Which lens???

Mattymo · 08-26-2015, 05:51 AM

Hello all, amature photographer here. Working with a Kx, with standards kit lenses 18-55 (don't like using this lens due to lack of sharpness iq), and 50-200. Also have a A50mm 1.7 and absolutely love love that lens. Here is my issue, i'm obsessive about IQ (which is why i adore the f1.7), but the problem is that my camera is used by my wife who doesn't really know all the functions of the camera, manual focusing being also an issue. The 50-200 covers most of our vacation shots, beach stuff. So i'm looking at the Da 50mm 1.8 AF because of the great reviews and cheap price, but I'm also considering the ease of which a 17-70 covers, especially for those who use my camera but don't understand positioning and composition. I don't want to break the bank so used under 300 used if necessary is preferable. Image quality is my no. 1 priority though, everything else I can work with. Any help here would be fantastic.

Nick Siebers · 08-26-2015, 06:41 AM

DA 16-45 would be a good choice. It has some quirks but is fairly inexpensive used and delivers great images.

kh1234567890 · 08-26-2015, 07:05 AM

Originally posted by Nick Siebers

DA 16-45 would be a good choice. It has some quirks but is fairly inexpensive used and delivers great images.

+1
The DA16-45 is definitely a step up from the kit DA18-55. But it is bigger, heavier and not WR - if that matters.

northcoastgreg · 08-26-2015, 07:27 AM

If you can't go over $300 your three main choices would be used versions of the following lenses: (1) DA 16-45; (2) DA 17-70; (3) Tamron 17-50.

Each of these lenses have potential issues. The DA 16-45 is prone to barrel wobble when the lens is extended (which occurs at the wide end of focal length), leading potentially to optical decentering. The DA 17-70 is prone to erratic AF. My copy was always a little bit off. Sometimes if front-focused, sometimes it back-focused --- whatever it did, it was not something easily corrected via calibration. As a result, I often found myself manual focusing the lens. But with an extremely short focus throw, MF on the lens can be challenging. With the Tamron, one hears of back or front focusing issues, and of complaints about build quality and durability.

I have experience with both the DA 16-45 and the DA 17-70. I found the DA 16-45 to be a nice lens --- definitely an improvement on the DA 18-55 --- but by the time I had acquired the 16-45, I had become spoiled by high-end Pentax glass, and as nice as the 16-45 definitely is, it's not quite as good as the limiteds, the star glass, or lenses like the DA 12-24 and the DA 10-17. The DA 17-70 improves on the 16-45. While there's hardly any difference in sharpness, the 17-70 has better contrast and rendering. Images just look a bit better than what I would routinely see from the 16-45.

I have no first hand experience with the Tamron, but from all accounts, and from the images I have seen, it's a very nice lens --- probably a bit better than the 16-45, and real close to the 17-70, with a stop advantage over each. Indeed, I think I would be inclined to give the Tamron my top recommendation, because it seems a little better, optically, than the 16-45 and it's potential AF issues seem a bit more manageable than those that sometimes afflict the 17-70.

Na Horuk · 08-26-2015, 07:31 AM

Originally posted by Mattymo

kit lenses 18-55 (don't like using this lens due to lack of sharpness iq)

Its not too bad if you use it around f8-f12 and near 35mm. Some other brand's kit lenses or some older kit lenses were not as good.

Originally posted by Mattymo

So i'm looking at the Da 50mm 1.8 AF because of the great reviews and cheap price

The images from this one will be basically the same as your A series, only with newer lens coatings and full automation. The optical designs are from the same lineage. The DA is lighter, plastic, and it has rounded aperture blades, so its bokeh will be slightly better once stopped down. For this price, its hard to say no. And if you really hate it, you can still sell it for a minimal loss. But you might want to look at DA 35mm f2.4, as it is noticeably wider than 50mm, and also has great image quality. Sharp, sharp, flare resistant, fast AF..

You might want to look at this review of 17-70mm lenses: Pentax 17-70mm Lens Comparison Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews
and this one of 17-50mm lenses: DA* 16-50mm vs. Sigma and Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 Comparison Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews
The Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 might be a good choice - its build is not super great, but it has fast aperture and IQ better than the kit lenses. Good value for the price, and a noticeable upgrade from the kit lens, but not too expensive.

Originally posted by Mattymo

Which lens???

All of them! The DA 18-135mm is highly valued, too. Good zoom range, decent brightness, not prohibitively expensive, WR. Sometimes it comes bundled with a camera for a really good price. I prefer to use prime lenses myself, those give you the best IQ, but as you said, they are not the easiest to use, especially when you give them to someone else. But if you are interested in primes, look at the DA 35mm f2.8 and DA 40mm XS. These are great IQ for the price, almost as affordable as the DA 50mm.

Good luck, and feel free to post a photo or two in the photo forums

**UncleVanya** · 08-26-2015, 08:04 AM

I own some great glass - DA 15 Limited, DA 40 Limited, DA 70 Limited, DA* 50-135, DA* 60-250...
I also own an 18-135 and my dad has a DA 17-70. Want to know a secret? I like the two plastic zooms just about as much as any of my lenses. The DA 18-135 is a great lens, the focal length range is super and the colors and contrast are really good. The DA 17-70 is better at the wide end, more flare resistant from what I saw playing with both but that could just be conditions favoring one over the other. The 17-70 has a bad reputation due to SDM failures early on - but both lenses are quiet and seem pretty nicely made. Depending on your need for either telephoto or wide angle you could just pick one of these and be happy. Also don't forget that the DA 17-70 is a constant f/4 lens which could be helpful but it is still not as fast as some other choices.

I have zero experience with the other lenses. But my F 50 1.7 is very similar to the DA 50 1.8. The 50 I have is fun to shoot, has great colors and contrast and is a good short tele on APSC. But the zooms are much more versatile.

Adam · 08-26-2015, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by Mattymo

Hello all, amature photographer here. Working with a Kx, with standards kit lenses 18-55 (don't like using this lens due to lack of sharpness iq), and 50-200. Also have a A50mm 1.7 and absolutely love love that lens. Here is my issue, i'm obsessive about IQ (which is why i adore the f1.7), but the problem is that my camera is used by my wife who doesn't really know all the functions of the camera, manual focusing being also an issue. The 50-200 covers most of our vacation shots, beach stuff. So i'm looking at the Da 50mm 1.8 AF because of the great reviews and cheap price, but I'm also considering the ease of which a 17-70 covers, especially for those who use my camera but don't understand positioning and composition. I don't want to break the bank so used under 300 used if necessary is preferable. Image quality is my no. 1 priority though, everything else I can work with. Any help here would be fantastic.

I would start with the DA 50mm then eventually replace your kit lens with a 17-70mm (Sigma or Pentax) or Pentax 16-85mm. All are great lenses.

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)

PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

pathdoc · 08-26-2015, 12:11 PM

The DA50/1.8 isn't quite as dirt-cheap in absolute dollar terms in Canada as it is in the US right now (under $100 US), but probably represents best bang for the buck of any current Pentax prime lens. If you want an autofocus 50mm prime for your Pentax camera, this one's almost impossible to beat for the price and it's held its own against the FA 50mm/1.4 and D-FA 50mm/2.8 Macro in terms of image quality (as you've probably already read). I have one, and I'm happy with it.

08-26-2015, 05:51 AM	#1
Mattymo New Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1	Which lens??? Hello all, amature photographer here. Working with a Kx, with standards kit lenses 18-55 (don't like using this lens due to lack of sharpness iq), and 50-200. Also have a A50mm 1.7 and absolutely love love that lens. Here is my issue, i'm obsessive about IQ (which is why i adore the f1.7), but the problem is that my camera is used by my wife who doesn't really know all the functions of the camera, manual focusing being also an issue. The 50-200 covers most of our vacation shots, beach stuff. So i'm looking at the Da 50mm 1.8 AF because of the great reviews and cheap price, but I'm also considering the ease of which a 17-70 covers, especially for those who use my camera but don't understand positioning and composition. I don't want to break the bank so used under 300 used if necessary is preferable. Image quality is my no. 1 priority though, everything else I can work with. Any help here would be fantastic.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Which Lens Fits Which Mount	latnwa7	Welcomes and Introductions	10	11-11-2014 09:06 PM
Which photo is which lens at 135mm?	striker_	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	9	10-30-2013 05:07 AM
Which lens on which body?	halfspin	Pentax K-3 & K-3 II	13	10-16-2013 04:04 AM
Wedding - which lens with which body?	The Kellyboy	Photographic Technique	16	04-13-2012 05:06 PM
Which exposure mode for which lens?	dosdan	Photographic Technique	8	01-13-2009 11:09 AM

08-26-2015, 06:41 AM	#2
Nick Siebers Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,165	DA 16-45 would be a good choice. It has some quirks but is fairly inexpensive used and delivers great images.

08-26-2015, 07:05 AM	#3
kh1234567890 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,653	Originally posted by Nick Siebers DA 16-45 would be a good choice. It has some quirks but is fairly inexpensive used and delivers great images. +1 The DA16-45 is definitely a step up from the kit DA18-55. But it is bigger, heavier and not WR - if that matters.

08-26-2015, 07:27 AM	#4
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,173	If you can't go over $300 your three main choices would be used versions of the following lenses: (1) DA 16-45; (2) DA 17-70; (3) Tamron 17-50. Each of these lenses have potential issues. The DA 16-45 is prone to barrel wobble when the lens is extended (which occurs at the wide end of focal length), leading potentially to optical decentering. The DA 17-70 is prone to erratic AF. My copy was always a little bit off. Sometimes if front-focused, sometimes it back-focused --- whatever it did, it was not something easily corrected via calibration. As a result, I often found myself manual focusing the lens. But with an extremely short focus throw, MF on the lens can be challenging. With the Tamron, one hears of back or front focusing issues, and of complaints about build quality and durability. I have experience with both the DA 16-45 and the DA 17-70. I found the DA 16-45 to be a nice lens --- definitely an improvement on the DA 18-55 --- but by the time I had acquired the 16-45, I had become spoiled by high-end Pentax glass, and as nice as the 16-45 definitely is, it's not quite as good as the limiteds, the star glass, or lenses like the DA 12-24 and the DA 10-17. The DA 17-70 improves on the 16-45. While there's hardly any difference in sharpness, the 17-70 has better contrast and rendering. Images just look a bit better than what I would routinely see from the 16-45. I have no first hand experience with the Tamron, but from all accounts, and from the images I have seen, it's a very nice lens --- probably a bit better than the 16-45, and real close to the 17-70, with a stop advantage over each. Indeed, I think I would be inclined to give the Tamron my top recommendation, because it seems a little better, optically, than the 16-45 and it's potential AF issues seem a bit more manageable than those that sometimes afflict the 17-70.

08-26-2015, 07:31 AM	#5
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by Mattymo kit lenses 18-55 (don't like using this lens due to lack of sharpness iq) Its not too bad if you use it around f8-f12 and near 35mm. Some other brand's kit lenses or some older kit lenses were not as good. Originally posted by Mattymo So i'm looking at the Da 50mm 1.8 AF because of the great reviews and cheap price The images from this one will be basically the same as your A series, only with newer lens coatings and full automation. The optical designs are from the same lineage. The DA is lighter, plastic, and it has rounded aperture blades, so its bokeh will be slightly better once stopped down. For this price, its hard to say no. And if you really hate it, you can still sell it for a minimal loss. But you might want to look at DA 35mm f2.4, as it is noticeably wider than 50mm, and also has great image quality. Sharp, sharp, flare resistant, fast AF.. You might want to look at this review of 17-70mm lenses: Pentax 17-70mm Lens Comparison Review - Introduction \| PentaxForums.com Reviews and this one of 17-50mm lenses: DA* 16-50mm vs. Sigma and Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 Comparison Review - Introduction \| PentaxForums.com Reviews The Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 might be a good choice - its build is not super great, but it has fast aperture and IQ better than the kit lenses. Good value for the price, and a noticeable upgrade from the kit lens, but not too expensive. Originally posted by Mattymo Which lens??? All of them! The DA 18-135mm is highly valued, too. Good zoom range, decent brightness, not prohibitively expensive, WR. Sometimes it comes bundled with a camera for a really good price. I prefer to use prime lenses myself, those give you the best IQ, but as you said, they are not the easiest to use, especially when you give them to someone else. But if you are interested in primes, look at the DA 35mm f2.8 and DA 40mm XS. These are great IQ for the price, almost as affordable as the DA 50mm. Good luck, and feel free to post a photo or two in the photo forums

08-26-2015, 08:04 AM	#6
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,404	I own some great glass - DA 15 Limited, DA 40 Limited, DA 70 Limited, DA* 50-135, DA* 60-250... I also own an 18-135 and my dad has a DA 17-70. Want to know a secret? I like the two plastic zooms just about as much as any of my lenses. The DA 18-135 is a great lens, the focal length range is super and the colors and contrast are really good. The DA 17-70 is better at the wide end, more flare resistant from what I saw playing with both but that could just be conditions favoring one over the other. The 17-70 has a bad reputation due to SDM failures early on - but both lenses are quiet and seem pretty nicely made. Depending on your need for either telephoto or wide angle you could just pick one of these and be happy. Also don't forget that the DA 17-70 is a constant f/4 lens which could be helpful but it is still not as fast as some other choices. I have zero experience with the other lenses. But my F 50 1.7 is very similar to the DA 50 1.8. The 50 I have is fun to shoot, has great colors and contrast and is a good short tele on APSC. But the zooms are much more versatile.

08-26-2015, 11:16 AM	#7
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	Originally posted by Mattymo Hello all, amature photographer here. Working with a Kx, with standards kit lenses 18-55 (don't like using this lens due to lack of sharpness iq), and 50-200. Also have a A50mm 1.7 and absolutely love love that lens. Here is my issue, i'm obsessive about IQ (which is why i adore the f1.7), but the problem is that my camera is used by my wife who doesn't really know all the functions of the camera, manual focusing being also an issue. The 50-200 covers most of our vacation shots, beach stuff. So i'm looking at the Da 50mm 1.8 AF because of the great reviews and cheap price, but I'm also considering the ease of which a 17-70 covers, especially for those who use my camera but don't understand positioning and composition. I don't want to break the bank so used under 300 used if necessary is preferable. Image quality is my no. 1 priority though, everything else I can work with. Any help here would be fantastic. I would start with the DA 50mm then eventually replace your kit lens with a 17-70mm (Sigma or Pentax) or Pentax 16-85mm. All are great lenses. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

08-26-2015, 12:11 PM	#8
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	The DA50/1.8 isn't quite as dirt-cheap in absolute dollar terms in Canada as it is in the US right now (under $100 US), but probably represents best bang for the buck of any current Pentax prime lens. If you want an autofocus 50mm prime for your Pentax camera, this one's almost impossible to beat for the price and it's held its own against the FA 50mm/1.4 and D-FA 50mm/2.8 Macro in terms of image quality (as you've probably already read). I have one, and I'm happy with it.