[Student]

Pentax 55mm f1.4 MC DA Lens is what I was advised to get but it's a bit expensive. Are there any good yet cheaper weather sealed alternatives? I do some landscapes as well from time to time...

[arv]

100mm macro WR? In my country it is about 100 euro cheaper than DA* 55.

[twitch]

Why would you need a weather sealed portrait lens?

[germar]

Student:

Hmmm....

Lets see, you want a good portrait lens, that's water resistant and inexpensive.

As they say in the game of golf, "that's a tough putt."

You didn't specifically say you needed AF, but since you mentioned the 55mm, I guess you do.

I'd say pick your most important quality and compromise on the others... like if you want a portrait lens most of all, search on the forums for this type of lens and plan on wrapping it in plastic when you shoot outdoors. If WR is the deal, then your choices are pretty simple. The 100 WR is pretty much the best choice. If expense is the primary deal, I might tell you to go hunt down a Takumar 135mm 2.8 screwmount ... part number 43812. Fully manual, but delivers razor sharp critical focus and a lovely soft bokeh everywhere else ... in my opinion, the most valuable "sleeper" Takumar there is. Yeah, that specific part number is important, there are other varients that aren't as good. You'd have to wrap it if you're going out in bad weather, but the results (and cost) would be worth it.

Good luck,

germar

[hcc]

You already received some good advice. Let me add some comments:

- Do you need AF ?

- Do you need WR ?

An alternative lens could be the Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f1.8. The lens is MF. The IQ is superb as well as the bokeh. The lens is built as a tank. The price is about US$380 new.

I use this lens for outdoor shooting in low lights on my K-7. The lens has been in the mud, in tropical rainstorms, salty sprays, and other atrocious conditions. Although it is not badged 'WR', that lens is really weather resistant.

It may be a nice alternative equivalent to a MF-WR lens.

Hope that the comment will help...

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Why would you need a weather sealed portrait lens?

He is from the UK...better weather seal everything there.

[jeffshaddix]

You already received some good advice. Let me add some comments:

- Do you need AF ?

- Do you need WR ?

An alternative lens could be the Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f1.8. The lens is MF. The IQ is superb as well as the bokeh. The lens is built as a tank. The price is about US$380 new.

I use this lens for outdoor shooting in low lights on my K-7. The lens has been in the mud, in tropical rainstorms, salty sprays, and other atrocious conditions. Although it is not badged 'WR', that lens is really weather resistant.

It may be a nice alternative equivalent to a MF-WR lens.

Hope that the comment will help...

Ditto on the nokton. I haven't tested its sealing, but I can say the optical quality is superb, and at 87mm equivalent on APS-C, it makes a great portrait lens.

[Frogfish]

You will probably need WR far less than you think, most people have gotten by for the last 100 years or so without it !

So no WR : Tamron 28-75/2.8 is a perfect fit. AF and good price as well as low light capable. Will cover some of your landscape range too at a pinch.