[paperbag846]

If you like the 24 and 55, and rarely go longer, and don't need the macro (also, 100mm prime is a little long IMHO), why not?

the M 85/2?

Faster than your macro, longer than the 77, pretty much the same speed, and pretty small!

[axl]

How about selling your K-7 and get a K-5? K-5 is good for High ISO and solve all your slow lens problems.

That would be ideal but K-5 is still £790 in here and I could only sell K-7 for around £450. Even selling K-7 and FA100 will still leave me short

[axl]

If you like the 24 and 55, and rarely go longer, and don't need the macro (also, 100mm prime is a little long IMHO), why not?

the M 85/2?

Faster than your macro, longer than the 77, pretty much the same speed, and pretty small!

I lost confidence in my MF, year ago I had very few problems with K10D+split screen+ OME53 and M85 or K50/1.2 for that matter but nowadays I just can't get it right

[Raffwal]

The DA70 is stella...

I have a dream-like vision that this isn't a typo, but rather Men behaving badly English for stellar.

[eddie1960]

i can't help a great deal with the limited options Axl, but you always seemed a Prime guy and i can comment on the 24-70 ex dg older screw drive as I own one. it's a pretty sharp lens for a zoom, the AF is reasonably fast on My K7. compared to shooting and carrying primes it weighs a ton and is best if the K7 has a grip attached for balance (more weight). It hunts in low light pretty badly I find (I've shot a ton of club shows with it)
All that being said I wouldn't give it up unless it was to get the HSM version as it covers an almost perfect focal zone, and I don't feel there is enough there to spend the huge difference in price. If they decide to drop in a WR version (like the new 12-24 they launched) then I would be tempted
personally in your boat with the excellent lenses you have i would probably sell the FA100 and get the WR 100 and then upgrade to a K5 at some point to deal with the light issue (the K5 would solve a lot of my issues with light as well)

[paperbag846]

I lost confidence in my MF, year ago I had very few problems with K10D+split screen+ OME53 and M85 or K50/1.2 for that matter but nowadays I just can't get it right

I might also suggest, if you don't mind a zoom for the long end, something like the F 70-210. It's a great optic, but DOF control below 135mm is subpar (not the best portrait lens). Same size as the DFA 100, but much omre versatile for a lens you only use when you need to. There are a lot of lenses in that range that would work (I imagine the 55-300 is better at the short end due to the wider aperture at similar focal lengths).

[axl]

I might also suggest, if you don't mind a zoom for the long end, something like the F 70-210. It's a great optic, but DOF control below 135mm is subpar (not the best portrait lens). Same size as the DFA 100, but much omre versatile for a lens you only use when you need to. There are a lot of lenses in that range that would work (I imagine the 55-300 is better at the short end due to the wider aperture at similar focal lengths).

I thought of zoom but budget, slow, variable aperture zooms are really not my cup of tea...

[axl]

i can't help a great deal with the limited options Axl, but you always seemed a Prime guy and i can comment on the 24-70 ex dg older screw drive as I own one. it's a pretty sharp lens for a zoom, the AF is reasonably fast on My K7. compared to shooting and carrying primes it weighs a ton and is best if the K7 has a grip attached for balance (more weight). It hunts in low light pretty badly I find (I've shot a ton of club shows with it)
All that being said I wouldn't give it up unless it was to get the HSM version as it covers an almost perfect focal zone, and I don't feel there is enough there to spend the huge difference in price. If they decide to drop in a WR version (like the new 12-24 they launched) then I would be tempted
personally in your boat with the excellent lenses you have i would probably sell the FA100 and get the WR 100 and then upgrade to a K5 at some point to deal with the light issue (the K5 would solve a lot of my issues with light as well)

Thanks Eddie. I must admit, before I fell into this "I'm the prime guy" category, I was really tempted by Sigma 24-70/2.8 EX DG. It would have matched 10-20 I used to have perfectly...but since I fell into the "prime guy" category I learned to love Pentax lenses. SMC is just fantastic, and colours, contrast are fantastic...and Pentax glass is nearly always smaller than competition. Although looking at FA*28-70, I'm not too sure...

[Rondec]

I guess, Peter, I would seriously consider swapping the 100 mm for the DFA 100mm f2.8 WR lens. To me, it really deserves the "limited" tag. Small, sturdy body that is just sharp from f2.8. To me, it also has nicer bokeh than the older versions of the 100 macro. I just think the 24 and 55 focal lengths work well for you currently, whereas you found the 77mm focal length not so great when you had it in the past (70 isn't that much different).

A couple photos with DFA 100 macro (and K7):

[axl]

thanks Rodnec.
I was thinking along these lines but I'm not 100% sure.
Yes the 24+55 combo does seem to work very well for me indeed, just as I said before sometimes I would use tad longer reach.
I think it'll boil down to 28-70/2.8 vs 50-135 and 85/1.4 vs 100/2.8 WR and then winners head to head....

[Rondec]

thanks Rodnec.
I was thinking along these lines but I'm not 100% sure.
Yes the 24+55 combo does seem to work very well for me indeed, just as I said before sometimes I would use tad longer reach.
I think it'll boil down to 28-70/2.8 vs 50-135 and 85/1.4 vs 100/2.8 WR and then winners head to head....

My 100mm macro is quite a bit sharper at f2.8 than my 50-135 is. Don't get me wrong, I love the DA *50-135, but from both a size and sharpness standpoint, it just doesn't measure up. Still, there are certain times when a zoom does come in handy...

[axl]

My 100mm macro is quite a bit sharper at f2.8 than my 50-135 is. Don't get me wrong, I love the DA *50-135, but from both a size and sharpness standpoint, it just doesn't measure up. Still, there are certain times when a zoom does come in handy...

I know it is. 100mm (or any mm) macros are reputedly some of the sharpest lenses Pentax lenses out there and I don't dream enough to think any FA* or DA* zoom will rival F/FA/DFA/DFA WR macros for sharpness... but as you wrote, sometimes the range of zoom is very handy... and since budget is tight I have to make decision
maybe I should start playing lottery

[pinholecam]

I see what you are saying. And I have to agree to extent.
24mm is just right in terms of FOV. I practically never miss wider lens (although I'm sure I'd make good use of DA14/2.8 ) but for me 43 (despite being fantastic lens and great FOV for walkabouts) was just touch too loose. I always prefered 50 and when I got my 2nd copy of DA*55 I haven't picked the 43 from my drawer for a month before selling it...

So 24+55 is the main combo, but as I said before, sometimes I just wish I had bit more reach at my disposal. Usually only for a few shots, then it's back to *s...

Ha..ha... almost the same situation for me. I'd always bring the longer lens, then complain afterward that the extra weight was not worth it for the few shots I used it for.
Seems then that the DA55 suits you then.

I lost confidence in my MF, year ago I had very few problems with K10D+split screen+ OME53 and M85 or K50/1.2 for that matter but nowadays I just can't get it right

Recently, I've seen a fella use an interesting combo of a Hood-Loupe and LiveView for manual focus. With the loupe, it forms a stable anchor just like with a viewfinder to hold the camera steady, unlike just doing liveview with the arms outstretched.
I am interested to see if it really works, but I checked the price of one of these 3rd party hood-loupes today, and they cost ~$90.... ouch!

[bdery]

DFA 100mm f2.8 WR lens. To me, it really deserves the "limited" tag.

I still can't figure out why they didn't label it Limited. And for that matter, why they used blue lettering Green or red would have been more in line with their usual design.

But boy do I like that new lens in my kit!

[jeverettfine]

Have you considered the FA 20-35 F4.0 and selling the 24? Fabulous IQ, light in size and weight. Selling mine was a bad mistake. I often wish I still had it. Problem is they are very hard to find at anything like a reasonable price.