Advies on lense(s) for Africian safari.

nuk20d · 01-23-2010, 10:13 AM

Dear all reader.

Shortly i'll be heading of on an Africian safari, I was wondering which sort of lense(s) to take with me (I already have a 16-50mm and a 50-135mm from pentax in my collection). I have also seen a lense by Tamron 200-500 mm f5-6.3 (for Nikon & Canon but not for Pentax). the question is does Tamron make that lense for Pentax as well? if the Tamron lense is not available to me, are there alternative lense(s) which I can use to cover those long distance shoots.

Than you to all for they reply/input on this matter.

netuser · 01-23-2010, 10:29 AM

Sigma 100-300/4 plus converter 1.4

Damn Brit · 01-23-2010, 01:07 PM

Moved to Beginners Corner.

nuk20d - Site Suggestions and Forum Help is not the place for question like this, please be careful where you post, thanks.

**Rondec** · 01-23-2010, 01:12 PM

Sigma makes a couple of long lenses, the 50-500 and the 150-500. The other option is as mentioned above, to get a fast lens like the 100-300 f4 and use it with a teleconverter.

**Ash** · 01-23-2010, 02:19 PM

There is also the 120-400 - just depends on how much reach you'd be happy with.
On safari, the versatility of having the Bigma (50-500) might just pay off, but it is relatively slower than your other options.

nuk20d · 01-24-2010, 04:49 AM

Dear all "inputer"

Thank you to all for their inputs.

"netuser" and "rondec" has made an interesting comment. "100-300mm f4 with teleconvertor". But doesn't that mean you're displacing the focus-lenght from the f4 lense and thus loose out on light and thus negate the effect of having a f4 lense?

I have an old analog Pentax K1000 (from the year 60-70's) it has a build in light meter. I notice if i use the teleconvertor with a lense(the light meter in the camera nose dive), then I have to open up the f-stop to get the light meter to level out.

Or does that not happen here?

**Rondec** · 01-24-2010, 05:41 AM

If you use a teleconverter, you do lose light equivalent to the distance you gain. With a 1.4 converter you lose about a stop of light. That means that you need to use a relatively fast lens to start with -- an f2.8 or f4 constant aperture lens. At the same time, say with the Sigma 100-300, at the end you end up with a 140-420 f5.6 lens with the teleconverter and can always take it off if you don't need it. Remember that the Bigma is f6.3 at the long end anyway.

bymy141 · 01-24-2010, 11:21 AM

There has been a number of posts on this subject latetly.
Check them out:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/87430-safari-lens.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/86391-south-af...trip-tele.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/86325-wildlife-photography.html

Have a good trip!

- Bert

digitaldevo · 01-24-2010, 07:11 PM

The Tamron you are referring to is an adaptall-2 mount I believe, if my memory holds, which means you can mount it to any dSLR with the proper adaptall-2 adapter.

The 150-500mm HSM would be a good choice. Excellent IQ and HSM is fast and quiet.

I doubt the 100-300mm f/4 + 1.4x TC is going to be long enough, or atleast, it would not be for me, 300mm never was even with 1.4x TC, but may be for you.

01-23-2010, 10:13 AM	#1
nuk20d New Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 8	Advies on lense(s) for Africian safari. Dear all reader. Shortly i'll be heading of on an Africian safari, I was wondering which sort of lense(s) to take with me (I already have a 16-50mm and a 50-135mm from pentax in my collection). I have also seen a lense by Tamron 200-500 mm f5-6.3 (for Nikon & Canon but not for Pentax). the question is does Tamron make that lense for Pentax as well? if the Tamron lense is not available to me, are there alternative lense(s) which I can use to cover those long distance shoots. Than you to all for they reply/input on this matter.

01-23-2010, 01:07 PM	#3
Damn Brit Guest	Moved to Beginners Corner. nuk20d - Site Suggestions and Forum Help is not the place for question like this, please be careful where you post, thanks. Last edited by Damn Brit; 01-23-2010 at 01:24 PM.

01-24-2010, 04:49 AM	#6
nuk20d New Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 8 Original Poster	thank you Dear all "inputer" Thank you to all for their inputs. "netuser" and "rondec" has made an interesting comment. "100-300mm f4 with teleconvertor". But doesn't that mean you're displacing the focus-lenght from the f4 lense and thus loose out on light and thus negate the effect of having a f4 lense? I have an old analog Pentax K1000 (from the year 60-70's) it has a build in light meter. I notice if i use the teleconvertor with a lense(the light meter in the camera nose dive), then I have to open up the f-stop to get the light meter to level out. Or does that not happen here?

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01-23-2010, 10:29 AM	#2
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	Sigma 100-300/4 plus converter 1.4

01-23-2010, 01:12 PM	#4
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,650	Sigma makes a couple of long lenses, the 50-500 and the 150-500. The other option is as mentioned above, to get a fast lens like the 100-300 f4 and use it with a teleconverter.

01-23-2010, 02:19 PM	#5
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	There is also the 120-400 - just depends on how much reach you'd be happy with. On safari, the versatility of having the Bigma (50-500) might just pay off, but it is relatively slower than your other options.

01-24-2010, 05:41 AM	#7
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,650	If you use a teleconverter, you do lose light equivalent to the distance you gain. With a 1.4 converter you lose about a stop of light. That means that you need to use a relatively fast lens to start with -- an f2.8 or f4 constant aperture lens. At the same time, say with the Sigma 100-300, at the end you end up with a 140-420 f5.6 lens with the teleconverter and can always take it off if you don't need it. Remember that the Bigma is f6.3 at the long end anyway.

01-24-2010, 11:21 AM	#8
bymy141 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,563	There has been a number of posts on this subject latetly. Check them out: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/87430-safari-lens.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/86391-south-af...trip-tele.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/86325-wildlife-photography.html Have a good trip! - Bert

01-24-2010, 07:11 PM	#9
digitaldevo Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: PA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 154	The Tamron you are referring to is an adaptall-2 mount I believe, if my memory holds, which means you can mount it to any dSLR with the proper adaptall-2 adapter. The 150-500mm HSM would be a good choice. Excellent IQ and HSM is fast and quiet. I doubt the 100-300mm f/4 + 1.4x TC is going to be long enough, or atleast, it would not be for me, 300mm never was even with 1.4x TC, but may be for you.

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