[northcoastgreg]

Egret, with the DA* 300 + DA 1.4x:

[NatureSeeker808]

I needed to travel light, as I had my dog & spouse along with, so the DA 16-45 got the call. IMHO, this lens is still able to keep up with the APS-C sensor on the KP. Just look at the detail in the trees along the far coastline in the second image. It's a sleeper.

[mtngal]

I’m back in the land of pointy things:





And the creatures that live among them.







All taken with the KP and DA*300

[Gene D]

Love the pointy things shots! Question: Just got a KP a few weeks ago and getting ready to go out with it. I have a DA*300 and wondering how your are shooting these shots with this lens on the KP. Exclusively on tripod? mono? and if handheld w/ battery grip is it a difference-maker for you and worth the investment? I had been shooting with my old K-S2 with of course no grip, the handheld shots were always a struggle and while I don't feel too constrained by the KP (even with big hands), holding it with the 300 mounted will take some practice ..expert view appreciated! The larger lenses I have are this 300 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8 (which was usually on a tripod)

[mtngal]

Love the pointy things shots! Question: Just got a KP a few weeks ago and getting ready to go out with it. I have a DA*300 and wondering how your are shooting these shots with this lens on the KP. Exclusively on tripod? mono? and if handheld w/ battery grip is it a difference-maker for you and worth the investment? I had been shooting with my old K-S2 with of course no grip, the handheld shots were always a struggle and while I don't feel too constrained by the KP (even with big hands), holding it with the 300 mounted will take some practice ..expert view appreciated! The larger lenses I have are this 300 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8 (which was usually on a tripod)

These shots were hand-held, I was on a short morning hike and these were just things that caught my eye. I’m probably an exception, I’m not very big and have small hands so I found the grip too big and it added too much weight for me, especially with a larger battery in it. I got it with the camera, tried it because I was curious but don’t use it. I would guess the vast majority of people feel the opposite of me though.

I have a good tripod (and do use it occasionally) but don’t hike with it.

I used to own a K-S1. I found I could use my left hand under the lens/camera body to support the camera, then leave a light right hand grip to operate the controls. It seems to work well for me, but the shutter speeds I was using for these photos is about the minimum I can manage (1/400 for the most part) and it’s not for-sure speed to avoid camera shake. I normally use TAv mode and set a faster shutter speed, only I didn’t think about it today.

The funny thing is that I haven’t used the DA*300 in quite a while - several months ago I bought a new lens so have been using it mostly, up until last month when I was helping someone move. The new lens is heavier than the 300 and I guess it and all those heavy boxes were good for my muscles, I didn’t have much trouble shooting today.

[Biff]

I needed to travel light, as I had my dog & spouse along with, so the DA 16-45 got the call. IMHO, this lens is still able to keep up with the APS-C sensor on the KP. Just look at the detail in the trees along the far coastline in the second image. It's a sleeper.

Very nice images. I agree regarding the 16-45, it is a sleeper. It was my main lens on our long hike in Peru and was great. Not sure why I sold it.

[Gene D]

These shots were hand-held, I was on a short morning hike and these were just things that caught my eye. I’m probably an exception, I’m not very big and have small hands so I found the grip too big and it added too much weight for me, especially with a larger battery in it. I got it with the camera, tried it because I was curious but don’t use it. I would guess the vast majority of people feel the opposite of me though.

I have a good tripod (and do use it occasionally) but don’t hike with it.

I used to own a K-S1. I found I could use my left hand under the lens/camera body to support the camera, then leave a light right hand grip to operate the controls. It seems to work well for me, but the shutter speeds I was using for these photos is about the minimum I can manage (1/400 for the most part) and it’s not for-sure speed to avoid camera shake. I normally use TAv mode and set a faster shutter speed, only I didn’t think about it today.

The funny thing is that I haven’t used the DA*300 in quite a while - several months ago I bought a new lens so have been using it mostly, up until last month when I was helping someone move. The new lens is heavier than the 300 and I guess it and all those heavy boxes were good for my muscles, I didn’t have much trouble shooting today.

thanks for your reply re the *300. I am going to give it a try w/o the grip and see where it takes me after some time with it. Appreciate your perspective and understand there are various views on the KP grip throughout the forum--your pics are great, so encouraging to hear these were done without the tripod and at those shutter speeds.

[Tsuken]

I needed to travel light, as I had my dog & spouse along with, so the DA 16-45 got the call. IMHO, this lens is still able to keep up with the APS-C sensor on the KP. Just look at the detail in the trees along the far coastline in the second image. It's a sleeper.

Very nice - and I’ve just realised I haven’t yet tried my 16-45 on my KP (which I got for Christmas). I’ve gone through all my other lenses, but not the 16-45. Weird.

I agree it’s an excellent lens

[eric3929]

Here's a few images of wildlife in the coastal plains of North Carolina. Some of these are xpost from 150-450mm club.

Alligator lounging close to the the aptly named Alligator River:


Mother bear taking notice of me as her cub runs around (630mm thanks to the 1.4xTC):




And an owl overseeing the activity:


---------- Post added 10-15-20 at 11:22 AM ----------

Close encounter with a different kind of bird - lucky to happen upon a couple Army Chinook helicopters from the 101st airborne during an unadvertised stop at the Wright Brothers Memorial

[northcoastgreg]

DA* 300 + DA 1.4x:

[Crooski]

Loading material on a pontoon intended for a wind farm in the North Sea

[gaweidert]

The vessel SEVEN VEGA is a Pipe Layer vessel built in 2020 and sailing under the flag of Isle of Man.

Must be one heck of a counterbalance in the front of that ship.

[Basie]

Uroplectus otjimbiguensis

It live on bark of the camelthorn tree and I used the excellent focus peaking from the KP to get the uplifted tail and the head and eyes and feet in focus by photostacking 7 images in PS. Fortunately it stayed quite still while I stuck the 100mmF2,8 macro down it's throat with my son holding a UV light. It is a an ambush predator and was probably waiting for me to make a wrong move

[Biff]

Uroplectus otjimbiguensis

It live on bark of the camelthorn tree and I used the excellent focus peaking from the KP to get the uplifted tail and the head and eyes and feet in focus by photostacking 7 images in PS. Fortunately it stayed quite still while I stuck the 100mmF2,8 macro down it's throat with my son holding a UV light. It is a an ambush predator and was probably waiting for me to make a wrong move

Really stunning, and fabulous technique. Really nice work.

[mikesbike]

thanks for your reply re the *300. I am going to give it a try w/o the grip and see where it takes me after some time with it. Appreciate your perspective and understand there are various views on the KP grip throughout the forum--your pics are great, so encouraging to hear these were done without the tripod and at those shutter speeds.

Oh, I can shoot without the battery grip, even with very large lenses, having been used to "no grip" film bodies back in the day. Just by the technique of holding and supporting the lens itself from underneath. But for me, if using a lens the size of the DA* 300mm, I would opt for using the battery grip for general handling when not shooting, and for better balance. With the battery grip installed, the KP is around the weight of the K-3 II alone, but with even more battery life capability if using the larger battery, as well as convenient duplicate vertical controls. Of course, people differ regarding this preference.

Congrats in getting your new KP, and welcome to the forum!