[dmbaile2]

Tonight I purchased a:

DA 55mm f1.4
DA 15mm f4 Limited
DA 60mm - 250mm f4

I purchased these lenses as a bundle for an attractive price but im starting to think I should really sell one. The price was attractive but that doesn't mean it was cheap, or that I could afford it by my wife's standards.. Maybe I got a little carried away...

As you help me make this decision, keep in mind that I am mostly into portraits. I have a couple of landscape photo ideas that involve compressing the background, and plenty of other portrait ideas that will benefit from a long focal length....

I am keeping the 55 f1.4, no question. I love feel and look of the lens and the photos I have seen it produce online look wonderful.

Like I said prior, I do have some long focal length portraiture ideas rolling around in my head, which is why I bought the 60-250. However, I'm not exactly happy with the aperature. Not to mention, after viewing Flicker pools for this lens i haven't really seen anything that says "Holy Cow this is a keeper". Not that the pictures are bad, I think the competition for lenses in the 200mm focal range is pretty stiff, maybe i would be happier with a 200mm f2.8 prime...

Now.. The 15mm limited, I guess I only bought it because I wanted to own a limited lens... But frankly, I don't really know what I am going to do with this thing. Currently, it just doesn't really fit into any of my photo ideas. Besides I have a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 that can go wide if I ever really need it..

My current lens inventory besides what I bought tonight is the following:
DA 50mm F1.8
DA 35mm F2.4
Tamron 17-50 f2.8
Tamron Adaptal 60-300 f3.8-5.4 (A beast of a vintage lens, it actually looks alright at mid apertures.. This has been working fine for my long focal length needs...)

Now, an adverse proposal. Maybe I should keep everything I bought tonight and sell some other lenses in my inventory, like the DA 50 f1.8, and both of the Tamrons...

Uhg.. Decisions, decisions..

[mee]

Out of curiosity.. did you buy these on ebay?

[DK77]

What about selling both the 15, since you say yourself that you aren't likely to use it, and the 60-250, to buy a 200mm prime, which seems to be what you really want? You have all the other focal lengths covered, so you might as well have the highest quality coverage at the focal length that will benefit you the most.

[Docrwm]

Sell the 50/1.8 and the Tamrons. The new lenses are better IMHO (and I love both my Tamrons, its not that they aren't Pentax for me, its just the 15 is a special little lens).

[hcc]

I would keep:
DA 15mm f4 Limited
DA 35mm F2.4
DA 55mm f1.4

Tamron 17-50 f2.8
DA 60mm - 250mm f4

In turn I would sell the DA50mm and Tamron Adaptal 60-300 f3.8-5.4.

Why? The first three lenses will provide you outstanding IQ between 15 and 55 mm. You cannot go wrong with the DA15mm Ltd. Maybe you do not use the focal length much yet, but you should give a try. The DA15mm Ltd is really special. The DA35mm complement nicely the DA15mm and DA*55mm and it is a good lens (plastic fantastic). The DA*55mm, well you already want to keep it!. The two zoom lenses will give you a nice coverage and flexibility.

If you want a 'long' focal length, I would suggest to consider the DA*300mm or FA*300mm. Yes they are not f2.8, but both deliver outstanding IQ at 300mm. And personally I find 300mm more useful than 200 mm.

My 5 cents....

[dmbaile2]

I bought these locally on Craigslist. A gentleman was liquidating all of his Pentax equipment.

I definitely have a lot to think about. No doubt I should shoot for a while before I decide. Is there a thread on the forums showing off the DA 60-250? I cant find one in the search..

I would keep them all but I feel a little bad having so much money tied up in lenses. Especially if im lusting over different equipment, is the DA 200mm F2.8 a sharper lens than the 60-250? It seems like I could practically trade these two lenses straight across.

[Des]

If you want a 'long' focal length, I would suggest to consider the DA*300mm or FA*300mm. Yes they are not f2.8, but both deliver outstanding IQ at 300mm. And personally I find 300mm more useful than 200 mm.

For wildlife, undoubtedly. But if you want something longish for portraiture I wonder whether a 70-200 f2.8 might be more useful than either the 60-250 f4 or a 300 f4 or f4.5?

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Last edited by Des; 01-26-2015 at 07:45 PM.

[dadipentak]

Well, if you're determined to keep the 55, I can't help you.

[UncleVanya]

I suggest the 50-135 as a long portrait lens. The 60-250 seems bulky and difficult to get the bokeh you want for portraits. I have both and think the 50-135 is superior for that use. I Think the 15 is very special as well so it would be low on my list of things to sell.

[dmbaile2]

That's what I was thinking I really want that 2.8 aperture. As it stands I could sell the 60-250 for more than I paid for it, I don't think it can really do anything the Tamron Adaptall cant in a pinch since a big bulky manual lens will suffice for the type of shots I have in mind. The 60-250 is also a fairly valuable lens so selling it would make my pocket book a lot happier than getting rid of the lower end glass.

[rod_grant]

No doubt I should shoot for a while before I decide

Yep, shoot with them all for a while and see what pleases you most.

[ramseybuckeye]

Tonight I purchased a:

DA 55mm f1.4
DA 15mm f4 Limited
DA 60mm - 250mm f4


As you help me make this decision, keep in mind that I am mostly into portraits. I have a couple of landscape photo ideas that involve compressing the background, and plenty of other portrait ideas that will benefit from a long focal length....


Like I said prior, I do have some long focal length portraiture ideas rolling around in my head, which is why I bought the 60-250. However, I'm not exactly happy with the aperature.

Now.. The 15mm limited, I guess I only bought it because I wanted to own a limited lens... But frankly, I don't really know what I am going to do with this thing. Currently, it just doesn't really fit into any of my photo ideas. Besides I have a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 that can go wide if I ever really need it..

My current lens inventory besides what I bought tonight is the following:
DA 50mm F1.8
DA 35mm F2.4
Tamron 17-50 f2.8
Tamron Adaptal 60-300 f3.8-5.4 (A beast of a vintage lens, it actually looks alright at mid apertures.. This has been working fine for my long focal length needs...)

Now, an adverse proposal. Maybe I should keep everything I bought tonight and sell some other lenses in my inventory, like the DA 50 f1.8, and both of the Tamrons...
.

Sounds like you got a nice little haul! I would think the 60-250 would be very nice for your compressed landscapes, regardless of the aperture. As for the other lenses, sounds like you have ideas on what you are doing with your photography, and only you can really decide which lenses fit for you. But I wouldn't make any rash decisions if you don't have to, give it a little time to try everything out. You don't feel you have a need for the 15 right now, but could find that you like it. I don't do portraits so I don't know if there is enough differences in your 50 and new 55 to have both, but if you don't try how do you know? You may have some decisions to make, just don't make a harsh one. Most of us have on one lens or another and have regretted it. Have some fun trying them all for a while, then decide.

[normhead]

Cross posted, from some other thread....

For portraiture, I'm guessing the 55 1.4 should be perfect, or sell the 60-250 and get a 77 ltd.

I shoot mainly wildlife and landscapes and the DA*60-250 is good for both. It's fine hand held, but you do have to be careful about focal length and shutter speed. At 60mm it's easily hand held. At 250mm, not so much. I do a lot of hikes with the 18-135 on the camera and the 60-250 in the bag or on a waist belt carrier. The question isn't so much what do you do with it, it's what doesn't it do? And it works great with both the FA 1.7 TC and the HD DA 1.4 TC.
































OK, I admit, I shouldn't have been this close with a 250, but hey, I lived didn't I?









Slideshow..... 91 images....

[IsaacT]

I would have straight up shat myself if I was that close to a wolf or a bear. My glass tilts in your general direction normhead. I just bought a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 but since it hasn't arrived, I cannot recommend it. I did however buy it for reasons and purposes similar to your own, OP.

[crewl1]

I suggest the 50-135 as a long portrait lens. The 60-250 seems bulky and difficult to get the bokeh you want for portraits. I have both and think the 50-135 is superior for that use. I Think the 15 is very special as well so it would be low on my list of things to sell.

I would go this way as well if you do a lot of portrait.
Skip the DA*200, when you decide you want to get a wildlife lens get the DA*300.
Nothing you mentioned seems like a fit for the 60-250 so sell it.
Sell the 50 1.8, it will not be used now that you have the 55.

Play with the 15, you have to find a purpose for it or else sell it. If you have to own a limited the 70 may be more helpful for portrait.

Keepers for me in your arsenal would be
Tamron 17-50 2.8 Zoom (if you have a good copy keep it, a good 2.8 zoom comes in handy for family gatherings)
DA35 (good normal focal length for all around)
DA55 (your new portrait prime)
Old Tamron ( for your compression experiments, and it won't bring much $ on the market )