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**mlag** · 08-04-2021, 11:06 AM

I started with a pentax SFX and kit lens long time ago... K10 and K3 II followed.
Always been a keen "friends and family" and travel photographer.
But recently - corona & lockdown - I started to take pictures of birds and insects in the garden & neighbourhood, got interested in tele lenses and stumbled on a vintage pentax-m* 300mm f4 lens. Had to improve manual focus and green button skills.
Looked up more info on the lens and found this forum...
Did even buy some more lenses....

Finally joined!

Last edited by mlag; 08-04-2021 at 11:28 AM.

**TER-OR** · 08-04-2021, 12:23 PM

Welcome!
The nice thing is you'll get used to guesstimating the exposure pretty quickly. I use my macro setup in the field in manual mode. I know how to switch based on light - and whether I'm using the flash.

I spent a lot more on the DA 300mm... That 300mm is a useful range for critters, for sure - but I'm pretty much spoiled by the autofocus with that lens.

**Kerrowdown** · 08-04-2021, 12:51 PM

Originally posted by mlag

I started with a pentax SFX and kit lens long time ago... K10 and K3 II followed.
Always been a keen "friends and family" and travel photographer.
But recently - corona & lockdown - I started to take pictures of birds and insects in the garden & neighbourhood, got interested in tele lenses and stumbled on a vintage pentax-m* 300mm f4 lens. Had to improve manual focus and green button skills.
Looked up more info on the lens and found this forum...
Did even buy some more lenses....

Finally joined!

Welcome to the forum from the Highlands of Scotland

myrdinn · 08-04-2021, 02:38 PM

Welcome from Belgium! Have a great time here.

C_Jones · 08-04-2021, 02:55 PM

Welcome to Pentax Forums.

Unregistered User 8 · 08-04-2021, 06:15 PM

Hi from Australia.

Timosaurus · 08-04-2021, 08:36 PM

Welcome!

Ishpuini · 08-04-2021, 11:38 PM

Another welcome from Belgium! Great to see someone with a similar history as I started with a SFXn back in 1989 myself, and stayed with Pentax ever since using a long list of DSLRs and lenses. I used to have that M300/4 as well, though it's now in the hands of a Pentax lens collector. Enjoy your time here!

**Sgrim** · 08-05-2021, 01:03 PM

Welcome! Enjoy the forums and knowledge.

**SelrahCharleS** · 08-05-2021, 01:18 PM

Welcome!

**jhaji** · 08-05-2021, 10:06 PM

Welcome and congratulations on your country winning the men's hockey gold at the Olympics.

vijaykishan · 08-07-2021, 06:46 AM

Originally posted by mlag

I started with a pentax SFX and kit lens long time ago... K10 and K3 II followed.
Always been a keen "friends and family" and travel photographer.
But recently - corona & lockdown - I started to take pictures of birds and insects in the garden & neighbourhood, got interested in tele lenses and stumbled on a vintage pentax-m* 300mm f4 lens. Had to improve manual focus and green button skills.
Looked up more info on the lens and found this forum...
Did even buy some more lenses....

Finally joined!

Welcome from Germany ! It happens to quite a few of us. we join for knowledge, read and finally plunk money for more glass, get used to it

. A warm welcome and enjoy your stay.

MarkJerling · 08-09-2021, 02:21 AM

Welcome from New Zealand!

**mlag** · 08-15-2021, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by TER-OR

Welcome!

I spent a lot more on the DA 300mm... That 300mm is a useful range for critters, for sure - but I'm pretty much spoiled by the autofocus with that lens.

Maybe spending money on the new lens might have been wisest option.
I went the other "cheap" way because it was for fun and bought now 4 lenses for 50€..300€/ piece.
200f4/200f2.5/300f4*/400f5.6 all pentax-k or pentax-m.
Still below your budget...for now.

**TER-OR** · 08-16-2021, 07:33 AM

Originally posted by mlag

Maybe spending money on the new lens might have been wisest option.
I went the other "cheap" way because it was for fun and bought now 4 lenses for 50€..300€/ piece.
200f4/200f2.5/300f4*/400f5.6 all pentax-k or pentax-m.
Still below your budget...for now.

It depends on how you use it. If you're at a park with a platform or blind, manual lenses are not a problem. Same with shooting at home with bird feeders. We used to all get by with manual focus back in the day.

I will still use manual focus on the DA300. In the field the camera often can't figure out what it's supposed to be doing when I'm trying to lock onto a dragonfly or something and the background is very busy. It simply doesn't know what it's looking at, since everything has the same contrast and detail.

08-04-2021, 11:06 AM	#1
mlag Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Zuiderkempen - Grote Netewoud - Belgium Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	New member from Belgium I started with a pentax SFX and kit lens long time ago... K10 and K3 II followed. Always been a keen "friends and family" and travel photographer. But recently - corona & lockdown - I started to take pictures of birds and insects in the garden & neighbourhood, got interested in tele lenses and stumbled on a vintage pentax-m* 300mm f4 lens. Had to improve manual focus and green button skills. Looked up more info on the lens and found this forum... Did even buy some more lenses.... Finally joined! Last edited by mlag; 08-04-2021 at 11:28 AM.

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08-04-2021, 12:23 PM	#2
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Welcome! The nice thing is you'll get used to guesstimating the exposure pretty quickly. I use my macro setup in the field in manual mode. I know how to switch based on light - and whether I'm using the flash. I spent a lot more on the DA 300mm... That 300mm is a useful range for critters, for sure - but I'm pretty much spoiled by the autofocus with that lens.

08-04-2021, 12:51 PM	#3
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,867	Originally posted by mlag I started with a pentax SFX and kit lens long time ago... K10 and K3 II followed. Always been a keen "friends and family" and travel photographer. But recently - corona & lockdown - I started to take pictures of birds and insects in the garden & neighbourhood, got interested in tele lenses and stumbled on a vintage pentax-m* 300mm f4 lens. Had to improve manual focus and green button skills. Looked up more info on the lens and found this forum... Did even buy some more lenses.... Finally joined! Welcome to the forum from the Highlands of Scotland

08-04-2021, 02:38 PM	#4
myrdinn Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: belgium Posts: 96	Welcome from Belgium! Have a great time here.

08-04-2021, 02:55 PM	#5
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,086	Welcome to Pentax Forums.

08-04-2021, 06:15 PM	#6
Unregistered User 8 Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,694	Hi from Australia.

08-04-2021, 08:36 PM	#7
Timosaurus New Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: NY (the state) Posts: 21	Welcome!

08-04-2021, 11:38 PM	#8
Ishpuini Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,727	Another welcome from Belgium! Great to see someone with a similar history as I started with a SFXn back in 1989 myself, and stayed with Pentax ever since using a long list of DSLRs and lenses. I used to have that M300/4 as well, though it's now in the hands of a Pentax lens collector. Enjoy your time here!

08-05-2021, 01:03 PM	#9
Sgrim Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Bangor, ME Posts: 39	Welcome! Enjoy the forums and knowledge.

08-05-2021, 01:18 PM	#10
SelrahCharleS Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 937	Welcome!

08-05-2021, 10:06 PM	#11
jhaji Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,141	Welcome and congratulations on your country winning the men's hockey gold at the Olympics.

08-07-2021, 06:46 AM	#12
vijaykishan Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2021 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,006	Originally posted by mlag I started with a pentax SFX and kit lens long time ago... K10 and K3 II followed. Always been a keen "friends and family" and travel photographer. But recently - corona & lockdown - I started to take pictures of birds and insects in the garden & neighbourhood, got interested in tele lenses and stumbled on a vintage pentax-m* 300mm f4 lens. Had to improve manual focus and green button skills. Looked up more info on the lens and found this forum... Did even buy some more lenses.... Finally joined! Welcome from Germany ! It happens to quite a few of us. we join for knowledge, read and finally plunk money for more glass, get used to it . A warm welcome and enjoy your stay.

08-09-2021, 02:21 AM	#13
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,423	Welcome from New Zealand!

08-15-2021, 02:24 PM	#14
mlag Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Zuiderkempen - Grote Netewoud - Belgium Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413 Original Poster	Originally posted by TER-OR Welcome! I spent a lot more on the DA 300mm... That 300mm is a useful range for critters, for sure - but I'm pretty much spoiled by the autofocus with that lens. Maybe spending money on the new lens might have been wisest option. I went the other "cheap" way because it was for fun and bought now 4 lenses for 50€..300€/ piece. 200f4/200f2.5/300f4*/400f5.6 all pentax-k or pentax-m. Still below your budget...for now.

08-16-2021, 07:33 AM	#15
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Originally posted by mlag Maybe spending money on the new lens might have been wisest option. I went the other "cheap" way because it was for fun and bought now 4 lenses for 50€..300€/ piece. 200f4/200f2.5/300f4*/400f5.6 all pentax-k or pentax-m. Still below your budget...for now. It depends on how you use it. If you're at a park with a platform or blind, manual lenses are not a problem. Same with shooting at home with bird feeders. We used to all get by with manual focus back in the day. I will still use manual focus on the DA300. In the field the camera often can't figure out what it's supposed to be doing when I'm trying to lock onto a dragonfly or something and the background is very busy. It simply doesn't know what it's looking at, since everything has the same contrast and detail.

New member from Belgium

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