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#11 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 54
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Hey there,
Sounds like you have convinced yourself that you need the lens and now you are trying to convince others that you need it. Let me tell you... you have made a strong case! Sounds like you are at the final stage before purchase. Thanh bigdawg wrote: Quote:
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#12 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Hot Springs, AR
Posts: 3,724
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Monza76 wrote:
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http://forums.steves-digicams.com/fo...mp;forum_id=94 Ira, congrats on the new computer. One of these days I'm going to have to do the same, but I just hate the thought of reconfiguring another one the way I like it. Dawg, I'm certainly not claiming that the shots out of the Phoenix will rival the DA*50-130 but in crispness, but overall, I've had good from it. I look at it as a pretty good "make-do" till I can afford a Bigma. Paul |
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#13 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Hot Springs, AR
Posts: 3,724
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bigdawg wrote:
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Paul |
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#14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago Suburb, IL, USA
Posts: 2,770
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Hi Dawg,
It might seem like the impossible dream, but IMO the secret ingredient for reasonably affordable Pentax long AF glass is P F 1.7x Auto Focusing Adapter if you can get one. Add a used Tamron SP300/2.8 LD (IF) ($600-800) and you have a very competent AF 510mm f4.8. Stack the AFA on the SP 140F TC that often comes with the SP 300 and you have a relatively compact AF 714mm f6.7 that gives surprisingly good results. Close to the same max aperture and weight as the Bigma, but about 40% more reach, and it doesn't have to extend to almost twice it's original length to do it, unlike the Bigma. As a bonus, you still have a MF 300/2.8 for those very low light days, and it focuses as close as 8.5 ft, even with the TCs. I can use it handheld, but have found that it's a whole lot easier to get great results with a tripod or monopod. Add a very good 300 f4-4.5 (Sigma 100-300/4 ($1000), A*, F*,or FA* 300 ($600-1300), Tokina 100-300 f4 AT-X SD ($200-300) or AF ($600-800), or the coming DA*300/4) and you have an AF 510mm f6.8-7.7 that will work in all but the darker outdoor lighting situations, and is about 2.5 - 3.5 lbs for the best handholdable ~500mm alternative around. Want a good fast portrait lens? Add any of the fast 50s (AF or MF)and you have an AF 85mm f2.4-2.9 with razor thin DOF. Want a very compact AF 306mm f4.3 or AF 340 f4.8? Add a Tamron SP 180 f2.5 or A*200 2.8 (or the coming DA*200/2.8 ) respectively. Want a very good medium to long tele zoom? Add a Tamron SP 80-200 f2.8 LD ($200-400), and you have a very useful AF 136-340 f4.8 that focuses to @ 6.5 ft. The inexpensive ($70-150), but great A70-210/4 becomes a very compact AF 119-357 f6.8. Yes, the 1.7x AFA is relatively rare and usually expensive, but I was able to find a spare one this last year (when ebay prices were going $300-400) at an obscure online camera dealer in MN for $79 + shipping. Yes, you do have to fiddle with the lens to get the focus reasonably close to get within the AFA's focusing range, but with a little use, it becomes second nature, and then the AF is very quick and positive. The other good thing is that it doesn't transmit lens focal length to the camera body, so SR can be set manually, unlike most (all) of the other AF TCs, and it calculates the effective aperture (multiplying by 1.7) and transmits the corrected value to exif. The extra functionality it adds to fast glass of just about any FL makes it very valuable, IMO. Take it from a guy who has always been searching out longer reach. This is the single most important lens accessory in my kit (the only thing I chose to buy a spare of), and its unique qualities will much more likely than not keep me with Pentax for quite a while since no other mfg made one (except for Nikon, but that one is even harder to find, apparently). This is one guy who doesn't need to lament the lack of quality long glass for Pentax. Scott |
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#15 | |
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Thach Alabama
Posts: 14,981
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snostorm wrote:
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Dawg |
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#16 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago Suburb, IL, USA
Posts: 2,770
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bigdawg wrote:
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Unfortunately the AFA won't AF with the Bigma as it would have a max aperture of f10.8 at the long end. Though Pentax recommends using it with f2.8 max lenses, I've found that it works well with apertures as slow as f4.5 if the lens is sharp. I was trying to illustrate how versatile the AFA is, and how it allows, with some moderately priced lenses (expensive ones still, admittedly) a whole lot of versatility. Even at the inflated prices it is commanding, it's a viablealternative (IMO a better one) for those seeking long glass for the Pentax DSLRs. Personally, I'd rather have either of my ~500mm alternatives than the Bigma, and have not even thought of getting one afterdiscovering how good my SP300/2.8 is with the AFA. Even considering that the SP300/2.8 + AFA combo might end up costing as much or more than the Bigma, and the FA* 300/4.5 + AFA combo would probably be considerably more, they'd still be my choices, being both a lot faster and more compact in use in the case of the Tamron, and much more compact and much, much lighter for the FA*. Just statingmy experience and the reasons I made my choices. . . with a very good understanding of why you want to go longer.:-) Scott |
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#17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Thach Alabama
Posts: 14,981
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Thanks for the insight Scott. I'm always in learning mode and have a very open mind to the recomendations and experiences of folks on this forum. Thank you again!
Dawg |
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