[rfortson]

I've got the 21, 40 and 70. I'd like to add the 15 and then I think I'd be set for a small, prime kit.

It depends on what you want to do. It's really hard to have small and light, and cover telephoto ranges. For that, I just use the 18-250 and work within it's limits. I'm still happy with that.

I've got the limited lens case and that's a very handy case for traveling.

[Eruditass]

Here's the photo you asked for. The bag is holding my usual kit; a K-x with Gordy's wrist strap and mounted DA 40mm c/w hood. There's a Raynox 250 with screw-in adapter in the same compartment. I can fit spare batteries too, but I don't normally carry any in this kit.



Have you been to a store that sells fanny packs (aka belt packs)? There's really nothing special about this bag, except that it's the right size to fit a K-x and DA 40 and looks nicer than the usual plain black.

Thanks!

I've checked out some at one store but most of what I find are too big, too small, look bad, have no padding, etc.

[Marc Sabatella]

I'm not in a hurry to actually buy anything, and I keep going back and forth on what makes sense, but I now I'm feeling that the optimum lightweight kit is a DSLR with a few small primes for the advantages this combination provides in terms of low light shooting, sharpness below f/8, creative use of DOF, etc, and a P&S "travel zoom" for casual use. The latter is way lighter than a superzoom SLR lens, not really much more of a compromise in terms of IQ or flexibility, and you can leave a prime mounted to the SLR.

With that in mind, the first prime I'd think about for the SLR kit would be the DA35/2.4. Then a portrait lens like the DA70. For most people, that would probably be enough. A DA15 to go wider than the travel zoom would be a nice luxury. For me, I couldn't do without a fast medium telephoto for concerts.

Hmmm...

[MSD]

With that in mind, the first prime I'd think about for the SLR kit would be the DA35/2.4. Then a portrait lens like the DA70. For most people, that would probably be enough. A DA15 to go wider than the travel zoom would be a nice luxury. For me, I couldn't do without a fast medium telephoto for concerts. Hmmm...

Always too many choices, and I suppose it comes down to the needs of the user. I am hearing more and more about the DA70 as being quite the amazing little telephoto lens.
The DA35 sounds like a great option, especially when on a money or weight budget. Pentax has some amazing primes near its FL, but none this cheap or light (par DA40).

[Lowell Goudge]

I have been sitting on the fence watching this thread with great interest because the bulk of the discussion (if I am allowed to say "bulk" while talking about a light weight kit) centers around the design of a lens kit, which always interests me.

In many ways, especially for travelling through cities in europe, I think the thrust of many posters to go with 5 DA primes from 15-70 mm covers a lot of ground.

Personally, I usually go a little heavier, taking 2 zooms, my sigma 10-20, and my tamron 28-75F2.8. (I usually also travel with 2 bodies, therefore never changing lenses at all. But that is my choice.

I guess the thing I see missing with the prime kit, (and note I am not trashing the decision of primes over zooms here, but just pointing out what I perceive is a defficiency) is lack of anything wider than 15mm.

In the old days i.e. BD (Before Digital) I shot with a 24mm as my widest lens, and it was never wide enough. Given the crop factor, that would equate to a FOV of 16mm on digital. While the 15 is a little wider, something in the 10-12mm range as a prime would be a great addition.

With 5 DA primes in a bag between 15 and 70mm, I am quite certain one of those could be dropped for a 10-12mm prime, that would get a hell of a lot more use when travelling.

In fact, if you consider that the 15-70 mm range does not really cover all the photographic needs, I think a more realistic selection of 5 lenses, (and I will imagine 12mm exists) would be

12mm, 28mm, 70mm 100mm macro and 200F2.8

with todays line up, that would probably mutate to 15mm, 40mm, with 70, 100 and 200 as previously.

Then you are really talking of only travelling with the 15, 40 and 70mm

[Lowell Goudge]

snip......and a P&S "travel zoom" for casual use. The latter is way lighter than a superzoom SLR lens, ...

Marc

In a lot of ways I agree with you. I have used a somewhat old now, Kodak DX7590 EV P&S. while it is only 10:1 zoom range, it is still pretty impressive when you consider it is 36mm-350mm full frame equivelent at F2.8-3.2. It was a fairly advanced EV bridge camera in 2004 at 5MP,

The real issue, and I am sure many many people have the same opinion as me, is that it is not wide enough. I have a .45 wide angle adaptor for it, and on that format lens it seems to work much better than on a normal wide angle lens on a DSLR, which converts it to 17-170mm.

To be honest, if they made a P&S with a slightly larger sensor, - perhaps a 4/3 sensor, and offered a 7mm-50mm zoom (14-100mm full frame equivelent) or even a 10mm-70mm zoom (20-140mm equivelent) that would be all I would ever travel with, unless I was really serious. My BIL just bought a new toy a Leica M9 range finder (he usually buys nikon) , and has 3 lenses from 20mm through 50mm. that is now his travel kit, and he leaves his full frame nikon at home. (just think of the pentax primes you could get with the price of an M9 and 3 Leica old lenses!)

I showed him my *istD and SMC Tak 35 F2 and asked him what the difference really was

[GeneV]

I've got the 21, 40 and 70. I'd like to add the 15 and then I think I'd be set for a small, prime kit.

It depends on what you want to do. It's really hard to have small and light, and cover telephoto ranges. For that, I just use the 18-250 and work within it's limits. I'm still happy with that.

I've got the limited lens case and that's a very handy case for traveling.

With the 15 added, that is my usual travel kit of primes. I even have that case.
Since I have been using more film lately, I may need to sub some FA for DA.

I sub the 18-55/50-200 for the times when the 18-250 might be useful.

[TOUGEFC]

That case is nice to keep the LTD's secure in transit, but I would find it problematic in the feild and in order to do lens changes that case would have to be placed on something (ground/table etc..) , it would have a high chance of a lens falling out if your trying to juggle it all in the hands whilst doing a lens swap out.

[GeneV]

That case is nice to keep the LTD's secure in transit, but I would find it problematic in the feild and in order to do lens changes that case would have to be placed on something (ground/table etc..) , it would have a high chance of a lens falling out if your trying to juggle it all in the hands whilst doing a lens swap out.

Agreed. It was a disaster used outside of another bag. The only way I was able to use it was as protection in an unpadded waist pack. I never removed it from the pack (after one mishap).

[Marc Sabatella]

In a lot of ways I agree with you. I have used a somewhat old now, Kodak DX7590 EV P&S. while it is only 10:1 zoom range, it is still pretty impressive when you consider it is 36mm-350mm full frame equivelent at F2.8-3.2. It was a fairly advanced EV bridge camera in 2004 at 5MP,

The real issue, and I am sure many many people have the same opinion as me, is that it is not wide enough.

Oh, definitely - that wouldn't cut it. But several recent models go down to 24mm (35mm equivalent FOV). You mentioned feeling restricting by even that, but I suspect most people would find that quite wide enough most of the time. IQ in low light would be disappointing, hence the DSLR with a couple/few primes also. If it were me, I'd still shoot the DSLR with just the primes most of the time, but have the travel zoom P&S for those situations where just grabbing random shots seems important.

[DogLover]

That case is nice to keep the LTD's secure in transit, but I would find it problematic in the feild and in order to do lens changes that case would have to be placed on something (ground/table etc..) , it would have a high chance of a lens falling out if your trying to juggle it all in the hands whilst doing a lens swap out.

Agreed. I use it as a travel and storage case strictly for protection. It simply doesn't work well in the field unless, like you said, you can sit it on something. I keep the 15,43, and 77 in it. They fit like a glove.

[GeneV]

Agreed. I use it as a travel and storage case strictly for protection. It simply doesn't work well in the field unless, like you said, you can sit it on something. I keep the 15,43, and 77 in it. They fit like a glove.

It works in something as well. I've been known to put it in this waist pack.

[MSD]

With 5 DA primes in a bag between 15 and 70mm, I am quite certain one of those could be dropped for a 10-12mm prime, that would get a hell of a lot more use when travelling. In fact, if you consider that the 15-70 mm range does not really cover all the photographic needs, I think a more realistic selection of 5 lenses, (and I will imagine 12mm exists) would be 12mm, 28mm, 70mm 100mm macro and 200F2.8 with todays line up, that would probably mutate to 15mm, 40mm, with 70, 100 and 200 as previously. Then you are really talking of only travelling with the 15, 40 and 70mm

I see what you mean. A digital equivalent of the FA 20/2.8 (or just a full-frame camera) would be very popular. Not quite 10-12mm, but wider than the 15.
It seems that this range is dominated by 2x wideangle zooms. I read about the Nikon 14-24/2.8, and I know it's not Pentax or lightweight, but its IQ seems to be just unchallenged by primes. Unfortunately, the DA 14 just isn't sharp enough to compete with some zooms. But then we get into a price/size unfair comparison, don't we?

I would be very interested in a very sharp 12mm f3, or the like.
Landscapes always attract the best equipment, especially with professionals (not me!).
Until then, I'm going with the DA15. Very small, very popular.

Sorry I'm late to reply!