Camera Labs

Purchased this lens back in August and I don't think it has come off my Pentax K100D much since.
I do mostly wildlife photography and what a godsend.
Yes it is big.
Yes it is bulky when extended.
Yes it is a bit noisy focusing.
YES...it works!!
98% of my pics are done freehand no tripod and any other time I use what is called a shooting stick,
basically a monopod for a rifle which Dbls as a walking Ford/stick.
Pricewise in comparison to other lenses, not sure you can beat it.
Paid approx. $1300 Cdn taxes delivery/shipping and all....well worth it IMO.

Overcast in wooded area....



Focal Length: 310.0mm (35mm equivalent: 465...
Exposure Time: 0.0080 s (1/125)
Aperture: f/6.7
ISO Equiv.: 800
Whitebalance: Manual
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)

Overcast open area...


Focal Length: 500.0mm (35mm equivalent: 750...
Exposure Time: 0.0005 s (1/2000)
Aperture: f/9.5
ISO Equiv.: 400
Exposure Bias: -0.50
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

Sunny open areas...


Focal Length: 360.0mm (35mm equivalent: 540...
Exposure Time: 0.0056 s (1/180)
Aperture: f/16.0
ISO Equiv.: 200
Exposure Bias: -0.50
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing



Focal Length: 500.0mm (35mm equivalent: 750...
Exposure Time: 0.0013 s (1/750)
Aperture: f/6.7
ISO Equiv.: 200
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)



Focal Length: 230.0mm (35mm equivalent: 345...
Exposure Time: 0.0003 s (1/4000)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO Equiv.: 400
Exposure Bias: -0.50
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
Exposure Mode: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

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Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm

That's quite the lens. It's massive but I'd love to have something like it for wildlife. It looks like it performs quite good, the clarity is more than decent. Not a bad price either for a 500mm. Just checked Amazon and they are below $1000 USD.

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I would like to know how would be the AF in a Canon body with the f/5.6 limitation. It probably will report 5.6 for the body so it would work, but, would it focus fast and precisely?

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Canon 40D and lots of lenses.
my Flickr

Alex,

I can't help you with the Canon info but, if you look at the young eagle pic with brances in front of the bird....
This can be a problem sometimes.
If the "crosshairs" (for lack of a better word) hit one of those twigs it may well focus on them instead of the subject.
You have to be quite precise with your aim as it will pickup on other things that sometimes you cannot even see til focused.
For moving critters this can also be an "issue" but with practice and time it gets easier.
Critters moving left to right or vise versa are much easier than ones moving away/twds you as it doesn't always snap right into focus on the first try but again with practice and time it gets better.
Panning along takes a bit of getting used to also given it's size.
I really don't have anything to compare it to speed of focusing wise but I find it quite adequate.
If I think that when ready to take a shot I know the critter will move or I may be "seen" once ready for the shot I will focus on the ground at a close proximity to the critter to help the lens along before going for "the shot".
Looking at the duck pic I would guess I was focused on the bank rather than the ducks themselves but you can see as soon as I popped up for "the shot" they flew...(see near bank in foreground bottom of pic)

Hope that helps...some?

Shagrath...."Just checked Amazon and they are below $1000 USD."...

Isn't that always the way...lol
I suspect they will continue to come down in price some as does most cam gear.
I could have bought cheaper as well but the place I bought from adds their own little warranty to gear bought from them.
If there is a problem...I would deal with them...return lens get new one, no questions asked-done deal.
I like that.
I will add the UV filter on the lens was about $100+ and included in price I gave, shipping from store to me also...about $30 as well as the good ol Govt.'s slice

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Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm