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12-05-2016, 10:39 AM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by DougieD Quote
I probably shouldn't be sticking my nose in this thread, because I don't get paid to shoot, and people aren't my main area of interest anyway. But I consider my DA L 18-55mm semi-autofocus, at best. It often misses, and no amount of fiddling with the fine focus adjustment has changed that. I often manually focus that lens, and occasionally consider leaving it in the woods when I leave. As a professional- and that's what you are when you start taking money from people- you need dependable equipment. In that case, I'd replace that kit lens as soon as possible. That's based on my experience with my copy, at least.
I think it's your copy, Dougie. You should have sent it back during the warranty period.



12-05-2016, 11:16 AM - 1 Like   #32
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QuoteOriginally posted by Alex645 Quote
When you go Pro, trust and reputation become essential. So first and foremost, Iʻd recommend a second camera with a spare battery.
I think you need a second camera, too. You can drop a lens and work around it, but right now if your camera body dies, you're done. If you screw up someone's special event because you weren't prepared, word will get around. I know lenses are more fun to shop for, but you really need some sort of bail-out option on the camera side of things.
12-05-2016, 11:36 AM   #33
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If you like the results you (and most importantly the clients) get from your current lenses, I think a second body is a good investment. It could be a backup in case anything goes wrong with your main one or a way to have two lenses mounted at the same time for when there is no time to change them.
After that, think about what it is you wish your photos had that they don't and what you need to achieve that.

An AF 50/1.8 is a good investment and a great value. I'd short list that.
For the more expensive lenses think about what you need and choose carefully!
Congrats on getting paid!
12-05-2016, 04:29 PM   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
I'd probably start by upgrading the body to one that's more reliable / rated for more actuations, like the K-3. After that, I'd add a versatile, silent-focusing lens like the DA 16-85mm, Sigma 17-50mm F2.8, etc. You will probably take most of your photos with said lens.
I wouldn't touch the camera. I've got the K-30, its fine. I've also got the Tamron 17-50 2.8, and HD 55-300, and a manual flash - this is good enough for the jobs i've done, plays and dances. The HD 55-300 is f/4-4.5 from 55-200, so that is decent. I suppose I'm interested in a Tamron 70-200 2.8 or an DA* 50-135 2.8, but I'm trying to stick to a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, and avoid gas (gear acquisition syndrome)

If you need a backup camera, another K-30/50 is hardly $300.

12-05-2016, 04:55 PM   #35
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QuoteOriginally posted by Imp Quote
I wouldn't touch the camera. I've got the K-30, its fine. I've also got the Tamron 17-50 2.8, and HD 55-300, and a manual flash - this is good enough for the jobs i've done, plays and dances. The HD 55-300 is f/4-4.5 from 55-200, so that is decent. I suppose I'm interested in a Tamron 70-200 2.8 or an DA* 50-135 2.8, but I'm trying to stick to a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, and avoid gas (gear acquisition syndrome)

If you need a backup camera, another K-30/50 is hardly $300.
I think it depends on what you do. I was running up against the limits of my K-30 in shooting indoor events. I just wasn't having the room to push ISO (though flash can help in many situations), but what was really getting me was the metering. I was constantly wishing for autoexposure lock button, so I could lock my exposure and recompose. When I upgraded to the K-1, I found the improved metering has made AE-lock button much less necessary.
12-05-2016, 06:18 PM   #36
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The only lens you have that I would keep is the DA35.

I agree that you want a second body. if you can't bear to get rid of your kit lenses keep them as backups too until you can afford backups of your soon to be nicer lenses.

I upgraded in this order:

1) DA*50-135. Buy it. Buy it new with a warranty or used cheap enough to to forgive it if the SDM fails eventually. Then either fix it or convert it to screw drive and keep it as a backup and buy another one. It is simply one of the best "people" lenses made of any manufacturer. I use mine probably 80-90% of the time.

2) a second body. K-3 or K-3ii would be ideal but there is nothing wrong with a second K-50 or even a KS-2.

3) a better wide angle. I went with the DA20-40ltd and have no regrets. I'll fill in the wider end eventually but I personally find I rarely need wider.

And then wait to buy anything else until you figure out your business and style needs. Maybe consider replacing the DA35 with the 35 limited so you have a versatile macro but other than that these two lenses on two bodies will get you through just about anything.

---------- Post added 12-05-16 at 07:20 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by lithedreamer Quote
I think it depends on what you do. I was running up against the limits of my K-30 in shooting indoor events. I just wasn't having the room to push ISO (though flash can help in many situations), but what was really getting me was the metering. I was constantly wishing for autoexposure lock button, so I could lock my exposure and recompose. When I upgraded to the K-1, I found the improved metering has made AE-lock button much less necessary.
Assuming you use back button focus and don't use that button for AE-Lock then?
12-05-2016, 07:30 PM   #37
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QuoteOriginally posted by lithedreamer Quote
I think it depends on what you do. I was running up against the limits of my K-30 in shooting indoor events. I just wasn't having the room to push ISO (though flash can help in many situations), but what was really getting me was the metering. I was constantly wishing for autoexposure lock button, so I could lock my exposure and recompose. When I upgraded to the K-1, I found the improved metering has made AE-lock button much less necessary.
That's interesting, what indoor events would you shoot? For me, i'm comfortable at 1600, and I'll push it to 3200 if I need to. Usually I'm also in fairly even lighting, so i just set it and forget it in manual mode.

12-05-2016, 07:59 PM   #38
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QuoteOriginally posted by VoiceOfReason Quote
K3 and Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 would be the cheapest and most worthwhile upgrades from where you are
I also recommend this combo, K3 is a pro-grade camera and it's not too expensive, and the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 is among the sharpest zoom for Pentax crop sensor (plus 2.8 is awesome in low light parties) !
12-05-2016, 08:27 PM - 1 Like   #39
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@skierd Yup, I use back-button AF and wanted an AE-Lock button. Very reassuring to have one on the new camera.

QuoteOriginally posted by Imp Quote
That's interesting, what indoor events would you shoot? For me, i'm comfortable at 1600, and I'll push it to 3200 if I need to. Usually I'm also in fairly even lighting, so i just set it and forget it in manual mode.
They were mostly based at a local community college, graduations and a diversity conference. I have the same comfort with 1600 and 3200 ISO. The main trouble was capturing the projector slides (which multi-segmented metering wanted to overexpose) and the participants in context, especially in dimly lit classrooms, where many of the conference's individual sessions were held. I switched to spot metering, but I often didn't want the projector in the centre of my shots, so... AE button would have been perfect.
12-05-2016, 09:55 PM   #40
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Just an quick off-topic, of I'm using back button focus, I'd use manual mode and the green button to auto set exposure. Just a quick work-around I found when using manual lenses originally.
12-07-2016, 07:20 PM   #41
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Wow, first off, thank you all so much! I wish I could respond to all of you individually, but that would be a little unreasonable... And I'm sorry for not responding for so long, it's my first finals week as a College student!

To clear up a few things:

I don't need to spend money on food or housing because I'm 18, a Freshman in college (switching from Biology my first semester to Mechanical Engineering next semester), and my awesome parents are paying for college. So I'm not necessarily planning on making photography a full-time job, but I would love for it to be a side job in the future and as a way of making some fun money right now.

Again, thank you all so much. I read all of the responses, and I'll try to answer most of them in this.

I will probably stop using Google AdWords now, but I will say that two of the jobs that I have gotten just this month were through it. However, I'll probably focus more on word of mouth now.

I am not sure whether or not I'm going to take classes. A teacher of mine from high school is also a professional photographer and he has been helping me out a lot (I'm actually going to see him on Friday to talk about photography stuff), so I'll probably ask him if I can tag along for a wedding or something similar to get some pointers. I will probably join my local photo club, however, as it is really cheap.

Now for the money: I will probably upgrade in roughly this order:

Spare batteries ($27)
Used Pentax K-50 ($300) or used K-3 ($550)
Extra flash for the extra body ($40 new; I know that's cheap, but I like the flash I have. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Display-Speedlite-Cameras-Standard/dp/B010XCEA...ewer+speedlite)
Sigma 17-50 f2.8 ($400 new, quieter AF than Tamron)
DA*50-135 f2.8 ($550 used)

Things I want to work in at some point:

Pentax 50mm f/1.8 ($100)
New camera bag that can hold two bodies, flashes, and lenses ($???)

Again, thank you all so much for your input. If you have any comments on my current plans, please let me know!

Robert
12-07-2016, 07:51 PM - 2 Likes   #42
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Spend your money on time on making original, unique work. Spend it on travel, or on producing the shoots you want to shoot. You have enough gear to do a lot with, and people are paying you to make pictures based on the gear you have, they're not paying you to come with a new lens. Otherwise you will be in business saying yes to every job simply because it is a photography job, and you will not generate a unique vision. I guess if you don't mind being a malleable service bureau then fine but if you have a passion for photography and want to do it a certain way you have to spend time honing that before you get the right type of (better) clients. I think one of the most detrimental things for a young photographer to do is to get focus on getting paid for their work too early. I did it myself, taking newspaper assignments not long after I started shooting my own stuff (and these assignments need work done in a way that was not like newspaper work at all) and it probably set my artistic development back a good 5-7 years. Only when I recognized that did I start to get back to what was important.

By that time, you will know exactly what gear you need to make your work, your work. Then buy that. There is no "professional" set up. I am a professional now almost 10 years in and if I needed to could live my life with a 35, 50, and 85 mm lens from pretty much whatever (capable) brand you threw at me, a tripod and one flash if I'm getting greedy and that's it. But that's because the work I do is based on making work that only needs that. Also, don't buy cheap stuff for the sake of it. Buy the tools you need, and buy them with the intent of using them for a long time.
12-07-2016, 09:50 PM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by roberts_camera Quote
Now for the money: I will probably upgrade in roughly this order: Spare batteries ($27) Used Pentax K-50 ($300) or used K-3 ($550) Extra flash for the extra body ($40 new; I know that's cheap, but I like the flash I have. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Display-Speedlite-Cameras-Standard/dp/B010XCEA...ewer+speedlite) Sigma 17-50 f2.8 ($400 new, quieter AF than Tamron) DA*50-135 f2.8 ($550 used)
These seems reasonable good luck for your journey as a Pro
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