K10D or K20D with Sigma 500mm f4.5 EX DG APO lens?

[bruce_mattes]

Any members using their K10D or K20D cameras with the Sigma 500mm f4.5 EX DG APO

auto focus telephoto lens to shoot wildlife or action?..

 

Perhaps with the Sigma 1.4x APO EX DG teleconverter, or the Pentax 1.7x AF

teleconverter attached?..

 

Is so, any thoughts, either positive or negative, regarding this combo?..

 

Thanks..

 

Bruce

[personalphotos]

I can't offer much on this but here's some pics posted on the other forum that really show this len off:

 

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/22968-waterbirds-no-ducks.html

 

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/23052-waterbirds-part-ii.html

 

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/21520-long-eared-owl-dream-wish.html

[miserere_mei]

Beautiful shots. That is not a cheap lens, in any meaning of the word.

[dan_lenski]

I think I would sell my soul for that lens. Any takers? I've got a pretty good soul... hmmm.

[bruce_mattes]

I'm not real fond of digital, but the one area of my photography that I want to spend any appreciable time using a digital camera is wildlife photography..

 

Since Pentax does not seem to have any lens on their DA roadmap that can compete against the Canon & Nikon 500mm f4 offerings, I'm looking towards owning the Sigma 500mm f4.5 lens & the matching 1.4x teleconverter by mid-2009..

 

Perhaps by then Sigma will have added the HSM motor to the lens which would really add to it's quickness & quietness..Since the Sigma is considerably lighter than the FA* 600mm f4 ED (IF), as well as one half as expensive ($4200 at B&H) it seems to me to be the only reasonable choice for a fast extreme telephoto lens that will work with either the K10D or the K20D cameras..

 

Peter Zack--- I had forgotten that Walter owned this lens..I am familiar with his work that he has posted over on Steve's Digicams where I also visit..Perhaps I'll e-mail him to see if he has used a teleconverter with the lens..Thanks for the links..

 

Miserere Mei--- Yes, the lens is expensive..As I reflect back on 30 years of on again & off again interest in photography, I realize that high-quality long telephoto lenses (500mm & above) have NEVER been inexpensive..There have always been the inexpensive long telephoto lenses with the terrible build quality & performance available..Then there were the high quality offerings from all of the major manufacturers..Many of these lenses are still being used today, especially the Pentax lenses with their backwards compatibility with all modern cameras..

 

Dan Lenski--- I have been giving serious consideration to selling my soul in order to acquire a K20D, the Sigma 500mm f4.5, a Sigma 1.4x teleconverter, a Pentax 1.7x AF teleconverter, & the necessary sync cord to allow me to use the K20D with my BushHawk..But if I did, I wouldn't have anything left to sell in order to be able to play a fiddle like Johnny!..

 

Bruce

 

Bruce

[14mm 2.8l]

Unless somethings changed, my 1.7x pentax converter is NOT for autofocus lenses. Its for manual focus lenses and it has no screw drive on its female mount. Camera to it yes, it has drive screw but it to coupled lens is a problem since it has NO drive screw. I read someone here made it work with an autofocus lens, not possible in my world with my genuine 1.7x Pentax teleconverter.

 

Pentax has never made a true autofocus function with autofocus lenses teleconverter. Just wait around for another year or two because they've roadmapped SDM teleconverter. Usually once lenses are roadmapped they get issued and become available for purchase within just two years.

 

Lindy

[michael_kuhne]

Lindy, I thought the Pentax 1.7x can convert a faster MF lens to AF!!

[michael_kuhne]

Bruce, since you still like film use, as do I, better watch out if Sigma goes to SDM because it may then be incompaible with film bodies' AF!! That is what has happened with the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 lens- AF not usable with non-SDM bodies. And that is why I am considering the new coming Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.

[14mm 2.8l]

Michael, it works on slower manual focus lenses too. I used 1.7x on 135-600mm f6.7 with great suceess. Sold that beasty lens, kept the converter. 1.7x is not for autofous lenses.

[bruce_mattes]

Lindy Stone--- I knew that the 1.7x teleconverter did not provide auto focus with auto focus lenses..My thoughts were to use it with auto focus lenses in manual mode..

 

I figured that you could stack it with the 1.4x Sigma converter in manual mode for a total of 1190mm of focal length..With approximately the same performance loss as one would have with the best 2x converters; but with an additional 190mm of focal length..

 

I've read the posts of several photographers on other forums that are effectively doing so with lenses that don't have as good of performance characteristics as the Sigma 500mm f4.5..Their results with this combination seem to be quite good..

 

Of course, such a combination would in all likelihood necessitate the use of a tripod..I don't know if a BushHawk would provide enough stability with both converters reducing the wide-open aperture to approximately f9.5..

 

That extra 190mm of reach would probably be worth the use of a tripod & manual mode..

 

Bruce

[14mm 2.8l]

<P><IMG src="http://www.adkinstone.com/images/wimberlyF1N.jpg">

 

<P> I owned a 400mm 2.8L Canon FD lense and I did have great success using a vivitar 3x on it, which was a combined 1200mm f8. For big lenses you really need a "Wimberley" Gimbal Head. Add $650ish to your bill for the head.

 

<P> I wasn't aware people are stacking the 1.7x MF to AF converter. Cool. I have no experience with 3rd party AF K Mount adapters, but others here have had great success with them: Sigma and Tamron.

 

Lindy

[shots worth sharing]

"such a combination [sigma 500mm f4.5 + Sigma 1.4x teleconverter + Pentax 1.7x] would in all likelihood necessitate the use of a tripod."

 

Ya think?