[DanielT74]

Yes, this explains much of my LBA too. It is easier to "sell" a lens in your head when buying a putative replacement than to actually let it goes when the "replacement" arrives. I have considered getting a DA 16-45 or 17-70 to test against the FA 20-35, but as I know that most likely I will end up wanting to keep both, I have so far resisted.

What a fun hobby!

What sort of a test would you do? I might be able to save you from another LBA purchase!

[Nick Siebers]

Thanks for the offer - but what I would do is carry the 16-45 around for a while to see if the larger size bothered me, and take my usual shots with it, and see how the quality looks. Not something that can be done for me, alas! But I think I am good for now.

[whojammyflip]

I thought about this. You could set up a multivariate problem, and using Excel and integer parameter in solver, minimise the cost of the lenses and maximising performance, with negative scoring for lenses overlapping in focal length. Alternatively, you could drink a beer and pick a couple.

Seriously, I keep an inventory of my kit, with up to date prices so I dont let things get out of hand. It also means when I want to reach for something expensive, I budget for it first.

primes
13. Tamron 90/2.8 macro
8. Asahi Super-Takumar 50/1.4
5. Pentax 31Ltd

zooms
15. Tamron 70-200/2.8
3. Pentax 17-70/4

[deadwolfbones]

Clean your sensor, Daniel!

[DanielT74]

I just did! But where do you see it?

[DanielT74]

I thought about this. You could set up a multivariate problem, and using Excel and integer parameter in solver, minimise the cost of the lenses and maximising performance, with negative scoring for lenses overlapping in focal length. Alternatively, you could drink a beer and pick a couple.

Seriously, I keep an inventory of my kit, with up to date prices so I dont let things get out of hand. It also means when I want to reach for something expensive, I budget for it first.

primes
13. Tamron 90/2.8 macro
8. Asahi Super-Takumar 50/1.4
5. Pentax 31Ltd

zooms
15. Tamron 70-200/2.8
3. Pentax 17-70/4

Well, the multivariate optimization approach would be something a couple of colleagues would write papers on. But life's too short for this, eh?

Your suggested inventory looks disgustingly reasonable, hoojammy. Moderation, eh? I will need time to get used to this idea...

[deadwolfbones]

I just did! But where do you see it?

In the pics you posted of the silkworm: next to the lefthand tip of the last segment, above the fourth segment from left, above the sixth segment from left, and maybe ON the third segment.

[DanielT74]

Ah! Time to clean my glasses too, I guess...

[whojammyflip]

Indeed, and the thing with lenses is that they are quite personal, so the likelihood that my choice will match yours is so remote that its almost a pointless exercise.

I think the most important thing is that you like your kit, so that it does not distract you. My small brain finds it difficult to like several things at once, as its difficult to know them well...cutting it down to a few and seeing whether you can manage with them (without selling the others just yet) may be a good approach. Maybe try shooting with only a couple of lenses each week. You will soon get to know whether the ones you are using are insufficient.

I've probably bought and sold about 30 lenses in the last year...if I did not sell the ones I was not using, this would be very expensive. The trick is to make sure you don't lose on the "vig", so that the exercise of determining what suits you is not too expensive (its still expensive in terms of time, but its a nice way to pass it). I'd imagine its quite easy to make money on the Leica stuff if you're savvy getting in and out (of the Leica market as it were), as its seems there is a lot of variance in their prices on evil bay.

I've recently found that old kit lens M 1.7/50 has been the one I reach for most, yet I've spent ages mucking about with zooms and other focal lengths. The equivalent on the digital body would be the 31 Ltd....thats a lens I'd definitely keep if I was you.

[giofi]

Daniel,

Difficult choices, but I would consider that you have some real jewels in your prime collection, and they are not going to loose value anytime soon.... Maybe this would be my choice:

Primes

1. Pentax 31Ltd
2. Pentax A50/1.2
3. Pentax A*85/1.4
4. Tamron 90/2.8 macro
5. Pentax A*200/4 macro
6. Pentax A*400 OR DA*300...
If you use the A*400 a lot, keep it, otherwise I would consider selling it and getting a DA*300. That is if money is important. The DA*300 is considered a great lens and it is nice to have an AF lense in that range

Zooms:

I would replace those with

1. Pentax DA12-24, such a great lens
2. Pentax DA*50-135 another great lens
or, if you want a travel zoom to take with you, perhaps wait for the new 18-135 tests?

I wish I had your problem....

[DanielT74]

Indeed, and the thing with lenses is that they are quite personal, so the likelihood that my choice will match yours is so remote that its almost a pointless exercise.

I think the most important thing is that you like your kit, so that it does not distract you. My small brain finds it difficult to like several things at once, as its difficult to know them well...cutting it down to a few and seeing whether you can manage with them (without selling the others just yet) may be a good approach. Maybe try shooting with only a couple of lenses each week. You will soon get to know whether the ones you are using are insufficient.

I've probably bought and sold about 30 lenses in the last year...if I did not sell the ones I was not using, this would be very expensive. The trick is to make sure you don't lose on the "vig", so that the exercise of determining what suits you is not too expensive (its still expensive in terms of time, but its a nice way to pass it). I'd imagine its quite easy to make money on the Leica stuff if you're savvy getting in and out (of the Leica market as it were), as its seems there is a lot of variance in their prices on evil bay.

I've recently found that old kit lens M 1.7/50 has been the one I reach for most, yet I've spent ages mucking about with zooms and other focal lengths. The equivalent on the digital body would be the 31 Ltd....thats a lens I'd definitely keep if I was you.

Many good suggestions - thanks!!!

I am trying to shoot with a lens for an extended time to get to know it as you suggested. I guess I like best the sort of things that you don't have to shoot in a hurry, hence MF doesn't worry me now that I got used to it. Except with the kids of course - with them fast AF and continuous AF is very useful!

I haven't sold any Leica stuff yet and just noticed that the Summilux-R 50/1.4 I tested on another thread has a thin shiny metal "ring" inside the barrel, like the anodised coating has come off. This can't be good for a lens I guess and I am racking my brain as to how this could've happened. It still produces excellent results, but I probably won't get many buyers interested in it like this, if and when I decide to sell it. So on terms of making a profit, I used to think I can, but I can't fool myself anymore (especially with the Aussie dollar as strong as it is now).

Sure, I realize more and more how most of it is about my eye rather than the "magic lens" and focus on shooting rather than scouring the web for lens reviews and bargains. That said I just paid for a DA15 here but that's really jsherman's fault and those other meanies https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/86234-15mm-lim...s-my-mind.html plus it was a really good price, so I figure, what's the harm?

My LBA is pretty bad, isn't it?

[DanielT74]

Well, a little update on the LBA...

As it turns out I incorporated many suggestions. Absent are the DA*50-135mm (just arrived!) and Zeiss Ultron 50/1.8 (still converting it to M42). 20 lenses but looking to sell nearly half of them...

If you can pick most of them by looking, you probably need help (we can do group therapy, eh?). Otherwise from left to right are:

1. Leica 19/2.8
2. Leica 35/1.4
3. Leica 180/3.4
4. Vivitar Ser 1 A 105/2.5 macro
5. Zeiss 200/2.8
6. Tokina M42 90/2.5 macro with extension
7. Super-Tak 50/1.4 8 elements
8. FA* 28-70/2.8
9. Tamron 70-200/2.8
10. FA77ltd
11. Pentax A 400/5.6
12. Sigma 12-24mm
13. Pentax 12-24mm
14. Pentax K 15/3.5
15. Samyang UMC 14/2.8
16. Pentax K 135/2.5
17. Pentax K 50/1.2
18. Pentax F 50/1.7

There are obvious overlaps and I got them for the explicit purpose(?) of comparing. What I really use is about 8 lenses out of this mix. I wonder how many LBA sufferers actually make good use of their massive lens collections?

[vrrattko]

Well I don't have experience with most of the lenses you have, but just going down the focal lenghts i will probably keep those:

FA20-35/4 or Tamron 10-24
FA31/1.8 or Leica35/1.4
A50/1.2
A*85/1.4
A*200/4 Macro
A400/5.6

[RioRico]

There are obvious overlaps and I got them for the explicit purpose(?) of comparing.

Yeah, that was my excuse too, for about 180 of what I have.

I wonder how many LBA sufferers actually make good use of their massive lens collections?

I invented my own treatment program, the LOTD (Lens-Of-The-Day) rotation. There are various ways to implement this:

* Set a minimum usage for each lens. 1-2 days, 100 shutter snaps, whatever.
* Number all lenses. Use a random-number generation program to pick the next lens. OR
* Proceed alphanumerically through your lineup by name and focal length and aperture. OR
* Jump around between focal lengths, starting at 50, then 35, then 58, then 28, then 85, etc. OR
* Proceed in chronological order, or by price, or weight, or by DOF factor (focal length / aperture). OR
* Devise some other way to work through all your glass. But don't neglect any. Include them all, luzers too.

It's too easy to settle on favourites. It's too easy to buy lenses for 'comparison' that somehow never get grabbed. Ooh, that Komine 28/2 CFWA is just so great, I don't need to bother with the Tokinas, Makinas, Kirons, Takumars, Tomiokas, etc! That is wrong. This is like locking cats in a closet. Set them free!

[vrrattko]

Yeah, that was my excuse too, for about 180 of what I have.


I invented my own treatment program, the LOTD (Lens-Of-The-Day) rotation. There are various ways to implement this:

* Set a minimum usage for each lens. 1-2 days, 100 shutter snaps, whatever.
* Number all lenses. Use a random-number generation program to pick the next lens. OR
* Proceed alphanumerically through your lineup by name and focal length and aperture. OR
* Jump around between focal lengths, starting at 50, then 35, then 58, then 28, then 85, etc. OR
* Proceed in chronological order, or by price, or weight, or by DOF factor (focal length / aperture). OR
* Devise some other way to work through all your glass. But don't neglect any. Include them all, luzers too.

It's too easy to settle on favourites. It's too easy to buy lenses for 'comparison' that somehow never get grabbed. Ooh, that Komine 28/2 CFWA is just so great, I don't need to bother with the Tokinas, Makinas, Kirons, Takumars, Tomiokas, etc! That is wrong. This is like locking cats in a closet. Set them free!

Hi RioRico, isn't that program bit dangerous? I mean changing lenses all the time can eventually lead to zooms and damnation . Just kiddin, but not entirely - rotating K55, FA77 and K105 all the time exactly led me to purchase of DA50-135. That LBA is a curse