[Noidea]

Hi all
I'm heading over to the US for Christmas and thought I'd take the opportunity to buy a some lenses for my new K5 at your bargain prices compared to here in the UK. I currently have the 18-55 WR kit lens and the 35 f2.4.

The 35 f2.4 is my first ever prime and I'm loving it, expecially the lower f stop compared to the zooms I'm used to which lets me take pictures indoors without flash (I've got an AF 360 but don't want to use it as it's so damned big!)

sooo

I'm thinking I'd like something in the 30-40mm range and something around 70mm. Eventually i'd love to get the 15mm as I'm just floored by the pictures some of you take with it, but for now I'll stay away from the wide lenses as I'm not good enough to get the best out of them.

My options are:
One of FA 31 and FA 43 +
One of FA 77 and DA 70

Of the longer range ones I'm leaning towards the DA 70 as it is cheaper, more compact and I'm not sure the wider aperture of the fa 77 will be as useful to me at that length.

Of the 31 and 43 I'm really torn. i know i have the 35mm 2.4 already but I like the idea of an even wider aperture for low light and of course both would be a step up in build quality. I like the smaller size of the 43 and the price but everything I've read about the 31 says it is even more magical.

Any help with my choices will be much appreciated.

i'm probably also going to get the 18-135mm if it's released in time as it is half the UK price and will give me a weather sealed kit covering the entire range I need.

Thanks in advance

[sterretje]

FA31 vs FA43 is a simple question Do you want wider or narrower than the DA35.

However: unless you're planning to sell the DA35, I would rather go for the 15mm.

[hcc]

Congrat for the K-5.

If you have already the 35 f2.4 prime, I am not sure why you want another lens around 30-40,

I would recommend a 50-55mm with large aperture for portrait and low light. There are many choices incl. Pentax, Sigma, Voigtlander and Zeiss. The Zeiss and Voigtlander are MF and highly regarded. (I love my Voigtlander Nokton 58mm and I would recommend it highly.) For AF, Pentax and Sigma have some. You may look at the Lens review in this forum and the independent lens reviews at www.photozone.de.

Another suggestion is some macro lens around 100mm. There are 3 great lenses: Pentax 100mm, Sigma 105mm and Tamron 90mm. You would not be wrong with any of these 3.

A further suggestion is to consider the Pentax pancakes: they are really small lenses and this is an advantage (in my opinion) when you travel.

Hope that the comment will help...

[Noidea]

Thanks, I would sell the 35 as I'd like something with a wider aperture

[Ash]

As above, if you want something faster than the DA 35, then decide: wider or longer. But if f/2.4 is good enough for you, just keep the little plastic fantastic.

Between DA 70 & FA 77 - little difference, other than warmer colour rendition and larger aperture in FA 77 - otherwise both excellent.

[interested_observer]

Just dropping by any camera store here in the US - you will be disappointed with the Pentax shelf selection as its - nil. Unless your are planning on visiting New York City where you have the choice of Adroama or B&H who do carry Pentax lenses on the shelf (I am told since I have never had to opportunity to visit myself).....

[JeffJS]

Just dropping by any camera store here in the US - you will be disappointed with the Pentax shelf selection as its - nil. Unless your are planning on visiting New York City where you have the choice of Adroama or B&H who do carry Pentax lenses on the shelf (I am told since I have never had to opportunity to visit myself).....

Agreed, it depends on the destination. Unless you are trying to beat your country's VAT, why not just visit the marketplace here at Pentax Forums and make your purchase? As for which one, get the one that speaks to you the most. If I had to give up at gun point either the FA31 or the FA43, the 43 would go. I also have the 77 and think it a very fine lens. I'll let you seek out what other people think of the DA70, I've never used one.

[axl]

sell 35/2.4
get 31/1.8 + 55/14 + 77 and you are all set
as an alternative (thinking small here)
keep 35/2.4
forget 31
get 15 or 21 and 70
how much will the saving be when compared to UK prices (like srs)?

[Noidea]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I would order from Adorama, B&H or Amazon and get it shipped to where I'll be staying. The price difference vs SRS is huge - eg the 31 is $1k vs £1k and the exchange rate is now up to 1.6

[BBear]

At some point it sounded like you wanted both 70 & 77 and DA35 and FA31... i think that would be very redundant.

I generally agree with the recommendation below, in which you have the top-class alternative or the "budget option":

sell 35/2.4
get 31/1.8 + 55/14 + 77 and you are all set


as an alternative (thinking small here)
keep 35/2.4
forget 31
get 15 or 21 and 70
how much will the saving be when compared to UK prices (like srs)?

[Noidea]

Thanks again everyone. I've done the maths and think I'll be going with the cheaper set mentioned above (the 21 + 70) which comes to £660 vs the £1050 it would cost in the UK.
I may also get the fa 43 as it is so much cheaper than the UK (£355 vs £700) - if I prefer the 35 that I have I can always sell it on

[cpk]

sell 35/2.4
get 31/1.8 + 55/14 + 77 and you are all set
as an alternative (thinking small here)
keep 35/2.4
forget 31
get 15 or 21 and 70
how much will the saving be when compared to UK prices (like srs)?

I have all of these lenses but the 31 ltd (would like to get it but can't justify it). I use the 43 ltd, 55 1.4, and 77 ltd for nightclub photography because they all have good sharpness at f2. The 15, 21, 49, and 70 I use for street photography as they are smaller and lighter. I think both of axl's suggestions are excellent; it depends on how you intend to use the lenses. Pricewise you can probably get the 15 and the 21 and the 70 for less than the cost of the first three.

[axl]

Thanks again everyone. I've done the maths and think I'll be going with the cheaper set mentioned above (the 21 + 70) which comes to £660 vs the £1050 it would cost in the UK.
I may also get the fa 43 as it is so much cheaper than the UK (£355 vs £700) - if I prefer the 35 that I have I can always sell it on

Wow! That's huge! How much would be saving on *55 or Zeiss 85/1.4? And one more Q: would you mind helping out fellow pentaxian and bring some lenses in? Of course I'd fully pay for them.
Let me know, thanks

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Thanks again everyone. I've done the maths and think I'll be going with the cheaper set mentioned above (the 21 + 70) which comes to £660 vs the £1050 it would cost in the UK.
I may also get the fa 43 as it is so much cheaper than the UK (£355 vs £700) - if I prefer the 35 that I have I can always sell it on

I think you are doing right to first get something wider than getting something faster at the same focal length. The difference in use between the 15 or 21 mm compared to the 35 mm will always be much larger than between the 31 and 35.

Now, from what I understand the DA35/2.4 is a fairly compact lens. So are the 21 and the 70. So you will be able to have one lens on the camera and one in each pocket. That's how I do with the DA ltd combo 15+35+70mm. Three such small lenses makes a nice travel and street combo.

[Ira]

Where are you going in the U.S.?