[cletus1jr]

I'm hoping to get some advice. I've been enjoying my Pentax K100D Super for about 5 years now with its kit lens.

I'm looking to upgrade from the kit for a couple of reasons: (a) I want more telephoto and (b) I never take wide angle shots because of the distortion on the kit lens. And if I'm buying a new lens, I'd like better IQ than the kit.

So I'm thinking of getting a good zoom: either the 17-70mm or 18-135mm WR. I'm having a lot of trouble choosing between the two -- any advice on which way to go?

I'd also like to supplement the zoom with a prime. Attached is a histogram of the focal lengths I've used with the kit lens. From that, a good 24mm or 28mm prime would be ideal, but it looks like one doesn't exist. So I'm trying to decide between the DA 35mm new or a used 21mm limited at a good price. The 35mm looks like it's exactly where I like to take pictures.. but a photographer friend is pushing me towards going wider with the prime, which does make sense to me.

Edit: forgot to mention, I use the camera while traveling and hiking. So it's mostly for low-light indoors and landscape-ish pictures with people in the foreground (who aren't moving).

Any advice is welcome! Thanks for the help!

Attached Images

 

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Last edited by cletus1jr; 09-28-2012 at 10:38 AM.

[jatrax]

I am actually faced with same dilemma. I was really considering the DA 18-250 as a travel all in one but I really don't need the long end, so I had narrowed it down to the 17-70 or the 18-135 as well. I will be interested in others comments.

Looking at your graph you might consider the Pentax-F 24-50 f/4, that looks like it fits your curve very nicely. I have a copy and I seem to be using it more and more. There is also a new "limited" zoom on the lens road map that might fit into your range but no real details or time frame are available.

As to your prime needs, there are some choices. The FA 31mm ltd would be great but pricey. The F 28mm f/2.8 is a solid performer but hard to find. The DA 35mm f/2.4 is small light and gets good reviews. The DA 40mm ltd is perhaps a little longer than you want but also a solid performer. There are also choices from Sigma but I'm not familiar with them.

[mbukal]

I had a Sigma 18-128 DC and was not sharp at the edges, I use Pentax DA 17-70/4 and he is sharper than the sigma, my recommendation 17-70/4, DA18-135 did not use and users do not really praise edges , my recommendation for travel fantasy DA12-24ED (classic DA17-70AL) + telephoto (portrait) DA55-300ED

[alphanerd]

I really like hiking with primes. What about a F35-70 and DA21 combo? That's only 370g. Or swap out the DA21 for something like FA24, FA20, DA15, or Sigma AF 28 or 24 (mini-wide or super-wide).

[Lowell Goudge]

you say travelling plus hiking. while I get the impression you are doing mostly the hiking side of this at present, not so much travelling in cities. is that correct? or do you do both.

this has a big impact because if it is the hiking side, I can see an 18-135 type lens as a good single walk around and no need to really go wider. I think you would be disappointed with the speed and resolution of a super zoom, so forget that for the moment.

if you intend to do cities also, then you are in a different need category, and I would suggest a 10-20 AND the 18-135 or 17-70

the decision on the top end is a question of what length you need. for a city only walk around the pairing 10-20 and 17-70 is just fine, but it is a little short for hiking only.

a 15 prime for example is a little long in my opinion for travel in cities, especially european ones

where do you plan to hike and travel?

[cletus1jr]

Thanks for all the replies!

For the past years, I was living in Europe, so I did quite a bit of city shooting, but now I'm back in the west US, so it will be mostly hiking with the occasional city stuff. But even in the city, as you can see I didn't tend to take many wide angle shots.

Lots to think about...

[Lowell Goudge]

Thanks for all the replies!
. But even in the city, as you can see I didn't tend to take many wide angle shots.

Lots to think about...

is that because youi don't like to shoot wide, or the kit lens did not produce good results?

sometimes if you are limited by equipment you shoot what you can not what you might like.

[cletus1jr]

is that because youi don't like to shoot wide, or the kit lens did not produce good results?

sometimes if you are limited by equipment you shoot what you can not what you might like.]

Yeah, that's exactly what I am wondering too. I'm not sure if it was the distortion of the kit lens or simply the way things look with a wide perspective.

That's why I'd love a fast 24mm lens, to put me on that edge of wide/normal, but there doesn't seem to be one (apart from the old manual focus ones).

I'm considering getting both the 21mm and the 35mm primes, and selling one if I find I never use it...

[nono]

You might want to look at other lens manufacturer. Sigma has both 24mm and 28mm f/1.8 that exist in Pentax K mount and that might well be what you are looking for.

[rob1234]

Yeah, that's exactly what I am wondering too. I'm not sure if it was the distortion of the kit lens or simply the way things look with a wide perspective.

That's why I'd love a fast 24mm lens, to put me on that edge of wide/normal, but there doesn't seem to be one (apart from the old manual focus ones).

I'm considering getting both the 21mm and the 35mm primes, and selling one if I find I never use it...

I found the FA*24 fantastic, if slightly bulky...

[GlennG]

My input would be for the 18-135 and a sufficiently wide, fast prime - the FA*24 or DA 21 Limited sound close to ideal - certainly I'd go wider than 35, at least to start, given that you have some need for low light and interior. I don't have the 18-135, but many that have it seem to like it a lot.

[123jippo]

choose 18-135 cos 135mm = 2x 70mm and IQ will be about same anyway...if u want really better IQ with zooms then u need one of those f2.8 zooms

[raider]

We have the sigma 17-70 and pentax 18-135. I would say the 18-135 is more flexible but at times the 17-70 is slightly better because it is slightly wider. It is a hard decision but if weather sealing is a concern then I think the 18-135 is a no brainer but otherwise I would say go with either one shouldnt be too wrong

[vmaniqui]

i have a sigma 17-70mm and i like it for walk-around lens. recently i added a sigma 18-250 if i need a lens for longer reach. and love it too.

[sam-joseph]

+1 for the Sigma 17-70.

Regards