[noelpolar]

I'm on holiday in Turkey and brought my F* 300 4.5 with me. Some shots frm today showing the versatility of having it along with me:

Local and his dog.....Cappadocia....

by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr

And at a place we visited the local pigeons had developed a habit of mid air aerial displays...they were moving quick so it was fun trying to catch them......a fellow traveler with his canon 5d and L glass 70-210 couldnt get them....K3 is nice.

by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr

---

Last edited by noelpolar; 09-14-2014 at 08:47 AM.

[woodywesty]

A shot of a Least Sandpiper [Calidris minutilla] during my 30-days canoeing trip, up in the taiga of Northern Quebec (https://goo.gl/maps/rxUDF).


I know it is common around here too, but I was so close, and I got a detailed photo ... no cropping.

Can't you see the bird's shadow on the water ?

Shot with K3 + DA*300mm + HDTC1.4x, handheld (but lying on the sand)





Another good example that this is a very good combination... (I mean the 300mm+HDTC)

Great shot of the Least Sandpiper!! Your experience is yet another example why I'm close to purchasing the DA*300 and HDTC1.4 TC for my K3..... But I wonder if anyone has an opinion about Sigma's 300mm 2.8EX DG in comparison with the Pentax DA*300?? The Sigma cost three times as much as the Pentax but the bird pictures I've seen taken with it are fantastic and I fear that Sigma will stop offering the Sigma 300 and 500 for the Kmount. Any thoughts
Thanks, Bob

[derekkite]

A few this morning.



---------- Post added 09-14-14 at 11:53 AM ----------

Great shot of the Least Sandpiper!! Your experience is yet another example why I'm close to purchasing the DA*300 and HDTC1.4 TC for my K3..... But I wonder if anyone has an opinion about Sigma's 300mm 2.8EX DG in comparison with the Pentax DA*300?? The Sigma cost three times as much as the Pentax but the bird pictures I've seen taken with it are fantastic and I fear that Sigma will stop offering the Sigma 300 and 500 for the Kmount. Any thoughts
Thanks, Bob

The da300 is a great lens, and with the tc it works well. You can shoot and get good results wide open. The advantage of a 300 mm 2.8 is the extra stop. I'm not certain of the sigma, but few are sharp wide open which would give an advantage only during focusing.

I'm already taking the tc off because of low light. I find the results degrade quickly in low light; maybe a mixture of missing focus, higher iso. I'm trying to master the flash and extender for wildlife. 1/4 to 1/8 power freezes action and gives a stop or so of light at the distance where you can get a decent shot.

[Greyser]

Great shooting, guys!
Finally got some decent pics from yesterday trip to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Endangered bird species: Light Footed Clapper Rail. Actually after hard debates the Light Footed Clapper Rail was renamed as Ridgway’s Rail recently: Ridgway’s rail: Bird experts rename clapper rail - SFGate Blog






Quite rare in our area Reddish Egret






Passing by Red-breasted Merganser, adult female




Gliding in the air and water




I also carried my 2nd body: K-5IIs with FA*300/4.5. There is one shot from it:

[rgknief60]

...I fear that Sigma will stop offering the Sigma 300 and 500 for the Kmount. Any thoughts
Thanks, Bob

I'd not be surprised if production for these has already ended, and when they are gone, they are gone. I sure hope not. I'm slowly saving my pennies.

I read somewhere about the process and expense that it takes Sigma to rework a line to build a different mount on a lens, and it wasn't trivial.

A lot of specialty stuff, such as the 180 macro, 12-24, 8-16, 70-200 is gone. I wouldn't be surprised if the decision to drop much of the Pentax line is due to Sigma line of bodies.

I've not researched, so might be wrong, but it seems that not long after the sigma bodies came out, pentax lenses started to go. Has anybody else tracked that?

[normhead]

I'd not be surprised if production for these has already ended, and when they are gone, they are gone. I sure hope not. I'm slowly saving my pennies.

I read somewhere about the process and expense that it takes Sigma to rework a line to build a different mount on a lens, and it wasn't trivial.

A lot of specialty stuff, such as the 180 macro, 12-24, 8-16, 70-200 is gone. I wouldn't be surprised if the decision to drop much of the Pentax line is due to Sigma line of bodies.

I've not researched, so might be wrong, but it seems that not long after the sigma bodies came out, pentax lenses started to go. Has anybody else tracked that?

It wold seem logical, no that they have their own bodies, they'll probably start making about as much glass for Pentax as Pentax makes of Sigma mounts. Just because they started as a third party manufacturer puts them under no obligation to remain that way forever. Their reputation in Pentax land is pretty solid right now... sooner or later, if you want Sigma lenses, you're going to have to buy a Sigma camera. I'm sure the Sigma game plan is to be in that position, somewhere down the line.

[boriscleto]

sooner or later, if you want Sigma lenses, you're going to have to buy a Sigma camera. I'm sure the Sigma game plan is to be in that position, somewhere down the line.

It would be suicide for them to ever stop producing Canikon lenses.

Besides, they use the same registration distance as Canon. And about as many people would buy a Sigma camera with no third party lens support as would buy a Pentax with no third party lens support.

[normhead]

It would be suicide for them to ever stop producing Canikon lenses.

Besides, they use the same registration distance as Canon. And about as many people would buy a Sigma camera with no third party lens support as would buy a Pentax with no third party lens support.

Hey, but I bet that doesn't stop them from dreaming... Sigma headquarters... CEO speaking..

"I see a day sometime soon after the release of the Quattro V generation Foveon sensors when the world finally realizes the absolute superiority of our sigma lenses and Foveon sensors. At that time when we have achieved 97.8 % market share, we will finally be able to end our dependence on selling lenses to our competitors, weening them from the teat so to speak, ( CEOs always speak like that) forcing them to realize that they were stealing away our business, not the other way around....... pause (falls into silent reverie)"

"Boss, boss, wake up, you're dreaming...."

" oh yes, sorry, now where were we? How are those Pentax customers feeling about their loss of our lenses lately? Are they beginning to see the Sigma light, have they realized it was Sigma lenses they liked, not Pentax cameras? This test is important to the development of our future strategies....."

[swip]

Great shooting, guys!
Finally got some decent pics from yesterday trip to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Endangered bird species: Light Footed Clapper Rail. Actually after hard debates the Light Footed Clapper Rail was renamed as Ridgway’s Rail recently: Ridgway’s rail: Bird experts rename clapper rail - SFGate Blog

Quite rare in our area Reddish Egret
Passing by Red-breasted Merganser, adult female
Gliding in the air and water
I also carried my 2nd body: K-5IIs with FA*300/4.5. There is one shot from it:

Loved all of them.

---------- Post added 09-14-14 at 10:04 PM ----------

I'm on holiday in Turkey and brought my F* 300 4.5 with me. Some shots frm today showing the versatility of having it along with me:

Local and his dog.....Cappadocia....

by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr

And at a place we visited the local pigeons had developed a habit of mid air aerial displays...they were moving quick so it was fun trying to catch them......a fellow traveler with his canon 5d and L glass 70-210 couldnt get them....K3 is nice.

by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr


by Noelpolar, on Flickr

I like the first shot best.

[Greyser]

Loved all of them.

Thanks

[rkappleby]

Finally got some decent pics from yesterday trip to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Boy I'll say you got some decent pics - those are great
Robert

[dadipentak]

Finally got some decent pics

Yes, you did!

[Greyser]

Boy I'll say you got some decent pics - those are great
Robert

Yes, you did!

Thank you guys. Unfortunately all images of Clapper Rails with caught crabs (and both caught and swallowed about 6-7 crabs in my presence) did not come out well. I was shooting at 1/500 and it appeared to be too slow for the movements.

[crewl1]

Thank you guys. Unfortunately all images of Clapper Rails with caught crabs (and both caught and swallowed about 6-7 crabs in my presence) did not come out well. I was shooting at 1/500 and it appeared to be too slow for the movements.

They are expert crab catchers! Great shots, really like the BIFs.

[Greyser]

They are expert crab catchers! Great shots, really like the BIFs.

Thank you, Larry