Ode to the Pentax SMC Pentax-DA* 300mm F4 ED [IF] SDM
It's been an epic summer of portfolio shots with this 300mm DA* Pentax lens. Alot of bike rides and stops at the apple orchard in Gale Woods Farms, in Minnestrista, Minnesota, made for some of my favorite 2023 summer photo shots. I can't really say anything negative about the optical quality, the only particular negative with the DA*300 is that the SDM will fail eventually. My copy has been screw drive converted. The K1, and it's high torque screw drive motor never faltered in nailing AF. Some Telephoto's I've own, have included the Olympus 100-400, Tamron 150-600 G2, Pentax 55-300PLM, and I feel it competes just as well as a wildlife telephoto option. Here's some of my favorite shots to let this lens speak for itself:
Snacking on the Mexican Sunflower by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Longhorn Bokeh by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Sunflower Drink by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Flight of the Leafcutter Bee by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Abort! by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
The Staredown by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Rise! by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Coming in Hot for Nectar! by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Sunning by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Itching by Bruce Foster, on Flickr
Some of those shots just blow me away. The colors are so pleasant and the action in those bees/birds - perfect!
I'll add to this tribute with some of my own, albeit from years previous. I bought mine with SDM, and the motor failed after a few months so I converted it myself. My biggest complaint is it is really noisy now 😛
But I've used it with my K10D, KP, K-3, K-3iii and K-1 with great success. Close up, far away, low light and wide open. The performance at F4 is outstanding and really saved me on some of these early morning owl shots at 25,600 ISO already...
Also good for my amateur astro
Quote from SpruceBruce on October 17, 2023, 6:20 amIt's been an epic summer of portfolio shots with this 300mm DA* Pentax lens. Alot of bike rides and stops at the apple orchard in Gale Woods Farms, in Minnestrista, Minnesota, made for some of my favorite 2023 summer photo shots. I can't really say anything negative about the optical quality, the only particular negative with the DA*300 is that the SDM will fail eventually. My copy has been screw drive converted. The K1, and it's high torque screw drive motor never faltered in nailing AF. Some Telephoto's I've own, have included the Olympus 100-400, Tamron 150-600 G2, Pentax 55-300PLM, and I feel it competes just as well as a wildlife telephoto option. Here's some of my favorite shots to let this lens speak for itself:
WOW congratulations on getting those images 😀
