[osv]

Based on your criteria, it may be worth looking at the Sigma 24mm 2.8 Super Wide II

I have the MF version, it's compact, sharp, good metal build, has a focus scale. I have successfully used it for street photography, zone focusing. My only dislikes are that it flares somewhat into thesun, although a 3rd party rubber hood improves this, and the colours are maybe not as pleasing as Pentax lenses.

It's fairly common and cheap though, my as-new copy cost me £35 on eBay, so worth trying to see if it fits the bill for your needs.

^^^this

that lens was a perfect 4.0 on the old photodo site, and if you have aspirations for going ff sometime in the future, it'll be somewhat better on the sides than the pentax 24mm lenses are: Measured Resolution Numbers

the manual version has better build quality than the af version.

[houseofstyles]

I have the Sigma 24/1.8 EX and it is excellent in almost all regards. It doesn't meet your size desires (neither does the Pentax FA*/2 really), but in all other ways I am sure it would please you. It isn't great wide open (but not terrible either), but from f/2.2 on it is really pleasing to my eyes. Good sharpness, excellent bokeh and good results with flare and out of focus highlights. By far my most used lens and the reason I don't use my FA31/1.8 as much as I should.

+1 on the Sigma 24/1.8. Apart from its size, I prefer it to my Pentax 21/3.2 limited, and that's saying a lot. It's sharp and has very good build quality.

[mekiAus]

And actual wildlife.

Thank you all for your replies.
I will keep my eye on ebay for a suitable 200mm lens, either the A* or the DA*.
Ditto for the 24mm. My candidate list being the Sigma 24mm f/2.8 MF or the f/1.8 ED and the A* or the SMC DA 21mm f/3.2.

Once again thank you all for your advice.

Michael

[yusuf]

1. 24mm Prime (for k-01 or k-3) for Street Photography
I would ideally like it to be sharp, at least 2.8 aperture and also have distance scales on the lens for Zone focusing or Hyperfocal focusing. I don't mind manual. From the forum database 2 Pentax lenses seemed to meet my criteria: the FA* 24mm f/2 AL IF and the A 24mm f/2.8. I have not yet checked non-pentax alternatives.

Since you are looking for street photography at f2.8, you might want to check FA*24 performance at those apertures. I never used FA*24 but reviews are not encouraging at those apertures, it's disappointing especially because it's FA* lens and stellar performance was expected.

Pentax SMC-FA* 24mm f/2 AL [IF] - Review / Lab Test Report - Analysis

Similar evaluation from Dimitrov's site FA* 24/2 AL [IF]

SMC A24, Sigma super wide II are good choices. Since your requirement is minimum f2.8, DA21 & M24-35 are ruled out though both of them are good for streets.

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Last edited by yusuf; 02-26-2015 at 06:59 AM.

[cmohr]

The Sigma Superwide II 24mm 2.8, good, cheap, brilliant. I have the AF version, its a cracker.


For a 200mm.... Sorry, my only 200mm Prime is my FA*200/2.8, so not cheap..... Brilliant, not not cheap.

[pinholecam]

Pentax K24 is a favourite of mine for both APSC and FF.










Downside is green button metering on the Pentax cameras.
Other than that, fantastic punchy o/p, really 'comes to life' at about f3.2 (that stop between f2.8 and f4)


FA*24/2 has the advantage of AF and f2 for more isolation.
That old often repeated comment about it being not sharp at f2 is really over expectation.
Its actually refers more to the off center than the center which is certainly sharp at f2. (and very few lenses out there are sharp edge to edge at wide open? )
On APS-C, which uses most of the central area, its certain no issue.







I did not like the FA*24 that much though as I prefer small lenses and did not like its performance as a landscape lens on FF (at f8, f11)

[mholford]

I'm certainly no expert, and have limited comparables... but I LOVE my k200 2.5.
It's one of those lenses that never leaves my camera bag (along with my limiteds).
For sports the MF might be "challenging", but before AF that's what everyone had to do...
On the positive side, because it's completely manual (requiring lots of green button use) you might find one at a real "bargain" price (I did), which might swing the balance in it's favour.

I picked mine up on fleabay for under $200 (well used, but optically still excellent) - which suited me just fine.

[mekiAus]

I solved my "street photography" question by purchasing a Ricoh GR 16.2mp point-and-shoot on ebay. I chose it after reading some street photography blogs. Now I gotta learn how to use it. I have also enrolled in a Street Photography weekend workshop run by Sydney Uni's adult Education Extension Center in late March.

I will still keep an eye out for 24mm and 200mm Primes for the Pentax on eBay. Amazing what you can get at a good price if you are patient.

Thank you all for the advice.

I would like to close this thread now.

Michael