I can't find this lens. This equipment was my mom's and obviously I don't know much about it. Learning some though and enjoying it. Unfortunately I am having to part with some. So I am researching lens. But I can't find this one. Help please?i

[Nick]

You mean you are looking for this specific lens?

Yes, I would. I have this lens, a Pentax FA 100-300mm and a Sigma Tele 400mm. I am trying to compare the three as I need to part with one or two. These were my mom's and I inherited the job of figuring out what to sale. I have taken shots with all three, but being that I am not an experienced photographer of any sort I wanted to compare what the experienced people think. Thank you, Charlene

[NaClH2O]

There is a Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 in our lens reviews, but one of the reviewers says it's manual focus. There is a picture of the lens however, so you can verify if it is what you are looking for.
clicky here

NaCl(only two reviews but both seem to like it somewhat)H2O

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Last edited by NaClH2O; 08-10-2012 at 06:38 PM.

I put in the title exactly what it says on the lens. The review you led me to had DA I think. I see those, and other abbreviations like APO and such. But this says exactly what is on the lens except for a circle with a line through it followed by 55. It has the multi coated lens made in Japan as well. When I search lens even for sale I find a lot of 70-300mm out there and some DA Macro etc. I will learn as time goes on just what all that means. I wanted to get some reviews to decide if I should keep it or one of the other two. Thanks, Charly

I put it back on my camera to see and just pointed it basically and it is either on focus.

[NaClH2O]

The thing is that the only lenses we have in the third party lens DB are lenses that people have written reviews for. The lens I pointed you to is an auto aperture/manual focus lens. That means you can set the lens aperture from the camera, or have the camera set it in shutter priority mode, but you still need to focus. It is possible that it is very similar to your lens optically, many times a lens manufacturer will take a proven design and add the autofocusing bits to make an AF lens, it's a lot cheaper that way. I know that pentax does that, I'd be very surprised if Sigma didn't. If that is the case with your lens it will give very very similar results to the manual focusing one, except that you don't have to focus. BTW the circle with line thru it gives you the filter diameter. In the case of your lens, it takes 55mm filters.

NaCl(hope all this helps)H2O

[Docrwm]

This might be the same lens:

Sigma

[azsungal77]

The link leads me to an APO lens, what is that? If my camera is on auto focus, it does focus. If it is on manual, I must focus. If it is something that needs more light the slide will go up and down looking for a focus. If I am outside, plenty of light, I can set the slide and it will focus on that. You see, I told you I was a novice. I have brought out my mom's books and the manual to her camera now, but for so long after dad passed and then her, it was very hectic raising funds and all I dealt with was taking photos of her jewelry.
Thank you for explaining the 55. She has a lot of lens like polarized, skylight, a number of others plus filters. She enjoyed it a lot until she got to where she could not get around, which I believe was around 2005 or so. Most of her photos are dated around then. It was an ordeal for her to get to the car.
Thanks again for your help.

[donras]

Hi Charly --- I wouldn't get too caught up with technical specs. Try using each lens and seeing which one is most comfortable for you and produces the most pictures that you like. BTW, they are all telephoto lenses, typically most useful in situations like photographing outdoor sports and wild animals, and ideally should be used with a tripod at their higher magnifications.

I suspect you may find that a wider angle lens is more useful in a wider variety of picture taking. From the proceeds of selling one or two of your lenses, you could get a Pentax DA 18-55, a well-regarded consumer grade lens that covers wide angle to short telephoto on Pentax DSLRs, or wide angle to normal on Pentax film cameras.

Good luck! --- Don

P.S. --- APO is shorthand for apochromatic. Without getting technical, this generally means that some of the glass in the lens is more expensive, hopefully resulting in a better (sharper, among other things) lens.

[Nick]

Charlene

I got the lens a couple of years ago. It is called the Sigma λ (lambda) 75-300 f4.5~5.6.
Based on my own experience with it, the lens works well with my K-x and K 5. It gives decent pics, but can be slow - hunting, in low light situation.
It is well built and not very heavy.
It won't hurt of you keep it.

Well as it happens I do have the SMC Pentax DA 18-55 and I like it a lot. It fits a great deal of the photos I take.But on the Sigma, the SMC Pentax FA she has is 100-300mm. Since they are so close, I wondered which is better which started the search. I read the review on the SMC Pentax. But I am forced to sell as selling is my only income being disabled and so I depend on it a lot. Thankfully I don't have to have a lot to live on.
I was trying to figure the use I would have for the Sigma 400mm and which if either of the two that are so close in mm. I had intended to keep the 18-55 and a SMC Pentax FA 28-105 and the 50mm I am sure came with the camera. I do shoot with a tripod 90% of the time as my disability causes me to shake. So I have six lens and figure I will sell the 400mm and one of the two which are so alike. I am learning the camera but as I start out with the lens everything is on auto. Oh btw what is the switch on the side of the Pentax lens that has a slide of P, A-A5?
You all have been a great help, and I surely don't mean to be a pest, I really appreciate all of you. This forum is by far the best forum I have been on even for all the jewelry forums as the jewelry was/is hallmarked.
Charly