[Adam]

Review of the Pentax Adapter Q for K-mount Lenses by Pentax Forums:
Pentax K to Q-mount Adapter - Introduction - PentaxForums.com

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Pentax Adapter Q for K-mount Lenses 39977 B&H Photo Video

Adam
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[crewl1]

Good one Adam. Added a link to it in the Resources sticky.

[Unsinkable II]

Cheers for that.

[monochrome]

Excellent Review, Adam.

[interested_observer]

Wonderful review. However, I really have to say this. Das Foot - why is Pentax unable to just include the foot in the box? For $250 - excuse me, $249, with out a foot, the adapter really becomes very limited in its effectiveness. This is just one more example of Pentax being Pentax. Can't they ever just do the right thing?

They are snatching defeat (De Feet) right out of the jaws of victory.

[colonel00]

Nice review. If Pentax ever decides to include the tripod foot I might just bite on the adapter.

[crewl1]

Wonderful review. However, I really have to say this. Das Foot - why is Pentax unable to just include the foot in the box? For $250 - excuse me, $249, with out a foot, the adapter really becomes very limited in its effectiveness. This is just one more example of Pentax being Pentax. Can't they ever just do the right thing?

They are snatching defeat (De Feet) right out of the jaws of victory.

Pentax replied to that question somewhere but can't find the source. May have been in one of the video interviews?
They stated that since many users already owned a DA*300 or DA*60-250 they did not include the foot as they thought users of those lenses would think it an unnecessary added cost to the price of the adapter so wanted to leave the choice up to the user.

Not defending, just stating what I heard. YMMV

(Personally I own a DA*300 and bought the adapter foot anyway.)

[audiobomber]

How would a Q with DA*300 compare to a new superzoom bridge camera? Some of them go to 1000-1200mm equivalent fov. I'd be interested in test samples under similar conditions.

How about Q with DA*300 vs K-01 with DA*300 and a good quality TC, cropped? I'll be joining a bird-watching group this month and I'm thinking I'll need some range. The adapted Q is a possibility, but I'm held back by ISO performance. It's sometimes impossible to get a decent shutter speed at f4 with a low ISO.

[crewl1]

How would a Q with DA*300 compare to a new superzoom bridge camera? Some of them go to 1000-1200mm equivalent fov. I'd be interested in test samples under similar conditions.

How about Q with DA*300 vs K-01 with DA*300 and a good quality TC, cropped? I'll be joining a bird-watching group this month and I'm thinking I'll need some range. The adapted Q is a possibility, but I'm held back by ISO performance. It's sometimes impossible to get a decent shutter speed at f4 with a low ISO.

I don't have a super zoom bridge to compare. If someone in LA wants to go out and do some comparisons I would be happy to oblige.

I have found the Q + DA*300 combo to be really good.
You will need a solid tripod so slow shutter speeds are not an issue.
I could not use the combo hand held.
You will not be doing BIF photography with this combo.
One of the toughest things you will find with this combo is actually getting the distant bird in frame, so a few of us have found a red dot sight to be indispensable.

A cropped K-5 with a 300 2.8 +TC shot may be better, but cost and weight is a factor.
Crops from 500mm lenses like the Sigma 4.5 are very good also.
Also, you might get AF with that combo, which you won't with the Q and DA*300.

[LeRolls]

When I get my Tax Refund I might have to go ahead and snag one of these bad boys along with an FA 31. Great review!

[bigted]

Thanks for a great review. Mine is on order and if I'm lucky it might arrive this week (it wasn't in last week).

[audiobomber]

I have found the Q + DA*300 combo to be really good.
You will need a solid tripod so slow shutter speeds are not an issue.

How low would you go on shutter speed when shooting a perched bird? At some point you have to worry about subject motion. 1/90s?

[GibbyTheMole]

Wonderful review. However, I really have to say this. Das Foot - why is Pentax unable to just include the foot in the box? For $250 - excuse me, $249, with out a foot, the adapter really becomes very limited in its effectiveness.

I agree. When Pentax can sell you a lens (the 02 zoom) with not only the shutter and aperture, but also the precision glass elements, AF mechanism, faster top shutter speed, focusing mechanism, and circuitry to control that stuff for $299 MSRP, you'd think a hollow tube with only the shutter & aperture would be a lot less.

I'd love to have the genuine Q to K adapter. But at $250, plus $50 for a lousy tripod foot, I think it's overpriced.

[crewl1]

How low would you go on shutter speed when shooting a perched bird? At some point you have to worry about subject motion. 1/90s?

This was shot at 1/60. Probably on the lowest end of the speed scale for a hyper hummingbird.
You could probably shoot a still GBH at lower if you needed it at dusk or dawn.
Thing is, with the Q I want to keep ISO at base for best results, so I am stuck with that and the optimum aperture on DA*300 of 5.6.
Shutter speed is all I have to play with for exposure.

[audiobomber]

Very nice shot.