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| sent on 17 Luglio 2023
Pros: Remarkable sharpness, tropicalized, robust construction, functional carrying bag
Cons: Obviously the weight and even more the size, autofocus not very fast, bracket for the tripod a bit short, very (too) flashy
Opinion: It went out of production in 2020 so I never thought I'd find a used one, especially in like-new condition, so I consider myself very, very lucky. That said, you can't review it like any Pentax lens, given its out-of-the-ordinary features. I'll start with the obvious; It's heavy and bulky. With the K3-III you get to 4 kg and a little more with the K1, so the swing is definitely challenging. Mind you, for the lens that it is (almost a 600 mm, let's not forget) it is not a boulder, but if not unthinkable it is at least complicated to use it handheld for more than five minutes in a row unless you are Schwarzenegger in the Commando version, but even so there is no stabilized sensor that holds and it is almost mandatory to set very fast shutter speeds, Let's say from 1/2000 upwards, otherwise photos with a high risk of blur, also because, in addition to the weight, you have to deal with the dimensions really out of scale, especially with the lens hood (built-in) in the working position. Its most natural use is the "static" one, such as in a shed or on the side of the track of a racetrack, for example, therefore with a tripod or monopod. In this regard, I noticed that the relative bracket, although very sturdy, is a bit short and the camera-lens assembly is not always well balanced despite the fact that there are three threaded holes along the entire bracket. On the other hand, nothing to say about the optical qualities. Sharpness and microcontrast are also very good at full aperture and it improves further, albeit slightly, at f/8. Aberrations are very well contained and, if present, are limited to the most extreme contrasts and in any case can be easily eliminated. A truly remarkable achievement for such a lens, and in full respect of Pentax tradition. The autofocus is not bad and is more than sufficient in most cases, the limiter then helps to speed up the whole thing a bit, but it is clear that the latest Pentax products such as the 70-200 or the 150-450, being more recent projects of at least ten years, are something else. The performance remains very good even in combination with the Pentax 1.4x teleconverter, it loses something in sharpness but the autofocus remains precise as long as you scrupulously do the in-camera calibration with the multiplier engaged, moreover the handheld panning is even more difficult. Finally, I would like to highlight its white color, which is the only one available. While it helps keep temperatures down under the sun, it also makes it all too flashy. If you do photo hunting in a stakeout, it is better to cover it with "camouflage" neoprene, you will undoubtedly be more discreet and less conspicuous, avoiding alarming the animals. Among the flaws I clearly did not put the price because pretending that such a lens is also cheap is unrealistic. But if you love this kind of photography, you can find a used one in good condition and you have some money (even more than "some", alas...) don't miss it. |
The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.
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