Tough choices?????
Hello,
New to forum but watched many of the youtube videos.
I have a tough choice ahead, I am in a position to buy a decent lens but can't decide between 3. They all have similar focal lenghts 1 is a prime and the other 2 are telephotos.
It would mostly be used for pet, wildlife and animal shots so I am asking for peoples opinions on which would be best for me.
Ok the 3 contenders ate.
Pentax smc da* 300mm f4
Pentax sdm da* 60-250 f4 ed
Tamron sp di-ii af 70-200 f2.8.
I am leaning more to one of them but if others could comment it might raise something that I have not considered before.
Thanks all.
Andy
Hello! Welcome, Andy.
I have not used the 60-250 before but I own the DA* 300 and used to own the Tamron in question.
It's probably clear by now that I hold the DA* 300 in high regard. Optically it's excellent wide open, focusing is decent though not ultra fast. For wildlife where you are fighting with light I've really really enjoyed it. For birding it's rarely been an issue not being a zoom, because I always want the reach. But occasionally I'll get a fly by right past me that I wished I could have zoomed out for. But that's pretty rare.
Beyond wildlife I will say that the fixed 300 makes it less versatile, so for situations like your pets or larger animals that are closer it could be really annoying have to step back. 300mm on APS-C is pretty long. It doesn't feel long enough sometimes for small birds, but for larger animals in closer proximity it'll feel too long.
The 70-200 optically was fantastic. I loved that lens and I'm thinking about picking it up again. I just didn't end up using it much so I sold it. But I think if I get into more mountain biking action shots with my friends it could be a good pickup. It's very versatile with that range and wide open aperture, I would say the most versatile between the three.
Curious what you've thought about already and sort of decided on. Hopefully my ramblings are sort of helpful.
Quote from Snappy on January 22, 2022, 2:32 pmHello! Welcome, Andy.
I have not used the 60-250 before but I own the DA* 300 and used to own the Tamron in question.
It's probably clear by now that I hold the DA* 300 in high regard. Optically it's excellent wide open, focusing is decent though not ultra fast. For wildlife where you are fighting with light I've really really enjoyed it. For birding it's rarely been an issue not being a zoom, because I always want the reach. But occasionally I'll get a fly by right past me that I wished I could have zoomed out for. But that's pretty rare.
Beyond wildlife I will say that the fixed 300 makes it less versatile, so for situations like your pets or larger animals that are closer it could be really annoying have to step back. 300mm on APS-C is pretty long. It doesn't feel long enough sometimes for small birds, but for larger animals in closer proximity it'll feel too long.
The 70-200 optically was fantastic. I loved that lens and I'm thinking about picking it up again. I just didn't end up using it much so I sold it. But I think if I get into more mountain biking action shots with my friends it could be a good pickup. It's very versatile with that range and wide open aperture, I would say the most versatile between the three.
Curious what you've thought about already and sort of decided on. Hopefully my ramblings are sort of helpful.
Thanks for that.
Well the one Iwas leaning to is the 60-250 but i do have a soft spot for Tamron lens, in my opinion they compliment Pentax cameras beautifully. I started off with the basic Tarmeron 70-300 paired with a K100d and got a great shot of a Hawk ( will share when I can).I have watched your video about the 300 many times. If money was no object I would definatly buy that one as well but as my budget will only get one great lens it may have to wait.
I haven't used any of those lenses, but for pets I think a zoom is a good choice. For wildlife the DA* 300mm f4 would be my choice. I tend to stay away from the Pentax SDM lenses because of the motor issues, but if you don't mind screwdrive conversion I wouldn't rule it out.
Have you considered the 55-300 PLM? I believe the price of it new is similar to the DA* 300 used, but don't quote me on that.
Whats the motor issues? I didn't know of any.
I'm no expert and I have no idea how valid it is, but I have heard that there were some issues with the SDM motors. The issue being that they start to focus slowly and then not at all. I don't know what % of lenses have this issue or if every one is destined to have it. Hopefully you find a better source for that info than me. I believe Snappy has a video where he converted a lens to screw drive for this reason. Because you can do that conversion (apparently it is simple) I wouldn't let it keep you from getting a good lens unless quiet focusing is a priority.
That is correct, older SDM motors (the 16-50, the 300, maybe some others) are subject to fail. I don't really know the frequency of failure except that it's common enough to generate a lot of people fixing them.
Fortunately, the lenses were made to be backwards compatible with bodies that could only use screwdrive, so there was a screwdrive hookup attached to those lenses. When SDM motor fails you can play with the firmware on the lenses to disable SDM and only use screwdrive, which works with the newer bodies too. It's a little hacky and requires access to an older body (I used my K10D), but otherwise really simple. I converted both my 50-135 and 300 to screwdrive the same evening in about ten minutes.
Hi Andy,
I haven't used any except of the Tamron recently. I do shoot Motorsports. I was able to test it only once in a event. Compared to my broken Sigma 100-300mm f4 before it got issues, I find the Tamron to be a bit slower and more imprecise in the Auto-focus on the subject in the same camera. Yet is very capable to do the job and capture nice pictures, but it takes it a bit more of time.
From the other two lenses, never heard from someone using the DA*300mm in person (on youtube or here I did), so I can't give you any feedback a part from what I have read online and the 60-250mm a friend of mine had it and he was quite happy with it. (none of us have ever photographed dogs).
Now, for me the question here would be: Do you need the zoom capabilities? I find myself needing it in Motorsport. I say that because it seems legit to afirm that the DA* 300mm is the best lens of the trio per se, for quality and probably AF speed. Now, if you like me, need flexibility, then you might consider better the zooms.
From my needs I was willing to add a long lens prime prior of my main lens (Sigma 100-300mm) having issues and non working very well, so I had to buy another zoom lens in order to keep working. Now, if that would not have happened, I'd happily have added a fixed prime lens to my bag.
Another option as you have been suggested is going for the Pentax 55-300mm lens, now they say it has a good AF. I have had one of the first versions ever made I think and it was slow-ish. If it has improved, it is a "cheap" alternative. But bear in mind that the apperture isn't that good. So you'll struggle in low light conditions.
So, and sorry for the long post, I'd say go for the one you can find cheap somehow. I bought the Tamron because someone in the Spanish forum was selling it at 300€. Otherwise i'd probably have never bought it. I just saw the chance and went for it.
Oh and just to mix your mind even more: Have you ever considered the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8? I think it's an overall better lens than the Tamron. But you have to be able to find one. And those old Sigmas do not get spare parts usually nor Sigma's support.
Hope this messy message helped somehow.
Quote from red5isalive on January 27, 2022, 8:55 amHi Andy,
I haven't used any except of the Tamron recently. I do shoot Motorsports. I was able to test it only once in a event. Compared to my broken Sigma 100-300mm f4 before it got issues, I find the Tamron to be a bit slower and more imprecise in the Auto-focus on the subject in the same camera. Yet is very capable to do the job and capture nice pictures, but it takes it a bit more of time.
From the other two lenses, never heard from someone using the DA*300mm in person (on youtube or here I did), so I can't give you any feedback a part from what I have read online and the 60-250mm a friend of mine had it and he was quite happy with it. (none of us have ever photographed dogs).
Now, for me the question here would be: Do you need the zoom capabilities? I find myself needing it in Motorsport. I say that because it seems legit to afirm that the DA* 300mm is the best lens of the trio per se, for quality and probably AF speed. Now, if you like me, need flexibility, then you might consider better the zooms.
From my needs I was willing to add a long lens prime prior of my main lens (Sigma 100-300mm) having issues and non working very well, so I had to buy another zoom lens in order to keep working. Now, if that would not have happened, I'd happily have added a fixed prime lens to my bag.
Another option as you have been suggested is going for the Pentax 55-300mm lens, now they say it has a good AF. I have had one of the first versions ever made I think and it was slow-ish. If it has improved, it is a "cheap" alternative. But bear in mind that the apperture isn't that good. So you'll struggle in low light conditions.
So, and sorry for the long post, I'd say go for the one you can find cheap somehow. I bought the Tamron because someone in the Spanish forum was selling it at 300€. Otherwise i'd probably have never bought it. I just saw the chance and went for it.
Oh and just to mix your mind even more: Have you ever considered the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8? I think it's an overall better lens than the Tamron. But you have to be able to find one. And those old Sigmas do not get spare parts usually nor Sigma's support.
Hope this messy message helped somehow.
Hi,
yes it was useful. I would like the zoom because of doing wild animals as well as pets plus some pets can react very differently when they have a camera right up close so for them I would make sure I am further away to not spook them and for them to be themselves.
Admittedly I have only used 1 sigma lens it was a 70-300mm zoom, can't remember the model but I didn't get on with it. I was never happy with the how it felt and the results.
Now it could of just been a bad one or just a entry level one but I have always preferred the Tamron glass. I put a photo up in the section on this forum of a Hawk I took on the entry Tamron 70-300 and was blown away with the quality of it even on a K100d and because of that I have always preferred the brand. I will attach it to the thread.
If you like Tamron better than Sigma then I'd say you have a winner there.
But, from my side, and I just have had one Tamron lens, I am more a Sigma than Tamron lover. I'd suggest you to check all those lenses in Pentaxforums and see if there is any that suits you better.
Of course, it'll be better if you can test them all 🙂
