*ist DS 500mm, teleconvertor, and macro

I am new to SLR photography and purchased the *ist DS recently. I have been reading these forums and now I have a couple of questions.

1. Me and my wife are interested in nature photography. We have a 70 - 300mm zoom which works good, but requires us getting closer than we would like to the subject. I think a 500mm zoom or fixed would get us where we need to be for photo-ing birds from our deck that feed at the lake behind our house. Also would be nice to get the aquatic birds in a close up shot. Any suggestions on whether better to do a zoom or fixed 500mm. Cost is an option and I am not much concerned about the quality yet since we are still learning. Maybe a 2x tele for the 300mm would work but I am not sure which one, what brand, or if a tele would do what I think it does.

2. The 300mm also has a macro setting. It is 1:2. I have to be a good distance away to get focused on the subject and do not get a really close up shot. Am I right in assuming I must get a macro lense with a different setting, say 1:1? Any suggestion on type and brand. Again cost is an issue, not concerned about quality just yet.

Thanks for any help / suggestions.

I have been using IST Ds since last December. I have some experiences with SMC PENTAX 1:3,8-5,6 28-200mm and Tamron - F 2X tele-converter both connected to my IST Ds. From the point of amater view, the pictures are good (no complaiment about). But please be awere of light attenuation. The teleconverter reduces by 2, circular polarization filter again by 2, zoom lence makes also some attenuation. On another hand you get 600mm lence (200x2x1,5). Taking pictures from the hand requires 1/600-750s and bright suny day because of the above mentioned light attenuation. This problems could be solloved by using higher ISOs.

Best regards

fvrtac

I have read that two 1.4x Tamron teleconverters are sharper than one Tamron 2x teleconverter. I cannot say for sure yet myself. I have also found that using an autofocus lens with an autofocus teleconverter can sometimes be a problem. For instance: Autofocusing in low light with a Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens plus a teleconverter sometimes won't autofocus. Therefore you have to resort to manual focusing. Therin lies the problem. Switching the *ist DS to MF on the camera breaks the gearing link between the teleconverter and the camera but it does not break the gearing link between the teleconverter and the lens. So when you try to manual focus the lens you are trying to turn the gearing inside the teleconverter and it can't be done. I solve this problem in either of two ways. Switch to my manual focus teleconverter or switch to a manual focus lens.

Although you say that you are not concerned with quality just yet, believe me when I say you will be. I have gone through a lot of expense and heartache trying to get that "magnification" that you are trying to get. I have tried spotting scopes of various kinds and teleconverters singely used or stacked. It has been a real pain and I have spent more than the $500 plus that it would take to get a good lens in the first place. So my recommendation to you would be to get a Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverter and live with it in use with your 70-300mm for now. Then save your money and get a good prime 500mm or greater or the Sigma (Bigma) 50-500mm or the Sigma 170-500mm.

I have attached some photos below. Sorry no bird shots though. ~ Ron

This first one is with the Tamron 70-300mm @ 260mm with two stacked Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverters. Target about 250 feet away.



This second one is with the Tamron 70-300mm @300mm with one Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverter. Target about 250 feet away.



This third one is with a manual focus Tamron 300mm f/5.6 with a Kenko AF 2x teleconverter. Target is about 60-80 feet away.



This fourth one is with a manual focus Tamron 300mm f/5.6 with a Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverter. Target is about 60-80 feet away.

This fifth one is with a Celestron 104mm spotting scope - target at about 150 feet.



This sixth one is with a Celestron 104mm spotting scope - target at about 1/4 mile.



This seventh one is with a Celestron 104mm spotting scope - target at about 2 miles.

I missed posting the photo for the fourth one. I have inserted it in its proper place below. ~ Ron

brandrx said:

I have read that two 1.4x Tamron teleconverters are sharper than
one Tamron 2x teleconverter. I cannot say for sure yet myself. I
have also found that using an autofocus lens with an autofocus
teleconverter can sometimes be a problem. For instance:
Autofocusing in low light with a Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens plus
a teleconverter sometimes won't autofocus. Therefore you have to
resort to manual focusing. Therin lies the problem. Switching the
*ist DS to MF on the camera breaks the gearing link between the
teleconverter and the camera but it does not break the gearing link
between the teleconverter and the lens. So when you try to manual
focus the lens you are trying to turn the gearing inside the
teleconverter and it can't be done. I solve this problem in either
of two ways. Switch to my manual focus teleconverter or switch to a
manual focus lens.

Although you say that you are not concerned with quality just yet,
believe me when I say you will be. I have gone through a lot of
expense and heartache trying to get that "magnification" that you
are trying to get. I have tried spotting scopes of various kinds
and teleconverters singely used or stacked. It has been a real pain
and I have spent more than the $500 plus that it would take to get
a good lens in the first place. So my recommendation to you would
be to get a Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverter and live with it in use
with your 70-300mm for now. Then save your money and get a good
prime 500mm or greater or the Sigma (Bigma) 50-500mm or the Sigma
170-500mm.

I have attached some photos below. Sorry no bird shots though. ~ Ron

This first one is with the Tamron 70-300mm @ 260mm with two stacked
Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverters. Target about 250 feet away.



This second one is with the Tamron 70-300mm @300mm with one Tamron
AF 1.4x teleconverter. Target about 250 feet away.



This third one is with a manual focus Tamron 300mm f/5.6 with a
Kenko AF 2x teleconverter. Target is about 60-80 feet away.



This fourth one is with a manual focus Tamron 300mm f/5.6 with a
Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverter. Target is about 60-80 feet away.

Click to expand...

brandrx said:

This fifth one is with a Celestron 104mm spotting scope - target at
about 150 feet.



This sixth one is with a Celestron 104mm spotting scope - target at
about 1/4 mile.



This seventh one is with a Celestron 104mm spotting scope - target
at about 2 miles.

Click to expand...

check this thread for advice http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=13083917

A cheap alternative is to find a mirror lens, Tamron 500mm or Sigma 600mm. These can be found easily on ebay. They have their limitations though, only one aperture and strange doughnut shaped out of focus effects.
--
Steve

http://www.pbase.com/steephill

That fourth one is This fourth one is with a manual focus Tamron 300mm f/5.6 with "TWO" Tamron AF 1.4x teleconverters. Target is about 60-80 feet away.

Sorry about that. ~ Ron

This is a nice lens but you need a very sturdy tripod and careful focusing to get the best out of it, so it might not be "fast" enough for wildlife. Here is a shot of a No Parking sign at the end of my street that I took from about 100 yards away, along with a 400x500 pixel full size crop from the center. It's probably not the best I can do (my eyes aren't what they used to be), but it is typical of what I get with this lens.

The full image:



The center crop:



Note the low contrast and peculiar bokeh which are typical of mirror lenses. You can edit images to restore the contrast but you have to live with the bokeh!
--
Colormonger.
* * * * *
Belief without doubt is just opinion.

• unknown

Thanks you all for your comments.

gapalp said:

better to do a zoom or fixed 500mm. Cost is an option and I am not
much concerned about the quality yet since we are still learning.
Maybe a 2x tele for the 300mm would work but I am not sure which
one, what brand, or if a tele would do what I think it does.

Click to expand...

A 500mm mirror lens will be your best bet here to get this focal length. It will give you a good feel for the focal length and let you learn. Either a 500mm prime or zoom is going to be pretty expensive, probably $300-400+, while you should be able to get a mirror lens for around $100 or less. Tokina makes a nice manual focus 500mm mirror lens that sells on eBay for around $75 used. New ones from Vivitar/Samyang/Phoenix runs a little over $100. Keep in mind too that it is unlikely these lenses will autofocus due to their fixed aperture at f/8.

gapalp said:

2. The 300mm also has a macro setting. It is 1:2. I have to be a
good distance away to get focused on the subject and do not get a
really close up shot. Am I right in assuming I must get a macro
lense with a different setting, say 1:1? Any suggestion on type and
brand. Again cost is an issue, not concerned about quality just yet.

Click to expand...

Close focus distance on the Tamron 70-300mm LD Macro is about 38 inches, for 1:2 reporduction at 300mm. If you want to get closer, you will need a true macro lens for 1:1 reproduction. Your best bet is to try to find the new vivitar 100/3.5 macro with the life size adapter. Optically it is very good but mechanicallly, it is pretty cheaply built. These sell new for around $125 or so. The other macros, such as the Tamron 90mm will run about $400 while the Pentax 100/2.8 macro is at the $500 mark new.
--
John
Pentax *ist-D, Pentax ZX-M, Oly Stylus
Fuji S7000Z, Canon A75