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HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Review RSS Feed

HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE

Sharpness 
 8.6
Aberrations 
 8.9
Bokeh 
 8.7
Autofocus 
 9.5
Handling 
 8.9
Value 
 9.1
Reviews Views Date of last review
46 167,823 Sun January 28, 2024
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
89% of reviewers $393.97 8.89
HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE

HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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Description:

The HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE is a compact, weather-sealed APS-C telephoto zoom lens featuring a retractable barrel design.  This lens also debuts PLM (Pulse Motor) autofocus technology and an electromagnetic aperture diaphragm to facilitate smooth focusing and exposure adjustments during video recording.

Unlike earlier Pentax lenses, the aperture stop-down lever in the camera is not used to control the diaphragm of this lens.  A DSLR launched in 2013 or later is needed to operate this new system (the K-500 is not compatible).

The optical formula of this lens has been redesigned compared to the previous DA 55-300mm F4-5.8.  The new lens now has a rear-mounted focus ring and internal focus, is nearly 3 cm shorter when collapsed, but also loses about half a stop of light at both ends.


HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
APS-C
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
No
Diaphragm
Automatic, 9 blades (rounded)
Optics
14 elements, 11 groups
Mount Variant
KAF4
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F4.5-6.3
Min. Aperture
F22-32
Focusing
AF (in-lens motor)
PLM
Quick-shift
Yes
Min. Focus
95 cm
Max. Magnification
0.3x
Filter Size
58 mm
Internal Focus
Yes
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 29-5.4 ° / 25-4.6 °
Hood
PH-RBK58
Case
S80-120
Lens Cap
O-LC58
Coating
HD,SP
Weather Sealing
Yes (WR)
Other Features
Retractable,Electromagnetic Aperture Diaphragm,Focus by Wire
Diam x Length
76.5 x 89 mm (3.01 x 3.5 in.)
Weight
442 g (15.6 oz.)
Production Years
2016 to present (in production)
Pricing
$396 USD current price
$399 USD at launch
Engraved Name
HD Pentax-DA 1:4.5-6.3 55-300mm ED PLM WR RE
Product Code
21277
Reviews
User reviews
In-depth review
Unofficial Full-Frame Compatibility Tests by Pentax Forums
★☆☆ Usable with reservations at select F-stop/focal length combinations
Show details
Notes
High-precision exposure control in movie mode thanks to the electromagnetic aperture diaphragm.
NOT COMPATIBLE with the K-500 and with Pentax DSLRs launched before 2013.
Firmware update needed for compatibility with the Pentax K-S2, K-S1, K-3 II, K-3, K-50, and K-1. Fully supported by newer bodies.

Features:
Supersonic AutofocusQuick ShiftWeather SealedInternal FocusingAutomatic ApertureAPS-C Digital Only
Purchase: Buy the HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
In-Depth Review: Read our HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE in-depth review!
Sample Photos: View Sample Photos
Price History:



Add Review of HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Buy the HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Ascending) Showing Reviews 1-15 of 46
Forum Member

Registered: January, 2011
Location: Land of the password
Posts: 83

14 users found this helpful
Review Date: November 27, 2016 Recommended | Price: $410.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Smaller, lighter, fast and silent focusing
Cons: Unlocking mechanism
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K3II   

I'm surprised no-one has reviewed this lens yet, but I guess the question most people will be asking is - "Is this worth upgrading from the original 55-300mm"? From my perspective, coming from the latest version of the old design, it's an unequivocal yes, it's a no-brainer for the following reasons:

1. It's significantly shorter ( Though a bit wider ).
2. It's 10% lighter.
3. Focusing is virtually silent.
4. Focusing is significantly quicker.
5. It has closer focusing, and with an achromatic/close-up lens such as the Canon 500D it makes a decent macro lens.
6. It handles CA better.
7. It's a bit sharper.
8. 9 aperture blades giving better bokeh characteristics.
9. Build quality is essentially the same.
10. It's better for video.

All in all it's a worthwhile upgrade with the advantages listed above. About the only thing I can criticise it for is the unlocking mechanism which is required to shoot with the lens. In essence you push a button to expand the lens to 55mm and carry on shooting. If you switch the camera on without doing it then you will get a message telling you to do it on the LCD. Personally this isn't an issue to me, it makes the lens shorter, but to some it might. The zoom is also quite stiff but I expect that to loosen off over time and I prefer that to it being overly loose. Colour and contrast appear to be the same as it's predecessor, which is to say pretty good, though it fades at the long end as expected. The bokeh is the other thing worth noting, it really is very decent in many situations. If you've been hesitating on whether to upgrade from the old version to this one then don't, it's well worth it. here are a couple of macro examples from this lens, using the Canon 500D close-up lens.



   
New Member

Registered: May, 2016
Posts: 1

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 7, 2017 Recommended | Price: $515.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: small, light, good optics
Cons: Dust into lens
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K3-II   

IMGP5921 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP5976 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP5989 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6047 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6056 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6057 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6064 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6084 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6102 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
IMGP6134 by Peter Kao, 於 Flickr
   
New Member

Registered: December, 2016
Posts: 22

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 16, 2017 Recommended | Price: $700.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp image, good contrast, fast autofocus, no aberration
Cons: sometimes unaccurate AF, dark lense
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 8    New or Used: New    Camera Used: Pentax K-70   

It's mine main lense - very universal. The image is very, very sharp - you can crop a small detail from the picture and it will be sharp enough.
AF is fast but it's sometimes fail a little bit, so you are sure you catch sharp image but you didn't - it's almost there It becomes a real problem when it's dark around.
Anyway it's damn fast - capturing a bird or the other animal in motion it's not a problem.
I've never spot any sign of chromatic aberration!!! Nice!

Can't say much about bokeh - im not the one who care about it.

It's very small and light lense, especially when it's locked


What else could be better? It's a dark lense so you need a lot of light especially indoors or after dark.

About teleconverters. So - the manual teleconverters won't work with this lense. It's all electrical so it won't work without any connection with the camera. I tried it with Tamron -F AF 1.4x Pz-AF MC4 teleconverter but it fail to catch sharpness most of the time.
Anyway it's work nicely with pentax DA HD 1,4x TC. So it's easly become, fully working 420mm/f9

My photos are posted here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/149888508@N06/

Most of them are made with PLM 55-300 - check the image details
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2009
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 179
Review Date: March 2, 2017 Recommended | Price: $397.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Fast focus, IQ, small and light, affordable
Cons: None, really
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-3   

I have owned the non-WR 55-300 and Sigma 120-400 (both sold); I have the DFA 150-450, which is a great performer but quite bulky. I wanted another walk-around long zoom, so I bought the 55-300 PLM.

I’ve had the 55-300 PLM for two months, but haven’t had a chance to test it thoroughly till the past week. Record rain in California got in the way. I already knew that focusing was quick and accurate, but the bee photo below really impressed! I used AF-S with the back button without pre-focusing at f/6.3.

The second photo of the red flower was for testing focus (with back button), color, and bokeh at f/5.6. It was exported from LR with no PP other than the default 25 sharpening. I’d say the color is quite good, and the bokeh on both flower and bee shot is smooth, not distracting.

For very long range and BIF shots, the 55-300 PLM is not equal to the DFA 150-450. But it is much more than good enough for walking around. Highly recommended!
   
New Member

Registered: October, 2010
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 14
Review Date: March 8, 2017 Not Recommended | Price: $400.00 | Rating: 6 

 
Pros: Light, sharp, quick, compact.
Cons: Fragile
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 7    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-3 II   

Good:
Great focal length
Very sharp
Lens focusing is very quick
Light and small for its focal length

Bad:
Irritating having to remember to extend the lens - a downsize to its compactness
Aperture range
The lens may be quicker at focusing, but the camera is still glacial

Ugly:
My daughter knocked my camera and lens onto the floor - a drop of 30cm, and the lens acquired a small bend. Worked perfectly, even so. Took it to the Pentax service centre in the UK, where he took the mount off, and showed me the plastic component that had broken - typically £20-60 to repair, he said, for comparable lenses. The next thing I heard, it had to be sent to Japan for assessment, and then they said that repairs would be £330 - for a lens I paid £250 for in the sales. I've gone through the house insurance and got a replacement in the end, but it means that I don't feel I can recommend the lens - hopefully, others won't have similar problems, and I've just been extremely unlucky.
   
Junior Member

Registered: June, 2009
Location: New York City
Posts: 43
Review Date: March 13, 2017 Recommended | Price: $425.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Silent focus; weather sealing; build quality
Cons:
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: KS-1   

I also have the original non-HD screw drive version of this lens, and although it is a decent lens, I rarely used it due to its size and noisy focus. This new version, which, by the way, works perfectly on my lowly KS-1 after firmware update, is much better in almost every category except zoom range, which is the same, and perhaps the slightly smaller f-stops that in reality are not even noticeable in actual usage. I compared the images between the two using the same camera and same settings and to my eyes, the new lens has better color and sharpness. Focusing speed is obviously superior and so quiet, it makes the old model sound like an angry rattle snake! The button you have to press to extend the lens to working position takes a little getting used to, as does having the focus ring in front of the zoom ring, but I don't consider these things as negatives. Build quality looks good and the lens feels quite sturdy, certainly nowhere near " delicate". If the PLM motor holds up, like the DC on the 18-135 that I've had since that lens first came out, I will be overjoyed!
   
New Member

Registered: May, 2017
Posts: 2
Review Date: May 2, 2017 Recommended | Price: $325.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: fast focus, sharp IQ, lightweight & compact for its reach
Cons: focal length ring is a little stiff--maybe it will loosen with wear
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    New or Used: Used    Camera Used: K-3   

Bought it used but this lens is only 2 months old and looks new. Even at the going retail cost, I would buy this lens again--no hesitation. It is incredibly sharp for a lens in this price range and the new PLM focus system makes it the fastest focusing and most quiet lens I have. Understand that it is not the all-around perfect long zoom (I doubt there is such a thing)--it is a dual aperture lens and will struggle in low light. Use it in the daylight/well lit spaces or with a flash and it will amaze. Sharp, fast & quiet focus, inexpensive, good build, light weight, small--what else can you ask of a $450 (new) lens?
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2012
Posts: 6

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: July 2, 2017 Recommended | Price: $405.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharpness, focus speed, build quality.
Cons: Weight, zoom ring control.
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: KS-2   

I recently purchased this lens as an upgrade to my old Pentax DA 55-300 lens (the older one released in 2009ish, not the WR re-release). That lens I had purchased as an upgrade to the Sigma 70-300 lens, which was okay but kind of a beast (extremely loud autofocus, very heavy, and quite large). I had been satisfied with the DA 55-300; it was sharp and produced nice photos. However, it was bulky and the autofocus was not very good. It was loud, slow, and hunted badly under anything less than optimal conditions. I sold the lens in advance of purchasing this one - and luckily got a decent price on it.

I am not a picky photographer, I am mostly interested in OOTC jpgs to look at and appreciate. I do some light pixel peeping but that's it. So that's the background context for my expectations. With that in mind, I am very satisfied with this lens. It is solidly built and comfortable to use. It has the same button-release "feature" as the new DA 18-50 kit lens that came with my KS-2. You push the button to unlock the lens to 55 and then it smoothly rotates from 55-300. To collapse the lens you need to push the button past 55, release it, and then rotate to the dot. The lens has quick shift focusing but I almost never use that. It lacks an aperture ring but I don't miss it.

The biggest advantage to this lens that I see is the PLM-based focusing. It is outstanding. I don't think I own a faster focusing lens in my collection and in comparison to the old screw drive 55-300, it is sports car vs. moped speed. When taking far zoom shots, such as the dragonflies (shown below), that near-instantaneous focusing is fantastic. I find the pictures produced are sharp, with good contrast. There's some purple fringing in the extreme but nothing too surprising. Bokeh seems okay to me, I suppose not too distracting but not outstanding either.

I also appreciate the weather sealing which complements my sealed KS-2. I am a big fan of Pentax's weather sealing and while it may be a bit basic, it does give me that added peace of mind, especially for taking zoom shots in the rain, snow, or dust.

I paid $525 Canadian dollars (including tax and shipping) for this lens in May 2017, which is roughly equivalent to $403 USD. I think this lens is well worth the money and I see it having a home in my kit for a long time.









   
Junior Member

Registered: November, 2016
Location: Vungtau
Posts: 36
Review Date: August 11, 2017 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros:
Cons:
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: Pentax K-P   

not very sharp at 300mm
Very fast focus with my K-P!
   
Site Supporter

Registered: April, 2016
Posts: 196
Review Date: November 1, 2017 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Lightweight, optical quality especially at close focus and 100-200mm
Cons: Less details at longthrow with 300 or 420 (with TC)
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K1   

Fine close ups with little vignetting on 55mm and full format; very nice between 100 and 200mm. Less details on long throw at the end on 300mm or 420mm (with TC).
Must keep in mind the airflow in the camera while running through the zoom range.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: August, 2010
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 2,049

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 13, 2018 Recommended | Price: $375.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: compact, fast autofocus, silent and sharp!
Cons: need to unlock it before shooting
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 9    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-50   

This is an outstanding zoom lens and easily surpasses my previous smc-DA 55-300mm (non-WR, green ring version), which I also thought was sharp but it suffered from slow and loud autofocus. I recently bought this zoom and used it on a dolphin-watching boat trip while visiting my in-laws in Florida. We were lucky to run into a big pod of dolphins who were, shall we say, feeling "frisky." If you look closely, one of the pictures below shows a dolphin male genitalia. The new HD DA 55-300 WR RE was an outstanding performer for this sightseeing trip on the water, and I loved how it handled-- compact when retracted, fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus. Love the build quality-- no wobbles. It's one of the best lenses I've purchased for my K-50 and I have quite a few lenses!! If you don't already own a 55-300, your choice of this model is pretty easy. If you already have an older 55-300, I say sell it and pick one of these up. It has revitalized my interest in using this zoom range. PS: all of these images taken at 300mm I think.











   
Pentaxian

Registered: May, 2016
Posts: 3,720

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: March 3, 2018 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: af speed, close focus, value, bokeh
Cons: minor sharpness drop over 250mm
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-3II   

In a similar focal length range, I used to have a 60-250 but I sold it because it was too big after I mostly stopped shooting sports. Comparatively, the 55-300 plm has colder colors, is slightly less sharp (in relative terms, I have no issue using this one at max aperture), but has better contrast and smoother bokeh. It's f4.5 up to about 150mm, which means this lens can do most but not all of what the bigger and more expensive alternative can. I like the 55-300 plm, for me it works best in terms of performance and value.
Build quality is on par with the 16-85, which is good but utilitarian. The retractable design doesn't bother me and I appreciate the more compact size.

260mm f5.6


300mm f8


edit: I removed the narrow focus ring as a downside after getting used to manually focus with my left thumb, the rest of the hand normally supporting the camera/lens from underneath. I also can confirm after more use that af (speed, accuracy, tracking) is quite good on the k3ii.
   
Custom User Title

Registered: January, 2016
Location: Alberta
Posts: 6,801

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: March 20, 2018 Recommended | Price: $420.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: ridiculously fast af, focal range, weather-sealed, retractable, build quality
Cons: slightly more soft at 300
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-S2   

What a great lens!
I upgraded to this lens from a Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 DG Macro..

Compared to my Sigma, this lens produces SO much sharper and beautiful images!

The retractable button doubles and a zoom lock so it doesn't extend hung on your strap while walking.
It's great being 15mm wider than my Sigma!
I miss the macro function a bit.
Love how much smaller and lighter my Pentax lens is!

I've heard this lens focus-breaths a fair bit, but I haven't noticed really for my purposes.
   
New Member

Registered: December, 2013
Posts: 7

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: March 24, 2018 Recommended | Price: $340.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, consistent, nice bokeh
Cons: slow
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    New or Used: New    Camera Used: k70   

I got this as an upgrade from the old non WR version. I bought an open box one for £280, and I couldn't be happier with it.

It is most definitely sharper than my old one, and very consistent. Ok, there is still perhaps a little bit of softness towards 300mm, but overall edge sharpness is much improved, and most focal lengths are centre sharp from wide open.

It's has nice accurate colour rendering, better contrast, much smoother bokeh, and produces really nice portraits. The MFD is considerably less than the old one, so it's a handy pseudo-macro to boot. Ok, it's not going to better my FA77 or DFA100, but still, if you are out and about and want to stick with weather resistant zooms, this is an absolute winner. Another IQ aspect which ìs hugely improved is the almost total lack of fringing, which for a cheap as chips tele zoom is impressive.

I find the handling is good. The big advantage of the retractable design for me, is that you can put the camera on a sling and lock the zoom so it stays compact as it's swinging around. Unlocking it becomes second nature very easily.

The focussing is super quiet, fairly quick, and pretty reliable too. I have even managed to capture some birds in flight, which was just impossible with the old one. I love the way the focus by wire kicks in automatically when you switch the camera on.

It pairs well with my 16-85mm, which is also sharp from wide open throughout the range, and with the ISO performance I'm getting from my K70, the slowness of these lenses on paper doesn't really hold me back much in practice. Goes against the common wisdom, but that's Pentax for you. I don't think you can expect better value. If your camera is compatible, get one. I simply can't imagine there is a better affordable long zoom out there.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: May, 2008
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,697

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: May 9, 2018 Recommended | Price: $400.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Focus Speed - the 1st time (mainly)!
Cons: Refocusing speed!
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 7    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 8    Value: 8    New or Used: New    Camera Used: K-70 (K-3, K-3 II occasionally)   

I used my copy for the 1st time "in anger" at an airshow a few days ago, and on both the K-3 and K-3 II.
Overall, it worked pretty well on both of them - BUT I noticed one significant thing as compared with the Sigma 100-300 F4 and Sigma 1.4TC that I was using on the "other body" at the same time:

- the Pentax would lock on (using 9 point Selective) on the first occasion very quickly - but if the subject moved out of the focus area then the lens "didn't know what to do" and just focused "somewhere" = totally blurred image, that was only recoverable when I manually refocused using the manual focus ring (which I don't now like because of where it is positioned and because there is no "feel" to it).

- by comparison, the Sigma combo almost immediately refocused pretty much correctly on the subject.
Edited 8th Sept 2018:
Now roughly worked out what this lens is good at (and what it's not!). Extremely sharp in favourable circumstances and very pleased with it under that, but you need to careful tracking objects which rapidly move towards the camera - that's when things can go haywire!
I swopped the lenses over several times and found the effects to be pretty consistent, regardless of which lens was on which body at any particular time.

Edited Sept 2019: Wish I could have posted a New review of this lens but the forum "rules" won't let me do that !

Why?

Because, although my numerical rating hasn't changed and neither have my reservations on what can happen when it doesn't lock focus on the first occasion (see above and the thread I started), I have found that I can and do use it far more often that I ever used my previous, first generation, 55-300, and get pretty damn'd good results most of the time .
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