[cybertaff]

Thanks for all your great responses, am off to srs (my local stockist ) to spend my sweetie money! Think I'm gonna go for the 15mm

[ChristianRock]

Honestly, if you are doing landscapes and stopped down to f8-f16, almost any modern lens would do, including the 18-55mm kit lens. As important as the lens is a good tripod.
On a tight budget I would go with the 16-45mm and a decent stable tripod + 2 second timer + base ISO.

Lens like the kid lens will work as you begin, but even though enough sharpness will be there, microcontrast and color rendering won't, and the image won't "pop" (can't think of a better word).

lol i know im welsh i grew up there, was thinking less than £500

That is actually a nice budget in Pentax land. I think it should get you a used copy of the older model of the DA 15 Limited, which is the SMC. The newer version is the HD and might cost you more than 500 quid in the UK, but I don't live there so I don't know Just get the DA 15.

[cali92rs]

Lens like the kid lens will work as you begin, but even though enough sharpness will be there, microcontrast and color rendering won't, and the image won't "pop" (can't think of a better word).



That is actually a nice budget in Pentax land. I think it should get you a used copy of the older model of the DA 15 Limited, which is the SMC. The newer version is the HD and might cost you more than 500 quid in the UK, but I don't live there so I don't know Just get the DA 15.

In my defense, the title of this thread includes tight budget. I am not poor by any means, but My definition of a tight budget for something related to a hobby would not be $500+ and I made this quote before he stated how much money he was willing to spend.

[ChristianRock]

In my defense, the title of this thread includes tight budget. I am not poor by any means, but My definition of a tight budget for something related to a hobby would not be $500+ and I made this quote before he stated how much money he was willing to spend.

Oh I know, he only said he had 500 pounds to spend later in the thread. So everybody else was trying to help with lower budget options.

Though if one has a very low budget, my suggestion is the Tokina 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 (which is not the same as the Cosina/Vivitar/Phoenix/Voigtlander, which isn't a bad lens either, but different). After feeling I was getting uninspired, "meh" results from the 18-55 kit lens (AL II in my case), I got this Tokina and while it is soft wide open, it's a very good lens at f8-f11. Is it as good as the DA 15 or the 12-24, or the Sigma 10-20? Of course not, and it's longer as well. But considering I paid 98 bucks for mine, and it's usually around 100 bucks or so, I can't complain at all. Usually if the picture doesn't come out right, it's my fault and not the lens.

This is a boring picture because I'm a boring photographer at this point, but the lens did its job:

[cybertaff]

thanks all once again. i opted for this, now i just need some time to play with it.

[cali92rs]

You won't regret that purchase...it's cool because you can point it directly into the sun and not worry about flare, which opens up a bunch of composition possibilities (although where you are going, you probably won't use that functionality lol).

[cybertaff]

You won't regret that purchase...it's cool because you can point it directly into the sun and not worry about flare, which opens up a bunch of composition possibilities (although where you are going, you probably won't use that functionality lol).

what my freinds dont realise is i wont be using my welsh eaither, being from the south my dialect is diffrent and i get asked politly to speak english. but thanks its a purchase i wouldnt of made without the advice of all the great folks here

[paulh]

This is a boring picture because I'm a boring photographer at this point, but the lens did its job:

Not boring at all, quite nice imo!

[ChristianRock]

thanks all once again. i opted for this, now i just need some time to play with it.

Excellent choice!! Wow, I was under the impression that lenses were way more expensive over in the UK than they are here. I'm glad to be proven wrong!

Post your pictures once you start getting the hang of it!

Not boring at all, quite nice imo!

You're just being kind, but thank you

What I think the picture shows is the microcontrast. While the color rendering isn't the same as a nice Pentax lens, the transition from color to color is good. The kit lens, if taking that picture, would look less sharp because of the lack of microcontrast that it has, even if the sharpness would probably be the same or maybe even better with the 18-55.

[cybertaff]

Excellent choice!! Wow, I was under the impression that lenses were way more expensive over in the UK than they are here. I'm glad to be proven wrong

if you take the conversin rate into account they are, but hey ho

[ChristianRock]

if you take the conversin rate into account they are, but hey ho

Yes it's still a bit more, but only about 10% or so. I was expecting quite a bit more. I'm glad you were able to swing a new one, and still have a bit of money left and could probably get yourself a nice manual lens like the SMC 28mm f/3.5 to play with

[y0chang]

The advantage of the 15mm limited is that since you will never want to sell it, you never have to worry about resale value.

[cybertaff]

ended up getting it online for a little less than £150 ($240 ish) with a mates discount so im currently a very happy bunny should turn up on monday, then Im headed to the palace of westminster to shoot it from across the thames, something ive never tried after nearly 20 years of living in london

[ChristianRock]

You got a DA 15 for that price??