[zzeitg]

DFA 150-450

[Des]

Great series Des

Many thanks.

[sutherland]

[taks]

flying ducks K3 and DA300

[normhead]

Cross posted from The Yard Birds thread.

A host of things were going on today. I was comparing the 55-300 and DA*60-250 but ended up going to the Tamron 300 300 2.8 and F 1.7x in the end.

First off, I used the 1.4 TC on both lenses, deciding it would be a better comparison if magnified.

The results, the DA 55-300 PLM produced a larger subject, even though I had to enlarge the 60-250 to match the extra reach, IMHO the 60-250 image was still better.

PLM+ 1.4 TC for 420mm


DA* 60-250 + 1.4 TC for 350mm


Answers the question 60-250 or 55-300 for straight up image quality. Mind you for squirrel shots , do you really care? Also with a 9.5 minimum aperture there were some birds with finer feathers (like the White Breasted Nuthatch) the PLM simply would not lock focus on. Yet no problem for the 60-250. What a difference 1.5 stops makes.

I did however finally manage a PLM image at 420mm image of this bird.


A downy wood pecker visited for a bit. Absolutely no problem for the PLM.


With the DA*60-250 and 1.4 350mm


After this I gave up on the testing thing, and got serious about our current migration guests, a flock of Redpolls. ( Redpoll images were my original inspiration for small bird image 6 years ago using my Sigma 70-300. This is their first return visit since then.) That meant hauling out the Tamron 300 2.8 with the 1.7 AF adapter.


One of my first Redpoll images from 2013


The Tamron is sharper with the 1.7x on it than the Sigma 70-300 is by itself from a shorter distance.






A snow squall" snow falling from neighbouring tress...the snow seriously affect the sharpness of the focus and contrasts, but still I like the image.

[Des]

Great series Norm.

If it wasn't a comparison with an f4 star lens, I'd be pretty happy with the squirrel and woodpecker shots with the PLM + TC. For travelling light and shooting in near-ideal conditions (enough for 1/800th, f9.5, 400 ISO) it's an option.

[normhead]

Great series Norm.

If it wasn't a comparison with an f4 star lens, I'd be pretty happy with the squirrel and woodpecker shots with the PLM + TC. For travelling light and shooting in near-ideal conditions (enough for 1/800th, f9.5, 400 ISO) it's an option.

We plan to use it. We've planned a 19 day trip through Algonquin, North to South this summer, and the 55-300 will be going, the 60 -250 won't. 40 years I've been doing this, I don't have single wildlife shot from a long trip that would justify taking a heavy lens. And I've carried 2 pound lenses for probably a couple hundred miles during that time.

I do plan to at some point find out if the 55-300 with the TC is better than just enlarging the PLM images. We looked at the PLM images without the TC and they are quite acceptable. The DA* images are still DA* images even with the TC. There's some serious overkill in the design of that lens.

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Last edited by normhead; 04-01-2019 at 03:14 PM.

[zzeitg]

DFA 150-450

[Canada_Rockies]

DFA 150-450

What are those neat looking little bugs? I've never seen any before. They look like little pieces from plastic toys!

Nice shooting!

[taks]

K3 and DA300

[Canada_Rockies]

K3 and DA300

Nice shooting, but they are a bit dark when posted. About 1 stop.

[taks]

Nice shooting, but they are a bit dark when posted. About 1 stop.

Thank you for the kind comment and a heads up. Are all my posts too dark or just this series? Thanks in advance

[zzeitg]

What are those neat looking little bugs? I've never seen any before. They look like little pieces from plastic toys!

Nice shooting!

Thanks!

Pyrrhocoris apterus aka firebug

[normhead]

Thank you for the kind comment and a heads up. Are all my posts too dark or just this series? Thanks in advance

Quote I went through something similar a while ago. Everything I posted was dark. Turned out to be just a bad habit. When I looked at my PP software, everything was dark there too. I just fell in love with dark for some reason.

[Kath]

DFA 150-450

@zzeitg, how do you like the 150-450 as compared to the 560? Do you find the images as good? Handling must surely be easier. I find I’m partial to the flexibility of the zooms but don’t want to give up the image quality. Your thoughts?