DA 55-300mm for 'only £76!'

Okay, there is a catch!

Been keeping up with the price drops for the K-7 as I am now actively saving for one again, when I noticed this bargain on SRS's website, and yes it does involve buying a camera as well!

Here's the deal:-

K-x with 18-55mm = £549
K-x with 18-55mm and 55-300mm = £675

Difference = £126 minus £50 cash back for the small total of £76!!
Considering SRS has this lens listed at £275, that's £199 off!

Anyone else notice any really good deals out there?
(preferably UK stock from a UK Pro dealer for the warranty etc.!)

---

Body: K-7 & Grip Flash: Metz 58 x2 | AF-160 FC
Primes: DA* 55 | 100mm WR | DA*300mm
Zooms: 10-17 | 12-24 | 16-50 | 50-135 | 60-250
Photos: Gallery

I think the 55-300mm with the K-x is the DA-L version.
No hood and plastic mount ... cheap version

---

My FLICKr
My PENTAX GALLERy

Ah.. didn't even realise there was one, thought it was just the 18-55 & 50-200.

Did a quick check though and it looks like it was released with the K-x, kept that one quiet didn't they!?

---

Body: K-7 & Grip Flash: Metz 58 x2 | AF-160 FC
Primes: DA* 55 | 100mm WR | DA*300mm
Zooms: 10-17 | 12-24 | 16-50 | 50-135 | 60-250
Photos: Gallery

There are now three DAL lenses, and optically they are the same as the DA versions. The difference is that they have plastic mounts and are supplied without lens hoods. Lower cost, lighter but no loss in image quality.

There have been plastic, sorry polycarbonate, mounts in the past and they work well enough even if they are a bit against the grain in terms of what we are used to.

---

Best regards,

John Riley

I had a FA lens with plastic mount and they do feel different to handle.

---

Regards
Barrie
K20D K200D DA*300 A50/2.0 A50/1.7 FA50/1.4 FA135/2.8 FA35 DA70/2.4 DA18-55 DA17-70 DA55-300 DA*50-135 Samsung 12-24
Tamron 28-300XRDi 70-200/2.8 Sigma Macro 50,105,180 170-500 400/5.6MF 24/2.8

I have just come across this site, I wonder how genuine its is or if they are all grey imports?

---

Photobucket Flickr
Pentax K-7, K10D, DA 16-45mm F4 ED AL, DA 18-55, DA 55-300mm f4.0-5.8 ED, PK 50mm F1.1.7, FA 3.5-5.6 28-80, F 80-200 4.7-5.6,Sigma 70-300 f5.6, Tamron SP f2.8 90 macro

The DA-L version of the 55-300 does not have quick shift either, if I am not mistaken.

---

Camera:|K-7|
Pentax Lenses:|DA12-24/f4 ED AL|DA35Ltd Macro|FA31Ltd|FA77Ltd|FA50/1.4|F70-210|FA20-35 f4/AL|A*200/f4 Macro ED|A50/1.7|A50 Macro f2.8|1.7xAF adapter|
Voigtlander|125/f2.5SL Macro APO Lanthar|
Sigma Lenses:|EX DG 100-300 f4|2X & 1.4X TC|
Flashes:|AF540FGZx2|RingFlash AF160FC|

If this is the case, I think it might be something of a false economy.

The 55-300 focus ring has a long way to go from close focus to infinity, and unlike some of the other DA lenses, feels (when focusing manually) like there's a fair bit of weight to move when doing so.

So it's quite slow to focus if it has a lot to do.

Being able to manually rotate the ring close to where it needs to be makes an enormous difference to its usability - if it's already nearly there, focusing is acceptably quick.

So without quick shift, I could see the lens being quite annoying to use at times.

---

.
Pentax K10D, DA18-55 MkI, DA55-300, FA50 F1.4, FA28-200, A28 F2.8, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, A400 F5.6 (AF), 600 F8 mirror, Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
.

From their site...


So add VAT and duty to the prices you see.

---

.
Pentax K10D, DA18-55 MkI, DA55-300, FA50 F1.4, FA28-200, A28 F2.8, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, A400 F5.6 (AF), 600 F8 mirror, Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
.

That seems to be at odds with their claim to be UK based with UK offices. I am not sure about the legality of a UK firm advertising prices EX VAT but nonetheless that rules them out as a supplier.

Mike

---

---------------------------------------------------

You can see some of my shots at my Flickr account.

The DA-L 50-200 is missing this feature as well, so it looks like a common spec in this cut-price range. After buying a 50-200 in the mistaken belief it was the fully featured model (advertisers should make this a lot clearer), I think it's well worth paying the extra for a lens hood and QS. However, as John says, the image quality is fine.

Al

Many firms and websites do this. It makes their prices look better. And they can always justify it by saying they sell to tax-exempt businesses.

---

Visit Robin Parmar or my Flickr images or my blog.