Empathy List Archives

JS

John Sessoms

Thu, Jul 30, 2026 10:47 PM

I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm
focal length.

I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My guesstimate
is the distance from the front element of the lens to where I've set up
a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in).

300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too much.

Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? How
much?

I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at all

SDM motor problems?

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I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm focal length. I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My guesstimate is the distance from the front element of the lens to where I've set up a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in). 300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too much. Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? How much? I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at all SDM motor problems? -- Aeternum vive aut conando moriere. -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. www.avg.com

LC

Larry Colen

Thu, Jul 30, 2026 11:11 PM

I will note that cropping 200 down to 250 AoV doesn't lose a lot of
resolution, and does reduce the chance of losing a photo because that
pesky bird was in just the wrong place. It is also much less expensive
than buying a new lens if you already have a 200.

Also the final result of a great 200 that has been cropped is likely
better than an OK 250 that hasn't. Not that I've heard any complaints
about the 60-250 in that regard. John might even have one to sell.

Depending on the speed you need, I'd also be inclined to look at the DA
55-300, which actually works pretty well at that length on the K-1 as
well as being pretty inexpensive.

On 2026-07-30 15:47, John Sessoms wrote:

I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm
focal length.

I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My
guesstimate is the distance from the front element of the lens to where
I've set up a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in).

300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too
much.

Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1?
How much?

I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at
all

SDM motor problems?

--
Aeternum vive aut conando moriere.

--
Larry Colen LRC@red4est.com http://red4est.com/lrc

I will note that cropping 200 down to 250 AoV doesn't lose a lot of resolution, and does reduce the chance of losing a photo because that pesky bird was in just the wrong place. It is also much less expensive than buying a new lens if you already have a 200. Also the final result of a great 200 that has been cropped is likely better than an OK 250 that hasn't. Not that I've heard any complaints about the 60-250 in that regard. John might even have one to sell. Depending on the speed you need, I'd also be inclined to look at the DA 55-300, which actually works pretty well at that length on the K-1 as well as being pretty inexpensive. On 2026-07-30 15:47, John Sessoms wrote: > I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm > focal length. > > I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My > guesstimate is the distance from the front element of the lens to where > I've set up a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in). > > 300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too > much. > > Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? > How much? > > I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at > all > > SDM motor problems? > > -- > Aeternum vive aut conando moriere. -- Larry Colen LRC@red4est.com http://red4est.com/lrc

JF

John Francis

Fri, Jul 31, 2026 6:10 AM

Also the final result of a great 200 that has been cropped is likely better
than an OK 250 that hasn't. Not that I've heard any complaints about the
60-250 in that regard. John might even have one to sell.

Funny you should mention that ...

I keep meaning to post a list of the Pentax items I've got here - I don't
expect I'll ever use them again, so I'd like to think they might be of
some interest to PDMLers.

I do indeed have a 60-250; it was the lens I most often used on the K5.
(In fact I'm pretty sure they're united in the drawer where they live).

I'll try to dig everything out and post the details here in a day or so.

> > Also the final result of a great 200 that has been cropped is likely better > than an OK 250 that hasn't. Not that I've heard any complaints about the > 60-250 in that regard. John might even have one to sell. Funny you should mention that ... I keep meaning to post a list of the Pentax items I've got here - I don't expect I'll ever use them again, so I'd like to think they might be of some interest to PDMLers. I do indeed have a 60-250; it was the lens I most often used on the K5. (In fact I'm pretty sure they're united in the drawer where they live). I'll try to dig everything out and post the details here in a day or so.

MW

mike wilson

Fri, Jul 31, 2026 6:13 AM

My experience (sample of one...) is that DA lenses only start to noticeably vignette when the fl gets below about 24-28mm. Likewise, zoom lenses seem to have various difficulties at the extremes of their travel. So my guess is no vignetting but possible softness or other issues.

On 30/07/2026 23:47 BST John Sessoms jsessoms002@nc.rr.com wrote:

I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm
focal length.

I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My guesstimate
is the distance from the front element of the lens to where I've set up
a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in).

300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too much.

Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? How
much?

I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at all

SDM motor problems?

My experience (sample of one...) is that DA lenses only start to noticeably vignette when the fl gets below about 24-28mm. Likewise, zoom lenses seem to have various difficulties at the extremes of their travel. So my guess is no vignetting but possible softness or other issues. > On 30/07/2026 23:47 BST John Sessoms <jsessoms002@nc.rr.com> wrote: > > > I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm > focal length. > > I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My guesstimate > is the distance from the front element of the lens to where I've set up > a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in). > > 300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too much. > > Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? How > much? > > I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at all > > SDM motor problems? >

PS

Paul Stenquist

Fri, Jul 31, 2026 11:32 AM

The DA 60-250 vignettes only a minimal amount on the K-1. Great lens.
Paul

On Jul 30, 2026, at 6:47 PM, John Sessoms jsessoms002@nc.rr.com wrote:

I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm focal length.

I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My guesstimate is the distance from the front element of the lens to where I've set up a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in).

300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too much.

Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? How much?

I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at all

SDM motor problems?

--
Aeternum vive aut conando moriere.

--
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The DA 60-250 vignettes only a minimal amount on the K-1. Great lens. Paul > On Jul 30, 2026, at 6:47 PM, John Sessoms <jsessoms002@nc.rr.com> wrote: > > I need some lens advice. I've about decided I need a lens with 250mm focal length. > > I'm trying to photograph birds through my kitchen window. My guesstimate is the distance from the front element of the lens to where I've set up a tree limb as a perch is 155 inches (12 ft 11 in). > > 300mm on the K-1 doesn't have enough field of view, and 200mm has too much. > > Will the SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vignette on the K-1? How much? > > I've used the DA50 f/1.8 on the K-1 and it didn't seem to vignette at all > > SDM motor problems? > > -- > Aeternum vive aut conando moriere. > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. > www.avg.com > -- > %(real_name)s Pentax-Discuss Mail List > To unsubscribe send an email to pdml-leave@pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.

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Lens?

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