Lens' we love to hate

wildman · 12-31-2012, 02:48 PM

Or is it lens's we hate to love?

I bet many of you have had this experience:
A glass we bought that we had little expectation of. Something that we expected would get us by until we could get something "better". Something not to be taken seriously.
But as time goes by we find it giving us an unexpected high number of keepers. Something, in fact, that seems work in spite of what we were told to expect from the gurus.

Such a lens for me is the 200 buck Tammy 18-200. For me it rules supreme as a great little lens for those holiday family shots where everyone is running around from room to room with shooting conditions constantly changing and no time to fuss about and play Ansel Adams with lens' and camera settings- it's now or never.

It works primarily because it's a zoom. It accommodates you and you do not have to fuss about trying to accommodate it. That coupled to the K5 allows me to shot at a high ISO and makes up for it's slowness. It was not nearly as useful on the K20 for instance.

So how about you - do you have some dog of a lens that just seems to work in spite of what you initially expected from it?

Last edited by wildman; 01-20-2013 at 04:30 AM.

Sagitta · 12-31-2012, 05:13 PM

Pentax FA28-90mm.

When I spotted it for sale I went to the lens reviews here on the forum and did a search and it was mostly universally slammed and called flimsy junk.

I figured at $30 even a junk lens was a lens, and it gave me a bit more range than my 18-55 did on the long end, so I bought it anyway.

It has since served me wonderfully (even if it DOES feel flimsy).

Ikarus · 12-31-2012, 05:23 PM

SMC Pentax-DA L 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL, the kit lens that came with the K-x. Every time I consider replacing it with something fancier, it puts up a good fight and I end up keeping it (here on the K-01):

**ivanvernon** · 12-31-2012, 05:54 PM

Tamron 17-50mm constant f 2.8, arrived today, and already gave it a workout to check IQ and general performance. Looks good, very encouraging, and almost tempting me to go to a New Year's party so I can give it a low-light tryout. I am thinking it is going to be the perfect lens for inside party situations with the wide angle through short telescopic range, and good for low light with the 2.8 constant aperture. I don't think the lens is going to keep me from using the 43mm limited and 50mm 2.8 macro, but instead cover special situations when it is awkward to carry out my usual prime lens shuffle. I would be interested in how others have handled having a good zoom lens along with primes that cover part of the same territory. Happy New Year.

**Digitalis** · 12-31-2012, 09:04 PM

SMCP-A 50mm f/1.7 - I use it as my "disposable" 50mm lens.

Boker · 12-31-2012, 09:58 PM

Have a m42 200mm f4 which is one of the sharpest lens I have but seldom use it because it weigh's so much.

**Ash** · 12-31-2012, 10:52 PM

It was the kit 18-55 for me also - it just seemed to give me great results so often (when I set it at f/8).

Eebll · 01-01-2013, 12:57 AM

Lenses I love to hate?..... All the ones out of my financial reach.

**Kerrowdown** · 01-01-2013, 03:03 AM

That'll be the be the one that missed a once in a lifetime shot and kept me poor.

Jean Poitiers · 01-01-2013, 03:13 AM

Originally posted by Ash

It was the kit 18-55 for me also - it just seemed to give me great results so often (when I set it at f/8).

The DA 18-55 WR ... same as Ash, plus it does well on close focus situations - J

snake · 01-01-2013, 03:14 AM

Lenses

lesmore49 · 01-01-2013, 09:00 AM

Two Bushnell lenses....one a 35mm wide angle, the other a 90-230mm telephoto zoom. I bought them in the '70's...screw mount for my Pentax S1a. Performance of both these lenses was never up to my expectations.

At the time for around 30% more I could of bought Pentax Takumar lenses. A big regret at the time...but I was young and $$$ was short.

Since then, I've only bought company made accessories. Pentax lenses, flashes, etc for Pentax.....Canon stuff for Canon and I've been satisfied with Pentax and Canon brand equipment.

The only Pentax lens I haven't been happy with is the Pentax plastic mount 18-55 kit lens that came with my K-m. It's performance is not anywhere near the other Pentax lenses.

post_eos · 01-01-2013, 01:01 PM

Sigma 75-300 f4.5-5.6

Very early push pull zoom auto-focus. Bought off e-bay cheap. Thought it was going to suck and wasn't disappointed. It's soft, it flares, and it has low contrast. The auto focus sticks every once in a while and you have to turn the focus ring to re-engage the gears and get it going again. But dang it, for certain pictures it just works.

Blue · 01-01-2013, 08:27 PM

The Oly E-P1 kit zoom. What a dog.

12-31-2012, 02:48 PM	#1
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	Lens' we love to hate Or is it lens's we hate to love? I bet many of you have had this experience: A glass we bought that we had little expectation of. Something that we expected would get us by until we could get something "better". Something not to be taken seriously. But as time goes by we find it giving us an unexpected high number of keepers. Something, in fact, that seems work in spite of what we were told to expect from the gurus. Such a lens for me is the 200 buck Tammy 18-200. For me it rules supreme as a great little lens for those holiday family shots where everyone is running around from room to room with shooting conditions constantly changing and no time to fuss about and play Ansel Adams with lens' and camera settings- it's now or never. It works primarily because it's a zoom. It accommodates you and you do not have to fuss about trying to accommodate it. That coupled to the K5 allows me to shot at a high ISO and makes up for it's slowness. It was not nearly as useful on the K20 for instance. So how about you - do you have some dog of a lens that just seems to work in spite of what you initially expected from it? Last edited by wildman; 01-20-2013 at 04:30 AM.

12-31-2012, 05:13 PM	#2
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Pentax FA28-90mm. When I spotted it for sale I went to the lens reviews here on the forum and did a search and it was mostly universally slammed and called flimsy junk. I figured at $30 even a junk lens was a lens, and it gave me a bit more range than my 18-55 did on the long end, so I bought it anyway. It has since served me wonderfully (even if it DOES feel flimsy). Last edited by Sagitta; 12-31-2012 at 10:03 PM.

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12-31-2012, 05:23 PM	#3
Ikarus Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: California Photos: Albums Posts: 484	SMC Pentax-DA L 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL, the kit lens that came with the K-x. Every time I consider replacing it with something fancier, it puts up a good fight and I end up keeping it (here on the K-01):

12-31-2012, 05:54 PM	#4
ivanvernon Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Medina, OH Photos: Albums Posts: 7,224	Tamron 17-50mm constant f 2.8, arrived today, and already gave it a workout to check IQ and general performance. Looks good, very encouraging, and almost tempting me to go to a New Year's party so I can give it a low-light tryout. I am thinking it is going to be the perfect lens for inside party situations with the wide angle through short telescopic range, and good for low light with the 2.8 constant aperture. I don't think the lens is going to keep me from using the 43mm limited and 50mm 2.8 macro, but instead cover special situations when it is awkward to carry out my usual prime lens shuffle. I would be interested in how others have handled having a good zoom lens along with primes that cover part of the same territory. Happy New Year.

12-31-2012, 09:04 PM	#5
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	SMCP-A 50mm f/1.7 - I use it as my "disposable" 50mm lens.

12-31-2012, 09:58 PM	#6
Boker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: SW Florida Posts: 234	Have a m42 200mm f4 which is one of the sharpest lens I have but seldom use it because it weigh's so much.

12-31-2012, 10:52 PM	#7
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	It was the kit 18-55 for me also - it just seemed to give me great results so often (when I set it at f/8).

01-01-2013, 12:57 AM	#8
Eebll Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 105	Lenses I love to hate?..... All the ones out of my financial reach.

01-01-2013, 03:03 AM	#9
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	That'll be the be the one that missed a once in a lifetime shot and kept me poor.

01-01-2013, 03:13 AM	#10
Jean Poitiers Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,076	Originally posted by Ash It was the kit 18-55 for me also - it just seemed to give me great results so often (when I set it at f/8). The DA 18-55 WR ... same as Ash, plus it does well on close focus situations - J

01-01-2013, 03:14 AM	#11
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	Lenses

01-01-2013, 09:00 AM	#12
lesmore49 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Canada Posts: 12,343	Two Bushnell lenses....one a 35mm wide angle, the other a 90-230mm telephoto zoom. I bought them in the '70's...screw mount for my Pentax S1a. Performance of both these lenses was never up to my expectations. At the time for around 30% more I could of bought Pentax Takumar lenses. A big regret at the time...but I was young and $$$ was short. Since then, I've only bought company made accessories. Pentax lenses, flashes, etc for Pentax.....Canon stuff for Canon and I've been satisfied with Pentax and Canon brand equipment. The only Pentax lens I haven't been happy with is the Pentax plastic mount 18-55 kit lens that came with my K-m. It's performance is not anywhere near the other Pentax lenses.

01-01-2013, 08:27 PM	#14
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	The Oly E-P1 kit zoom. What a dog.