PENTAX HD DA 55-300 F/4-5.8 vs HD DA 55-300 F/4.5-6.3 PLM. Design, handling and focus speed
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ค. 2024
- #Pentax #PentaxAutoFocus #HDDA55_300PLM #Pentaxian
I had to split the this comparison into 2 parts. Welcome to part 1 where we look at strictly the design, handling and auto focus speed. The image quality comparison will be coming up. People will be interested in the different elements, so instead of one super long (20 min+) I decided to do 2 different videos since the design, handling and focus speed turned into a long enough video on its own. In a nutshell, these lenses are worlds apart in every practical use. The non PLM HD DA 55-300 has better handling, but after that, the PLM version walks away from it's sibling and stands in a category all it's own.
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Looking forward to Part II. 👍
I bought the PLM after watching this video over a year ago. I'm so glad i did, it's my go to lens that I always leave on my camera ready for action.
I have the HD DA 55-300 f/4-5.8. I use it on my K-5II and my old K10D. Both my cameras are not compatible with the PLM. So if you have older Pentax cameras don't bother with the PLM.
Nice job! great video!
Thanks man! 🙂
Thanks good info so far. Just going to hang out and wait LOL
Have great day
I'll be working on the IQ video later today. 👍🏽
I like my old SMC DA55-300 which I have since 2008 :D Image is not on Sig100-300/4 level, but still decent and quite contrasty. Lens is slim and small, so it is nice for travelling purposes. And it is very cheap these days.. like $150 for 2nd hand piece with great condition. Just avoid DA-L model with plastic mount, that is tragedy with incredibly horrible cost-reduction ideas applied.
It is also nice how it becomes faster and faster focusing with each new body. Started with K20D, then faster with K5 and now fastest with K3 :D Rather slow focusing on MZ-10 and completely sluggish on SF-7 and SFXn film cameras. But it works on film quite well for being a DA lens. Just some vignetting in extreme corners.
The sad things about DA55-300PLN are theat it does not have any focusing scale which can be annoying for night sky shots. And it does not work on older cameras which do not support KAF4. So if somebody is using older bodies as back-up, with these KAF4 lens he won't be happy.
I'd love to see Ricoh dropping all these lenses and releasing some completely new FF DFA50-300/4-5.6 DC WR lens perfectly usable both on APS-C and FF giving Pentax system users something special that nobody else have. But unfortunately only some DFA70-300 is planned which is nothing special when compared to competitors. And for users of both FF and APS-C the 70mm start on crop is also not as attractive (being 105mm FOV).
At the end of the day I think most are choosing the PLM version for the PLM (and it's worth it!). Even if IQ is close the additional compactness and quick AF at those slow apertures are really welcome and valuable features when considering a lens. I have found AF so good that I hardly need to use the Quick Shift feature.
I agree. The PLM focusing is a game changer for Pentax.
Nice comparison. But I noticed camera movement while moving around, plus using the shutter button could also cause movement. A remote shutter release might have been better for testing.
100% Kobe. I have both lenses and used the WR 55-300 for years as my "go-to lens" (giving it complete dog's abuse and it stood up to it). I don't notice a massive difference in IQ but the speed of the PLM is fabulous (almost a must-have lens on the K3iii) that makes me almost resent other lenses that "make me" miss a given shot due to lack of focusing speed or focal length. I now have far more keepers of birds or football (soccer) with less shots taken. Keep up the good work, I really like your matter of fact, easy going delivery.
Thank you so much Eric!
I really enjoy the PLM. I had the original plastic mount version of the 55-300 which had served me well over the years. Found a pristine PLM on KEH for $225 after a nice first time buyer discount. Works very well with my old K3 and my new KP.
That was a good deal! Congrats! Here in Canada, the lens hovers around $500
Thanks for the video. Can the PLM version be manually focused? Is it focus by wire?? If not, why do they they have a focus ring at all? Thx.
It's basically focus by wire. You can manually focus it with no issue. It just doesn't have a mechanical coupling. The Pulse Linear Motor (PLM) adjusts the rear element based on the signal from the focus ring when manually focusing.
I have the non-PLM 55-300mm and am interested in birds in flight photography. Would the PLM version be much better for this? Or would I be better off bitting the bullet and getting the 150-400mm, or the 300mmF4 with 1.4x converter, or another alternative that I don't know about? Panasonic G9 and 100-300mm?
Well, for a budget conscious purchase, the PLM is much better than the standard HD 55-300. The 150-450 and 300 F/4 are in a different league image quality wise. Although heavy, the 150-450 is a stellar lens. I haven't used the 300 F/4 but others that have used the 300 F/4 with 1.4 converter do swear by that combo. I prefer having the option to zoom though, wildlife and birds in flight are unpredictable.
@@KobieMC thanks for the feed back. Yeah, the big glass are definitely pricey which has me contemplating a new MFT system just for wildlife. Still gonna wait and see what the new pentax dslr will bring to the game though.
Kobie
My Tamron 75-300 4.0 - 5.6 cannot compete is does not get sharp until F11 way to soft for action or bird photography I may have to get a new lens how sharp is the PLM wide open? I guess the next video will answer that question . My Tamron is razor sharp at F11 which is great for landscape and stationary objects but nothing else. I will have to check out my Sigma 18-250 3.5-6.3 now . I was never interested in action photography until now I've been visiting a park with lots of birds to photograph maybe the Sigma will work ?
Here you go.
th-cam.com/video/6DsseT87vTo/w-d-xo.html
Sigma 18-250 is just consumer lens. Tamron 70-300 was the worst cheapest 70-300 option existing for Pentax. Sigma 70-300 was better and Sigma 70-300APO was even better. But if you want long telephoto with good optics, then try to find Sigma 100-300/4 EX DG. Good copy of that lens has image output at least comparable to DA*300/4 while being zoom. It focuses fast on any body including film cameras. It has reliable body-driven AF which does not die like SDM. And the construction is hi-end sturdy single barrel design with internal focuising and internal zooming. You literally can beat somebody with that lens and it will still work :D But check for good copy, some are misaligned and soft.
From Ricoh there is only DFA150-450, but the price of that lens is not comparable to all these mentioned above.
I can’t find the second part of this review. Does it have a title
I was planning a Part 2 of being out in the field shooting but had to give the red ring 55-300 back since it was on loan. I should remove the "part 1" from the title.
th-cam.com/video/6DsseT87vTo/w-d-xo.html
Hi there. I also have a k-30. Is the 55-300 PLM compatible with the k-30?
Unfortunately, no. However, there is a custom firmware available from Pentaxforums that loads the K-50 firmware (it's the same camera, just different body) which will make the K-30 compatible (I've loaded the firmware, it works fine). There's 2 versions of the custom firmware, one that identifies the camera as a K-50, and the other one (which I used) retains the K-30 identity.
Your videos are interesting and I like to watch them, but this greeting is ..........
I hear you. With limited time, and limited resources, sometimes it's not ideal, but you have to make the best of it.
Spoiler alert, the PLM kills it!
Maaaan, all that work I put in and you sum it up in one sentence. Jeez! Lol
Well.. there are better and worse SMC/HD DA55-300/4-5.8 copies.. It depends which is used. I've seen some noticeable differences as I had chance to play with multiple copies during all those years with K mount. PLM version has a bit better fine detail and slightly less CA. But for most people and user cases that makes little difference. Also considering the price difference.
Haha just on your way to work?! :p
Ya, I was lol