Comments about Pentax Pentax SMC P-DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED Auto Focus Telephoto Zoom Lens with Hood.:

This is a great lens for the money. It occaisionally misfocuses but that usually only happens in low light. Other than that I am very happy with it. For the money its a lot of bang for the buck

Comments about Pentax Pentax SMC P-DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED Auto Focus Telephoto Zoom Lens with Hood.:

I shoot outdoors and macro w/ and extension tube. This is a considerably better lens than the Tamron 70-300 that I had for resolution and color accuracy. It is worth the extra cost if you are concerned about those things. It is only slow focus in low light, otherwise it's great.

Comments about Pentax Pentax SMC P-DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED Auto Focus Telephoto Zoom Lens with Hood.:

I'm still learning but I'm glad I bought this rather than one of those really long 1300mm or whatevers I saw on [...]. After minimal research I found that most folks find those big ones aren't good with light. Big and cheap but otherwise not nearly as wise a purchase as this great Pentax lens. From Banks Lake and Grand Coulee Dam to the Ellensburg Canyon, and Wild Horse Wind Farm, I've enjoyed playing and learning about and from this lens. For anyone near where I'm at in photography this is it if you want to get closer to your subject. I'm still waiting to find the Big Horn sheep in the Canyon! And this lens will be with me when I take my drive to Grand Canyon.

Comments about Pentax Pentax SMC P-DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED Auto Focus Telephoto Zoom Lens with Hood.:

Very sharp right up to 300mm, and a sensational value, even as prices creep up.

This lens is too good not to be in the kit of any halfway serious Pentax photographer.

Comments about Pentax Pentax SMC P-DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED Auto Focus Telephoto Zoom Lens with Hood.:

Every time I come back after taking this lens out to the park, the images surprise me. The lens consistently produces sharp pictures. I haven't but if you use a tripod, I am sure you will get even better results. And oh, this quality lens is just under $300!

The attached pictures were taken at 300mm and f5.8.

Comments about Pentax Pentax SMC P-DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED Auto Focus Telephoto Zoom Lens with Hood.:

This is a surprisingly excellent lens, given the low cost. I rarely give a 5 star rating, but this very light and sharp Pentax lens deserves one, especially given its cost. Unlike most longer telephoto zooms, it remains sharp and quite contrasty when viewed at full 300mm extension and also quite sharp at the shorter focal lengths. I bought this lens to replace a Tamron 70-300 LiD, which is quite OK for the money but whose sharpness fades beyond 180 or 200 mm. I can find no faults with this newest Pentax. Its optical quality really is very good and the build seems robust while remaining lightweight.