[biz-engineer]

Short question - are there any news about the new telephoto lenses from Pentax?

No news for the 70-300 on the road map.

[Paulo]

That's a great pitty.. I was hoping to replace my da*60-250 with something new, with better AF however with the rendition on the same level. So maybe it is the time to acquire dfa70-210/4...

...or change the system, life is too short to wait for news from Pentax stable

[biz-engineer]

...or change the system, life is too short to wait for news from Pentax stable

No matter what you do, it's only money, knowing that money can lose 20% of its purchasing power in a couple of years just by a stroke of a magic wand.

[thibs]

I've seen a Tokina AF 70-300 at an acceptable price near my location but I guess that old lens wouldn't ever match the DA55-300 cropped (I have one on loan) on my K1.
I suppose I'll have to wait for a proper modern 70-300.

[Apas]

The image quality of the 55-300 PLM is pretty awesome already. What about that lens since your shooting apsc?

Well, considered it some time ago. Problem is that I read quite a few reports from reliable sources that this lens have some issue with rendering of fine details if the subject is far away and cropping is applied, and this is quite common scenario in my case. Then I searched for samples and seems that this may be an issue indeed... 150 - 450 is much better in similar situations. However, when subject is quite close and big in the frame - 55-300 PLM can produce great pictures, for sure... Best case scenario would be some test session with actual lens, but unfortunately in the country where I am living Pentax is quite exotic brand with no distribution, no service and virtually no users, so I cannot find 55 - 300 PLM to give it a try... To buy one on-line and then return it after 10 days if I will be not happy would be a pain in the ass as well...

Well, probably I'll wait few more months for any reliable leaks about possible 70 - 300 or maybe refreshed DA* 300 with better AF (there were some rumors as well...), as I not need that focal length in Winter that much. If nothing happens... well, I will buy 150 - 450 perhaps.

[biz-engineer]

However, when subject is quite close and big in the frame - 55-300 PLM can produce great pictures, for sur

Problem is that I read quite a few reports from reliable sources that this lens have some issue with rendering of fine details if the subject is far away and cropping is applied

When using a zoom you aren't supposed to crop, or if you need to do so means your zoom has the wrong focal length range for what you are photographing, because with zooms you are supposed to zoom-in or zoom-out to fit the subject within the camera frame. I know a lot of hobby photographers use zooms for birding in europe, and the zoom is always fully extended, which means, not only the zoom functionality is never used, but on top of that the zoom optical design is a "good enough" compromise that delivers reasonable sharpness profile when using the full frame across the focal length range. So if you know you are going to shoot small birds in Europe, it's better to use the longest prime lens you can afford. And if you're going to shoot elephants from a Jeep in South Africa national park, a zoom is better because you often have to zoom out to fit the elephant in the frame.

[Paulo]

Well, probably I'll wait few more months for any reliable leaks about possible 70 - 300 or maybe refreshed DA* 300 with better AF (there were some rumors as well...), as I not need that focal length in Winter that much. If nothing happens... well, I will buy 150 - 450 perhaps.

Dfa150-450 is unfortunately large and heavy. I considered it very seriously in a past but having in mind that my photo gear travels with me in a backpack during cycling and hiking I got rid of this idea.

The new da*50-135 or stabilized dfa70-300 would perfectly match my needs.

P.S.
Hello my friend from pentax.org.pl

[Apas]

When using a zoom you aren't supposed to crop, or if you need to do so means your zoom has the wrong focal length range for what you are photographing, because with zooms you are supposed to zoom-in or zoom-out to fit the subject within the camera frame. I know a lot of hobby photographers use zooms for birding in europe, and the zoom is always fully extended, which means, not only the zoom functionality is never used, but on top of that the zoom optical design is a "good enough" compromise that delivers reasonable sharpness profile when using the full frame across the focal length range. So if you know you are going to shoot small birds in Europe, it's better to use the longest prime lens you can afford. And if you're going to shoot elephants from a Jeep in South Africa national park, a zoom is better because you often have to zoom out to fit the elephant in the frame.

Are you living in ideal world? I do not. Since I am working with nature I learned one thing - sooner or later your longest telephoto lens is too short. Sure, I can go and buy longer one, but first - that particular photo opportunity is gone already, second - some systems (like Pentax for example) can offer rather limited choice. Third and most important - this is a hobby, and beside it I have mortgage, kids education costs and some other things that I must buy, pay for, or secure for the future. I am existing on this planet just over 50 years, and for over 40 I am playing with cameras - some time ago as professional press photographer, and for last 20 years as amateur one. For all these years I saw a lot of great nature images - many of them cropped. There is a reason behind the choice of high pixel count cameras by many nature photographers, including some real champions - as more pixels allows better cropping in postproduction. If I have choice between do not take a great picture because I do not have a 800mm lens which will be ideal, or take it with 400 I have, and then crop - I will press that button, for sure, and then crop my picture.
And you theory of zoom lenses usage in Europe is quite strange. I was in endless situations, including birding, where working in one place, or with one subject I needed multiple focal lengths. Having two cameras I was able to use two primes with two different focal length at the time. Having a decent zooms - I can use many angles of view, and use the same set of lenses in multiple scenarios, as mature or birding are NOT my exclusive fields of interests. Again, there is a reason behind 'reporter's trio' being three zooms, not three prime lenses: UWA to 24, 24-70 and 70-200, or similar. TBH, my favorite lens is 70-200/2.8 and I am using it a lot at 70, 100, 135, 150 and 200 mm for different subjects, including nature, including some birds.

[biz-engineer]

Are you living in ideal world? I do not. Since I am working with nature I learned one thing - sooner or later your longest telephoto lens is too short.

Exactly, you are right. I understand what you are doing, zooming or cropping. For maximum flexibility you could get a Sony A7RIV (61Mpixels should allow you to crop or not crop) and Sony 200-600 zoom, but then there will be times where 600mm isn't enough, and times where 1200mm isn't enough. So when your longest telephoto lens is too short (or when your subject is too far or too small), you just don't take the picture and you don't have to worry because there will be new better photographic opportunities, no worry, no frustration, no stress. And by doing just that, not taking pictures that you know aren't going to be nice, you improve the overall quality of your photos. Same with landscape photography, sometimes the landscape is nice but the weather doesn't play well, in that case I don't take the picture, I leave the camera in the bag and scout the location , take notes, so that I will come back later when the light in fantastic.

---------- Post added 21-09-22 at 22:38 ----------

If I have choice between do not take a great picture because I do not have a 800mm lens which will be ideal, or take it with 400 I have, and then crop - I will press that button, for sure, and then crop my picture

Ah, if you do that, it means you haven't reached your best level of mastery in photography. Mastery in photography means the subject conditions don't control how you react, and instead you create the conditions for successful images. When I understood that, I took a lot less photos, but quality of the photos I took increased dramatically. Mastering the conditions and deciding not to shoot if the conditions aren't met, is , IMO, what makes the difference between a pro who is able to deliver consistent high quality images, and the hobby photographer who kinda get a high quality shoot once in a while by being lucky.

[reh321]

Well, considered it some time ago. Problem is that I read quite a few reports from reliable sources that this lens have some issue with rendering of fine details if the subject is far away and cropping is applied, and this is quite common scenario in my case. Then I searched for samples and seems that this may be an issue indeed... 150 - 450 is much better in similar situations. However, when subject is quite close and big in the frame - 55-300 PLM can produce great pictures, for sure... Best case scenario would be some test session with actual lens, but unfortunately in the country where I am living Pentax is quite exotic brand with no distribution, no service and virtually no users, so I cannot find 55 - 300 PLM to give it a try... To buy one on-line and then return it after 10 days if I will be not happy would be a pain in the ass as well...

Well, probably I'll wait few more months for any reliable leaks about possible 70 - 300 or maybe refreshed DA* 300 with better AF (there were some rumors as well...), as I not need that focal length in Winter that much. If nothing happens... well, I will buy 150 - 450 perhaps.

I typically use my 1.4X TC with the 55-300mm PLM lens, giving me what I call a 77-420mm lens on my KP.
It seems silly to me to try for anything that is too far for that - I believe air movement can be problems beyond that.
I use zoom with “APS-C” because I frame what I want.
On the other hand, “FF” - then crop - would allow me to see a larger area if something is ‘darting around’.

[ehrwien]

So when your longest telephoto lens is too short, you just don't take the picture. And by doing just that, not taking pictures that you know aren't going to be nice, you improve the overall quality of your photos

Took me a while and a few thousand pictures to understand that myself. A picture with a bird barely visible in the frame may be enough for id'ing, but it's not going to make me print it...

[UncleVanya]

This is a cropped 300mm shot from the 55-300 with my KP.

Nature walk by -vanya_42nd-

The full frame 70-300 is not likely to exceed this optical quality on apsc. What it will do is give a zoom with good quality to k-1 users that’s lighter and cheaper than the 150-450. At least that’s my prediction. The da* 60-250 is another option that may likely exceeds the 55-300 quality but it gives up some length. Adding the HD DA 1.4x helps but it’s still only 350mm and f5.6.

---------- Post added 09-21-22 at 06:57 PM ----------

A da 200 plus 1.4x is 280 f4 with the option to use 200/2.8 when needed. That’s another route that’s open.

[Apas]

Ah, if you do that, it means you haven't reached your best level of mastery in photography. Mastery in photography means the subject conditions don't control how you react, and instead you create the conditions for successful images. When I understood that, I took a lot less photos, but quality of the photos I took increased dramatically. Mastering the conditions and deciding not to shoot if the conditions aren't met, is , IMO, what makes the difference between a pro who is able to deliver consistent high quality images, and the hobby photographer who kinda get a high quality shoot once in a while by being lucky.

You're kidding, right?
First - I am not a pro (whatever that means).
Second - some of the best nature photographs I saw in my life, photographs published and presented in galleries were taken by chance only because somebody was in right place, right time situation. Sure, I worked on projects where most of circumstances were more or less under my control: after studying still quite wild river near my place in Ireland I found area, where a family of otters lives and for almost two years I familiarized the animals with my smell, my behavior and my presence, and at the end I was able to photograph them playing and hunting fish just two or three meters away from me. But nature is everywhere, and beautiful or incredible things may happen when you just walking in a local park: do not press that button even if you have your camera with you because you did not plan this situation and thus this is such a non-pro approach - is quite silly, IMHO. Of course, sometimes the camera and lens combination you have with you is not suitable to produce great photo, so at least you have something to document your encounter with particular animal or situation. However, quite often in post production you may realize, that some crop may give you perfectly usable picture, which can be published on-line or even printed. Again, I'll take the chance...

[JPT]

Here a link to another patent for the 70-300 that was found today by digicame-info.

(Japanese) ?????????????70-300mm F4.5-5.3??70-300mm F4.5-5.6?????? - ????info
(English via Google) ?????????????70-300mm F4.5-5.3??70-300mm F4.5-5.6?????? - ????info

70-300mm F4.5-5.3 and 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 are shown, both with SR.

So it seems they are very much still working on this lens.

[OoKU]

Here a link to another patent for the 70-300 that was found today by digicame-info.

(Japanese) ?????????????70-300mm F4.5-5.3??70-300mm F4.5-5.6?????? - ????info
(English via Google) ?????????????70-300mm F4.5-5.3??70-300mm F4.5-5.6?????? - ????info

70-300mm F4.5-5.3 and 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 are shown, both with SR.

So it seems they are very much still working on this lens.

It's not a new patent, it's just a divison of an old patent.