>> >> Another one I would love to have is F* 300mm/4,5 but it will costs me two >> times more money (at least). Anyway, I would buy this F* if it is really much, >> much better than those Takumar.
The F* 300/4.5 is worth every penny. Great lens, one of Pentax' best efforts. > >> Another thing that makes me very surprised is that lenses as fast as 2,8 are >> thousands of dollars more expensive than 4,5 - is this one f-stop really worth >> so much money? Especially when I can get this one "f-stop" >> buying faster film. The Tokina 300/2.8 AT-X in manual focus usually costs about $850 used in very good shape. It is a bargain in big glass. But is it better than the F* 300/4.5? No, but optically it is just as good, and it becomes a very good 510/f5 when used with the Pentax 1.7x AF Adapter. As for the other 300/2.8 lenses, that quickly becomes a matter of taste and need. I would not spend two thousand or more for an autofocus 300/2.8 or 400/2.8, but I did spend several thousand on a 600/4. Go figure. To me, a great 300/4 with a well-matched 1.4x teleconverter is the best birding combination around. But it is not nearly long enough - you really need at least 600mm to be happy ;-). -- John Mustarde www.photolin.com
