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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW (1 Viewer)

Mike-P

Member
From the looks of it there aren't many Pentax users on the forum but I thought there may be one or two hiding away somewhere that would be in terested in the new Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW lens. I got mine late last week and managed to get a bit of sunshine on Saturday to give it a quick try.

Here are a few shots, first 4 are just the lens and the others are with the Pentax 1.4x. All handheld with a K-5IIs

https://flic.kr/p/ujNKrq
https://flic.kr/p/ujUP1B
https://flic.kr/p/uBoKM6
https://flic.kr/p/uBCUXi

https://flic.kr/p/tEttpL
https://flic.kr/p/ujTP5f
https://flic.kr/p/uBGUAi
 
Very nice, Mike.
Appears to do exceptionally well with the TC. All weather sealed too.
Have half dozen "A" series primes, including a couple *'s, been mulling over making the jump with.
 
Have half dozen "A" series primes, including a couple *'s, been mulling over making the jump with.

Nice, I do like the old A* lenses, I had a Pentax A* 300mm f2.8 and that worked very well with the 1.4L and 2XL converters but I sold it on so that I could put the cash towards my FA* 250-600mm f5.6.
 
A*300 f/2.8 is a fine piece of work.
Big reason I've held onto the manuals is the catch in focus function.
Once the knack of using it managed, it renders the old slow rolling manual focus hellicoids serviceable.
Noticed on your 150-450, it has a MF setting, which enables it to be implemented as a stand alone trap.
Here, I could point it at my hummingbird feeder, lock the remote, and let the birds do the rest
 
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I just treated myself to the DFA 150-450mm zoom as a late Christmas present. It was on offer at SRS Microsystems so after a lot of thought I nipped over to Watford to pick one up.

It's a beast of a lens and a lot heavier than my usual combo, the fantastic DA*300mm paired with the 1.4x TC or the fantastic old 1.7x AFA. It'll take a bit of getting used to but the flexibility of a zoom was the reason I bought it, as well as the image quality I have seen from other users.
The weather has been pretty awful since I picked it up but I did have a brief window of opportunity earlier in the week to go sit in a local hide for a while to try it out, both with and without the 1.4x TC. In good lighting conditions, the 1.4x TC, although nudging up to F8, should perform quite well when needed.

Here's a link to 2 of the images I took the other day. The first image was with the 1.4x TC attached.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32585204@N05/23753964730/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32585204@N05/23421431104/in/dateposted-public/
 
I've already tried it with the Black Rapid sling strap and it's not too bad at all, so think handheld shots will be fine. I have a lightweight tripod I can attach to the camera bag if I intend sitting in the same spot for any length of time.
Works just fine with the ball head too instead of a gimbal.
 
I'll be sure to post some shots when we get some decent weather worth going out in!

That Nuthatch shot is superb. It's a bird I have yet to even see, let alone photograph. They are down on the moor at the edge of town apparently so I'll have to take a look.
 
Nice photo's. Indeed not many Pentax shooters here (I'm one, but I don't shoot birds; the 100mm macro is my longest lens)
 
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