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

Daydreaming about new toys.... (1 Viewer)

bkrownd

Well-known member
So, when I went camera shopping last year I tried out the K10D, but the store didn't have any good telephoto lenses for it, so I ended up with the Nikon D80 & 80-400VR. Doing OK, works great and all. The unnecessarily wobbly fragility of a zoom lens with 'external focus' motion bothers me, and I've dropped it on its nose a few times while crawling through the wilderness. It isn't broken yet, but eventually I'll break it or too much dust getting inside will require a major $$$ overhaul. I would have originally got the sigma 50-500 with the K10D, so same problem there.

So anyhow, I was wondering if the K10D and the Sigma APO 300mm f/2.8 with a teleconverter would satisfy me? (the drop-in circular polarizing filter is a nice touch, too) I require image stabilization since I'm always using my camera hand-held, and this seems the most affordable way to get it in a solid internal focusing, non-zoom, image stabilized telephoto. Also, it would be nice to have image stabilization for my non-telephoto lens as well. Anybody got this combination, or any thoughts on it?
 
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Hi. I too use my camera handheld and understand your thoughts. I'd worry about the Sigma f2.8 as I think it's 2.4 kgs (84.6 oz ..I don't know what that is) and I'm too weak. The 100-300mm F4 is almost 1/2 as light but you don't get HSM with a Pentax mount or any third party. For me with digital I don't think there is a great difference between 2.8 and f4 except for the mobilty.
I do like my K10D with Pentax FA 400mm f5.6 (always handheld) but they went out of production in 2004.
Pentax announced a 300mm F4 with SDM (quiet, faster AF such as HSM) back in Sept 2006 and hopefully it'll be released sometime later this century. Though howmuch later is my concern... Maybe January 2008(?) if you can wait. (I am actually thinking of going Nikon not as a replcement but to add a another option in my kit). Happy birding! Cheers.
 
Pentax announced a 300mm F4 with SDM (quiet, faster AF such as HSM) back in Sept 2006 and hopefully it'll be released sometime later this century.

I was sort of expecting that one to be priced a bit high for me. :)

I'd almost always have a 300mm lens stacked on a teleconverter, and normally take photos in absolutely terrible light, so the f/2.8 sounded appealing for that. (500mm f/4.5 is beyond my budget) Also, the screw drive focus on the 80-400VR I have now hasn't really bother me at all.

I think of my current camera as fairly light, so I wasn't extremely worried about some extra weight, but as handling comfort results from the combination of weight, shape, and body layout, there's no way to know how it will feel until you have it in hand for a while. I can't say I've tried a setup like this before.

I won't get back to the US until May, so I have a while to think about it. Right now all my spare money is earmarked for a January 2 trip to my Roth IRA. 3:)

Thanks!
 
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