Shooting with the 300mm f4

Markbrumbaugh · 12-30-2011, 10:23 PM

80 percent today were throw aways. Fuzzy. Shooting k5 200iso, f4 to f8, brught sun to shade at 1/300 or faster with monopod and sr. Birds and such at 50 yards.
Came home..fine adj auto focus fine. Shot practice shots at 1/1000 and 800 ISO ..seemed better. SR was better on.
What do you all use?

**mattt** · 12-30-2011, 10:57 PM

As far as I understand SR is recommended to be deactivated for Tri-Pod - probably same for Monopod.

I have an SMC Pentax 300mm F4 - no mount on lens - so I hand hold - today shooting roadside raptors... I accidentally set SR to 100mm instead of 300mm... it ruined the shots.

Brooke Meyer · 12-30-2011, 11:34 PM

SR on a mono pod is okay. I shoot a Sigma 100-300/4 with a loose ball head on tripod, with SR, all the time for ballet. I would KILL for enough light to shoot f8. I live at EV7 so f4, 1/320 and ISO 3200, the best compromise I can make.

Recently heard a local guy speak & show,. He's a very accomplished, retired newspaper photographer who is now doing unbelievable good bird work. Lots of opportunity on the Outer Banks of NC. That's where the f8 & 1/1000 come from and its makes good sense. F8 will be sharpest (as you've found) and long, moving glass needs a fast shutter for sharpness (as you've found).

The K-5 gives you a lot a latitude in ISO so I'd urge you to use it. Don't even hesitate to try 3,200. Worst case, get Noiseware or such. I've had work Juried into very competitive exhibits that I shot at 12,800 on a K-5. That's why I bought 'em. On my K20's, anything past 1600 was a pain to clean up.

zapp · 12-31-2011, 05:20 AM

Check focus finde adjustment. Use faster shutter speed. Fine tune the equipment and optimize your workflow.
I am still wondering about internal camera vibrations of the K5 for anything slower than 1/1000s - just to blame another source than just myself. Right now I am on the same road, not happy with the DA300 as is, but many options for fine tuning the camera, my tripod - Bogen/Manfrotto 055 is not good enough with decent head - ...

**Lowell Goudge** · 12-31-2011, 06:10 AM

I shoot regularly with the K7 and K5 using my K300/4 using the 1.7x AF adaptor. No issue with either, hand holding shots at between 1/100 and 1/40 of a second. Don't know why the DA would be any different. Care to post sample shots!

**dadipentak** · 12-31-2011, 07:01 AM

I have SR off for tripod and on for everything else, rarely hand-hold, try to keep 1/300s or faster & ISO < 1000 and stop down as far as f8 as light & subject permit.

In my experience, it takes a while to develop a feel for long lenses--certainly in general as you master technique but I've also gone through a "getting acquainted" period of not-so-great shots with each long lens I've ever owned.

**mattt** · 12-31-2011, 07:29 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

hand holding shots at between 1/100 and 1/40 of a second

You don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes do you?

JVi · 12-31-2011, 08:24 AM

Although I have not seen a model using this in a long time, ones with the shutter button on the front (like my old Miranda Sensomat) seemed to have worked for me better than the ones on top.

RonHendriks1966 · 12-31-2011, 09:30 AM

I mostly use my DA*300mm at f4.0. Use a monopod a lot and keep SR on.

**Lowell Goudge** · 12-31-2011, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by mattt

You don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes do you?

Don't smoke but drink 2/3 of a pot per day of coffee

**mattt** · 12-31-2011, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

drink 2/3 of a pot per day of coffee

me too, but I'd never handhold a K300 to 1/40 - its too stiff to focus on my KR and tires me out just trying to get a focus confirmation LoL.

**Lowell Goudge** · 12-31-2011, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by mattt

me too, but I'd never handhold a K300 to 1/40 - its too stiff to focus on my KR and tires me out just trying to get a focus confirmation LoL.

That's where the 1.7x AF TC helps. Get it close and then let the adaptor do the rest

reeftool · 01-01-2012, 02:26 PM

Everybody's different in what we can hand hold. The longer the lens, the trickier. A monopod helps but it's not as stable as a tripod and it takes a little practice getting used to. While SR can cause a blurred photo on a tripod or monopod, I routinely forget and have few issues. My blurred shots are mostly my fault, not the cameras. A long lens needs to be really, really steady, even with a fairly fast shutter speed.

12-30-2011, 10:23 PM	#1
Markbrumbaugh Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 77	Shooting with the 300mm f4 80 percent today were throw aways. Fuzzy. Shooting k5 200iso, f4 to f8, brught sun to shade at 1/300 or faster with monopod and sr. Birds and such at 50 yards. Came home..fine adj auto focus fine. Shot practice shots at 1/1000 and 800 ISO ..seemed better. SR was better on. What do you all use?

12-30-2011, 11:34 PM	#3
Brooke Meyer Guest	Stay at f8 & 1/1000 or better. SR on a mono pod is okay. I shoot a Sigma 100-300/4 with a loose ball head on tripod, with SR, all the time for ballet. I would KILL for enough light to shoot f8. I live at EV7 so f4, 1/320 and ISO 3200, the best compromise I can make. Recently heard a local guy speak & show,. He's a very accomplished, retired newspaper photographer who is now doing unbelievable good bird work. Lots of opportunity on the Outer Banks of NC. That's where the f8 & 1/1000 come from and its makes good sense. F8 will be sharpest (as you've found) and long, moving glass needs a fast shutter for sharpness (as you've found). The K-5 gives you a lot a latitude in ISO so I'd urge you to use it. Don't even hesitate to try 3,200. Worst case, get Noiseware or such. I've had work Juried into very competitive exhibits that I shot at 12,800 on a K-5. That's why I bought 'em. On my K20's, anything past 1600 was a pain to clean up.

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12-30-2011, 10:57 PM	#2
mattt Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,907	As far as I understand SR is recommended to be deactivated for Tri-Pod - probably same for Monopod. I have an SMC Pentax 300mm F4 - no mount on lens - so I hand hold - today shooting roadside raptors... I accidentally set SR to 100mm instead of 300mm... it ruined the shots.

12-31-2011, 05:20 AM	#4
zapp Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,385	Check focus finde adjustment. Use faster shutter speed. Fine tune the equipment and optimize your workflow. I am still wondering about internal camera vibrations of the K5 for anything slower than 1/1000s - just to blame another source than just myself. Right now I am on the same road, not happy with the DA300 as is, but many options for fine tuning the camera, my tripod - Bogen/Manfrotto 055 is not good enough with decent head - ...

12-31-2011, 06:10 AM	#5
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I shoot regularly with the K7 and K5 using my K300/4 using the 1.7x AF adaptor. No issue with either, hand holding shots at between 1/100 and 1/40 of a second. Don't know why the DA would be any different. Care to post sample shots!

12-31-2011, 07:01 AM	#6
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	I have SR off for tripod and on for everything else, rarely hand-hold, try to keep 1/300s or faster & ISO < 1000 and stop down as far as f8 as light & subject permit. In my experience, it takes a while to develop a feel for long lenses--certainly in general as you master technique but I've also gone through a "getting acquainted" period of not-so-great shots with each long lens I've ever owned.

12-31-2011, 07:29 AM - 1 Like	#7
mattt Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,907	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge hand holding shots at between 1/100 and 1/40 of a second You don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes do you?

12-31-2011, 08:24 AM	#8
JVi Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 115	Although I have not seen a model using this in a long time, ones with the shutter button on the front (like my old Miranda Sensomat) seemed to have worked for me better than the ones on top.

12-31-2011, 09:30 AM	#9
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	I mostly use my DA*300mm at f4.0. Use a monopod a lot and keep SR on.

12-31-2011, 12:58 PM	#10
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by mattt You don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes do you? Don't smoke but drink 2/3 of a pot per day of coffee

12-31-2011, 02:19 PM	#11
mattt Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,907	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge drink 2/3 of a pot per day of coffee me too, but I'd never handhold a K300 to 1/40 - its too stiff to focus on my KR and tires me out just trying to get a focus confirmation LoL.

12-31-2011, 02:51 PM	#12
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by mattt me too, but I'd never handhold a K300 to 1/40 - its too stiff to focus on my KR and tires me out just trying to get a focus confirmation LoL. That's where the 1.7x AF TC helps. Get it close and then let the adaptor do the rest

01-01-2012, 02:26 PM	#13
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,554	Everybody's different in what we can hand hold. The longer the lens, the trickier. A monopod helps but it's not as stable as a tripod and it takes a little practice getting used to. While SR can cause a blurred photo on a tripod or monopod, I routinely forget and have few issues. My blurred shots are mostly my fault, not the cameras. A long lens needs to be really, really steady, even with a fairly fast shutter speed.