Least desirable lens you can't part with

drypenn · 12-18-2014, 11:34 PM

Let's put a spin on LBA.

What's the one lens in your collection that you don't really like but would not want to sell?

I don't "like" my F70-210. It's loud, ugly, heavy, slow, and has poor focusing ring and my copy has some haze, yet I like the way it renders outdoors, especially portraits. I have considered selling it, even posted it once, only to delete the posting immediately.

What's yours?

**PKMike** · 12-19-2014, 12:05 AM - **1 Like**

A 70-210mm f4. I don't use it any more as I have other modern zooms that I prefer. But this was my first zoom bought over 30 years ago. I took so many good pics on film and it has sentimental value. Plus its market value is quite low,(under valued IMHO) so I doubt I will sell it. In fact I've now been motivated to bring it out and use it again!

jawsy · 12-19-2014, 01:07 AM

FA50 F1.4. My most used lens over the last decade, but with the current line up never gets used.

**Digitalis** · 12-19-2014, 01:09 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by drypenn

What's the one lens in your collection that you don't really like but would not want to sell?

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ART - Ethically I couldn't sell it without the lens dock, I also can't sell it because of its atrocious bokeh. Also the warranty is void because of an optical fault the Sigma distributor couldn't detect - the fault actually did exist, and I had to send the lens to an optical specialist to get it re-aligned at my own cost.

**arv** · 12-19-2014, 01:32 AM

DA 70mm. I have DA*55, DA*50-135, FA77 and Samyang 85mm, and I definitely do not need DA70mm. Once I put it on sale in local photo forum, but then took it for "goodbye shooting", and when reviewed the results, quickly removed from the sail list. No, I do not need it, but I will not part with it as well. Now I keep it mainly for travels to pair with 21mm.

A.

hks_kansei · 12-19-2014, 01:49 AM

My sigma 18-50 3.5-5.6

It's old, it's slow, it's not particularly sharp, the autofocus is sloppy, the manual focus sucks, the hood has scrapes, and the lens cap is hard to get on/off with the hood on.

BUT, it's the only lens I have wider than 28mm, and it's my only autofocus lens (when my other half borrows the DSLR she doesn't want to bugger with manual focus etc)

jawsy · 12-19-2014, 01:55 AM

Originally posted by Digitalis

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ART - Ethically I couldn't sell it without the lens dock, I also can't sell it because of its atrocious bokeh. Also the warranty is void because of an optical fault the Sigma distributor couldn't detect - the fault actually did exist, and I had to send the lens to an optical specialist to get it re-aligned at my own cost.

Good work. Old school integrity is hard to come by these days, especially when there's a quick buck to be made.

Dartmoor Dave · 12-19-2014, 02:10 AM - **4 Likes**

Originally posted by drypenn

Least desirable lens you can't part with

That would be the two lenses that are permanently attached to my face. Nowadays they can't focus on anything closer than 6ft without corrective optics.

As for camera lenses: I don't like my 18-55mm WR very much, because of its gaudy colour rendering and excessive edge contrast. But I need at least one WR lens for bad weather.

r0ckstarr · 12-19-2014, 02:37 AM

18-55WR. Had it for 5yrs. I've only used it a couple times. Yet, I still feel that once I get rid of it, I may end up needing it.

**kiwi_jono** · 12-19-2014, 02:42 AM

I have Super Takumar 50 f1.4 which has a little bit of fungus. I haven't used it for a quite a while (FA50 f1.4 gets all the fun) and logically it should be one of the ones that should move on to a new home. BUT it does have a pretty interesting bokeh rendering I like and the build and feel of these lenses is just wonderful.
Actually I can make the same argument for my SMC Takumar 135 (I have a wonderful FA100 that I would normally use) but the feel and build of the lense makes it a delight to use.

cxdoo · 12-19-2014, 02:44 AM

Well. The lenses I wouldn't mind losing can't catch enough money for it to be worth the hassle. 18-55, SMC 300/4; the fact I still have them is just because someone hasn't appeared (yet!) on my front door and offered to take them off me.
Maybe M50/1.7 fits the bill... no it doesn't. It's a hell of a lens on top of not being worth the hassle.

I guess I don't have a pet lousy lens.
Now that I think about it, the closest to a lens I am not particularly excited about but wouldn't sell is Tamron 17-50/2.8 as I don't see what zoom I could replace it with that is significantly better and not much more expensive. It's still a (very!) sharp fast affordable lens, so the point is moot.

Mike L · 12-19-2014, 02:46 AM

My DA50-200, it gets very little love in reviews but my copy has produced some portraits that I am very happy with. It is small and compact, I won't be selling it.

cxdoo · 12-19-2014, 02:57 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Mike L

My DA50-200, it gets very little love in reviews but my copy has produced some portraits that I am very happy with. It is small and compact, I won't be selling it.

I disagree with 50-200 being slapped with crappy lens tag! It's excellent for what it costs and is, and I wouldn't mind taking it out on a sunny day to happily snap away, leaving the kilo of Tamron at home.

**i_trax** · 12-19-2014, 04:15 AM

DA 18-250, well I bought it new a while ago, took hundreds of good photos, not being used much nowadays.
Now I do have DA 18-270 and Sigma 18-250 MACRO HSM , both with fast silent AF but...
I took recently K-s1 + DA 18-250 for a walk and when I looked at photos I was amazed again, no ...not selling this one ever.
Aren't we a bit sentimental....?

**Digitalis** · 12-19-2014, 04:20 AM

Originally posted by i_trax

Aren't we a bit sentimental

yeah, I hate the sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 so much I don't want to give it to anyone else. Also I forgot to mention the new sigma ART lens cap doesn't fit on any other lens - even other sigma lenses, which means that the ART lens cap is officially the most annoying lens accessory I have ever owned.

12-18-2014, 11:34 PM	#1
drypenn Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 963	Least desirable lens you can't part with Let's put a spin on LBA. What's the one lens in your collection that you don't really like but would not want to sell? I don't "like" my F70-210. It's loud, ugly, heavy, slow, and has poor focusing ring and my copy has some haze, yet I like the way it renders outdoors, especially portraits. I have considered selling it, even posted it once, only to delete the posting immediately. What's yours?

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12-19-2014, 12:05 AM - 1 Like	#2
PKMike Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 628	A 70-210mm f4. I don't use it any more as I have other modern zooms that I prefer. But this was my first zoom bought over 30 years ago. I took so many good pics on film and it has sentimental value. Plus its market value is quite low,(under valued IMHO) so I doubt I will sell it. In fact I've now been motivated to bring it out and use it again!

12-19-2014, 01:07 AM	#3
jawsy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 422	FA50 F1.4. My most used lens over the last decade, but with the current line up never gets used.

12-19-2014, 01:09 AM - 1 Like	#4
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by drypenn What's the one lens in your collection that you don't really like but would not want to sell? Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ART - Ethically I couldn't sell it without the lens dock, I also can't sell it because of its atrocious bokeh. Also the warranty is void because of an optical fault the Sigma distributor couldn't detect - the fault actually did exist, and I had to send the lens to an optical specialist to get it re-aligned at my own cost.

12-19-2014, 01:32 AM	#5
arv Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 413	DA 70mm. I have DA55, DA50-135, FA77 and Samyang 85mm, and I definitely do not need DA70mm. Once I put it on sale in local photo forum, but then took it for "goodbye shooting", and when reviewed the results, quickly removed from the sail list. No, I do not need it, but I will not part with it as well. Now I keep it mainly for travels to pair with 21mm. A.

12-19-2014, 01:49 AM	#6
hks_kansei Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 834	My sigma 18-50 3.5-5.6 It's old, it's slow, it's not particularly sharp, the autofocus is sloppy, the manual focus sucks, the hood has scrapes, and the lens cap is hard to get on/off with the hood on. BUT, it's the only lens I have wider than 28mm, and it's my only autofocus lens (when my other half borrows the DSLR she doesn't want to bugger with manual focus etc)

12-19-2014, 01:55 AM	#7
jawsy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 422	Originally posted by Digitalis Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ART - Ethically I couldn't sell it without the lens dock, I also can't sell it because of its atrocious bokeh. Also the warranty is void because of an optical fault the Sigma distributor couldn't detect - the fault actually did exist, and I had to send the lens to an optical specialist to get it re-aligned at my own cost. Good work. Old school integrity is hard to come by these days, especially when there's a quick buck to be made.

12-19-2014, 02:10 AM - 4 Likes	#8
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	Originally posted by drypenn Least desirable lens you can't part with That would be the two lenses that are permanently attached to my face. Nowadays they can't focus on anything closer than 6ft without corrective optics. As for camera lenses: I don't like my 18-55mm WR very much, because of its gaudy colour rendering and excessive edge contrast. But I need at least one WR lens for bad weather.

12-19-2014, 02:37 AM	#9
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	18-55WR. Had it for 5yrs. I've only used it a couple times. Yet, I still feel that once I get rid of it, I may end up needing it.

12-19-2014, 02:42 AM	#10
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	I have Super Takumar 50 f1.4 which has a little bit of fungus. I haven't used it for a quite a while (FA50 f1.4 gets all the fun) and logically it should be one of the ones that should move on to a new home. BUT it does have a pretty interesting bokeh rendering I like and the build and feel of these lenses is just wonderful. Actually I can make the same argument for my SMC Takumar 135 (I have a wonderful FA100 that I would normally use) but the feel and build of the lense makes it a delight to use.

12-19-2014, 02:44 AM	#11
cxdoo Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Limassol, Cyprus Posts: 1,150	Well. The lenses I wouldn't mind losing can't catch enough money for it to be worth the hassle. 18-55, SMC 300/4; the fact I still have them is just because someone hasn't appeared (yet!) on my front door and offered to take them off me. Maybe M50/1.7 fits the bill... no it doesn't. It's a hell of a lens on top of not being worth the hassle. I guess I don't have a pet lousy lens. Now that I think about it, the closest to a lens I am not particularly excited about but wouldn't sell is Tamron 17-50/2.8 as I don't see what zoom I could replace it with that is significantly better and not much more expensive. It's still a (very!) sharp fast affordable lens, so the point is moot.

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12-19-2014, 02:46 AM	#12
Mike L Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,472	My DA50-200, it gets very little love in reviews but my copy has produced some portraits that I am very happy with. It is small and compact, I won't be selling it.

12-19-2014, 02:57 AM - 1 Like	#13
cxdoo Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Limassol, Cyprus Posts: 1,150	Originally posted by Mike L My DA50-200, it gets very little love in reviews but my copy has produced some portraits that I am very happy with. It is small and compact, I won't be selling it. I disagree with 50-200 being slapped with crappy lens tag! It's excellent for what it costs and is, and I wouldn't mind taking it out on a sunny day to happily snap away, leaving the kilo of Tamron at home.

12-19-2014, 04:15 AM	#14
i_trax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,621	DA 18-250, well I bought it new a while ago, took hundreds of good photos, not being used much nowadays. Now I do have DA 18-270 and Sigma 18-250 MACRO HSM , both with fast silent AF but... I took recently K-s1 + DA 18-250 for a walk and when I looked at photos I was amazed again, no ...not selling this one ever. Aren't we a bit sentimental....?

12-19-2014, 04:20 AM	#15
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by i_trax Aren't we a bit sentimental yeah, I hate the sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 so much I don't want to give it to anyone else. Also I forgot to mention the new sigma ART lens cap doesn't fit on any other lens - even other sigma lenses, which means that the ART lens cap is officially the most annoying lens accessory I have ever owned.