Evaluating lens changes for my K-50

Drizzt · 05-08-2015, 10:43 AM

Thx all for all suggestions

I've read everything you all wrote, taken a few things in consideration, and I think I'll keep working a bit on my abilities and shooting a lot more before changing gear. Money is not really an issue that much, but as I was searching for a good zoom with a wide aperture and I've found nothing so spectacularly cheap as the 50mm F1.7 (it happens when you don't have the palest idea of how reality works, and I hadn't

), I think I'll save a bit, maybe try a few cheap used 300mm, then evaluate things again and why not, go for zoom in a 1000$ range. But before wasting money...shoot, shoot, shoot

Sagitta · 05-08-2015, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by Drizzt

Thx all for all suggestions

I've read everything you all wrote, taken a few things in consideration, and I think I'll keep working a bit on my abilities and shooting a lot more before changing gear. Money is not really an issue that much, but as I was searching for a good zoom with a wide aperture and I've found nothing so spectacularly cheap as the 50mm F1.7 (it happens when you don't have the palest idea of how reality works, and I hadn't

), I think I'll save a bit, maybe try a few cheap used 300mm, then evaluate things again and why not, go for zoom in a 1000$ range. But before wasting money...shoot, shoot, shoot

As an aside, if you really want to look in the future for what primes to go after, go in and see what your most common focal lengths are that you've shot with your zooms.

In my case I noticed I had a LOT of ~35mm and ~85mm shots, so when I went prime shopping I focused on getting a 35 and an 85mm. If you use Lightroom, its easy enough to tell (just select your zooms in your library, and then look at the focal lengths shot at and see which have the biggest numbers). If you don't have LR, there are a couple programs out there that may allow the same thing, but I couldn't tell you what they are off the top of my head.

Don't diss the 70-300mm non-APO zoom TOO much. You can get them stupidly cheap off fleaBay if you look, and while soft at 300mm it does offer one thing that is *very* hard to come by: a 1:2 macro option at 300mm*. I have one, and while generally speaking its mush much past 200mm, in macro mode its sharp (and thats all that counts). Think of it as a 70-200mm zoom with an amazing macro ability and suddenly that cheap price tag is incredible for what you're getting.

* - minimum focus is like... 2 or 3 feet however, which means creativity must be employed at this point.

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05-08-2015, 10:43 AM	#16
Drizzt New Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Everywhere Posts: 15 Original Poster	Thx all for all suggestions I've read everything you all wrote, taken a few things in consideration, and I think I'll keep working a bit on my abilities and shooting a lot more before changing gear. Money is not really an issue that much, but as I was searching for a good zoom with a wide aperture and I've found nothing so spectacularly cheap as the 50mm F1.7 (it happens when you don't have the palest idea of how reality works, and I hadn't ), I think I'll save a bit, maybe try a few cheap used 300mm, then evaluate things again and why not, go for zoom in a 1000$ range. But before wasting money...shoot, shoot, shoot

05-08-2015, 12:48 PM	#17
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Originally posted by Drizzt Thx all for all suggestions I've read everything you all wrote, taken a few things in consideration, and I think I'll keep working a bit on my abilities and shooting a lot more before changing gear. Money is not really an issue that much, but as I was searching for a good zoom with a wide aperture and I've found nothing so spectacularly cheap as the 50mm F1.7 (it happens when you don't have the palest idea of how reality works, and I hadn't ), I think I'll save a bit, maybe try a few cheap used 300mm, then evaluate things again and why not, go for zoom in a 1000$ range. But before wasting money...shoot, shoot, shoot As an aside, if you really want to look in the future for what primes to go after, go in and see what your most common focal lengths are that you've shot with your zooms. In my case I noticed I had a LOT of ~35mm and ~85mm shots, so when I went prime shopping I focused on getting a 35 and an 85mm. If you use Lightroom, its easy enough to tell (just select your zooms in your library, and then look at the focal lengths shot at and see which have the biggest numbers). If you don't have LR, there are a couple programs out there that may allow the same thing, but I couldn't tell you what they are off the top of my head. Don't diss the 70-300mm non-APO zoom TOO much. You can get them stupidly cheap off fleaBay if you look, and while soft at 300mm it does offer one thing that is very hard to come by: a 1:2 macro option at 300mm. I have one, and while generally speaking its mush much past 200mm, in macro mode its sharp (and thats all that counts). Think of it as a 70-200mm zoom with an amazing macro ability and suddenly that cheap price tag is incredible for what you're getting. - minimum focus is like... 2 or 3 feet however, which means creativity must be employed at this point.