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04-16-2015, 04:00 PM   #16
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It depends on what you're shooting primarily.
If you're into landscape/street photography, you could look for lenses ~14mm - 35mm range. 35mm is pretty good for portraits.
Shooting portraits - 50mm is great for head shots, and 70mm (I have an 85mm) is even better - but the distance starts to become an issue, due to FL and lack of width.

28mm range = ~0.66' / 0.22m to 12' / 3m - very useful range. Have to get a little close for headshots.
50mm range = 1.4' / 0.45m to 45' / 15m - still a great range
85mm range = 3' / 1m to +50'/18' - distance shots are a little harder unless you have good AF and a light lens. My 85mm f/1.4 is a bear w/o a tripod and/or focus peaking. On the plus - you don't have to be standing right in front of it.

Note: It makes a HUGE difference at the wide end. Eg. 18mm --> 35mm is almost 2x. 100mm to 200mm is 2x. The difference is how 'wide'.
I have a 28mm f/2.8 and a 50mm f/1.4. I don't think I'd personally get a 35mm, but for ~$100 I probably would, as my other 2 are MF lenses.

04-16-2015, 04:16 PM   #17
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28, 50(2), 135(2), 500(mirror)
want a 14
04-16-2015, 06:05 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by gokenin Quote
Hello, I am just curious what range of focal lengths do people have that still use primes? I currently have a 28,50 and 70 I am thinking of picking up the 35 and hoping for the 135 but does the 35 seem redundant?
"Still use primes"????

What does that mean?

Focal lengths are one thing that can't be easily answered, mainly because it depends on you and what you like to shoot.

Me personally I love the 28mm focal length on the crop sensor. My list of primes by focal length are: 15, 21, 28, 31, 40, 43, 50, 70 and hopefully soon a 77mm.

I find that I use the 31mm and the 43mm the most. I am kind of itching to get the 77... but long story short the subject matter determines the focal length.

I wouldn't worry too much about being 'redundant' but there does need to be something 'special' that you like about each lens.
04-16-2015, 06:07 PM   #19
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If you can find it cheap consider the 40mm pancake. Fits in a filter sleeve so it's a lense you can always bring with you and not even know you have it. Takes nice photo's too. It also splits the difference between 28mm and 50mm a bit more eventy.

04-16-2015, 06:19 PM   #20
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The rule of thumb used to be to work in doubles for your basic kit, then fill in from there. So a Pentax APS-C prime kit might go 15, 35, 70, + an older 135. Then add the 21, a 50, a 100/90 macro, 200, etc...

Edited to add: For me, the 35 is a bit redundant in your kit at this point. I would be looking for a 135. But that's only relevant for what I like to shoot. For the subjects you like, having a more fine-tuned kit in the mid-range might make more sense.
04-16-2015, 07:31 PM   #21
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My prime list goes 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm, 400mm and 500mm. Last two don't count because the lenses are garbage. Of the list, the ones I gravitate towards are the 35, 85 and 135 simply because they all have 'A' settings. The rest are all manual. Rather than seeking out a prime for under 28mm, I just picked up a 10-20 Sigma zoom instead and it fills the gap on the lower end nicely for me.
04-16-2015, 07:53 PM   #22
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I have the 15, 21, 31, 40, 70, and 100 macro and I usually just grab either the 21, 31, or 40 when I go out and stroll about the town. I can also create a light and compact 3 or 4 lens kit out of them.

04-16-2015, 09:25 PM - 1 Like   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by skunktail Quote
My two K mount prime kits.

On digital:
15, 31, 50, 77, 100 Macro, 300

On 35mm film:
28, 50, 77, 100 Macro, 300

I also keep zooms to cover a similar range and more.

Mine is the same as your digital kit, minus the 300 (which I eventually want to add). For me this covers everything I want to do, more lenses would be redundant.
04-16-2015, 09:52 PM   #24
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Obviously it depends on what you want to shoot. For me, not having a wide would be absolutely impossible. The 28mm on APS-c is a normal - 42mm FF FoV is within 10 percent of normal perspective. I use the 35mm as a normal.

My primes in heavy use are 14mm, 21mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm. I just don't see a major gap there, at least not with a higher-megapixel camera like the K-3 that can withstand a bit of cropping. Of course, you can cover the UWA range with some of the newer zooms (Sigma 10-20s, for instance), but they really aren't in the same class with the Samyang 14mm or the Pentax 15mm if you need compactness. Personally, I don't see good reason why Pentax has been pre-occupied with the 40mm focal length (other than it can be made very small, and production cost is low); it tends not to fit well in the prime range for most folks on crop sensor.
04-17-2015, 12:32 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by gokenin Quote
I currently have a 28,50 and 70 I am thinking of picking up the 35 and hoping for the 135 but does the 35 seem redundant?
I think the 35 would be redundant between 28 and 50; I can live with a 2x focal length between lenses, others prefer 1.5x.

My AF primes are 31 and 100 macro; gap is huge and I sometimes throw in the M50/1.7.
My K-mount MF primes are M50/1.7 and M120/2.8; great combo for outdoors
My M42 kit is more comprehensive; 28/2.8 (mediocre quality), 55/1.8, 55/2.8 macro, 85/1.8, 135/3.5, 200/4, 300/4. When I go out, I pick 2 depending on mood
04-17-2015, 08:44 AM   #26
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APSC Primes: 15mm, 21mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 70mm
135 (FF) Primes: 24mm, 28mm, 50mm, 55mm, 100mm, 135mm, 500mm
My philosophy is to cover the focal range with primes, then add zooms for walk-around convenience.
04-17-2015, 08:53 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sagitta Quote
My prime list goes 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm, 400mm and 500mm. Last two don't count because the lenses are garbage.
But you can probably use them to fend off bear attacks.
04-17-2015, 03:42 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
But you can probably use them to fend off bear attacks.
Nah, if you're referring to the 400/500, they're those cheap Quantaray things that are made out of aluminum and bend in the middle if you aren't careful. I might confuse the bear long enough to make an escape though..
04-17-2015, 03:44 PM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sagitta Quote
Nah, if you're referring to the 400/500, they're those cheap Quantaray things that are made out of aluminum and bend in the middle if you aren't careful. I might confuse the bear long enough to make an escape though..
I was thinking they might be old ones from the 70s/80s...
04-17-2015, 03:48 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
I was thinking they might be old ones from the 70s/80s...
I suspect they may be that old, but they're still cheap and aluminum. I paid next to nothing for them though, so they kind of just take up residence in the cabinet to impress the Mundanes.
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