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06-01-2020, 02:28 PM   #1
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Should I update my lenses?

Hello,

Today I got:

Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM

18-200mm f/3,5-6,3 DC Macro HSM Contemporary

And I’ thinking about upgrading since I found two lenses which are hardly used.

Sigma 18-35 F1,8 DS Art

Pentax 18-270mm F2,5-6,3 ED SDM SMC

Is it really such a big upgrade that it will make a difference for me?

Been looking at the Irix 15mm for a long time also...

What should I do here? Thanks

06-01-2020, 02:40 PM   #2
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Just to clarify

You have the 10-20 an 18-200 and you have chance to buy the 18-35 and 18-270.

For my two cents worth the 18-2xx lenses are a wash, with the Pentax being a bit longer, but neither is even a 3 of 5 lens, mainly because of rough transitions and messy out of focus areas. The Sigma 18-35 can give you great results but the focus is said to be unreliable. I've never heard much about the 10-20, and that's probably a good thing. Many like it, I can't remember anyone saying anything really bad about it.
06-02-2020, 06:53 AM   #3
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Keep in mind that the Sigma 18-35mm is a very large lens. But it is said to be very good (I haven't had one). I you don't mind the size, I'd say go for it!

The Pentax 18-270mm will give you a bit more reach like Norm said, but I'm not sure it will give you a huge step in quality. Probably an improvement in color for those who prefer the Pentax colors like a lot of us do

The Irix 15mm would be more of a specialty lens, I think, since everything about it is manual. Is there anything about your SIgma 10-20mm that you are unhappy with? I've seen some beautiful shots taken with it, so I think it is quite capable. I'm not into super-wides, otherwise that's one lens I would probably consider.

How about complimenting your superzoom with some primes that you can use when you want to shoot in lower light or have better quality pictures? And for macro as well - perhaps the DFA 100mm f/2.8 Macro would be a good place to start? And I find having a fast all purpose prime like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Art to be invaluable to me - very fun to use despite being quite heavy for a prime lens, but not nearly as heavy as the full frame fast lenses from Sigma... and probably light compared to that SIgma 18-35!
06-03-2020, 05:12 AM   #4
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What do you like to shoot? What are you not liking about your current glass? How long have you been shooting? What's your budget like if you wanted to buy a lens or two?


I think, on a crop body, the Sigma 10-20's are seen as pretty good glass. The 18-200 is "decent-ish, sorta" but I don't know that I would get excited about the 18-270 unless my goal was to never change lenses.

If that is your complete list of glass, I could see a prime or two slotting in nicely.

06-03-2020, 05:21 AM   #5
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Thanks for your replies.

I might not need a new lens then. Just in the mood for something new.

Been into shooting pretty much anything but lately street. And an 85mm or 135mm fol samtang. Their both MF only though so thats something to think about.

Any lens recommendations in general?


I got today:

Sigma 18-200 f/ 3,5-6,3 DC

Sigma 10-20mm

Laowa 60/2,8 ultra macro 2:1

Pentax DA 35 2,4 AL

Pentax DA 50mm 1,8

Looking to shoot more street and cars. The 35 and 50 are good for street I know but seen a lot of nice oics taken with 85mm and 135mm street photography.

Fun to mix it up also seeing that it’s so common with 50mm for street photography.

I’m not much of a tech guy, don’t know that much about all the camera stuff. I just go out and shoot and do it with the lens I feel the most for that day
06-03-2020, 05:29 AM   #6
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When using the 18-200 what end of the focal length are you typically at?

I have a sigma 18-200 and it rarely get used. The da/dal kit lens combination 18-55 and 50-200 produce better images and are compact / light enough that it is easy to take both.

As far as the extra reach of the 270. I have a couple inexpensive 80-300, 100-300. They never get used, I find cropping the 70-200 f/2.8 or even the kit 50-200 lens (when I don't want to carry the 70-200) are better.

If you do want an all in one lens the 18-135 gets lots of love. I have never used it
06-03-2020, 05:38 AM   #7
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Moved to Pentax SLR Lens Discussion forum

06-03-2020, 06:15 AM - 3 Likes   #8
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Honestly, I think my recommendation would be to stop buying glass 100% for the time being, and go shoot the daylights out of the kit you have. If you think you might want to try an 85 prime, just leave your 18-200 at 85 and shoot that way for a hundred shots or so. Do the same with it at 135. Come back and see what you think. Not an exaggeration, maybe after 1000 or 2000 shots taken would I recommend buying more glass.


I have a hunch, and I'm fine with being wrong, that you won't use that 60mm macro much at all if your interest is street & cars and such. The 50 is tight enough on a crop body for a whole lot of that kind of shooting. Autofocus is also really nice to have for that sort of thing which is another knock against a manual focus lens like that 60. It's great glass! It's just... not what I would grab for that sort of adventure.
06-03-2020, 07:01 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by MNB Quote
Any lens recommendations in general?

(...)

Looking to shoot more street and cars.
Well, in that case, the Pentax lens made for street (and great for cars as well) is the DA 21mm Limited... a small pancake lens that will work very well for the intended purpose, I think.
06-03-2020, 07:26 AM - 1 Like   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by MNB Quote
Should I update my lenses?
I always ask myself the questions... what are my current lenses not doing that I need and what will another bring to the table.

So you can tell... I buy lenses very infrequently.
06-03-2020, 09:01 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
Honestly, I think my recommendation would be to stop buying glass 100% for the time being, and go shoot the daylights out of the kit you have. If you think you might want to try an 85 prime, just leave your 18-200 at 85 and shoot that way for a hundred shots or so. Do the same with it at 135. Come back and see what you think. Not an exaggeration, maybe after 1000 or 2000 shots taken would I recommend buying more glass.


I have a hunch, and I'm fine with being wrong, that you won't use that 60mm macro much at all if your interest is street & cars and such. The 50 is tight enough on a crop body for a whole lot of that kind of shooting. Autofocus is also really nice to have for that sort of thing which is another knock against a manual focus lens like that 60. It's great glass! It's just... not what I would grab for that sort of adventure.
I use the 18-200 as my go to daily lens.

10-20 landscape.

Macro a use a lot actually. Love shooting macro. And that lens is my favorite of all of them.

As I said I shoot whatever I feel like from day to day. Never been into just one thing.

Some of my photos can been seen here:

Mikel Nilson Bark - Portfolio


But you might be right. Just keep going with the lenses I got. Not that I feel that I really need a lens when i’m out taking photos.

The whole idea actually came from that my go to lens the 18-200 is a pretty cheap lens and maybe upgrading to something better with sharper lens etc might be an idea. And then I came across the 18-135 and 18-35 sigma art.

But sometimes cheap doesn’t mean that it’s bad.

You know how it is you see a good deal and specially when I’ve heard so many good things about sigmas art lenses...
06-03-2020, 09:45 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
Honestly, I think my recommendation would be to stop buying glass 100% for the time being, and go shoot the daylights out of the kit you have. If you think you might want to try an 85 prime, just leave your 18-200 at 85 and shoot that way for a hundred shots or so. Do the same with it at 135. Come back and see what you think. Not an exaggeration, maybe after 1000 or 2000 shots taken would I recommend buying more glass.
I tend to agree with this.

However if you are in the mood to buy, then the DA Limited lenses (15, 21, 35, 40, 70, 20-40) are a real joy to shoot on APS-C cameras.
The 3 DA Limited pancake lenses 21, 40, 70, would we nice for street being so compact.
06-03-2020, 10:02 AM - 4 Likes   #13
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IN NO WAY do I mean for this to sound like a jerk comment, but since we don't have tone of voice here, I felt like I should clearly state that before this next part. I don't think the original poster really has a good feel for the focal lengths he is interested in using or how focal length can be useful in getting the photos he wants. Between the 10-20 and 18-200 he already has he has a huge spectrum of focal lengths to play with. He's also got a 50 f1.8 to use to play with depth of field and nice out of focus rendering for subject separation. And then he lists the DA 35 f2.4 for a lens that is largely the same but wider. Getting a ton of experience with just the 10-20, 18-200, and 50mm would be a huge learning experience if the way I'm reading this situation is correct. Buying more glass, especially expensive Ltd glass, doesn't compute to me here. Grains of salt, just my opinion, etc.
06-03-2020, 10:36 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
IN NO WAY do I mean for this to sound like a jerk comment, but...
oh dear, I think I know what comes next


QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
I don't think the original poster really has a good feel for the focal lengths he is interested in using or how focal length can be useful in getting the photos he wants. Between the 10-20 and 18-200 he already has he has a huge spectrum of focal lengths to play with.
No doubt. The OP did say they are in the mood for change. If you have the funds why not buy what you want or what takes your fancy?



QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
Buying more glass, especially expensive Ltd glass, doesn't compute to me here.
Used 21s, 40s and 70s are very affordable and well suited for street shooting. Just a suggestion.
06-03-2020, 03:04 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by MNB Quote

Sigma 18-200 f/ 3,5-6,3 DC

Sigma 10-20mm

Laowa 60/2,8 ultra macro 2:1

Pentax DA 35 2,4 AL

Pentax DA 50mm 1,8

Looking to shoot more street and cars. The 35 and 50 are good for street I know but seen a lot of nice oics taken with 85mm and 135mm street photography.

Fun to mix it up also seeing that it’s so common with 50mm for street photography.
I've had a few lenses in that 18-200 category and they were nothing I would want to use much. But I don't think you'll get anything out of it if you sell it, but I could be wrong, I've been wrong before and will be wrong again. The rest of your lenses are decent and you have a nice portfolio. But for street and cars, I would go wider instead of the telephoto range. I would suggest a DA21, or DA20-40. I don't have the 21, but it is well known as a street lens for a lot of users here. I do have the 20-40 and it is one of my favorites. I basically replaced a Sigma 17-50 with it because I like the images produced with it so much better I can do without those few focal lengths.
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