Just found a used 645 FA*300 mm f/4 on eBay. Is this a "super-sharp" lens on a 645Z?

**rlmartindale** · 09-28-2021, 09:14 PM

just found this beauty for under $250 because its manual focus and has some dents in the lens hood....

images are tack sharp....maybe some test photos are in order...this is full frame and 100% F8 handheld (being able to shoot handheld at high ISO and still have great images maybe the biggest change in photography in a while)

one thing is certain....no more 645 lenses because I have a good selection and until the lottery's winning come in...i won't be getting g 28-45 used or new anytime soon...

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**TDvN57** · 09-28-2021, 10:44 PM

Very nice. Ready for a wall-art print.

**RICHARD L.** · 09-29-2021, 03:00 AM

Originally posted by rlmartindale

just found this beauty for under $250 because its manual focus

This is the exact same lens optically as the 645 FA* 300 mm f/4 ED IF, just manual-focus. Results should be just as spectacular !

Regards

**rlmartindale** · 10-01-2021, 01:58 PM

In the "u get what u pay for dept"....this lens is just fine, except for one anomaly I have never seen, a focus shift when going from F4 to F5.6 and then back at F8.....all the other f stops are fine...happens focusing at infinity and at 11 feet.

Note to self....don't use f5.6 and all is well, it appears....the images from the lens are very nice indeed and well corrected

**RICHARD L.** · 10-01-2021, 04:15 PM

Put it on "A" and use Av mode, then forget about this.

Regards

**rlmartindale** · 10-06-2021, 08:46 PM

Originally posted by RICHARD L.

Put it on "A" and use Av mode, then forget about this.

Regards

Not sure what you mean....would shooting in A mode and AV mode somehow fix this?

I will plan to use it F8 and above anyway...and really check focus to use f5.6...F4 is not happening...the lens isn't great wide open.

**rlmartindale** · 10-07-2021, 09:07 PM

Here are some shots of the 300mm in action with the iShoot TA720 tripod collar....a good fit for this lens if you remove the little rubber ring inside it.....

...for some reason, the upside down shots are a bit shaky....i like the image enough to reshoot....its the flag display in the following post

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**rlmartindale** · 10-07-2021, 09:24 PM - **1 Like**

....I take back everything I said about this lens wide open....these shots are not bad at f4 and really good at f11....these various examples were taken this afternoon at a local military cemetery....

.....attached are full frame shots and then 100 percent views at F4 and F11 (and a gravestone image at F32 as well)...for some reason, the flag display shots at f8 and f11 were shaky so the shots at f16 are used there....the camera WAS upside down and it might be worth a reshoot...I like the image and it works in the Flag Project underway here....

**cdd29** · 10-16-2021, 08:11 PM

are all FA 300 f/4 auto focus * lenses? Are there different versions? Not I'm interested in one

**RICHARD L.** · 10-17-2021, 05:35 AM

There is just one FA* 300 mm f/4 version, to my knowledge. This is the one I purchased used on eBay. The FA 300 mm f/5.6 is not a " * " (star) lens but is said to perform very well too.

angerdan · 10-17-2021, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by cdd29

are all FA 300 f/4 auto focus * lenses? Are there different versions? Not I'm interested in one

There's only one FA★ 645 300mm F4.
300mm Pentax 645 Lenses | PentaxForums.com

All F, FA, D FA, DA lenses are autofocus lenses.

leonine · 11-28-2021, 08:06 AM

I have both FA* 300mm and FA 400mm. I find the FA 400mm sharper and faster focusing. Perhaps I need to do the AF Fine Tune on the 300mm lens. But the 400mm is so good, that I haven't spent time doing the AF fine tuning with the 300mm.

10-17-2021, 01:41 PM	#56
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,320	SMC pentax- Originally posted by cdd29 are all FA 300 f/4 auto focus * lenses? Are there different versions? Not I'm interested in one There's only one FA★ 645 300mm F4. 300mm Pentax 645 Lenses \| PentaxForums.com All F, FA, D FA, DA lenses are autofocus lenses.

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09-28-2021, 10:44 PM	#47
TDvN57 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Berlin Posts: 1,026	Very nice. Ready for a wall-art print.

09-29-2021, 03:00 AM	#48
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 5,284 Original Poster	Originally posted by rlmartindale just found this beauty for under $250 because its manual focus This is the exact same lens optically as the 645 FA* 300 mm f/4 ED IF, just manual-focus. Results should be just as spectacular ! Regards

10-01-2021, 01:58 PM	#49
rlmartindale Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 170	In the "u get what u pay for dept"....this lens is just fine, except for one anomaly I have never seen, a focus shift when going from F4 to F5.6 and then back at F8.....all the other f stops are fine...happens focusing at infinity and at 11 feet. Note to self....don't use f5.6 and all is well, it appears....the images from the lens are very nice indeed and well corrected

10-01-2021, 04:15 PM	#50
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 5,284 Original Poster	Put it on "A" and use Av mode, then forget about this. Regards

10-06-2021, 08:46 PM	#51
rlmartindale Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 170	Originally posted by RICHARD L. Put it on "A" and use Av mode, then forget about this. Regards Not sure what you mean....would shooting in A mode and AV mode somehow fix this? I will plan to use it F8 and above anyway...and really check focus to use f5.6...F4 is not happening...the lens isn't great wide open.

10-16-2021, 08:11 PM	#54
cdd29 Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Southern Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 792	are all FA 300 f/4 auto focus * lenses? Are there different versions? Not I'm interested in one

10-17-2021, 05:35 AM	#55
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 5,284 Original Poster	There is just one FA* 300 mm f/4 version, to my knowledge. This is the one I purchased used on eBay. The FA 300 mm f/5.6 is not a " * " (star) lens but is said to perform very well too.

11-28-2021, 08:06 AM	#57
leonine Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 220	I have both FA* 300mm and FA 400mm. I find the FA 400mm sharper and faster focusing. Perhaps I need to do the AF Fine Tune on the 300mm lens. But the 400mm is so good, that I haven't spent time doing the AF fine tuning with the 300mm.

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