[northcoastgreg]

Green heron with branch in beak, shot with DA* 300 + DA 1.4x converter:

[Canada_Rockies]

Walked 3 Km / 2 miles to make a deposit in the bank. I took the K-3 and DA 55-300 non-WR with me just for the fun of it, and spotted this little fellow beside the road on the way back. Quick hand held shooting, ISO 640-800 on program

[gaweidert]

I didn't ask, he was working, I know it was a gimbal mounted cannon - pun intended

he was rapid firing and if you looked away from the river, you missed the action

I know I did

I got a shot of him too. Even talked to the guy for a second. He was shooting a full frame camera too. Like me he prefers them to the APSc format. I took this shot with my D FA 28-105 on my K1. After I took this shot I decided to run back up the stairs to my car to get my D FA 150-450 and my K1-II. Mistake at 7,800 feet or so for a 67 year old low lander like myself. Took a few minutes to recover once I got to the car. Allen thought I had taken off. Just needed a little recovery time.

Second shot is in keeping with the thread. Mountain bluebird with a quizzical look. Kind of like a Jeopardy contestant who can't answer the question after he rang in .

[zzeitg]

Hi zzeitg

Nice set and the expressions are great, the last 2 in the set are funny

Dave

Thanks, Dave. Indeed, it was funny to observe this little juvenile. It couldn't fly yet, but every time some insect approached, the birdie turned into a furious raptor and tried to hunt it.

[Des]

Walked 3 Km / 2 miles to make a deposit in the bank. I took the K-3 and DA 55-300 non-WR with me just for the fun of it, and spotted this little fellow beside the road on the way back.

That was a doubly rewarding trip Albert.


Photo ops often seem to turn up on a trip into town. These are all with the humble DA-L 55-300 at 300mm.

[Canada_Rockies]

Thanks, Des. Nice shooting yourself. The DA 55-300 seems a tad underrated at times.

[WPRESTO]

DFA 150-450

Plenty of images to praise in that post, but the last one is a gem.

---------- Post added 05-24-18 at 08:21 PM ----------

That was a doubly rewarding trip Albert.

The heron is beautiful.

[Des]

Thanks, Des. Nice shooting yourself. The DA 55-300 seems a tad underrated at times

The heron is beautiful.

Thanks guys. This might be a heresy, but at 300mm I think my old DA-L 55-300 is sharper than my PLM. I haven't done a formal comparison, but I was trying to photograph a white-faced heron (like this one) yesterday with the PLM in ideal conditions and didn't get anything near as good as the shots I have got with the DA-L. And that was after focus adjustment,1/640th, f8, and 100 ISO. The distance was similar too - herons seem to tolerate about 20-25m and no closer. I had similar frustrating results with a Black-shouldered Kite a few weeks ago. As others have pointed out, the PLM is really good at wide focal lengths but I'm not convinced about the long end at other than close range (my copy anyway).

[tduell]

Finally...a nice sunny day!
Some of the usual suspects at the park.
#1 "Skippy".
#2 Master Superb Fairy-wren.

K-3 II, DFA 150-450 + 1.4x TC, handheld. See exif for shot details.

Cheers,
Terry

[Pentaxians]

Large-tailed Nightjar, happily to see the baby with the mum (I guess) at the local batanical garden.

[WPRESTO]

Thanks guys. This might be a heresy, but at 300mm I think my old DA-L 55-300 is sharper than my PLM. I haven't done a formal comparison, but I was trying to photograph a white-faced heron (like this one) yesterday with the PLM in ideal conditions and didn't get anything near as good as the shots I have got with the DA-L. And that was after focus adjustment,1/640th, f8, and 100 ISO. The distance was similar too - herons seem to tolerate about 20-25m and no closer. I had similar frustrating results with a Black-shouldered Kite a few weeks ago. As others have pointed out, the PLM is really good at wide focal lengths but I'm not convinced about the long end at other than close range (my copy anyway).

Individual copies of lenses do vary in IQ. Could be you got an unusually good DA-L, or a something-wrong PLM, or a bit of both. I would suspect that the PLM is sub-average for that model, as there have been so many owners & tests that have found it as good as or slightly better than the DA-L

[aslyfox]

. . . After I took this shot I decided to run back up the stairs to my car to get my D FA 150-450 and my K1-II. Mistake at 7,800 feet or so for a 67 year old low lander like myself. Took a few minutes to recover once I got to the car. Allen thought I had taken off. Just needed a little recovery time. . . .

actually I wondered if he was " romancing " a young lady

or had fallen into the river and I missed him as he went by

______________________

" are you coming ma? "

[Mike.P®]

K-3II and 150-450mm (X posted in 150-450mm thread)


Tern with fish by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

[r0ckstarr]

Yes… I sold my Sigma 150-500 and bought a new toy .
It's too early to adjudicate but my first impressions are positive. The AF seems to be decisive, accurate and fast. Zooming is quite firm, but that's just fine.
The only dilemma I have is related to ergonomy: how should I carry the lens? Normally I try to avoid holding the lens in the zoom or focus ring area, but the middle ring is full of switches and AF buttons.

I have to mention that now I need the right camera. I've dedicated my K-3 to DA560, so at the moment I'm using 150-450 on K-1 and that's not adequate. But next year we should get the new APS-C flagship and IMHO first then (when having the latest technology (fps, high ISO noise level, probably improved AF system…)) the 150-450 will show it's real capabilities.

I agree about the AF of the lens. I get more in focus BIF shots with the 150-450 than I do with the DA*300 (converted screw drive AF). I carry it by the tripod foot. It's sturdy enough to hold the weight of the camera by a 1/4" bolt, surely it can handle my fist wrapped around it. I find it to be more balanced when zoomed out to 450mm while carrying it by the tripod foot also.

[jacamar]

Resident breeders rather than migrants on the Toronto Island this morning

Baltimore Oriole



Warbling Vireo



K-3, DA*300mm, 1.4 x Pentax TC