[kacansas03]

Here's the lens at my in-home birding station and another bird photo from yesterday (if the cardinal looks funny, it's because most of his tail is gone). I'd like to do more "real" wildlife photography, but with small kids and busy jobs, I don't have much spare time to sit in the woods and wait. Thanks for looking.

- Mike

That is a nice looking lens! I always thought both the 300 and 400 were f2.8 and now I have corrected that thought in my head by both your pic and the Adaptall website. It does take great photographs given that is shooting through a window. That is a somewhat rare lens I think. My 300 is an f4 and my 400 is a f5 so yours is faster than some others out there. I also note that you have a lot less snow than we do here in the Twin Cities where we have drifts over 5 feet. I hate being under a glacier.!!
Alan.

[mmphilip]

That is a nice looking lens! I always thought both the 300 and 400 were f2.8 and now I have corrected that thought in my head by both your pic and the Adaptall website. It does take great photographs given that is shooting through a window. That is a somewhat rare lens I think. My 300 is an f4 and my 400 is a f5 so yours is faster than some others out there. I also note that you have a lot less snow than we do here in the Twin Cities where we have drifts over 5 feet. I hate being under a glacier.!!
Alan.

The only 400/2.8 for Pentax that I'm aware of is the A* version. I really debated between the A* 400/2.8 and the Tamron 400/4. Obviously the Tamron won out, both because it's 3-4 times cheaper and because it's so much lighter. The 400/4 weighs about five pounds, while the 400/2.8 weighs about 13 pounds. And while the 400/4 is uncommon (on Ebay every 2-3 months), the 400/2.8 is downright rare (on Ebay about once a year). That said, I'll bet the A* is absolutely stellar. I know there are folks on this thread who use it.

We've had an almost snowless winter so far here in Lansing - maybe 6-8 inches. I'll take it! I have first-hand experience with your snow problems. I was stranded at the airport in Minneapolis three weeks ago on my way home from a conference for work. And I didn't even have my camera to entertain me...

- Mike

[kacansas03]

The only 400/2.8 for Pentax that I'm aware of is the A* version. I really debated between the A* 400/2.8 and the Tamron 400/4. Obviously the Tamron won out, both because it's 3-4 times cheaper and because it's so much lighter. The 400/4 weighs about five pounds, while the 400/2.8 weighs about 13 pounds. And while the 400/4 is uncommon (on Ebay every 2-3 months), the 400/2.8 is downright rare (on Ebay about once a year). That said, I'll bet the A* is absolutely stellar. I know there are folks on this thread who use it.

We've had an almost snowless winter so far here in Lansing - maybe 6-8 inches. I'll take it! I have first-hand experience with your snow problems. I was stranded at the airport in Minneapolis three weeks ago on my way home from a conference for work. And I didn't even have my camera to entertain me...

- Mike

Yeah, I believe that was the december 10-11 storm. Or maybe the one about 5 days earlier that was heavy wet snow with ice thrown in for kicks or slides. I can say that the body shops here do not have to worry much about jobs to be done. They'll probably finish next October just in time for the next bunch. LOL. I have had to wade through the drifts to get to the back of the 5 foot high snow plow pile so I could knock it into the yard rather than the 6 inches or so in the yard. I really was king of that mountain for awhile. I have some picks taken during the afternoon of the 11th when it was beginning to blow around. Now to find them.
Alan.

[kacansas03]

I have found that with my 800 f8 (for film at 35mm) I must adjust my values since the camera sees more light from the lens than the setting on the aperture. So at f8 I have to adjust down to f5.6 or 4.8 and in full sun to f4. With my 400 f5.5 (for medium 6 x 7 format) I have to go down 3 full stops but it is not enough but all the camera can do so I usually shoot stopped down quite a bit in bright sun. The few shots I took with it this fall I was stopped down all the way to f32 at times and some photos were still too bright. The same is true of my Viv 500 f6.3 but not as great with adjustment being one stop. Does anyone else have this experience with there long lenses that are not AF or designed for APS-C sensors? I have read all kinds of opinions on the web most of them stating that the older lenses are throwing more light onto the sensor and even in the body around the sensor and this can cause reflections inside the body making the lens seem brighter. I just adjust the camera and lens and shoot the frame but I am curious what everyone thinks may be the cause of this phenomenon. I hope the more experienced photographers than I have some expertise and knowledge to share.
Alan.
Mr. confused all the time.

[SpecialK]

Got this last night, used today. Kind of disappointing results, though I will have to try a few more things before returning it or keeping it. Edit: Exif data tells me I was using IR drive mode which disables the SR, even though I was using the shutter button while using the camera on a tripod with slightly loose movement...(I hope that makes sense).



Took several hundred shots, most were duds due to mis-focus, or more often ghosting around the image. Sniff.

Here are three that are halfway presentable...







I love how the box notes "Full-time manual focus override" (there is no "override" - it's totally manual), and "Focus preset function allows" (doesn't say what it allows) and of course there is no explanation in the brief manual of either point.

[goubejp]

Hi guys,
I got my new K5, after some time needed to solve the stain sensor - with a replacement - and calibrate the focus, I'm proud to publish my first shots with the K5+FA*600 f4; the FA* got the body it deserves ! Image quality is nothing but outstanding now; enjoy :


This one was cropped to 3000*2000 approx

100 % crop; see image details (sweet spot of the lens, 1/350 s f8, iso 200)

[dadipentak]

Killer combo, goubejp!

[goubejp]

Killer combo, goubejp!

Yes, very sharp images indeed; at a fraction of price of N or C equivalents coun't be happyer with my - long time ago - Pentax choice
Regards

[SteveM]

Great shots goubejp! Today was my first outing with the K-5 as well. I loved the K-7, but I am having better results with the K-5. How do you find the FA*600 for use? My biggest complaint for the A*600 is that it is front element heavy, making it awkward at times to use on a tripod.

Here are a few from today;

K-5 A*1200

My wife and I and our 2 year old went down to Esquimalt Lagoon today. This guy was on the other side of the lagoon (for those that are familiar with it, narrow end away from the bridge)



This is uncropped.....he was almost too close to the lens....



K-5 A*300

This guy is our resident hummingbird who lives in the tree beside our front staircase. He has become somewhat tame, squawking at us as we enter or leave the house...




K-5 A*600


He has chosen one spot on the tree to sit. There is a feeder next door that he seems to protect from other hummingbirds (they seem to be territorial). He had left when I changed to the 600, but sure enough he came back. Using a tripod on the stairs is always fun...

[kacansas03]

Great shots goubejp! Today was my first outing with the K-5 as well. I loved the K-7, but I am having better results with the K-5. How do you find the FA*600 for use? My biggest complaint for the A*600 is that it is front element heavy, making it awkward at times to use on a tripod.

Here are a few from today;

K-5 A*1200

My wife and I and our 2 year old went down to Esquimalt Lagoon today. This guy was on the other side of the lagoon (for those that are familiar with it, narrow end away from the bridge)



This is uncropped.....he was almost too close to the lens....



K-5 A*300

This guy is our resident hummingbird who lives in the tree beside our front staircase. He has become somewhat tame, squawking at us as we enter or leave the house...




K-5 A*600


He has chosen one spot on the tree to sit. There is a feeder next door that he seems to protect from other hummingbirds (they seem to be territorial). He had left when I changed to the 600, but sure enough he came back. Using a tripod on the stairs is always fun...

Wow, those are great pictures! I know more about the abilities of the K-5 now but unlike you guys I can't afford one. I hope to be able to afford a used K-7 soon. A K-7 have to be better than my K100D even though you guys find the K-5 to be much better than a K-7 which I am sure is true. What do you find better about the K-5?? Which brings to mind, what are you guys going to do with your K-7's??? Well happy shooting!!
Alan.

[MSD]

Here are three that are halfway presentable...

That last one almost looks like you are using a soft lens...

[SteveM]

Wow, those are great pictures! I know more about the abilities of the K-5 now but unlike you guys I can't afford one. I hope to be able to afford a used K-7 soon. A K-7 have to be better than my K100D even though you guys find the K-5 to be much better than a K-7 which I am sure is true. What do you find better about the K-5?? Which brings to mind, what are you guys going to do with your K-7's??? Well happy shooting!!
Alan.

Thanks Alan! I had to sell my K-7 to help pay for the K-5. I love the high ISO of the K-5, but I preferred the color rendition of the K-7 (The K-5 seems to be overly processed in camera). To be fair, I've only used the K-5 a couple of times and have yet to try to adjust the settings, so I'll get there. Good hunting on your search for the K-7....it is a really good camera!

[goubejp]

Great shots goubejp! Today was my first outing with the K-5 as well. I loved the K-7, but I am having better results with the K-5. How do you find the FA*600 for use? My biggest complaint for the A*600 is that it is front element heavy, making it awkward at times to use on a tripod.

Thank you smc; the lens I use is the FA*600 f4 which is from what I have read, and despite its weight, more well balanced than the A*600 f5.6; there is no issue to use it with a tripod + gimball head, although I found the wimberley gimball head not sturdy enough for the lens; for these shots I used a rice bag which has the advantage of a good damping; I often use a gitzo monopod too and I'm tempted to try a more classic gitzo systematic head - which is claimed to have an hydraulic damping system in.
Your shots are great too; the 1200 mm is awesome; I sometimes use a 1.4 converter - either Sigma or Pentax, the first one allowing AF - with mixed results. It would be great to see the resurrection of long lenses in the Pentax lineup !
Regards

[dadipentak]

Over a year ago, Borno alerted me to the Eagle population at the Conowingo dam on the Susquehanna River and I finally got off my duff and drove up for a look. The eagles are certainly there but I didn't do very well by them.


I was using the A*400mm & A 2x TC and got these when they were perched but struck out during the brief flurry of in-flight action. I think the DA*300 might actually be better suited for that kind of shooting.

[Marc Langille]

Taken with the K10D + Gitzo GT3541XLS Systematic + Wimberley WH-200... it's a great setup for a heavy super telephoto lens.


Not sure what variety of sparrow this is, but thought I would share. Cropped to just over 3100 pixels on the long side - just click on the image to load the properly sized image in a new tab/window:


EXIF

Happy New Year to everyone!

Cheers,
Marc