A prime next to my tamron 17-50?

VdMeer · 06-03-2016, 03:36 AM

I can get a pentax-k 28mm f3.5 for 150€. I think it's a lens that does't come along that often, is 150€ a decent price? I can always try it and resell it

alamo5000 · 06-03-2016, 04:35 AM

Originally posted by VdMeer

I can get a pentax-k 28mm f3.5 for 150€. I think it's a lens that does't come along that often, is 150€ a decent price? I can always try it and resell it

If you are going with that focal length go with the F28mm. It doesn't come up for sale that often but here in the states you should be able to find one for a couple hundred bucks and it has AF.

SMC Pentax-F 28mm F2.8 Reviews - F Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

You won't be disappointed in that one. Trust me. Poor man's 31mm.

I saw one of those that sold here on the forum a while back for 120 euros. I am guessing 120-150 Euros including shipping would be a fair price.

In the states about $175 to $200 bucks...

alamo5000 · 06-03-2016, 04:49 AM

Originally posted by VdMeer

I can get a pentax-k 28mm f3.5 for 150€. I think it's a lens that does't come along that often, is 150€ a decent price? I can always try it and resell it

Long story short... look up reviews of any potential lens purchases before you buy. Any time you get 20+ Pentaxians reviewing anything and you have consistent scores in excess of 9+ odds are you will be doing well.

But I think 150 Euros for that lens you mentioned is a bit much.

nanhi · 06-05-2016, 11:41 AM

Originally posted by VdMeer

Hi everyone,
This is my first post on this forum, although I've been lurking around for quite some time here. But I can't make up my mind (I googled a lot and more options came up and I'm starting to get more and more confused).
I own the Pentax K5 and the tamron 17-50 lens. For travel I really like this lens, it's versatile, sharp in most circumstances and with the K5 it works quite well in low light. But sometimes I miss that kind of oomph in terms of colour, contrast and sharpness and because of that the allure of a prime is really appealing to me. From a friend a borrowed once the 35mm f 2.4, but besides the plastic building quality (I know that the tamron is plastic as well but it feels more solid), I did not like te focal length. It was not wide enough to include enough scenery or close enough for a portrait.
When I travel I really like to go out to marketplaces and capture the people that sell or wander around these places (people portraits are my favourite!) and my most used focal length is somewhere between 24-32mm on the tamron. Considering this, I thought off course of the pentax fa 31 but, due to it's price, it's for now unfortunately off limits. I was thinking of the old carl zeiss distagon 28mm and change it to the pentax mount. However I'm not sure if the manual focus is that easy that you can use it fast enough on a market and streets. I would love to hear other opinions or other options and is a prime a real addition to the kind of photography I'm doing? (I'd like to think so!)

Hello VdMeer Sir, I own both the Tamron 17-50 & 28-75 f2.8 lens. Both are awesome lenses for critical sharpness and their compact size. In fact for my Street & Travel Photography I use the Tamron 17-50 f 2.8 together with the Sigma 10-20 f 4-5.6 80% of the time on my K-5 IIs.

The Tamron is brutally sharp. And I have no issues with what you say "sometimes I miss that kind of oomph in terms of colour, contrast and sharpness", as the photos you have posted are simply terrific.

Lighting conditions can affect color and contrast. So this is what you should do: Use the Bright camera setting with the Contrast and Sharpness boosted by (2) notches on your K-5.
Further use PP to boost the color in some of the photos you think is washed out or dull.

I have never needed a Prime lens as the Tamron 17-50 f 2.8 is a "Stack of Primes".
Perhaps play with the AF Fine Tuning with your lens to get "Tack Sharpness" from you copy. On a K-5 I needed +5, but on the K_5 IIs it is spot on.

Regards.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Help me decide: Tamron 17-50, Pentax DA 16-45, or Sigma 17-50 for my K-01	yellowbrick	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	38	04-30-2016 07:26 AM
Not happy with my 17-50 Tamron for Canon	Iksobarg	Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands	17	07-10-2015 02:06 PM
Where to go next ? Thinking of a short tele prime...	Nicolas06	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	19	08-24-2014 04:16 AM
Debating between Sigma 17-50 mm, Tamron 17-50mm, Tamron 28-75mm, Tokina 16-50	babaloohead	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	25	03-23-2013 08:56 AM
Tamron 17-50mm, Tamron 28-75mm, Sigma 17-70mm, which lens for my trip to Greece?	macky112	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	15	11-20-2011 03:08 PM

06-03-2016, 03:36 AM	#16
VdMeer New Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 10 Original Poster	I can get a pentax-k 28mm f3.5 for 150€. I think it's a lens that does't come along that often, is 150€ a decent price? I can always try it and resell it

06-03-2016, 04:35 AM	#17
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	Originally posted by VdMeer I can get a pentax-k 28mm f3.5 for 150€. I think it's a lens that does't come along that often, is 150€ a decent price? I can always try it and resell it If you are going with that focal length go with the F28mm. It doesn't come up for sale that often but here in the states you should be able to find one for a couple hundred bucks and it has AF. SMC Pentax-F 28mm F2.8 Reviews - F Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database You won't be disappointed in that one. Trust me. Poor man's 31mm. I saw one of those that sold here on the forum a while back for 120 euros. I am guessing 120-150 Euros including shipping would be a fair price. In the states about $175 to $200 bucks...

06-03-2016, 04:49 AM	#18
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	Originally posted by VdMeer I can get a pentax-k 28mm f3.5 for 150€. I think it's a lens that does't come along that often, is 150€ a decent price? I can always try it and resell it Long story short... look up reviews of any potential lens purchases before you buy. Any time you get 20+ Pentaxians reviewing anything and you have consistent scores in excess of 9+ odds are you will be doing well. But I think 150 Euros for that lens you mentioned is a bit much.

06-05-2016, 11:41 AM	#19
nanhi Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangalore, India Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 469	Originally posted by VdMeer Hi everyone, This is my first post on this forum, although I've been lurking around for quite some time here. But I can't make up my mind (I googled a lot and more options came up and I'm starting to get more and more confused). I own the Pentax K5 and the tamron 17-50 lens. For travel I really like this lens, it's versatile, sharp in most circumstances and with the K5 it works quite well in low light. But sometimes I miss that kind of oomph in terms of colour, contrast and sharpness and because of that the allure of a prime is really appealing to me. From a friend a borrowed once the 35mm f 2.4, but besides the plastic building quality (I know that the tamron is plastic as well but it feels more solid), I did not like te focal length. It was not wide enough to include enough scenery or close enough for a portrait. When I travel I really like to go out to marketplaces and capture the people that sell or wander around these places (people portraits are my favourite!) and my most used focal length is somewhere between 24-32mm on the tamron. Considering this, I thought off course of the pentax fa 31 but, due to it's price, it's for now unfortunately off limits. I was thinking of the old carl zeiss distagon 28mm and change it to the pentax mount. However I'm not sure if the manual focus is that easy that you can use it fast enough on a market and streets. I would love to hear other opinions or other options and is a prime a real addition to the kind of photography I'm doing? (I'd like to think so!) Hello VdMeer Sir, I own both the Tamron 17-50 & 28-75 f2.8 lens. Both are awesome lenses for critical sharpness and their compact size. In fact for my Street & Travel Photography I use the Tamron 17-50 f 2.8 together with the Sigma 10-20 f 4-5.6 80% of the time on my K-5 IIs. The Tamron is brutally sharp. And I have no issues with what you say "sometimes I miss that kind of oomph in terms of colour, contrast and sharpness", as the photos you have posted are simply terrific. Lighting conditions can affect color and contrast. So this is what you should do: Use the Bright camera setting with the Contrast and Sharpness boosted by (2) notches on your K-5. Further use PP to boost the color in some of the photos you think is washed out or dull. I have never needed a Prime lens as the Tamron 17-50 f 2.8 is a "Stack of Primes". Perhaps play with the AF Fine Tuning with your lens to get "Tack Sharpness" from you copy. On a K-5 I needed +5, but on the K_5 IIs it is spot on. Regards.