Pentax 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 DA PLM WR

£400/$380

Refined in use, restrained in size

Like the Nikon 55200mm lens on test, this Pentax model has a crafty retractable design that measures only 89mm in length when ‘folded down’. And yet, unlike the APS-C format Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon lenses in the group, it delivers a full 300mm telephoto length at its maximum zoom setting, equating to 450mm on a full-frame camera.

The lens’ autofocus system follows a current trend for a ‘pulse’ stepping motor mechanism. It’s virtually silent in operation – which makes a refreshing change from some of the other lenses in Pentax’s line-up. There’s no optical stabiliser fitted, the lens relying instead on sensor-shift stabilisation in the host camera body. Build quality is very good and features weather-seals.

Performance

In terms of performance, the lack of optical stabilisation isn’t a drawback. Shooting with a Pentax K70 body, we found that the camera-based stabilisation gave a four-stop benefit. There’s a slight drop in sharpness at the long end of the zoom range but image quality is very good overall.