Hi,

I'm recording youtube videos with the K-S2 and the kit lens.

I usually stay on the 18mm focal length or just a little bit more. I don't move the camera, it's in front of me, so a fix lens would do.

I was wondering if there is an old lens, now cheap, that I could use to have a lot more brightness that I get now. I still don't have a good illumination and it's a very small environment.

I don't know at all this Pentax world and as I understand I could use old lenses as well, maybe there are some cheap ones that could definitely improve the overall look. And with a wider aperture that what I have now. I generally like the very bright looks.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Davide

[jlstrawman]

You might like to ask your video questions here ;

Video and Pentax HDSLRs - PentaxForums.com

[Na Horuk]

I don't know at all this Pentax world and as I understand I could use old lenses as well, maybe there are some cheap ones that could definitely improve the overall look. And with a wider aperture that what I have now. I generally like the very bright looks.

Yes, there are, but not so ultra wide. 18mm is really wide. I would actually recommend you move the camera further and use something like 35mm. Why? Because 35mm and wider has fairly strong distortion, making face look more round and nose look more flat.
Older affordable lenses are usually 24mm - 135mm.

Anyway, if you want something like 18mm but better quality, get Samyang 20mm. Very bright lens, not too expensive, really wide, and great optics. But it is Manual focus only. Or Tamron 17-50mm f2.8. Affordable, similar to the kit lens, but much brighter and better image quality.
I would get DA 35mm f2.4 or DA 50mm f1.8, then buy a remote trigger and tripod. Or DA 35mm f2.8 Macro. The macro allows really close up focus, so its good for product shots and closeups. Stunning image quality, too.

[jatrax]

The good value lenses (and there are many) would have been designed for a FF format so 20mm was ultra-wide. Not easy to find anything very affordable wider than 24mm.

As Na Horuk says try a 35mm or 50mm and move the camera back. But for video there is no substitute for light. Investing in some lighting equipment might be your best decision.

[grispie]

If you can live with manual focus, i'd recommend an smc A 28mm f2.8.
If you want autofocus, i second the da35 2.4 or the tamron 17-50 2.8

[othar]

Cheap, old lenses in my experience start at 28mm f2.8 and longer. Everything wider and/or faster will be expensive. And f2.8 against f3.5 of your kit lens is not that much faster.
If you want to go with another lens a new Samyang 20mm might be the lens for you, but I think you would be better off bying some lights first, because with the aperture open you might get problems with depth of field even with a lens that wide when you move around

Thank you for all your suggestions.

I can further explain that the camera is in a fixed position on a tripod. and I don't move much, as I'm behind a desk. So I can go with manual focus. I can't push the camera too back, because there is no space, and I will be further from the Rode microphone on the top, reducing audio quality.

I had a look right now and I can use until 24mm at the maximum, with the kit lens 18-50mm f/4.0-5.6. As it is APS-C is not too wide anyway.

And yes, I will definitely get a softbox too, I have the space for only 1, not too big. I will search for that too.

This is the list of your suggestions so far, if I'm correct with the letters, but the most wont' do in this case:
Pentax 35mm DA L F2.4 AL
Pentax smc DA 50mm f/1.8
Pentax HD Pentax DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited
SMC Pentax A 28mm f/2.8
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD
Samyang/Rokinon 20mm f/1.8 ED AS UMC

I checked anyway all the lenses, even for other things, but the only one I'm not sure is the Samyang 20mm. Because the versione I found is around $500/$600, so, I don't know if that could be considered cheap or if there is another one. I found it with the name of Rokinon too.

Thanks.

[TaoMaas]

...for video there is no substitute for light. Investing in some lighting equipment might be your best decision.

I'm with Jatrax. From what you're describing, raising your light level might be your least expensive route to improving your videos. Do you have a link to any of your YouTube videos? That might help us make more specific suggestions.

[othar]

I checked anyway all the lenses, even for other things, but the only one I'm not sure is the Samyang 20mm. Because the versione I found is around $500/$600, so, I don't know if that could be considered cheap or if there is another one. I found it with the name of Rokinon too.

It is wide and fast even without AF it is still cheapish for a lens of that kind, but yes it is not that cheap bought new.

[grispie]

I checked anyway all the lenses, even for other things, but the only one I'm not sure is the Samyang 20mm. Because the versione I found is around $500/$600, so, I don't know if that could be considered cheap or if there is another one. I found it with the name of Rokinon too.

to be honest, I agree with earlier comments.
I'd invest in good lighting first and then see how far you get.
For video, the kitlens should actually be fine. No lens will solve a badly enlightened scene.

I'm with Jatrax. From what you're describing, raising your light level might be your least expensive route to improving your videos. Do you have a link to any of your YouTube videos? That might help us make more specific suggestions.

Yes, I'm with you as well, I know I have to do that too. It's on my priority list. But I could do both, light and lens.

Here's a link:

You Tube

You Tube

I've just started so I know there is still a long way to go, but I take it as a learning process. And this place might even be temporary.

On my right side I have a window but the sun light in this period is above the house roof. On the other side I've just tried to place a temporary lamp for now but I didn't correct the WB.

I think I had to go ISO 400, F/4.0 and 1/100, or 1/80, which is not enough. I'm trying AF with facial recognition but it looks it's not working right, next time I'll try manually.

---------- Post added 06-23-17 at 07:02 AM ----------

It is wide and fast even without AF it is still cheapish for a lens of that kind, but yes it is not that cheap bought new.

Ok, thank you, I wasn't sure if it was the right one.

[othar]

I think I had to go ISO 400, F/4.0 and 1/100, or 1/80, which is not enough.

For regular videos a rule of thumb is that your shutter speed should double your frame rate (25 fps -> 1/50 sec; 30 fps -> 1/60 sec) so you have a little leeway for your exposure in your example

For regular videos a rule of thumb is that your shutter speed should double your frame rate (25 fps -> 1/50 sec; 30 fps -> 1/60 sec) so you have a little leeway for your exposure in your example

Thanks. I was doing that at the beginning but I had the feeling it was a bit too blurry. So I thought to double that at 1/125, if I can. But I have to improve the AF as well, because I have the feeling that the facial recognition is not the right choice.

[climit]

Thanks. I was doing that at the beginning but I had the feeling it was a bit too blurry. So I thought to double that at 1/125, if I can. But I have to improve the AF as well, because I have the feeling that the facial recognition is not the right choice.

I consider 1/125 as optimal for my videos too. I don't use continuous auto focus. I personally shoot videos with the DA 21. The Samyang 20 would be nice if you want the extra stops. But it is quite bulky and you would have to go manual focusing. For low light - night videos I use the FA 35.

I consider 1/125 as optimal for my videos too. I don't use continuous auto focus. I personally shoot videos with the DA 21. The Samyang 20 would be nice if you want the extra stops. But it is quite bulky and you would have to go manual focusing. For low light - night videos I use the FA 35.

Thanks. I see the DA 21mm is f/3.2. I like the pancake type but is there much difference compared to the 18-50 retractable? Which is f/4.0 at 18mm. Or it's the lens itself brighter and better looking? Lenses are definitely a complicated huge world.