iq/contrast at 450mm, pasty results, even not handheld....better at 400mm, but barrely good.....
can't understand when i see so many amazing images.... Bad copy is my first reflection. So ?

[Dieseler]

PortraitPro 15 turned me into a glamorous Dame.... wifes fancy dress wig and earing.....makeup via PortraitPro adjustments

Dame Noel...? by Noel Leahy, on Flickr

---------- Post added 24-11-15 at 09:54 AM ----------

That's kind of...............unsettling. Or as I believe the internet term is; 'that really rustled my jimmies'.

[noelpolar]

That's kind of...............unsettling. Or as I believe the internet term is; 'that really rustled my jimmies'.

I'm amassing a lot of these type of images to be used at my funeral..... last chance I'll have to stir the living.

[derekkite]

Long lenses are very technique dependent, and even with good technique you get soft and sharp shots from the same shutter press. Is the softness due to sr? Movement of the subject? Air distorting the image over distance? Last winter I was shooting from my warm vehicle with the window open and wondering why I was getting soft shots.

From what I see wide open long is a slight bit softer than the Sigma 500 4.5. Great for a zoom. A friend's Canon 200-400? Is about the same.

[jpzk]

Long lenses are very technique dependent, and even with good technique you get soft and sharp shots from the same shutter press. Is the softness due to sr? Movement of the subject? Air distorting the image over distance? Last winter I was shooting from my warm vehicle with the window open and wondering why I was getting soft shots.

From what I see wide open long is a slight bit softer than the Sigma 500 4.5. Great for a zoom. A friend's Canon 200-400? Is about the same.

I can agree with that, especially after having tried the Sigma 150-500: great lens but required a steady stance. With the DA*300/4 surely not as bad because of its relatively compact size.
Softness : yes of course with , what you mentioned ... sr? (maybe); subject movement, air movement (atmospheric distortion at great distances) and last, but not the least, shooting from a warm vehicle. This I have experienced many times and still do when I am not careful to let the surounding air to circulate from the outside (opening more windows). Add to this taking a warm camera to the outside cold.
And it doesn' t matter of it is a tele/zoom lens of whatever focal length.

As for softness "at the long end": it would also be interesting to see some shots with the Pentax 150-450 in AF-S/AF-C on moving subjects.
There are already enough differences in "copies" that I am wondering what the results would be.
Most images posted (I repeat: "most") have been above average in IQ and mostly on stationary subjects.

JP

[christiandre]

I don't know if i'm still waiting for FF... Maybe results could be better with it
Hard choice... Return lens to the store (60 days for that) and make a complete switch to canon or Nikon.... 150-450, after 2 weeks, is a real deception for me.

[Mike.P®]

Whilst going through my airshow photos today I realised I had virtually identical shots taken with the K-5IIS/150-450mm and 7D/150-600mm contemporary.

Both shot at F8, Pentax at full stretch and Sigma at 516mm. Shot handheld so you could maybe allow a little variation (but not much)


Pentax and 150-450mm 1/1000th



7D (MKI) and Sigma 150-600mm 1/1025

[timautin]

I don't know if i'm still waiting for FF... Maybe results could be better with it
Hard choice... Return lens to the store (60 days for that) and make a complete switch to canon or Nikon.... 150-450, after 2 weeks, is a real deception for me.

Even if you choose to go for Nikon, you should return your lens, you'll sell it easier. Can you post some samples of your soft & low contrast 450 shots?

it would also be interesting to see some shots with the Pentax 150-450 in AF-S/AF-C on moving subjects

I'm going to spent my whole weekend shooting birds in flight, so you'll get your AF-C shots by next week

[jpzk]

Even if you choose to go for Nikon, you should return your lens, you'll sell it easier. Can you post some samples of your soft & low contrast 450 shots?



I'm going to spent my whole weekend shooting birds in flight, so you'll get your AF-C shots by next week

That is great! Very much looking forward to this.

Just make sure you have some "wide open" shots as well in your series.
Cheers!

[christiandre]

@timautin :

1) full image, no PT except exposition
2) crop

no handheld, ISO 800, f5.6, 450mm, 1/1000s
f8 gives me same results (or a little, little better result)

[jpzk]

@timautin :

1) full image, no PT except exposition
2) crop

no handheld, ISO 800, f5.6, 450mm, 1/1000s
f8 gives me same results (or a little, little better result)

Well that is what I think I would call "soft" at the long end.
Then again, some people will call I otherwise.
Maybe I am becoming way too picky ?

[christiandre]

For now, this lens is a disappointment for me. I am interested mainly by wildlife, and with the 150-450 I wanted to make a concession, because I wanted to have a transportable equipment hiking .
But I realize that nothing can beat a prime lens for this kind of practice.

I should think about Canon 400mm f5.6, or Nikon/Canon 300mm f2.8 + 2xTC.

[noelpolar]

For now, this lens is a disappointment for me. I am interested mainly by wildlife, and with the 150-450 I wanted to make a concession, because I wanted to have a transportable equipment hiking .
But I realize that nothing can beat a prime lens for this kind of practice.

I should think about Canon 400mm f5.6, or Nikon/Canon 300mm f2.8 + 2xTC.

mmmm..... wouldn't be happy with that......... whatever is going on.....much inferior to the results I'm getting.

Quite happy with my DFA 150-450..... did have to add a small focus adjustment....+4 I think

[redpit]

Quite happy with my DFA 150-450 though.

+1 More than quite actually

[noelpolar]

+1 More than quite actually

I feel some guilt for my F*300/4.5 that isn't getting the love it once did.......