[Beard]

Hi everyone! I am new to Pentax, so I ask a question.
I have now K-5 and I am using with it my M50/1.7 which is my only Pentax lens at a moment and is fine with me, but my wife wants AF lens so she can also pick up my camera and take photos of our 1 year old child. I have about 250 euros (300 USD) spending limit on new lens. What can you recomend? Non Pentax brand and used is also fine by me. At the moment I am thinking about 40mm LTD or Tamron 17-50 2.8.
Thanks!

[Conqueror]

Pentax DA 35mm 2.4 and Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 also worth a look perhaps

Pentax 18-135mm WR would be useful though perhaps not quite as good for this specific use, but I imagine it would still perform quite well and even if your collection expands it is unlikely to become redundant because of the WR

[alamo5000]

At the moment I am thinking about 40mm LTD or Tamron 17-50 2.8.

Is your camera a K5II or K5IIs? Or the older K-5?

Either case the Tamron 17-50 is a very good lens and very versatile. It's constant f2.8 so that is very good and the IQ is pretty nice. I used this lens almost exclusively for a long time until I switched to a prime lens set up.

For someone who is just going to 'pick up the camera and snap some shots' I would definitely recommend a zoom lens. The convenience factor needs to be higher for people who are not really into taking photos.

[savoche]

Hi! Within that budget I'd say DA 35/2.4, DA 40/2.8 XS (or maybe a used limited), or a DA 50/1.8 - even if that last one will double your M.

[zzeitg]

I'd recommend DA*16-50 as a general lens, but that one would be way above your budget. But what about Sigma 17-50 mm f/2,8?


Or - and that would give more sense as a portrait lens - HD Pentax-DA 70mm F2.4 Limited (or the older SMC version). I don't own this lens myself, but my friend has one and his portraits are just perfectly sharp.
New one would exceed the budget as well, but maybe a used one could be a good option.

[Bagga_Txips]

Because of the desired usage, I would recommend the SIGMA 17-50 2.8. Mum wants to photograph kid, so may well be indoors - so wide angle might be useful, and so might f2.8. Kid is 1 year old, so flash might be distracting or irritating -again f2.8, and the Sigma is quieter and less distracting. Kid is soon gonna be far too mobile - so zoom is needed. And so on.

But on the other hand, mum has to carry all this around with her... So, 21 f3.2 and crop could be a better choice. Quieter, lighter, less adjustment needed when taken a quick candid, and better IQ in my opinion.

[hcc]

You already got good advice. Another cheap but decent option is the DA18-55 mm. Its plastic version DAL 18-55mm AL would be the cheapest and can likely be found about $50-70 (SMC Pentax-DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL Reviews - DA L Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database). It is the offical kit lens, but is regarded as a more-than-decent kit lens across most brand.

My wife uses the DA18-135mm WR, which is above your budget, but should be highly recommended also.

Hope that the comment may help.

[Beard]

Is your camera a K5II or K5IIs? Or the older K-5?

Its K-5 original.

or a DA 50/1.8 - even if that last one will double your M.

Is the DA 50/1.8 sharper as my manual 50/1.7? I had Nikon 50/1.8G and it was sharper as my Pentax 50 lens. Or maybe is DA 50 sharper as DA 35? If I go prime on this new one I want something 50mm or wider. So 35mm would be optimal. If it ware only my decision I'd go with M28/3.5, but my wife need the AF.

I'd recommend DA*16-50 as a general lens, but that one would be way above your budget. But what about Sigma 17-50 mm f/2,8?

In case of Tamron 17-50 it would be used. On second hand it goes here in Belgium for about 200 euro or a bit less.
Going above my limit is not an option at this moment.

---------- Post added 12-28-14 at 10:34 PM ----------

Kid is 1 year old, so flash might be distracting or irritating -again f2.8, and the Sigma is quieter and less distracting. Kid is soon gonna be far too mobile - so zoom is needed. And so on.

But on the other hand, mum has to carry all this around with her... So, 21 f3.2 and crop could be a better choice. Quieter, lighter, less adjustment needed when taken a quick candid, and better IQ in my opinion.

Flash is not a problem on this one, I use it all the time, I just put on triggers and put flash unit somewhere in corner pointing up and forget about it. Well, most of times its still me who uses the camera, so it needs to be decent lens. I had ordered 18-55 DAL, but did not like it, sent it back and now managed to get higher budged approval from wife. So she does not care what focal length it is, as long as it auto focuses for rare times when she decides to take up my came.

[normhead]

I'd go with the Tamron 17-50. The Sigma appears to have some advantages, but it costs more, and you've got a budget to squeeze into. If not that then maybe a 35 2.4, or 40XS 2.8. 50 is a bit long indoors...

[btnapa]

Hi everyone! I am new to Pentax, so I ask a question.
I have now K-5 and I am using with it my M50/1.7 which is my only Pentax lens at a moment and is fine with me, but my wife wants AF lens so she can also pick up my camera and take photos of our 1 year old child. I have about 250 euros (300 USD) spending limit on new lens. What can you recomend? Non Pentax brand and used is also fine by me. At the moment I am thinking about 40mm LTD or Tamron 17-50 2.8.
Thanks!

Tamron will give you more versatility.

[DSims]

It seems that the Tamron 28-75/2.8 is going to be your better bet. Similar image quality to the Tamron 17-50 (maybe even slightly better), and the focal length range is going to be much better for what you're doing. You're not going to need 17mm for a 1 or 2 year old child very often, but you'll certainly want 75mm sometimes!

Eventually you'll want a wider lens as well, but it doesn't sound like a priority right now.



If you don't want to go with a zoom, then I'd say the DA35/2.4 (or maybe an FA28/2.8) is your best choice.

[Docrwm]

Tamron 28-70/2.8
Pentax 18-55
Pentax 35/2.4

Zoom and faster would fit the photographing of a toddler best.

[Beard]

Sorry to all, I mentioned the child only becouse my wife takes pictures only of him, but not me. I take pictures of our son and landscapes as well, so for me wide angle is not a problem. And this new lens does not have to be only for child and its for me not my wife. For child I still can use my M50/1.7, but if new lens is on my camera, my wife has to be able to pick it up and take picture of him, since he's the only she takes pictures of.

[DSims]

Sorry to all, I mentioned the child only becouse my wife takes pictures only of him, but not me. I take pictures of our son and landscapes as well, so for me wide angle is not a problem. And this new lens does not have to be only for child and its for me not my wife. For child I still can use my M50/1.7, but if new lens is on my camera, my wife has to be able to pick it up and take picture of him, since he's the only she takes pictures of.

In this case I guess you want the 17-50, or the DA35/2.4 or FA28 (or F28, though I prefer the FA28).

[beachgardener]

from your list I'd say go the Tammy 17-50, I also have one and it is a nice lens.