[heatherslightbox]

I hate to say that was one of the reasons I didnt like the tamron as well. I do think however that the sigma is a great replacement for it .

If I find that the 45 on the 16-45 isn't long enough for me, I may go back to the Sigma 17-70 or the DA17-70, if the price has come down on it some.

In all reality, it's not very often that I need 2.8 for everyday shooting, but if I do, then I can always switch over to one of my primes. I'll wait until after I get back from Maryland at the end of the month and reevaluate then.

Heather

[heatherslightbox]

Forget what I said earlier about waiting until the end of the month--I just listed both the 28-75 and 50 on Fleabay. If I can get what I want for both of them, I may just get the 43 before I head off to Maryland. I would've listed them in the marketplace, but with the 25% MS Live rebate, I figured I'd save myself the work of listing them twice.

For anybody who's interested at taking a peek at my listings, my seller name is "book-junkie".

Yes, I am an impatient soul.

Heather

[Miserere]

Heather, the price for your Tammy after cashback is silly. If I didn't have other needs I would buy it as a back up. I love my Tammy 28-75...

Here's a tip: Increase your BIN prices by $10 and $5, and list the lenses as "free shipping". Cashback only applies to the BIN price, not the shipping so including the shipping in the BIN price costs you nothing (as eBay calculates its fee based on the total sale price anyway) but gives the seller some extra savings.

[kenyee]

Heather: did you do any BF/FF testing for the 28-75?
I mean tripod, 2sec timer, wide open at 2.8 at 28/50/75mm?
I might be interested in this lens if you've checked it. I've had lousy luck with finding one so far (0 for 3) so I'm hesitant to buy this used...

[heatherslightbox]

Heather: did you do any BF/FF testing for the 28-75?
I mean tripod, 2sec timer, wide open at 2.8 at 28/50/75mm?
I might be interested in this lens if you've checked it. I've had lousy luck with finding one so far (0 for 3) so I'm hesitant to buy this used...

No I haven't, but I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary when using it with any of the bodies I currently have or had (K10, K20, K200). At any rate, if you're seriously interested, I can do that later on today after I get home from work. What exactly should I be looking for?

I've already got 4 watchers on that lens and 2 on the 50/1.7. Now if someone would just buy them, that would be even better.

Heather

[kenyee]

At any rate, if you're seriously interested, I can do that later on today after I get home from work. What exactly should I be looking for?

Run the lens wide open at f/2.8, focus on a distant object, then focus on your closer test target that has lot of contrast w/ the center focus point. Test at 28/50/75.

Here was my thread on my hellish problems but at least B&H was good enough to refund me everything including shipping:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/35576-tamron-2...8-f-2-8-a.html
It's hard to see the issue if you resize, so if you want to see the fullsize pics:
Tamron 28-75 testing pictures from photography experiments photos on webshots

I'm one of the watchers on your lens

[Miserere]

Kenyee, I applaud your dedication

But if this Tammy also have BF/FF issues, we're going to have to conclude that the problem is your camera

[kenyee]

But if this Tammy also have BF/FF issues, we're going to have to conclude that the problem is your camera

Or no one else is anal-retentive as me in testing for it

To be fair, the first one was obviously bad (general softness/halos, not BF/FF) even at portrait range...it was easily confirmed on the tripod. The 2nd had major BF issues at portrait range.
The 3rd may have been ok but w/ the used condition and some BF (not as bad as the 2nd), I just decided the safe thing to do was return it.
I don't have weird issues like this w/ my 17-70 or 50/1.4.

[DJey]

Thought of the same thing too.. Are others really going to the dark side?

Halloween was the death nail for me. Another frustrating experience with PTTL flash. My 'fast' glass and Pttl was spanked by my cousin the Newbie with a D80, slow kit, and nikon flash. To say I was frustrated and a bit embarrassed would be an understatement. But that is life I guess. I used her camera for a few minutes and it made me realize I am always making excuses for my camera/flash and how many tricks you have to use to get it to kind of work properly.
She was kind enough to email me some shots of our kids so I at least have some.

But I imagine that anytime new cams are released from the other Brands with no immediate answer back from pentax you get a few movers. But many of the goodbyes have mentioned that they needed more than they were getting from their pentax. And we are seeing some top of the line glass and bodies in the market, so this ain't just newbies taking off.

More glass and steel for those staying...

[cpopham]

Halloween was the death nail for me. Another frustrating experience with PTTL flash.

Sorry to hear about your poor experience - myself, I don't use it for anything other than daylight fill anymore, after too many cases of drooping eyelids. The goods news is auto mode works pretty damn well with the camera on manual, and Pentax actually thought to give us a proper auto mode too.

Either that, or you can just take a fair number of shots, and hope you get one without eyelids beginning to close

And we are seeing some top of the line glass and bodies in the market, so this ain't just newbies taking off.

Having seen the way a lot of new people behave on camera forums, unless they're all talk, then I wouldn't assume that expensive gear doesn't mean newbies...

[Miserere]

Halloween was the death nail for me.

Does that mean you're leaving us?

I've had no experience with P-TTL flash. If I ever use flash, which is very, very rare, I have an old Vivitar 2600 that I fire remotely and have the camera on M. I keep meaning to buy the 540 flash, but my funds always seem to go towards more glass At least it's fast glass

Sorry to hear about your poor experience - myself, I don't use it for anything other than daylight fill anymore, after too many cases of drooping eyelids. The goods news is auto mode works pretty damn well with the camera on manual, and Pentax actually thought to give us a proper auto mode too.

Either that, or you can just take a fair number of shots, and hope you get one without eyelids beginning to close

Having seen the way a lot of new people behave on camera forums, unless they're all talk, then I wouldn't assume that expensive gear doesn't mean newbies...

Well it was not just the half closed eyes... but the exposure comping that needed to be done. And you are right... expensive gear does not necessarily mean the veterans are leaving. But a few who have left have been around for a while.

There are plenty of newbies who can afford K20's, 540's and a bucket full of limiteds... only to get frustrated because they need to take the camera off of Auto I don't cry for them.

Does that mean you're leaving us?

I've had no experience with P-TTL flash. If I ever use flash, which is very, very rare, I have an old Vivitar 2600 that I fire remotely and have the camera on M. I keep meaning to buy the 540 flash, but my funds always seem to go towards more glass At least it's fast glass

I dont think I can afford to leave... unfortunately and
I love playing with the old lenses and the fast glass. I have really enjoyed
my K100d for 92% of what I shoot. But the other 8% are important shots too, usually family schnaportraits at family events...
The kids are also getting older and more active and the tracking AF is less than stellar.

I do not think I can afford buy into a new system without selling the old one. And from my previous camera experience, once you get a new system your time and energy goes into getting the best from it, so the old camera gets little use...

I am still on the fence, but the AF and flash looks better in the other yard... But you know what they say "the flash always looks greener on the other side"

[Miserere]

But you know what they say "the flash always looks greener on the other side"

And in better focus too

[kenyee]

my K100d for 92% of what I shoot. But the other 8% are important shots too

If you post your city, maybe one of the folks here will let you play w/ a K20D at a family event?
FWIW, I have a friend w/ a D80 who complains all the time about how it overexposes and the metering sux and he has to use ev comp to bring it down while my K10D seems to expose correctly (daylight park scenes is where we did a comparison).

That said, I've sometimes been frustrated by my K10D's weak low light focusing as well (I don't have a P-TTL flash, so no AF light)...