[RGlasel]

everyone goes out and shoots their local squirrels and posts images.

Do we shoot the squirrels before or after we take their picture? Do Richardson's ground squirrels count?

[jatrax]

Do we shoot the squirrels before or after we take their picture? Do Richardson's ground squirrels count?

How about Marmots? They are sorta like squirrels except they are bigger and live in burrows on cliffs.

[Canada_Rockies]

Do we shoot the squirrels before or after we take their picture? Do Richardson's ground squirrels count?

No, I think Columbian Ground Squirrels should be allowed, though. Their racing stripes make them much more attractive than Richardson's
.

[Zygonyx]

This is my french squirrel... taken with FA*300/4.5 @ f/4.5

[normhead]

Do we shoot the squirrels before or after we take their picture? Do Richardson's ground squirrels count?

Ah, prairie dogs.... gophers, ground hogs? Start yer own threads.

[thibs]

How about Marmots? They are sorta like squirrels except they are bigger and live in burrows on cliffs.

And a tad little more fat

[RGlasel]

Ah, prairie dogs.... gophers, ground hogs?

It turns out the dominant life form in Western Canada has its own genus in the Sciuridae family (which includes all varieties of squirrels, marmots, prairie dogs, pocket gophers, groundhogs, etc.) They are an outstanding proof of the dictum that the ability to procreate trumps the ability to fashion tools, learn specialized hunting techniques or do anything worthwhile in life. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Urocitellus richardsonii worth posting, so I'll respectfully decline your invitation.

The discussion about the D-FA 150-450 vs DA * 300 plus DA 1.4 TC intrigues me though. The D-FA zoom is still more expensive, but I certainly don't see any IQ handicap compared to the 300mm x 1.4 combo, and it is far more versatile. Oh well, it will be a couple of years before I can afford to buy the 150-450 and a new flagship body to put it on, but the idea does give me time to start convincing myself that what I want is actually what I need. And I'll quit using this thread to run into rabbit holes.

[Nicolas06]

So not a lot more than the DA*300 with HD DA 1.4 TC.

All without tripod mount neither hood:

DA*300 = 1070g
TC 1.4 = 124g
DA150-450=2000g

There 800g difference or if you prefer it is 67% heavier to get the 150-450 vs DA*300 + TC... But this is the conveniance of the zoom and hopefully higher quality.

To illustraste a bit more what you could do with such weight difference
- add a DA50-135 for 685g, still a bit less.
- add tamron 70-200 screw drive for 1070g, a bit more. (270g).
- add my carbon tripod syrui + syrui ball head for 1100g (a bit more, 300g)

[simon6z]

It would appear, that the test of a telephoto lens on the PF is not the famous brick wall, but the squirrel. Because, really, what good is a lens if you can't get good squirrel shots with it?

have you discovered this thread?

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/264...ml#post3260171

It would seem squirrels are pretty much universal, everyone has them. We should really have a pentax Forum squirrel shoot day, where everyone goes out and shoots their local squirrels and posts images.

Why must test telephoto lens on brick wall, the wall will move faster than birds and squirrels? I don't think Telephoto will have alot of distortion

[RobA_Oz]

... proof of the dictum that the ability to procreate trumps the ability to fashion tools, learn specialized hunting techniques or do anything worthwhile in life.

Most of us get an inkling of the truth of that around puberty...

[jatrax]

Yellow-bellied Marmot. Way cuter than mere squirrels.

[Rupert]

Rupert I too like the bigma 150-500

Yes, I see you do! That's a great lookin' little guy, he looks like a chocolate brownie! So cute!

It would appear, that the test of a telephoto lens on the PF is not the famous brick wall, but the squirrel. Because, really, what good is a lens if you can't get good squirrel shots with it?

have you discovered this thread?

Got Squirrel Shots?

It would seem squirrels are pretty much universal, everyone has them. We should really have a pentax Forum squirrel shoot day, where everyone goes out and shoots their local squirrels and posts images.

Now you're talkin' Norm......what good is a lens or a camera if it can't get a decent squirrel shot!

There is a day for squirrels and it is coming within the next two weeks....the Annual Big WSSA Squirrel Frenzy here on PForums....remember the one last year? I've been asking everyone to be sure and save their shots for the Frenzy..it should be a lot of fun again this year!

Best Regards!

---------- Post added 05-23-15 at 12:09 AM ----------

Yellow-bellied Marmot. Way cuter than mere squirrels.

You think? Otis says they only call themselves Marmots because they can't spell squirrel!

Regards...nice shot!

[Barry Pearson]

So not a lot more than the DA*300 with HD DA 1.4 TC.

The D FA 150-450mm is significantly bigger and heavier than the DA* 300mm or DA* 60-250mm, with or without the Pentax 1.4x RC.

When tracking moving objects, I don't have the agility with it that I had with those lenses.And I don't think I will ever use it without a battery grip on the body.

I like this lens a lot, and it is replacing them for my motor sports work, but it isn't a "simple upgrade" from those lenses.

[AdrianM]

Liking this lens more and more, every time I use it!!!

Female Superb fairy-wren, Allan (near Warwick), Queensland, 23 May 2015

K-3 with Pentax 150-450; X mode, 1/180th, f8, ISO 400; In-built flash with Rogue Safari Flash Extender

[WPRESTO]

comparison shots between da*300, da*300+tc, dfa150-450, dfa150-450+tc
all are straight OOC full JPG, MTF line, 2sec timer shots, tripod, SR off, all correction/NR are off, K3, overcast sky. distance about 5m.

Some have criticized the test conditions, but if the lenses cannot be compared under the conditions used, what differences will be visible in field work?

IMHO, going down the first image for each lens in a test batch, enlarging the frayed red tips of the net bag lower right, it appears that the 150-450 + TC1.4 outperforms the 300 + TC1.4, providing a crisper, more detailed image @ 630mm that the 300 + 1.4 does @ 420mm. That's impressive.