The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED and the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW is the longer of the two lenses at 522mm. The Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED with a length of 112mm, is 410mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW also has a larger diameter of 130mm compared to the Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED's 71mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED weighs 440g, which means it is 2600g (85%) lighter than the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW which has a weight of 3040g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW has a 112mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED:
And these are the 112mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and , and for the Pentax KAF3 Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED has a focal range of 55-300mm and
5.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 560mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 840mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
