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01-26-2014, 02:04 AM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by i_trax Quote
For me the ideal indoors prime would be 17mm or wider 2.0 or faster but at this stage does not exist.
It does: Samyang 16mm f/2. But MF only.
As I think no one mentioned it: the FA 28mm f/2.8 AL beats all other Pentax 28mm f/2.8 lenses by a wide margin. Very sharp, low CA. It just might be a little slower than 2.8 in reality.

01-26-2014, 03:30 AM   #32
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QuoteOriginally posted by wkraus Quote
As I think no one mentioned it: the FA 28mm f/2.8 AL beats all other Pentax 28mm f/2.8 lenses by a wide margin. Very sharp, low CA. It just might be a little slower than 2.8 in reality.
I don't know about "by a wide margin," but I certainly like the FA28 over the F28 or A28. And while the K28/3.5 and K30/2.8 were very nice, the FA28 is roughly just as good (with its own unique character) while having the (sometimes) great advantage of AF.

I just wasn't sure if f/2.8 was quite fast enough to recommend for this application. But if you think it's fast enough, I can recommend it heartily.

Last edited by DSims; 01-26-2014 at 03:37 AM.
01-27-2014, 07:19 AM   #33
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Some more awesome recommendations, thank you.

I'm here, I'm just still parsing all the info. Manual focus is out - I can MF but I'm not fast or accurate enough yet and in my day to day with small ones I don't always have 2 hands free. I do like the idea of some of the much wider focal lengths or of using a zoom for a bit to narrow down what focal length I prefer most.

Lots to consider. Hmm...
01-27-2014, 10:10 AM   #34
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I didn't really read the original brief. For low light portraiture then fast is a must. 1.4 or 1.8, no question.

01-28-2014, 03:12 PM - 1 Like   #35
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Sigma 30 1.4

I don't know why the Sigma 30 1.4 isn't getting that much love - I use it almost exclusively for indoor shots on my k5-iis. I have 2 very young kids and it is giving me plenty of keepers. Here are two (admittedly not perfect) examples. The lens is capable of much sharper photos than these but I'm at work and these examples are what I had on hand. It produces a generally very sharp image in even tough indoor lighting in my opinion.
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01-28-2014, 05:32 PM   #36
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QuoteOriginally posted by BradH Quote
I don't know why the Sigma 30 1.4 isn't getting that much love....
The vast majority of owners like it/love it. Me, too.

It has a short sample thread...(probably most posts go in the general Sigma thread).

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/211118-sigma-30mm-1-4-lens-club.html

Last edited by SpecialK; 01-29-2014 at 06:02 PM.
01-29-2014, 04:04 AM   #37
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Favorite ~30mm lens recommendations

QuoteOriginally posted by BradH Quote
I don't know why the Sigma 30 1.4 isn't getting that much love - I use it almost exclusively for indoor shots on my k5-iis. I have 2 very young kids and it is giving me plenty of keepers. Here are two (admittedly not perfect) examples. The lens is capable of much sharper photos than these but I'm at work and these examples are what I had on hand. It produces a generally very sharp image in even tough indoor lighting in my opinion.

Part of my ambivalence towards it is that it took me a long while to realise that yes it really did need *that much* AF adjustment (all the way, seriously). Once I fixed that, it was much better. However, the old Takette is much nicer to focus manually, and it imparts a quality I really like to the photos.

Really nice pics in your post

01-29-2014, 10:45 AM   #38
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dr Orloff Quote
I didn't really read the original brief. For low light portraiture then fast is a must. 1.4 or 1.8, no question.
This is what my thought train keeps coming back to. I've been using my 35mm almost exclusively lately and I feel like I'm finally making it sing. Still, winter is long and the light in my house is poor and I find myself often wanting the extra speed of my 50 without compromising the room for composition. The little bit of extra for subject isolation helps too (though I realize this also has to do with distance to subject and background, and tone and key, etc)

QuoteOriginally posted by BradH Quote
I don't know why the Sigma 30 1.4 isn't getting that much love - I use it almost exclusively for indoor shots on my k5-iis. I have 2 very young kids and it is giving me plenty of keepers. Here are two (admittedly not perfect) examples. The lens is capable of much sharper photos than these but I'm at work and these examples are what I had on hand. It produces a generally very sharp image in even tough indoor lighting in my opinion.
This is great to hear. Two small children here and tough indoor lighting also. And those are great photos!

QuoteOriginally posted by Tsuken Quote
Part of my ambivalence towards it is that it took me a long while to realise that yes it really did need *that much* AF adjustment (all the way, seriously). Once I fixed that, it was much better. However, the old Takette is much nicer to focus manually, and it imparts a quality I really like to the photos.

Really nice pics in your post
This and the other comments about the Sigma 30 being soft at the edges or having inconsistent AF are my concern. I flip flop between portrait where I don't care about the edges, and more lifestyle where sometimes I really do want sharpness all the way across. I don't want to fight it, I want it to work.

I think I'm going to start stashing money away with the FA31 in mind, and keep my eye out while I do. Maybe something else (preferably less $$, haha) will pop up that I think I need.
01-29-2014, 10:56 AM   #39
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QuoteOriginally posted by Tsuken Quote
Part of my ambivalence towards it is that it took me a long while to realise that yes it really did need *that much* AF adjustment (all the way, seriously). Once I fixed that, it was much better. However, the old Takette is much nicer to focus manually, and it imparts a quality I really like to the photos.

Really nice pics in your post
Thanks! Sometime after I took those pics I did adjust the focus - mine only needed -2 so I guess I was pretty lucky with my copy.

Last edited by BradH; 01-29-2014 at 11:55 AM.
01-29-2014, 01:58 PM   #40
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QuoteOriginally posted by BradH Quote
Thanks! Sometime after I took those pics I did adjust the focus - mine only needed -2 so I guess I was pretty lucky with my copy.

Or I was unlucky with mine...

It is amazingly sharp, and I've never been bothered by the edges; I reckon they're sharp enough.
01-29-2014, 02:02 PM   #41
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I also have the Sigma 30mm f1.4, mine is more than sharp enough on my K200D without any adjustments. I doubt I would trade it for an FA31. It's a known quantity and I love it
01-29-2014, 05:39 PM   #42
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Thing about not caring if the edges are sharp for portrait work only works well if you're centering your subject. If you shoot any groups or work the rule of thirds, you're likely going to need that sharpness out to the edges. Maybe not all the way, but I'd much rather have a lens that's sharp and needs some post to soften than need the sharpness from a lens incapable of providing it. I saved up for the 31, found it new for a hair over $900 shipped and have loved it since the first day I shot with it.
01-29-2014, 08:22 PM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by wkraus Quote
It just might be a little slower than 2.8 in reality.

If you're talking about slow as in light gathering, f-stops are just the ratio of the lens's focal length to the diameter of the entrance pupil. Light gathering abilities of lenses with the same f-stop but different optical designs will vary since the number of elements, type of elements, and type of coating will all impact how much light reaches the sensor. T-stops are an objective measure of the light gathering ability of a lens (something people in the motion picture industry rightfully appreciate).
01-29-2014, 09:05 PM - 1 Like   #44
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In defense of the Sigma 30mm, my copy has been a solid performer, excellent from wide open and it only gets better from there. These are all shot at f1.4
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01-29-2014, 10:09 PM   #45
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For catching kids in natural light, as the OP desires, the Sigma will probably be fantastic - if the kids can be caught in focus. I find a bounce flash (with swivel for portrait-orientation shots) is the single best thing I have added for catching kids being cute. Works well with a decent zoom, in my case the FA 20-35, but DA 16-45 would also work, and I am sure the DA35/2.4 as well. Boom, suddenly you have enough light to use a decent aperture and you stop action with the duration of the flash. Much higher keeper rate.

Here's an old sample:

Last edited by Nick Siebers; 01-29-2014 at 10:33 PM.
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