[crossmr]

Just picked this sens up here in Korea. I think it may be a grey market lens.

I got it for $300 but the shop claimed it wasn't new, it was an A grade display model/second hand. (The korean translates a little funny)

However, it seems to be new. There is no wear and tear, no marking, not even a scuff. I also can't imagine it was a display model in Korea as absolutely NOBODY keeps pentax on the shelf for display. The hell I had to go through to get this lens would break many men. Not only that, but there is no indication that this guy only has the one, and he certainly wouldn't have a dozen display models or second hand models on hand. Especially not with a couple other shops also selling the same lens for around the same price. There is an obviously large Japanese sticker on top, which wouldn't be there if this was set for sale in Korea.

That said, I'm not sure that i really care about that. Korea often gets screwed on tech prices here, and I doubt that I'll ever really need warranty on a lens.
I do have 10 days to exchange it with the shop. I had it out tonight at the hockey game, and it seemed to do well. I've got to play with the settings a little. I was shooting my 50mm at f/2.0 400 ISO 1/250, that seemed to be good metering all around.
I tried shooting this at the same. It was fine mid ice, but near the boards the brightness dropped off too much, and needed to drop down to 180 or 125. I decided to run it in Av mode and let it pick it's own shutter speed. I also bumped the ISO up to 800 to give it a little more wiggle room.

Autofocus was fairly responsive except for a couple situations where it didn't lock on me, but I've had that happen with all my lenses at some point. Zoom seems smooth and solid. The only thing is the hood. Not a big deal, but I find the hood really tight. Maybe after I lock and unlock it a few times it'll smooth out. Anyone with this lens also find the same problem?

I think my next move is to get a better body to handle the higher ISO better. I think I really need to shoot at 800 or 1600, but the K-M does not do great at 1600. 800 is passable for the kind of shots I'm getting.
I tossed in a couple shots I took tonight using the lens. One is a couple guys standing around arguing. I got this through a break in the glass near the penalty box. The other one is an action shot, but taken through the glass. I had to wipe the glass constantly all night. it's fogging up a bit as the temperature changes, plus dealing with scuff marks on the other side. I gotta beg them to give them a good cleaning at least once.

Is the K-30 the next best move for me?
I wish I could afford the obscene amount of money some of the other guys there have spent, but it just ain't happening. There was one guy there tonight who was using a lens that was near as long as my arm. Didn't get a look at exactly what it was, but he shoots canon of course.

I'm hoping to get this out for a little nature shooting. I think it's a fairly decent replacement for my 18-55 kit lens. Much faster, and I'm only missing a little wide angle.

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[crewl1]

I have this lens and the hood is tight on it as well.

I run it on a k-5 and it is very responsive and sharp from f2.8.

It is the lens I use for short distance indoor sports.

The TAV mode on the k-5 and k-30 will let you set aperture and shutter while letting the ISO vary as needed.

The high ISO of those bodies is much nicer than the k-m which I owned a while back.

I think the k-30 would be a nice upgrade if you don't need the controls, buildand top LCD of the k-5.

[pacerr]

I also have that lens. It's not my most used lens. It's "surrounded" by the SP AF 10-24, 17-35 and 24-135 but it would be the last one to go of my AF lenses if it ever came to that sad day.

H2

[crossmr]

I think the k-30 would be a nice upgrade if you don't need the controls, buildand top LCD of the k-5.

Well I'm living without those now, and I'm happy enough with my K-M. The only reason I'd want to the newer camera is simply for better higher ISO pictures. I think I could get away with 1600 or higher fine with the K-30. One of my buddies just got a new Canon, not sure which one, but I think he was shooting at 1600 or 3200 on his and the noise was very negligible. It would help me a lot if I could shoot that high, but 3200 on the K-M looks very dirty.

I also have that lens. It's not my most used lens. It's "surrounded" by the SP AF 10-24, 17-35 and 24-135 but it would be the last one to go of my AF lenses if it ever came to that sad day.

Right now I have:
18-55 kit
28-75 f2.8
50 f1.7 mf
70-205 f3.8 mf
70-300 f4-5.6

Last year I was using the 70-300 but obviously I had to run the ISO too high or forego any real action shots. Zoom was nice, but I was also sitting in the seats. The first few games this season I'd be running the 50mm prime and the 70-205 to get the lower F stop. The focus was just too sensitive though on that lens. It was hard to focus quickly as even a hairs turn seemed to throw it way off. The 50mm prime did very well. pictures came out great, the only problem was that it was only really great mid-ice. If the players came to the boards I had to step back too far and quickly, and on the far boards it was a bit far out. I thought the 28-75 might give me enough play to compensate for those two situations, but after last night, I almost wish I had a 28-100, but I don't know if you can get an F2.8 in that range. The 75 is better than the 50, but I think even a little bit more would have been good for the far boards.

Right now I think the 18-55 is out unless I need some extreme wide-angle, and the 200 is out unless I need a faster zoom for some reason. Luckily it was only $70 second hand. The 50mm is light and sharp so it's always going to stick around I think. I can't really think of what other lens I might need now for what I do. The 300 covers me for macro and a lot of out doors stuff. Even if it's cloudy so long as it's not oppressively grey out the higher F-stop on it doesn't really cause any problems, between the new one and the 50 I'm covered for fast in door lenses. I'm not sure what I'd do with some of the shorter lenses, like a 10-24, what do you use that lens for?

[pacerr]

. . . with some of the shorter lenses, like a 10-24, what do you use that lens for?

It's typical to think of lens focal length applications in terms of magnification and assign them roles such as sports, landscape, etc according to their angle of view. But consider the different perspectives available as the focal length changes.

Here the flower is the same size in both images but note the difference in the background and the possible impact on average or matrix exposure calculations as the background changes from wide angle to telephoto and dark to light. The "story" changes too; in one shot the emphasis is solely on the blossom, in the other it's on the location of the blossom - the setting.

The same consideration applies to perspective when comparing the results from a panoramic scan versus a single, ultra wide angle shot.

Focal length controls much more than angle of view.

H2

[PePe]

Well I'm living without those now, and I'm happy enough with my K-M. The only reason I'd want to the newer camera is simply for better higher ISO pictures. I think I could get away with 1600 or higher fine with the K-30. One of my buddies just got a new Canon, not sure which one, but I think he was shooting at 1600 or 3200 on his and the noise was very negligible. It would help me a lot if I could shoot that high, but 3200 on the K-M looks very dirty.

I used to have a K-10, which shares the same 10,2 MP CCD sensor with the KM. I like the colours it produces at low ISO´s. In this respect I actually prefer it to many later sensors.
But as you said at high ISO´s image quality deteriorates quickly. In this respect the difference to current K-30 or K-5 models is dramatic. With these shooting at ISO 1600 or 3200 is not a problem at all.
If you have to go above ISO 800 with the CCD sensor, I would suggest using a dedicated software like DeNoise or Noise Ninja.

[Tonto]

It's typical to think of lens focal length applications in terms of magnification and assign them roles such as sports, landscape, etc according to their angle of view. But consider the different perspectives available as the focal length changes.

One of the most under discussed parts of photography, great example and diagram.
This is a reason why my Pentax A 70-200 F4 makes such a great flower lens.

[kaiserz]

The tamron 28 - 75 2.8. one of my favorite lens. Although not being used that much, it is my only zoom lens in the bag. It's my "Party lens" and is always being used when I need the versatility of a zoom. It is said that it's not quite big for a wide apertured lens but compared to my A50, DA15 and DA 40xs, I think it's huge hehe. But I'm pretty sure to the canikon guys it would indeed be small. it's sharp, I usually shoot it at f4 and with the K01's high ISO capabilities I know I'm good to go if I set it up on auto ISO 100 - 3200.(If I really need to push it I can even go 6400).

So yes I believe the next best move for you would be the k30


or the k5?

[COULDBE2]

I have the 28-75 as well and the hood does have a tight fit and still does after 3 years of use.. I always insure the barrel lock is on before installing or removing the hood. It do use this lens a lot and did have to send it to repair for zoom creep, but that could happen with any well used lens.I have over 4200 images in LR from this lens. I do have the 17-50 as well and it used often as well, but no zoom creep for it.
I think the K30 and a good NR program would be a great next move.
Nice shots,
Mike

[crossmr]

4200 images in LR from this lens.

What do you mean by "in LR"? this weekend alone I think I put around 800 on mine.

So yes I believe the next best move for you would be the k30


or the k5?

Probably not the K5, at least not here in Korea, K5 is running about twice the price here as a K30. The K30 is a ways off as it is now anyway.

One of the most under discussed parts of photography, great example and diagram.
This is a reason why my Pentax A 70-200 F4 makes such a great flower lens.

+1 thanks for that. diagram. Gives me something to think about

[COULDBE2]

That would be keepers! I delete far more shoots(4X) then I keep.
Mike