300mm plus Lens Club: discuss your long lenses

**tduell** · 04-29-2020, 03:52 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by luftfluss

Any thoughts on image quality comparison between the DA* 300/4 vs DFA 150-450?

It's been a while since I used the DFA 150-450 in anger, and for some time it's IQ was hampered by back focussing which I couldn't fix as the AF fine adjust was on the limit.
That has all been fixed now but I'm advised to avoid using it for a while longer until my shoulder improves a bit more.
What I can say is that the IQ of the DA* 300 f/4 is excellent, even wide open. I used to think that of the DFA 150-450 too, but right now I think the DA* 300 may have a slight edge.
Hopefully I'll be out and about after the birds again soon with the DFA 150-450 and the contest may hot up :-)

Cheers,
Terry

**cooks333** · 04-29-2020, 08:26 PM

Originally posted by Mbaez

------------

From one of my quarantine evening walks.
Yellow-crowned night heron

KP + 55-300LM at 300mm and ISO 12K

Herons are very cool birds. My family has always spent a in the summer on the coast of South Carolina and I can remember watching the Great Blues patrolling the lagoons on evening walks (sans quarantine of course). Those birds somehow manage to be graceful and awkward-looking at the same time.

Nice, crisp shot with the ISO 12K, too!

**steamloco76** · 04-30-2020, 05:42 AM - **15 Likes**

A very young adult gray squirrel captured by my KP and SMC-F Star 300/4.5

**Mbaez** · 04-30-2020, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by cooks333

Herons are very cool birds. My family has always spent a in the summer on the coast of South Carolina and I can remember watching the Great Blues patrolling the lagoons on evening walks (sans quarantine of course). Those birds somehow manage to be graceful and awkward-looking at the same time.

Nice, crisp shot with the ISO 12K, too!

Thank you for sharing your story, it makes me appreciate them more.

I'm surprise that a got a descent shot because it was so dark and the 55-300 PLM is a slow lens, but I am very happy with the ISO performance of the KP, I think it's better than the Nikon D7500.

bladerunner6 · 04-30-2020, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by steamloco76

A very young adult gray squirrel captured by my KP and SMC-F Star 300/4.5

Nice squirrel shots.

bladerunner6 · 04-30-2020, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by MossyRocks

A drake out in the park behind my house. Because of a quirk of the topology there is a berm between me and this duck so with my 300mm I was able to get his head in focus and not the berm or the field behind him.

K-3ii
Sigma 300mm f/4 APO Macro
f/5.6
ISO 400
1.250s

Excellent use of negative space.

kengoh · 04-30-2020, 09:48 AM - **19 Likes**

Pied Kingfisher shot with K3 + Sigma 500 F4.5 + Pentax 1.4x TC

**luftfluss** · 04-30-2020, 10:06 AM

Originally posted by tduell

It's been a while since I used the DFA 150-450 in anger, and for some time it's IQ was hampered by back focussing which I couldn't fix as the AF fine adjust was on the limit.
That has all been fixed now but I'm advised to avoid using it for a while longer until my shoulder improves a bit more.
What I can say is that the IQ of the DA* 300 f/4 is excellent, even wide open. I used to think that of the DFA 150-450 too, but right now I think the DA* 300 may have a slight edge.
Hopefully I'll be out and about after the birds again soon with the DFA 150-450 and the contest may hot up :-)

Cheers,
Terry

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and glad that your shoulder is improving. I injured my left shoulder 6 months ago and it is not likely to get much better unless I have surgery, so I've been contemplating alternatives to the old, manual-focus 2+ kg lenses I currently favor. Not only the weight, but also the dexterity required to hold a heavy lens and focus manually.

**Canada_Rockies** · 04-30-2020, 10:15 AM

Originally posted by kengoh

Pied Kingfisher shot with K3 + Sigma 500 F4.5 + Pentax 1.4x TC

That's a fascinating bird. Thanks for the post.

**MossyRocks** · 04-30-2020, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by bladerunner6

Excellent use of negative space.

Thanks. I thought it would be a fun enough picture to make an attempt at getting it. I was actually pleased that it turned out as good as it did and that the AF didn't lock on to one of the blades of grass in front of the duck

**dadipentak** · 04-30-2020, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by luftfluss

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and glad that your shoulder is improving. I injured my left shoulder 6 months ago and it is not likely to get much better unless I have surgery, so I've been contemplating alternatives to the old, manual-focus 2+ kg lenses I currently favor. Not only the weight, but also the dexterity required to hold a heavy lens and focus manually.

Count me in the Messed Up Shoulder Club (trust me I've paid some dues)

**luftfluss** · 04-30-2020, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by dadipentak

Count me in the Messed Up Shoulder Club (trust me I've paid some dues)

Not a club one wants to be a member of.

**luftfluss** · 04-30-2020, 05:18 PM - **17 Likes**

Fox sighting a few nights ago...

Almost as bad as it gets - so dim and cloudy I could barely see to focus, shooting wide open, missing focus, shooting at ISO 3200 and then pushing 2 stops in post

what a mess!

But such a beautiful creature, so I had to

K 500/4.5

**skolkmeier** · 04-30-2020, 07:26 PM - **3 Likes**

The DA* 300 has become my favorite lens for birds.

**skolkmeier** · 04-30-2020, 07:36 PM

Ring-necked doves at the bird bath.

04-30-2020, 05:42 AM - 15 Likes	#33378
steamloco76 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,710	A very young adult gray squirrel captured by my KP and SMC-F Star 300/4.5 Attached Images

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04-29-2020, 03:52 PM - 1 Like	#33376
tduell Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,513	Originally posted by luftfluss Any thoughts on image quality comparison between the DA* 300/4 vs DFA 150-450? It's been a while since I used the DFA 150-450 in anger, and for some time it's IQ was hampered by back focussing which I couldn't fix as the AF fine adjust was on the limit. That has all been fixed now but I'm advised to avoid using it for a while longer until my shoulder improves a bit more. What I can say is that the IQ of the DA* 300 f/4 is excellent, even wide open. I used to think that of the DFA 150-450 too, but right now I think the DA* 300 may have a slight edge. Hopefully I'll be out and about after the birds again soon with the DFA 150-450 and the contest may hot up :-) Cheers, Terry

04-29-2020, 08:26 PM	#33377
cooks333 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Phoenix, AZ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 503	Originally posted by Mbaez ------------ From one of my quarantine evening walks. Yellow-crowned night heron KP + 55-300LM at 300mm and ISO 12K Herons are very cool birds. My family has always spent a in the summer on the coast of South Carolina and I can remember watching the Great Blues patrolling the lagoons on evening walks (sans quarantine of course). Those birds somehow manage to be graceful and awkward-looking at the same time. Nice, crisp shot with the ISO 12K, too!

04-30-2020, 07:57 AM	#33379
Mbaez Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: NY Photos: Albums Posts: 3,772	Originally posted by cooks333 Herons are very cool birds. My family has always spent a in the summer on the coast of South Carolina and I can remember watching the Great Blues patrolling the lagoons on evening walks (sans quarantine of course). Those birds somehow manage to be graceful and awkward-looking at the same time. Nice, crisp shot with the ISO 12K, too! Thank you for sharing your story, it makes me appreciate them more. I'm surprise that a got a descent shot because it was so dark and the 55-300 PLM is a slow lens, but I am very happy with the ISO performance of the KP, I think it's better than the Nikon D7500.

04-30-2020, 08:32 AM	#33380
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080	Originally posted by steamloco76 A very young adult gray squirrel captured by my KP and SMC-F Star 300/4.5 Nice squirrel shots.

04-30-2020, 08:32 AM	#33381
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080	Originally posted by MossyRocks A drake out in the park behind my house. Because of a quirk of the topology there is a berm between me and this duck so with my 300mm I was able to get his head in focus and not the berm or the field behind him. K-3ii Sigma 300mm f/4 APO Macro f/5.6 ISO 400 1.250s Excellent use of negative space.

04-30-2020, 09:48 AM - 19 Likes	#33382
kengoh Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,787	Pied Kingfisher shot with K3 + Sigma 500 F4.5 + Pentax 1.4x TC

04-30-2020, 10:06 AM	#33383
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,618	Originally posted by tduell It's been a while since I used the DFA 150-450 in anger, and for some time it's IQ was hampered by back focussing which I couldn't fix as the AF fine adjust was on the limit. That has all been fixed now but I'm advised to avoid using it for a while longer until my shoulder improves a bit more. What I can say is that the IQ of the DA* 300 f/4 is excellent, even wide open. I used to think that of the DFA 150-450 too, but right now I think the DA* 300 may have a slight edge. Hopefully I'll be out and about after the birds again soon with the DFA 150-450 and the contest may hot up :-) Cheers, Terry Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and glad that your shoulder is improving. I injured my left shoulder 6 months ago and it is not likely to get much better unless I have surgery, so I've been contemplating alternatives to the old, manual-focus 2+ kg lenses I currently favor. Not only the weight, but also the dexterity required to hold a heavy lens and focus manually.

04-30-2020, 10:15 AM	#33384
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by kengoh Pied Kingfisher shot with K3 + Sigma 500 F4.5 + Pentax 1.4x TC That's a fascinating bird. Thanks for the post.

04-30-2020, 11:10 AM	#33385
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	Originally posted by bladerunner6 Excellent use of negative space. Thanks. I thought it would be a fun enough picture to make an attempt at getting it. I was actually pleased that it turned out as good as it did and that the AF didn't lock on to one of the blades of grass in front of the duck

04-30-2020, 12:53 PM	#33386
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Originally posted by luftfluss Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and glad that your shoulder is improving. I injured my left shoulder 6 months ago and it is not likely to get much better unless I have surgery, so I've been contemplating alternatives to the old, manual-focus 2+ kg lenses I currently favor. Not only the weight, but also the dexterity required to hold a heavy lens and focus manually. Count me in the Messed Up Shoulder Club (trust me I've paid some dues)

04-30-2020, 02:11 PM	#33387
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,618	Originally posted by dadipentak Count me in the Messed Up Shoulder Club (trust me I've paid some dues) Not a club one wants to be a member of.

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