brad_n Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>I love my K20D. The problem is a lack of any long lenses along with my addiction to bird photos is eating away at me. I almost exclusively use the DA*300 for birds. It is awesome. My goal is to shot art quality photos that can print at 11x14, hopefully 16x20, and for me anything less is just not worthy for putting up for sale. I also have a sigma 50-500 that just always disappoints ever since I got the DA*300. I also have a Pheonix 2x that, although it tested better that the Kenko for me, loses AF and alot of picture quality. Plus a K10D for backup and a half dozen other Pentax lenses.<br> Where is the teleconverter that Pentax promised for last summer? That alone could improve my patience and overall satisfaction.<br> If I change to a Canon, probably the 50D, I'lll get a huge choice of lenses, including some that I can't really afford. The local store is pushing me towards a Sigma 150-300 2.8 stablized which is not available in a Pentax mount.<br> Finally, did you all know that Pentax released all their reps and stores only have a webpage to interface to??<br> I am not feeling very satisfied or confident in Pentax. What's the big deal about an AF teleconverter? Where's this years road map? Where's a something to 400 DA* zoom?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zane1664879013 Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>So which Canon lens you think will serve you better than the DA/300? If you're thinking of switching, just rent the camera/lens combo you think you want and then decide.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairisle Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>I have been using the Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 telephoto zoom lens for a couple of months now on my K20D. It is a big, heavy lens, but I am very pleased with the results (stage, aviation and landscape).</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Brad, first, if you want to switch to Canon or Nikon, do it. But please don't blame the lack of long lenses. There are many choices out there. My first love in photography is birding.<br> The long lenses I have are<br> DA*300 same as you. It kicks but and works well with the Tamy 1.4MC-4 tc that gives 420mm @f/5.6<br> Sigma 100-300 F/4 which is excellent with its matching 1.4tc giving me 420mm@f/5.6 but with zoom option.<br> Sigma 400 apo @F/5.6 Sharp as a tack<br> Sigma 135-400 APO @F/5.6 sHARP<br> Bigma .which I agree with you on. Very dissapointing. I passed this on to my son.<br> My baby Sigma 500 F/4.5 with its matching converter gives me 700mm@ F/5.6 AND is razor sharp. (very heavy)<br> Sigma just released there 120-400HSM APO lens and their 150-500apo lens as well. I am currently looking into both of them....<br> Then of course there is the FA*300 f/2.8 that while expensive, can be found.<br> There is also the Tamron 300F/2.8 ADAPTAL THAT WORKS GREAT ON PENTAX.<br> I have not even got into all the long glass tokina made and super taks...<br> So please there is plenty of long glass.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_n Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Javier,<br> Thanks for the long list of lenses, most of which I didn't know about.<br> Does the Tamy1.5 work AF with the DA*300? I am under the inpression that none of the existing TCs work with teh DA* lenses because of the SDM. Pheonix and Kenko certainly did not work AF in the store.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserere_mei Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <blockquote> <p>There is also the Tamron 300F/2.8 ADAPTAL THAT WORKS GREAT ON PENTAX.</p> </blockquote> <p>People who have this lens usually attach the Pentax 1.7x AF TC to it to get an autofocus 510mm f/4.7, all for less than $1k.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_elenko Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Brad,<br> If you need another tool to meet your photographic requirements, then just purchase one. Not like we are talkin' religion or even politics!<br> Is your issue with the DA 300mm the lack of reach?<br> I assume that one needs a 400mm focal length minimum to give yourself a better chance at capturing images of birds that hold up well as a fine art print.<br> I have seen some nice online images taken with the Sigma 400mm Javier calls out.<br> Have you checked out Pentax Forums dot com marketplace for advertising your needs? I believe that someone is selling a Pentax f 2.8 400mm A* lens, old but good and manual and $5K. One also sees the Pentax 600mm advertised used now and then. Mucho expensive, but very nice.<br> ME</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_yee Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Stop being an amateur with these piddling 300mm and under lenses...just spend $5-6K on a 600mm/4 ;-)<br> But do it before the price increase in February:<br> http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/announce/20081121-01.pdf<br> Nikon/Canon both have a good selection of longggg fast primes, but cheap they aren't. That Sigma 120-300/2.8 looks good from reviews if you can get a good copy, but it's still in the $3K range.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Brad, Only the Tamron 1.4TC ''mc-4'' MODEL is fully sdm compatible. None of the others will work. Pentax should also be releasing their 1.4SDM converter soon as well. (personally, i think it is an MC-4 re badged)</p> <p>Mis brings up a good point. That Pentax 1.7tc is also a must to have and it will give you 90% or more auto focus on Manual lenses. I have used that 1.7 tc on my 300mm lenses and does not affect the quality.<br> ''ALL'' 2XTC's will kill your image quality. Don't even consider them...</p> <p>Back to that Tamron ....If anyone has a lead on the 300F/2.8 adaptal set up, I am interested. I got out sniped at the last one I saw.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14mm 2.8l Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Canon and Nikon are both hitting the Planet Earth with serious price increases. The time to change or add either was in December 2008. The week before Christmas. I added a Nikon D700 and 14-24mm 2.8 to my multibrand system on January 14th 2009 from B&H. Thats very same week KEH raised their IDENTICAL prices on the pair $800!!!</p> <p>So I'd take Javier's advise and simply get Tamron 1.4x MC. "MC4" is the key to look for written on side of this 1.4x and it was discontinued in 2002 or 2003. It supposedly works with SDM glass as Javier noted again above. I does surprisingly well optically on my 80-320mm FA once its done hunting:</p> <p>All the way out and all the way back to acquire focus, argh........</p> <p>Anyways you want more reach and kinda cheap look for 400mm 5.6L Canon Eos. Was $1099, Now $1140. Likely it will be over $1,200 new very soon: days or a couple weeks. Canon 50D was $1069 now $1229. to $1299 depending on where you look. Like I said prices are UP and heading further UP. many forums are abuzz with the Sad News concerning new equiptment pricing.</p> <p>Me I'm done buying any new items from anyone. If Japanese manufacturers think my dollars are worth 20-30% less than at Christmas 2008 then I'll buy USA vacation getaways to shoot pics and enjoy what I already own.</p> <p>I read Pentax raised their unissued 55mm 1.4 SDM "100 euros", so now its like $930 at launch. You'll see our worthless dollars will not get any respect from Pentax either.</p> <p>Good News? yes! Your used equiptment will likely inflate in resale used value since new costs so much more.</p> <p>Lindy</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainvisions Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Pentax does have a 600mm F/4 which <em>I believe </em> has the shortest close focus distance of the 600mm lenses on the market.</p> <p>I would think adding the Tammy 1.4X (which does AF) would be your best bet. I mean the lenses you are looking at are extremely expensive so unless you are 100% certain you cannot get those results any other way, adding a $1500 camera + several lenses won't be cheap.</p> <p>On the flip side, if your reached a point where you are confident the system CANNOT meet your needs and another system can, I'm not a fan of people being miserable. Switch and be happy (or not, people often find the grass isn't greener, while others never look back)!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtk Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>If you're going Canon, don't bother with 50D. It's sub-K20D. Go for the current 5DII, at least.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_yee Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Lindy: you are a buying machine! We need more people like you to help our economy out ;-)<br> John: the 5DmkII is full frame. You lose the "free" 1.5x range of an APS-C system which is very useful when birding and doing sports...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Lindy, How do u like the view finder? on that D700?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14mm 2.8l Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Yeah, I'm out of control. Err, well I was. I'm tapped out now and since my dollar bills are worth 75 cents it couldn't come at a better time.</p> <p>I really wanted that 14-24mm 2.8 Nikon lens ever since I handled it a demodays in like Nov 2007 while mounted on a D3. And heard mixed reviews concerning the $250 UK adapter to use the newer nikon G series lens on Eos. I didn't want to remove the weather seal gasket off the expensive lens and I didn't want to use my drill to make adapter work as a friend of mine did on his 2nd one. He returned first one and second one still still needed some mods to make it work. So what the heck! I gotta say D700 and the grip is very impressive combo. I got the grip too because I like to shoot verticals and the 14mm-24mm will get alot of vertical use from me. Nikon has certainly raised the full frame consumer dslr bar versus canon. Kinda like K20D compared to Eos50D and 40D specs better minus the frame rate. Not sure K20D tops Nikon D300 though. And I am not buying a D300 to figure it out.</p> <p>So I guess you could say I am a</p> <p>Canikontaxian ;^)</p> <p>Indeed I may be the 1st Canikontaxian</p> <p>Anyways, the wife is headed up to Mount Rushmore tomorrow and Sunday and taking her K20D and SMC 50mm 2.8 macro and 105mm 2.5 Vivitar Series One macro and 80-320 FA. Shes got a biz meeting Monday morning near there so shes off early to scout out the Dead Heads. We've never been there so I am looking foward to her snow cover captures in 20 degree temps. 20 degree I've read is no problem for K20D so she'll have a great time.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14mm 2.8l Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Love the Viewfinder!!!! Same with 5D viewfinder!!!!</p> <p>For me thats the selling point of full frame. If I were 20 something it wouldn't be an issue, but now I appreciate the big viewfinder and what it allows me to see and capture.</p> <p>If you're still sitting on that new in the box 70-200 2.8 VR Nikkor lens stash'd in your closet you really might as well add a D700 from a place like B&H before the price pops up. For me it was all about the 14-24mm 2.8. I've seen so many compelling images taken with it. The Feb1st nikon price increase made me act and seemingly impulse buy it yet it was really a well thought out decision. Its $2319 w/ free slow delivery and I did add the 2 year nikon factory warranty for a total of 3 for additional $180. Nice thing about modern nikon lenses is they come bundled with 5 years warranty.</p> <p>If I were you and I already had a pro caliber nikon lens already, now is the time to really consider D700. Plus who knows how much longer items bought from NY online and sent to california will be exempt from Arnold The Terminator's 8%+ fee. Anyways if it doesn't rock your socks off I am sure someone in your family will enjoy it ;^) But I assume you'll love it just because it has a film era size viewfinder.</p> <p>The Dollar Depreciation Clock is tick'n........</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_yee Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>So why are you keeping the Canon 5D? Or the K20D? If your wallet can deal w/ the D700 and accompanying lenses, why not just switch to a single system? I tried a friend's (wedding pro) D700 w/ a 24-70 and it's wicked sharp...of course, that single setup cost as much as my entire Pentax collection of 6 lenses so far w/ the K10D body and a bunch of old Nikon flashes :-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Lindy, indeed we still have that 70-200VR lens. I have not thought much about the D700 of late as I have been researching and am getting ready to do the lasic eye surgery. My wife and I are looking at the deals being offered like buy one get the second at 1/2 price thing.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_wisniewski Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <blockquote> <p>Sigma 400 apo @F/5.6 Sharp as a tack</p> </blockquote> <p>Be very careful with that one. There are two versions of the Sigma 400mm f5.6 APO, the original (72mm filter) and the later "macro" (77mm filter). The later lens represents a total redesign. The original 400mm APO was rated among the worst lenses ever tested at photodo, below a 2 out of 5. Mine was blown away by a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 on a 2X TC. The newer one is better, but I'd still disagree with the "sharp as a tack" comment.</p> <blockquote> <p>Indeed I may be the 1st Canikontaxian</p> </blockquote> <p>I once took a picture with a Canon 1Ds II, a Nikon 200mm f4 macro on a Canon adapter, and a reversed Pentax 50mm f1.4 on the 200mm to get 4x magnification...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>Joseph, yes you are right. I have the later one and my copy is very good....<br /> <img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/Wildlife%20parks/wildlife44.jpg" alt="" /><br> <img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/Wildlife%20parks/wildlife39.jpg" alt="" /><br> <img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/Wildlife%20parks/wildlife38.jpg" alt="" /><br> <img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/Wildlife%20parks/wildlife35.jpg" alt="" /><br> <img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/Wildlife%20parks/wildlife29.jpg" alt="" /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rice_high Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 <p>I don't think the Pentax system and its AF tracking ability is very suitable for the type of photography you intended. Go Canon and get a 1.4 or 2X EOS Canon Extender and you will enjoy AF again and which is surely faster and of a higher hit rate. Not to even mention the higher frame rate of the Canons.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john carter Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 <p>Reason 1: Pentax has an exotic sensuality that the big two have never..., well, they are nice Buicks and Pentax is an Alfa Romeo. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henkc Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 <p>Except that my Pentax cameras don't leak oil :-).<br> Henk - former Alfa Romeo owner</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgredline Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 <p><strong>Hmmm, it seems a trojan Virus has invaded this peacful forum <br /> </strong></p> <h1 >Net-Worm.Trojan. Virus''Rice.High''Win32.Kido.fx</h1> <p><strong><br /> </strong><br> <strong>Don't listen to Rice High. He is a Pentax hater who pretends to know what he is talking about. </strong></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john carter Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 <p>Henk, as a Pentax owner, I, of course, have owned Alfa Romeos. Oil on the floor keeps you in touch with your soul. Just the way a Pentax makes you feel.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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