[zburatoru]

For what it's worth, these are my thoughts:

DA15 - keeper (flare resistance, starbursts)
FA31 - keeper (perfect fast normal on crop)
A50/1.7 - ditch it
F50/1.7 - ditch it
DA*55 - keeper (perfect portrait lens on crop)
Helios 44-k - keeper (uniquely quirky rendering)
Samyang 85/1.4 - personally, I'd look at the FA77 or DA70 instead (85 is a bit long on crop IMHO)
Sigma 105mm f2.8 ex dg macro - keeper
DA18-55WR and Tamron 17-50/2.8 - I'd get the DA*16-50 or DA16-85 to replace both
HD55-300WR - keeper

As others have said, a top-notch telephoto would be the only other consideration. The DA*300 would be my suggestion.
And the DA10-17. Even if you don't like fisheyes

Thank you! You're really helpful!

[robbiec]

So! Let's see. Primes:
Smc Pentax da 15mm limited
Smc Pentax fa 31mm limited
Smc Pentax a 50mm f1.7
Smc Pentax f 50mm f1.7
Smc Pentax da 55mm sdm f.1.4
Helios 44-k 58mm f2
Samyang 85mm f1.4 as if umc
Sigma 105mm f2.8 ex dg macro
Zoom:
Smc Pentax da 18-55mm wr
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8
Hd Pentax da 55-300mm
So, I'm pretty covered won't you think?
My inner voices:
"You should buy a 43mm limited instead of 55mm sdm, a 77mm limited instead of Samyang or even a Mitakon creator 85mm.. "
"You should buy a Leica r lens and convert to Pentax, because of better rendering, contrast, bla bla"
Please cure my lba!

Been there done that. You need to swap out the nifty 50s for the A50/1.2 for a season or 2.

The Samyang really needs to be replaced by the 77, no question.

The 43, it is along with the 77 the best bang for buck you'll get anywhere but there are like driving an 80s hot hatchback verses the sheer competence of newer models with 250+ horsepower. You can take either on a wet twisty road like Molls Gap close by to me but you'll forever remember the 80s car for the input you had to make and its the same with the 43. Learn and play to its strengths and it'll blow you away.

I'll throw in a curve ball for your LBA, the DA*50-135/2.8, doesn't have the reach of the 55-300 but in its range capable of utter magic.

S!

[monochrome]

So! Let's see. Primes:
Smc Pentax da 15mm limited
Smc Pentax fa 31mm limited
Smc Pentax a 50mm f1.7
Smc Pentax f 50mm f1.7
Smc Pentax da 55mm sdm f.1.4
Helios 44-k 58mm f2
Samyang 85mm f1.4 as if umc
Sigma 105mm f2.8 ex dg macro
Zoom:
Smc Pentax da 18-55mm wr
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8
Hd Pentax da 55-300mm
So, I'm pretty covered won't you think?
My inner voices:
"You should buy a 43mm limited instead of 55mm sdm, a 77mm limited instead of Samyang or even a Mitakon creator 85mm.. "
"You should buy a Leica r lens and convert to Pentax, because of better rendering, contrast, bla bla"
Please cure my lba!

40 years of LBA:

K17/4FE | K18/3.5 | A20/2.8 | K20/4 | K24/2.8 | K24/3.5 | K28/2 | K28/3.5 | K28/3.5 SHIFT | K30/2.8 | K35/2 | K35/3.5 | A50/1.2 | K50/1.2 | A50/1.4 | K50/1.4 | K50/4 Macro | K55/1.8 | K55/2 | K85/1.8 | K100/4 Bellows | K100/4 Macro | K105/2.8 | K120/2.8 | K135/2.5 | K135/3.5 | K150/4 | K200/2.5 | K200/4 | K400/5.6 | K500/4.5 | K1000/8

Vivitar Series 1 90/2.5 Macro ‘Bokina’ + 1:1 Extension
Adaptall-2 SP 35~80/2.8~3.8 01a
Auto-Takumar 85/1.8
CZ Ultron 1,8/50
ST35/3.5 | ST50/1.4 | ST50/1.4 (8) | SMCT55/1.8

FA31/1.8. | FA43/1.9 | FA77/1.8

[zburatoru]

40 years of LBA:

K17/4FE | K18/3.5 | A20/2.8 | K20/4 | K24/2.8 | K24/3.5 | K28/2 | K28/3.5 | K28/3.5 SHIFT | K30/2.8 | K35/2 | K35/3.5 | A50/1.2 | K50/1.2 | A50/1.4 | K50/1.4 | K50/4 Macro | K55/1.8 | K55/2 | K85/1.8 | K100/4 Bellows | K100/4 Macro | K105/2.8 | K120/2.8 | K135/2.5 | K135/3.5 | K150/4 | K200/2.5 | K200/4 | K400/5.6 | K500/4.5 | K1000/8

Vivitar Series 1 90/2.5 Macro ‘Bokina’ + 1:1 Extension
Adaptall-2 SP 35~80/2.8~3.8 01a
Auto-Takumar 85/1.8
CZ Ultron 1,8/50
ST35/3.5 | ST50/1.4 | ST50/1.4 (8) | SMCT55/1.8

FA31/1.8. | FA43/1.9 | FA77/1.8

O my God! That's a collection!

---------- Post added 02-27-2019 at 11:03 PM ----------

Been there done that. You need to swap out the nifty 50s for the A50/1.2 for a season or 2.

The Samyang really needs to be replaced by the 77, no question.

The 43, it is along with the 77 the best bang for buck you'll get anywhere but there are like driving an 80s hot hatchback verses the sheer competence of newer models with 250+ horsepower. You can take either on a wet twisty road like Molls Gap close by to me but you'll forever remember the 80s car for the input you had to make and its the same with the 43. Learn and play to its strengths and it'll blow you away.

I'll throw in a curve ball for your LBA, the DA*50-135/2.8, doesn't have the reach of the 55-300 but in its range capable of utter magic.

S!

Well, I don't do many portraits so I think my Samyang it's enough, especially that I like shallow depth photography so, from time to time it's useful and I think it's got the best smooth bokeh I have ever seen!
43mm limited... I'm not impressed by my 31 yet so, I don't know.
50-135mm, too big and I'm not a wedding guy...
50mm f1.2... I've seen images wide open, very hard to hit the focus, bad image... My 55mm sdm it's enough and f 50mm and Helios 44-k...
I'd rather go with 40mm limited. I love the colors and contrast of that lens maybe better contrast than 43?

---

Last edited by zburatoru; 02-27-2019 at 11:39 PM.

[ThorSanchez]

Anybody who finds the 18-55 to be adequate would find the 18-135 more than adequate. I have better uses for my money, so I don't need excuses to purchase every lens in existence. My Sigma 10-20, DA 18-135, and DA 55-300 PLM fill my bag and my heart.

I've been thinking about doing a single in March with the 18-55 kit lens. Just to see how much I notice its flaws, and how much I can squeeze out of it and if I can use it as my rainy day backup.

[cmohr]

I'll throw in a curve ball for your LBA, the DA*50-135/2.8, doesn't have the reach of the 55-300 but in its range capable of utter magic.

S!

The DA*50-135/2.8 is in my top 5lenses. I don't care about charts or reviews, it's totally and utterly, Truly sublime.

[zburatoru]

I've been thinking about doing a single in March with the 18-55 kit lens. Just to see how much I notice its flaws, and how much I can squeeze out of it and if I can use it as my rainy day backup.

F8-f11 and you're good to go!

[swanlefitte]

I've been thinking about doing a single in March with the 18-55 kit lens. Just to see how much I notice its flaws, and how much I can squeeze out of it and if I can use it as my rainy day backup.

Love my 18-50 in the fog. Sharp through fog doesn't mean much. Small, wr is great.

[UncleVanya]

The DA*50-135/2.8 is in my top 5lenses. I don't care about charts or reviews, it's totally and utterly, Truly sublime.

I completely agree.
With current price deflation and the possibility of picking up a dead SDM and converting to screw drive you cannot beat the value either!

[er1kksen]

Are you sure your real issue isn't that you have too many lenses? Having that many choices would probably give me too much anxiety to go out and take pictures!

[zburatoru]

Are you sure your real issue isn't that you have too many lenses? Having that many choices would probably give me too much anxiety to go out and take pictures!

No, I'm trying to use them all and they all got their application!

[buberfan]

Without a doubt my kit is enough. It it me that is not enough. But fixing me is hard while buying more kit is easy (so long as I have money). And this, my friends, is the root cause of the runaway consumerism and toxic greed that is destroying the planet.

[zburatoru]

Without a doubt my kit is enough. It it me that is not enough. But fixing me is hard while buying more kit is easy (so long as I have money). And this, my friends, is the root cause of the runaway consumerism and toxic greed that is destroying the planet.

Yes, it's not just lba, it's all about consumerism but we are the guilty ones! We can stop to buy as long as we realise that we have enough!

[arnold]

Kit lens, and you are done.

[Sandy Hancock]

I'd rather go with 40mm limited. I love the colors and contrast of that lens maybe better contrast than 43?

You can add contrast in post processing. There is no pixie dust slider.