[Entropy]

Bigma (sigma 50-500mm) is a really nice lens. For about $1000 you can get a pentax mount. It is the equivalent of having two lenses in one.

I use my Bigma for airshows now...

How long you need on the long end really depends on the show.

My first year at the Binghamton airshow, the crowd was allowed very close to the runway at show center. I got great shots with a 50-200.

The second year, they moved the fence back a bit, and added a few obstructions at show center so it was actually the worst place to stand. I'm glad I had a Tamron 70-300 for that.

The third year, they moved the fence back even more and added a huge VIP tent between the main crowd and a significant part of the runway. Got less good shots than previous years despite having a Bigma. However, I would have gotten almost nothing w/o the Bigma.

[ferals_m38]

okies...sorry about the absence..its been flat out here..

heres a few shots with my Tokina 60-300, now, id like to know if something like the 100-400 F4.5-6.7 VIVITAR SERIES I will give better results then these..and if anyones used the Vivitar in question..(clicky thumbs)

[bobell69]

I've been using a Sigma 70-300 APO with reasonable success. Lens is a little slow with my K10D so it works best on a nice weather day. I find I rarely need the 300, but 200 is usually not sufficient for many of the shots either. Downside to using 300 is that sometimes it is difficult to find the subject when it is moving so fast.

[ferals_m38]

ive managed to acquire a mint, brand new FA80-320mm lens for a very good price..should be here in the next few days..ive had to penny pinch to get that too, due to being off work with my second hernia operation in 3 months..

next chance to try it on fast jets is the Ipswich carols by candle light F-111 dump and burn...and then the F-111 farewell flight on the 3rd..

[SpecialK]

opfor those are awesome!

Had some decent results with the Sigma 150-500. I posted the FL used for reference. I was always near show center as it was a small venue.

150mm


200mm


250mm


370mm


370mm


440mm


440mm


500mm


500mm


500mm

[K(s)evin]

how many shots will the standard K-7 battery deliver?

I have never depleted either the Pentax battery or the cheap chinese knockoffs in one day of shooting with my K7. My busiest day has been 425+ RAW shots. Though with very little autofocus used. I use manual focus 98% of the time. I don't know how much power AF uses. And, obviously, I was not using flash.

[stormcloud]

fan of sigma 150-500mm for airshows like the ability to zoom in closer - k7 battery easily filled nearly 32gb worth of raw shots well over 1000 shots at last airshow i was at

some samples









150-500mm little less flexible than the 50-500mm but is quite abit cheaper

[Transit]

fan of sigma 150-500mm for airshows like the ability to zoom in closer .............
150-500mm little less flexible than the 50-500mm but is quite abit cheaper

Oh don't say that ! Just upgraded 70-300apo to 55-300.
Piggy bank empty
That Vulcan shot is sensational !
Pete

[glanglois]

I tried a Sigma 100-300 last year and am still not sure it offered any significant improvement for aircraft in flight, compared to my 55-300 used the prior year. And I lost the 55-99mm leg for wider shots and it's clearly a beast. I'm not sure I'll keep that Sigma in the long run.

I need to switch quickly between long and not-quite-so-long so a long prime is out of the question. At most events, there's enough happening on the ground and the air, simultaneously, that flexibility of FL is key.

I'd probably dump the Sigma quickly if I could get my hands on a fully-functioning TC but that seems to be an impossibility. Too bad, as the K-5 sensitivity solves (for me) the light-loss problem (with TCs. Might even drive me to another system, alas, but I'll stay Pentax for now and see what happens.