Lense recommendations please.

[steven_benn]

I'm looking for any recommendations to pair with my K10d for general sports photography (primarily Rugby and

Football (or Soccer to those of US persuasion). (Back up body is a Pentax MZ-S 35mm film)

 

Getting reasonable results using upto a 200mm but looking to move up to 300mm.

 

I tend to work from end touclines to head-on action so looking at distances of upto 100m and as I'm in the UK

low light/cloud cover is the predominant lighting scene !

 

Budget is around £500 / $1000

 

 

 

Thanks in advance

 

Steve.

[renatoa]

Could be the new Sigma 100-300/4 EX DG HSM , but at $1108 shipped from Taiwan could be over your budget...

 

Why so many "could be"? Because, maybe the most important ! £500 is no more $1000 after last days evolutions :) Right now, £676 the price of this lens ;)

[renatoa]

I meant eBay #200261971334

[andrewg_ny]

I was thinking the Sigma 100-300 f/4 as well. Note that the HSM version, while probably preferable on your K10D (vs. the older non-HSM edition) will likely not autofocus on your MZ-S. If AF on your MZ-S is important you may want to seek out the older version. Other zoom options in this price range are likely to be slower (f/5.6 or f/6.3 at the long end) but may offer 400 or 500mm.

[michael_kuhne]

You might do well with a 70/80- 200mm f/2.8 if you are not too far from the action. This can also be coupled to a 1.4x teleconverter to extend reach, and still be at f/4. The faster wide aperture will allow greater shutter speed under lower lighting conditions to stop action when shooting fast-moving sports.

 

Unlike Canon and Nikon, Pentax regrettably discontinued the fine FA* lens it had. But that was over your budget anyway. The new Tamron model has been shown to have poor autofocus speed and accuracy. The new Sigma model is HSM only, and not for your fine MZ-S camera. But it is possible to find a previous model on ebay of the Sigma or Tokina at a reasonable price, even possibly with a matching TC.

[michael_kuhne]

BTW, I have shot a number of soccer matches, at the high school and college level, but all these were in an open field in daylight. So I was able to use a slower lens quite successfully. Didn't need the f/2.8 aperture. I also usually had seating close to the front, or even right up front, sitting with the team. I was using a film model and I do have the old and slower aperture Pentax FA 100-300mm and FA 70-200mm, f/4-5.6, both with power zoom capability. In daylight conditions I could still get adequate shutter speed. I used Fuji Superia Xtra 400 or 800 ISO film.

 

The Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO Super II may be worth considering if you shoot in daylight conditions. It is a very good lens for quality, good for both your cameras, and well within your budget.

[celasun]

Just a note: The Sigma 100-300mm f/4 is not equipped with ultrasonic motor for the K-mount cameras.

[renatoa]

Right, from Sigma site: http://sigma-photo.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3273&navigator=3

 

Corresponding AF Mounts

 

[100-300mm F4 APO EX IF HSM] SIGMA, CANON, NIKON (D)

 

[100-300mm APO F4 EX IF] SONY/MINOLTA (D), PENTAX

 

So the eBay page is a scam :( the photo shows a Nikon mount, not Pentax

[thebs]

Ummm, DA* 60-250 f/4 anyone? 6.6" long, not too big, f/4 is fairly fast at tele, good overall. The DA 55-300 f/4-5.8 is a cheap backup, does f/4.5 out to 200mm too.

[andrewg_ny]

DA* 60-250 while a good match is well out of his stated budget right now and would likely be unsuitable for use on the MZ-S.

 

I think you guys are right about the current Sigma 100-300 in K-mount; probably no HSM. Wouldn't be a surprise if they updated it at some point.

 

I wouldn't go so far as to assume the e-bay page a scam though--it's probably a copy-paste job from the other mount.

[steven_benn]

Gents,

 

Many thx to all of you for the excellent advice. I've been thinking about the Sigma 100-300 as the best choice but the

info re HSM had slipped past me.

 

Given the havoc of the dollar/sterling rate the prize for the time being goes to Michael, particularly as I already have

the lense he mentions. So I'll be getting the TC and hoping that the financial idiots sort themselves out in time for

Christmas so I can begin dropping hints !

 

I'll also be taking a peek at Ebay and others to try and pick up the older version of the Sigma in case the hints fall on

deaf ears!

 

Lastly, as a cheaper but slightly limited aperture option, does anyone have experience/thoughts re:

 

https://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3275&navigator=3

 

Cheers,

 

Steve.

[glivingston]

Steve, Sorry I'm late on this. I recently bought the Sigma 100-300/4 and the Sigma 1.4 APO teleconverter which can be used with this lens. Sigma does not make an HSM version of this lens for Pentax but the lens is still a fine lens. I also use it on my ZX-5N film camera and the autofocus works great with or without the teleconverter. Of course, autofocus works on the K10D. I have not yet tried this lens for sports, but I intend to do that.I intend to take it out to some high school football stadiums with notoriously bad lighting, and see how it performs. My tests on wildlife has shown this lens to be sharp, contraty, and well sturated. It is running at $1199.00 US at B&H and the teleconverter is about $200. In my opinion ithis lens is a bargain at this price. The only negative is that it is heavy, especuilly with the teleconverter, but can be handheld if you are very good at it.

[thebs]

Yeah, sorry, just noted the MZ. APS-C won't cover it there. I have a full-frame FA 80-320 f/4.5-5.6 I'm willing to part with for $150.

 

I liked the FA 80-320 up to 200mm, it gets a little soft at 320mm, but still does the job. At 200mm it's f/4.5, so it's better than the DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 speed-wise (which I also own). I upgraded to the DA 55-300 f/4-5.8 and it clearly replaced both the DA 50-200 and FA 80-320, so I'm willing to part with the FA 80-320 (recycled the DA 50-200 to my wife who now has my old K100D).

[steven_benn]

Bryan,

 

Thx for the lens offer but I believe the FA 80-320 f/4.5-5.6 has a rotating (front focus ?) front end.

 

For rugby/football this would be not be an issue but as the vast majority of my photography is of sailing, particularly

races, the rotating front would be a disaster with polarisers.

 

Thx anyway,

 

Steve.

 

P.S.Thx to some none too subtle hints from me (and a great wife) I'm now the proud father of bouncing baby Sigma

100-300/4 EX DG HSM.........she doesn't know about the Bigma I picked up cheap though ....shhhhh!

[thebs]

Yeah, I think it does rotate. I never have put a filter on it, because it's already slow. I have the silver version, not the black, but I think they both rotate. I'll check tomorrow when I'm back home.