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Gabriele Willig | profile | all galleries >> camera and lens test pictures >> lens test pictures >> PENTAX SMC FA 80-320 mm tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

PENTAX SMC FA 80-320 mm

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Gabriele Willig19-Nov-2004 19:32
Hi Irving,
Thanks for your feedback in two of my galleries ... you can continue like that ;-).
I would start with your last question. I have used the *ist D for almost exactly one year now and I am still absolutely happy with it. I own a MZ-5N also and like you, I had some Pentax lenses and when the *ist D was launched in Germany in October 2003, I bought it immediately. After one year of intensive use, I would buy it again without hesitating.
The second question concerning the 16-45 mm lens: it is one of my best ones (and I have a lot). It is sharp, contrasty and gives a superb image quality, especially when stopped down a bit.
In my opinion there are no sharpness issues with the *ist D. I have set the in-camera sharpness from normal to high and I am very satisfied with the results. I usually add a little bit of Photoshop Unsharp Mask to my pictures and obtain crisp results, always depending, of course, on the lenses I use. Like many other *ist D users, I like to work with not oversharpened camera RAW data and adjust them in Photoshop as I want. But that is my opinion.
I have spent a lot of money during the past year and have obtained some very good Pentax primes, such as for instance the SMC F* 300 mm/4.5 which in my opinion is unbeatable and which I like most. My two other favorites are the SMC A* 135 mm/1.8 and the SMC A* 85 mm/1.4. Having bought these lenses new worlds opened for my *ist D and me.
As concerns nature photography and flying birds: I recently bought the Sigma EX 70-200 mm/2.8 APO (and the Sigma 1.4 EX converter), a highly recommended lens. I have not yet had the time to test it that much but I saw pictures of flying birds taken with this combo *ist D/Sigma 70-200 mm which were simply astonishing. If I find one of those impressing pictures, I will send you the link to your mail address.
I hope this was of help to you. In case that you have any further questions, please contact me here or on my mail address. Always welcome to meet *ist D companions around.
Best regards,
Gaby.
Irving Buckleman 18-Nov-2004 15:46
Your photography in this gallery and others is very impressive,sensitive and beautiful. I am preparing to buy my first digital SLR next month and since I already own a Oentax MZ-S and several lenses the Pentax ist-d seems to be the logical choice. I would like to know a few things before I buy. The reviews have said there are sharpness problems with this camera. Do you find that you have to use in camera or computer sharpening. I like to do nature photography and my MZ-S has trouble focusing on rapidly moving subjects like flying birds. Is this a problem on the ist-d? Are you happy with the 16-45 lens? and finally after using the ist-d for a while are you still happy with this camere? Thanks again for the beautiful phographs
Gabriele Willig18-Sep-2004 13:47
Hello Lars,
Thank you for your message. You will indeed not be disappointed with the 80-320 mm.
I had it already on my analog MZ-5N and liked it a lot. Together with the *ist D, it also works fine. I have never regretted having bought that lens.
Gaby.
Guest 17-Sep-2004 07:48
Thanks for sharing these images! Great shots, and I'm considering the 80-320 myself, and from your work I see that i won't be disappointed. Also loved your other galleries!
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