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09-21-2019, 08:26 PM - 1 Like   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by ivanvernon Quote
I look forward to comments and suggestions about these lists. Please feel free to tell me that I have included a bad lens (and why) . . . or tell me of something better that I should have put on the list from my Honorable Mention list or elsewhere.
I always chuckle when these 'best of' lists end up with 22 different lenses. It's not really very selective is it?

Anyway, here's mine (across a few different formats in no particular order).

1. SMC Pentax-M 28/f2
2. SMC Pentax 50/f1.2
3. SMC Pentax 85/f1.8
4. Chiyoko Rokkor 75/f3.5 (Minolta Autocord)
5. Carl Zeiss 38/f4.5 Biogon (Hasselblad SWC/M)
6. Leitz 5cm f2 Summicron Collapsible

That's it I think.

09-21-2019, 08:50 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by nickthetasmaniac Quote
I always chuckle when these 'best of' lists end up with 22 different lenses. It's not really very selective is it?

Anyway, here's mine (across a few different formats in no particular order).

1. SMC Pentax-M 28/f2
2. SMC Pentax 50/f1.2
3. SMC Pentax 85/f1.8
4. Chiyoko Rokkor 75/f3.5 (Minolta Autocord)
5. Carl Zeiss 38/f4.5 Biogon (Hasselblad SWC/M)
6. Leitz 5cm f2 Summicron Collapsible

That's it I think.
Nice list. I have thought from time to time about the P50/1.2 but have settled for my two converted Canons in that category. Your last three are new to me and tantalizing.

---------- Post added 09-21-19 at 11:53 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by blackcloudbrew Quote
Actually, I meant the FA*85 f1.4 not the K 85 however, there is a link and connection between the lenses. The DFA 100 WR is a wonderful lens but...I always wanted the now mythical Voighlander 125 macro as my macro holy grail.

Thanks to you for an interesting thread!
I have also heard about the Voigtlander sometimes spoken about in the same terms as the Carl Zeiss 100/2 planar that I have. It will probably remain unknown territory for me..........

---------- Post added 09-22-19 at 12:04 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by gatorguy Quote
I'll play, but do my ranking a bit differently with my personal top three in three categories, and in the order of what my interests today are (used to be wildlife and portraits were rare). BTW I nearly always carry two cameras as well.

Portrait
1. DA*55
2. DA*50-135
3. FA77

Hiking/Wildlife:
1. DFA 100WR
2. DA*200 (Pentax 1.7 TC in the bag)
3. HD DA15

Street:/walkaround
1. FA31
2. Sigma 17-50
3. HD DA15

Special mention for my top three lenses most likely to deliver an amazing shot no mater the subject, my most dependable image-wise:
1. DFA 100
2. DA*200
3. DA*55

I've own a few other lenses owned others are re-homed. TBH I don't think there's any other lenses I desire and I really couldn't be happier with the ones I have which my wife appreciates. Now she can get new furniture. Better be quick tho, new Pentax camera next year


Pentax FTW

---------- Post added 09-21-19 at 08:04 PM ----------


Spot on. Had I been asked three years ago I would have had a different list since wildlife and landscape was my primary interest, really my only one. Last year I added in a lot of street and special event. This year I've been far more interested in portraiture.

Heck maybe the stars next year?
Very interesting, great to be this organized. I like your category of most likely to give a good shot every time. I know that my Carl Zeiss Planar 100/2 and Pentax-FA 77 would fall in that category,and the third would have to be the Pentax-D FA 90mm f 2.8 which is good enough that it sometimes seems like cheating.
09-21-2019, 11:48 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by ivanvernon Quote
Your last three are new to me and tantalizing.[COLOR="Silver"]
They're winners! The Minolta in particular is a favourite. Autocord's are such an affordable way into medium format (6x6) and the Chiyoko Rokkor lens is exceptional - as good as the f3.5 Zeiss and Schneider glass used by Rollei.
09-22-2019, 03:19 AM - 1 Like   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kozlok Quote
My top ten list is just a list alternating between the DA15 and FA77.
The DA15 was probably my favourite lens on APS-C for years (on K5 and K3). Since I bought the K1 though, I haven't shot much with the smaller sensor, though I have on occasion used the DA15 in 1:1 mode on FF.

But today, inspired by all the excitement about the announcement of a new flagship APS-C camera from Pentax for 2020, I took the K3 out for a long walk along Southbank in Melbourne, with DA40, DA70, DA 55-300, DA 16-85, DA 10-17 fisheye, ... and of course the DA15 Limited.

I must say I was surprised when I processed the DA15 shots this evening. They were sharp at frame centre, but really very soft even halfway to the edges. I have become so used to the much more even edge-to-edge sharpness of the DFA 15-30 that the DA15 jarred somewhat. In reality, and I think I always knew this, the DA15 is best used for a close subject near frame centre and OOF background, for which it renders beautifully. It is less well-suited to broad landscape or group photos.

09-22-2019, 03:53 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by nickthetasmaniac Quote
They're winners! The Minolta in particular is a favourite. Autocord's are such an affordable way into medium format (6x6) and the Chiyoko Rokkor lens is exceptional - as good as the f3.5 Zeiss and Schneider glass used by Rollei.
Interesting about the Minolta Autocord. I have never held one in my hands, though I have a couple of TLRs, the really solid built EM Yashica-Mat with Yashinon 80mm f 3.5, which I notice still has film loaded in it from maybe 15 years ago. The second TLR is a Chinese Pearl River with Pearl River 75mm f 3.5 lens, a camera that was a gift to me back in the early 1980s when I toured the Pearl River camera factory as a guest international business consultant to China, also still loaded with film (Kodak Vericolor VPS). The Pearl River camera came with a clever internal mask that allowed shooting either 12 or 16 shots to a roll of film. My only local film processing drugstore has just ceased processing film, so any future film outing will require shipping off to Duane's or similar, another slight impediment to venturing back into the TLRs unless I want to start down the B&W home processing path, probably not, though I certainly remember the smells and processing ambience from high school days.

I do have one Minolta MD mount lens, the "Vivitar SMS 28mm f 28 MC Close Focus Wide Angle," a quite credible wide angle that I have not used very much but resolve to try out soon. There are quite a wide range of Minolta MD SLR lenses available with good reviews, and since I already have my MD-PK adapter, I am tempted by their 50mm f 1.2 and the 85mm f 1.4.
09-22-2019, 05:40 AM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
The DA15 was probably my favourite lens on APS-C for years (on K5 and K3). Since I bought the K1 though, I haven't shot much with the smaller sensor, though I have on occasion used the DA15 in 1:1 mode on FF.

But today, inspired by all the excitement about the announcement of a new flagship APS-C camera from Pentax for 2020, I took the K3 out for a long walk along Southbank in Melbourne, with DA40, DA70, DA 55-300, DA 16-85, DA 10-17 fisheye, ... and of course the DA15 Limited.

I must say I was surprised when I processed the DA15 shots this evening. They were sharp at frame centre, but really very soft even halfway to the edges. I have become so used to the much more even edge-to-edge sharpness of the DFA 15-30 that the DA15 jarred somewhat. In reality, and I think I always knew this, the DA15 is best used for a close subject near frame centre and OOF background, for which it renders beautifully. It is less well-suited to broad landscape or group photos.
You are the smart one to reduce the complexity to this level. If we were all smart, we would imitate you, but then I always remember what Yogi Berra told his team about that: "If you can't imitate him, don't copy him."
09-22-2019, 06:13 AM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
The DA15 was probably my favourite lens on APS-C for years (on K5 and K3). Since I bought the K1 though, I haven't shot much with the smaller sensor, though I have on occasion used the DA15 in 1:1 mode on FF.

But today, inspired by all the excitement about the announcement of a new flagship APS-C camera from Pentax for 2020, I took the K3 out for a long walk along Southbank in Melbourne, with DA40, DA70, DA 55-300, DA 16-85, DA 10-17 fisheye, ... and of course the DA15 Limited.

I must say I was surprised when I processed the DA15 shots this evening. They were sharp at frame centre, but really very soft even halfway to the edges. I have become so used to the much more even edge-to-edge sharpness of the DFA 15-30 that the DA15 jarred somewhat. In reality, and I think I always knew this, the DA15 is best used for a close subject near frame centre and OOF background, for which it renders beautifully. It is less well-suited to broad landscape or group photos.
I have the full list that Paul went walking with, on a K-70 in my case. I find all of those lenses really good, but I would leave the DA15mm out of my top ten list as i do not use that focal length enough.

In my film days, my favorite prime lenses were a Tokina 17mm, Tamron 90mm and Pentax M 135mm, and these translate in terms of field of view to about 11mm, 60mm and 90mm on APS-C. I used mostly premium zooms (Tamron Adaptall SP mostly) and top grade slide film (fujichrome 50).

PRIMES

I went through my list of primes in response to this thread, and I listed just those that I have evidence for giving great images on my K-70.

HD DA Limited 21mm/f3.2
SMC DA Limited 40 mm/f2.8
FA 50mm/f1.4
SMC DA 70mm/f2.4
Tamron Adaptall 2 SP 90mm macro 52BB
Sigma EX DG macro 105mm/f2.8
Vivitar (Komine) 135mm/f2.8
M 200mm/f4

I can add two to make a list of ten but still the DA 15mm does not make it:
Vivitar (Cosina) 24mm/f2.8 in PK-A/R mount
SMC Pentax 55mm/f1.8 or A 50mm/f1.7

Only three on the near-miss list, two oldies and one fairly recent, which results in three out of 13 lenses being 50-55mm:
The other one of the 50/55mm primes from above list
Sigma EX 50mm/f2.8 macro
Tamron Adaptall 2 135mm/f2.5

EDIT - I forgot my Pentax M 28mm/f3.5, just because I do not use it very often on APS-C. It is a magic lens and well worth being on the list, maybe in place of the Cosina 24mm.

ZOOMS

For favourite high-performance zooms, Paul's three are a good start and I will add two that I think are better optically than the modern 16-85mm:
HD DA 16-85mm
HD DA 55-300mm
DA 10-17mm because I have only zooms to go ultrawide and this one fits in a pocket (the old Sigma 10-20mm/f4-5.6 is sharper but too clumsy to take out often)
Sigma EX DG 24-60mm
Pentax F 35-70mm

I have another really great performer the Tamron Adaptall 2 SP 60-300mm which is the sharpest tele zoom I have, but it loses out to the Pentax 55-300mm on size+weight.


Last edited by Gary H Perth; 09-22-2019 at 06:48 AM.
09-22-2019, 02:53 PM - 3 Likes   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
I must say I was surprised when I processed the DA15 shots this evening. They were sharp at frame centre, but really very soft even halfway to the edges. I have become so used to the much more even edge-to-edge sharpness of the DFA 15-30 that the DA15 jarred somewhat. In reality, and I think I always knew this, the DA15 is best used for a close subject near frame centre and OOF background, for which it renders beautifully. It is less well-suited to broad landscape or group photos.

I think we all know the DA15 isn't clinically sharp. Even at F11 the edges fail to catch up. My Sigma 8-16 is definitely sharper in the corners, but the 15 is the world flare champion:




09-22-2019, 03:21 PM - 1 Like   #24
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Until Steve brought up a couple of lenses I own, I did not have a single lens mentioned.

Not sure what that means about my lens lineup... I tend to think about them as cheapies but goodies.
09-22-2019, 03:31 PM - 1 Like   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChristianRock Quote
Until Steve brought up a couple of lenses I own, I did not have a single lens mentioned.

Not sure what that means about my lens lineup... I tend to think about them as cheapies but goodies.
I would say, sir, that your work speaks for itself!
09-22-2019, 03:56 PM   #26
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In no particular order my top ten would be:

67 55/4 (late)
67 75/2.8
67 100/4 macro
A16/2.8 fish-eye
A135/1.8
A85/1.4
K50/1.2
K28/2
FA43/1.9
F300/4.5

Phil.
09-22-2019, 04:03 PM   #27
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Top 3 of Top Ten

QuoteOriginally posted by gofour3 Quote
In no particular order my top ten would be:

67 55/4 (late)
67 75/2.8
67 100/4 macro
A16/2.8 fish-eye
A135/1.8
A85/1.4
K50/1.2
K28/2
FA43/1.9
F300/4.5

Phil.
Two of your top three are on my Top Ten, and the 67 55/4 is on my honorable mention. I just recently got a mint copy of the 67/100 macro, and loving it more all the time and for lots of non-macro applications.
09-22-2019, 04:49 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by ivanvernon Quote
I just recently got a mint copy of the 67/100 macro, and loving it more all the time and for lots of non-macro applications.
Yep the 67 100/4 is an amazing macro lens, pretty well has grounded my 35mm format macro lenses since I got this beauty. Could be the sharpest lens I own.

Mostly use mine indoors with the LSC attached.

Phil.
09-22-2019, 05:07 PM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by gofour3 Quote
Yep the 67 100/4 is an amazing macro lens, pretty well has grounded my 35mm format macro lenses since I got this beauty. Could be the sharpest lens I own.

Mostly use mine indoors with the LSC attached.

Phil.
Same with me. I have the older K-mount Tokina AT-X 90mm f 2.5 macro and the Kiron 105mm f 2.8 1:1 macro, and the 67/100 put them out to rest, but the 645 120mm had done that already. What amazes me is how good it is as a standard lens, not to mention its macro capabilities. This has to be one of Pentax's greatest lenses.
09-23-2019, 01:28 AM   #30
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You guys really make me think in different ways sometimes. I often consider what 2, or maybe 3 lenses, I might make a compact outfit of for certain purposes in one format. But to consider everything I have across all formats had me wrapped up for a while. I'm on a lunch break during my midnight shift at this time - I always stay up all night.
Staying with the original idea of Top Ten here is mine:
SMC K 18/3.5, 24/2.8, 30/2.8, 35/3.5, 50/1.2, 85/1.8, Elicar V-HQ Macro 90/2.5 1:1, 645A 35/3.5, 120/4, SMCP DA 17-70/4. I use all except the the first three wide angles and 645 35 on my K20D and still like to shoot 35mm and 120 film.
There are several other lenses I highly value but these are among the ones I believe I'm most likely never to give up.
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