The Pentax SMC DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED is a viable choice when it comes to an affordable long range tele lens. The resolution figures are pretty decent and in field conditions it shines with a snappy contrast characteristic.

very nice lens for those extra far away objects! a must have for your lens collection! i just wish it was a constant aperature instead of f/5.8 at 300mm. overall, you cant go wrong with pentax!

zoom; built quality

kinda heavy; not a constant aperature

The Pentax smc DA 55-300mm f/4.0-5.8 ED is an impressive tele-photo zoom with much to admire about it

This lens has the less-than-substantial look, feel, and pricing of a typical kit zoom, but has a few important tricks up its sleeve. It offers, for starters, an extra long reach out to 300mm, significantly more than the 55-200mm budget tele zooms from Canon, Sigma, Tamron and others.

Well made and easy to use. Crossing the full focus range is very slow. Will not do near-field use.

Well made; light weight; smooth zoom; good images

Poor focus speed; must have distance to subject

Longer lenses for Pentax do seem a bit thin on the ground so the introduction of this longer zoom is a welcome addition to the range. We shall explore whether or not the performance of this compact zoom delivers the quality needed and whether it is a significant contribution to the Pentax lens...

Well made; Good price; Excellent ergonomics; Good quality results

Some AF hunting with older bodies

I spent 3 months getting used to using my Pentax K-30, then finally decided to enhance its capabilities with this new lens. I might have benefited by getting this telephoto lens sooner, but I think waiting until I was more comfortable with the camera paid off.

This is rather good glass, considering its price. It's sturdy, relatively light, and gives consistent picture quality throughout entire zoom range. Contrast is good. 4-5.8 of diaphragm number is perfectly adequate for outdoor use.

Easily Interchangeable; Lightweight; Strong Construction

Poor in Low Light; Slow Focus

il n y a pas mieux dans cette categorie de prix. un bon pique, une legere altération À 300 ( en fait 450 ) mais dans cette categorie on peut pas lui en demander plus

Great Pentax colours as expected, nice and sharp. Can be a bit of pain hunting for focus but a twist towards infinity can shorten this as it is along throw from minimum focus to to infinity and back.