[Lucky Dog]

Hello, new guy here looking for a little help.

I'm very much a beginner / amateur at this picture taking game.

I just ordered a Pentax K-70, and now want to choose a lens.
I've got a couple "packaged" type lenses from a previous camera to get me started but would like to find a lens better suited to my use.

Most of my pictures will be taken in Michigan while hiking / hunting. They will be nature based, animals, birds, cool scenery, etc.
Most will be taken in forested areas, meaning shaded, and much of the time it will be cloudy / overcast with little bright sunny conditions.

I'd like a general zoom lens that I can keep on the camera most of the time.

This is the lens I am considering, Tamron Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Autofocus Lens for Pentax AFTamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di Autofocus Lens for Pentax AF

Does anyone have any opinions on this lens? Am I looking at the right lens based on my description? What would you recommend?
Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings, I'm here to learn.
Thank you in advance.

[ehrwien]

I would NOT recommend this lens for use with your K-70. The lens is a general purpose zoom intended for full frame cameras, so the resulting angle of view on a crop camera like your K-70 will start at a slightly wide normal setting, and go to a short telephoto angle of view at the long end.

If you intend to photograph birds or other wild animals with greater detail, you need to go longer, much longer. For scenery, you need to go a little wider. If you still want a little more flexibility, I'd recommend a two lens kit consisting of a DA 55-300 PLM for the long end, and then you have a range of choices for the wide to normal range, depending on what exactly you want to focus on.

You could also pick something like the DA 18-135 as a general purpose lens and add a DA* 300/4 for the long end, the prime lens would offer amazing image quality, but you'd lose a lot of flexibility, and I don't know if that's what I would go for as a beginner.

[Bertrand3000]

Hi,

This lens (the Tamron you are considering) is made for full-frame camera. It will work on your K-70 without any problem, but it won't be wide enough for general use.

If you need a high quality lens good-for-everything, here are the three most popular options for APS-C cameras :

- Pentax DA 18-135 : WR, silent, fast focusing, largest range with 7.5x, probably the best choice for the intended usage
- Sigma 17-70 F2.8-4 C : silent, fastest of the three, can do pseudo-macro, but not WR, and it's only 4x
- Pentax DA 16-85 : WR, silent, highest quality, widest angle of view, 5.3x, but also the most costly

[cdw2000]

I agree with the other posters. You need to account for the 1.5x crop factor when considering lenses for your K-70. For a great all-around lens, I would recommend the Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3mm DC Macro HSM Contemporary. This is equivalent to a 27mm lens on a full frame camera for the wide end and 450mm on the telephoto end. This is my favorite lens for nature hikes. The only downside is that it is not weather-resistant like many of the current Pentax brand lenses. Unfortunately Pentax does not have a single WR lens that covers this range. If weather resistance is important to you, the Pentax SMC Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR and HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE would be a good, budget-friendly combo to have.

Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro HSM (Contemporary) Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-DA-18-135mm-F3.5-5.6-ED-AL-IF-DC-WR.html

HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Reviews - DA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Enjoy your new K-70. You'll love the quality of photos you get out of it.

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Last edited by cdw2000; 12-26-2020 at 01:09 PM. Reason: Fix link for 18-135mm zoom

[pepperberry farm]

DA 18-135mm zoom - perfect for what you are wanting....

[stevejo]

I have the DA 18-135 ED DC WR and DA 55-300 ED PLM WR. Although there is a bit of overlap, it does mean that you don't have to swap lenses as often.

[normhead]

My hiking kit.
K-3, DA 18-135, DA 55-300 PLM, DFA 100 macro...DA*55 1.4, with sometimes a Sigma 8-16, our 10-17 fisheye, the fisheye when weight will be important.

Many hikes I just take the first 2.

DA 55-300 PLM




DA 18-135




Sigma 8-16


DA 10-17 fisheye


DFA 100 Macro


DA 55 1.4 (in shade)




I've taken thousands of images with these lenses.

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Last edited by normhead; 12-26-2020 at 08:15 AM.

[Sidney Porter]

The OP mentioned that he has several "package" lenses from a previous camera. I think it would be helpful to disclose what lenses are already owned.

Also how important are each of these desires: shooting birds / small animal at a distance vs wide landscape, not needing to change lenses, WR.

[normhead]

MY assumptions, "package lenses " = kit lenses.
As far as I know the only packaged lenses would be a package including a DA 18-55 and a DA 50-200. But he could have a couple of kit lenses, DA 18-50 or DA 18-55.

Also how important are each of these desires: shooting birds / small animal at a distance vs wide landscape, not needing to change lenses, WR.

If he mentioned them, they are important. For any of us who actually shoot while hiking, this is easy. Just tell him what you take. He may not like my choices, but he'll probably like somebody's.

The biggest thing in hiking is, you have to be able to comfortably carry everything. My choices are lightweight but functional. WR can save worry. Most of us rarely hike in the dark, fast lenses are unnecessary. I almost always pick my lenses for the day based on what size camera bag I want to carry, that day. From time to time I take the DA*60-205 or DA*200 with the 1.4TC or many other combos. The above is my basic hiking kit, what I go out with the most.

I doubt someone who doesn't hike is going to come up with a good answer. Sometimes you just have to have experience to make a decent recommendation.

Someone will mention the DA 16-85 instead of the 18-135. It's a good choice, I just don't own one personally.

My Sigma 18-250 was also a favourite. The downside being you need a water sealed pelican case for it, and mine became decentred and un-useable after a couple years. I sent it to Sigma, they sent it back un-repaired. Hiking with a cheaply made lens is a recipe for disaster.There's lots of bumping. Every step is a jolt.

[Lucky Dog]

The OP mentioned that he has several "package" lenses from a previous camera. I think it would be helpful to disclose what lenses are already owned.

Also how important are each of these desires: shooting birds / small animal at a distance vs wide landscape, not needing to change lenses, WR.

Yes, I should have mentioned what I have.
Currently, I have two lenses that came with my Ist D.
DA 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 Pentax
SMC Pentax - FAJ 75-300 1:4.5-5.8

And I also have a Sigma 170-500 1:5-6.3 APO DG

I'm really looking for a decent lens that can me the only lens I carry for most of my hikes. Generally speaking it will be for small birds / animals in the 30' - 300' range with some landscape tossed in.
My inexperienced thought was that with the lower light conditions, (wooded cloudy), I would want to satay at the lower aperture number ?

Thanks for all the responses so far, I really appreciate the input/advice/help.

[Bertrand3000]

You have to know that your K-70 will be able to increase ISO much much better than your *ist D could. You don't really need a fast lens for outdoor shooting thanks to that. Which is a good thing because unfortunately, there is no way to get a lens that will be fast and very versatile at the same time.

Based on your additional information, I still recommend the DA 18-135, or indeed, you could try the Sigma 18-300. The latter will not be WR and not as sharp at the former, but will be still very good and will be able to zoom much, much farther. Your current 18-55 and 75-300 could stay at home (or even sold, unless you still have your *ist D).

[normhead]

I'm really looking for a decent lens that can me the only lens I carry for most of my hikes. Generally speaking it will be for small birds / animals in the 30' - 300' range with some landscape tossed in.

The 30 foot to 300 ft range is problematic.....


Some images taken with the DA 55-300 PLM, at about that distance.


Notice the moose is taken at 98mm... I could have taken it with at least 5 different lenses.


You can get small birds and animals, but they are going to need to be closer than 30 ft.


This is a pretty typical result for longer distances.


For warblers even 300mm is most often not enough.


If you are out with just the 55-300 (or DA*60-250) the 21 is a nice "just in case " landscape option.

[othar]

While I agree that 28-75mm is not a wide lens, I don't think it is that bad a choice for your intended purpose for a general walk around lens as others may think.
My most used lens for hiking / climbing / mountaineering is the F 35-70mm lens and I actually prefer the normal to short telephoto range over a wide angle, because usually I don't have to think about distortions when people are in the frame.
That said 75mm is rather short for birding and wildlife so you might consider the 55-300mm PLM lens for that if you are not satisfied with your FAJ 75-300mm lens (for times when your Sigma 170-500mm lens would be too heavy to bring along)

[Belcik]

Yes, I should have mentioned what I have.
Currently, I have two lenses that came with my Ist D.
DA 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 Pentax
SMC Pentax - FAJ 75-300 1:4.5-5.8

And I also have a Sigma 170-500 1:5-6.3 APO DG

I'm really looking for a decent lens that can me the only lens I carry for most of my hikes. Generally speaking it will be for small birds / animals in the 30' - 300' range with some landscape tossed in.
My inexperienced thought was that with the lower light conditions, (wooded cloudy), I would want to satay at the lower aperture number ?

Thanks for all the responses so far, I really appreciate the input/advice/help.

My advice.
Use some proper photo software.
Do some hiking walkind with photography of what you have.
Analyse photos and see the most of the focus range you are using vs the most satisfying results.
Think how often something was too close or out of reach. Then come back and ask - usually when you analyse your ranges you will be pretty sure what you need.

Put some significant investment in lens that will be good enough to stay with you untill the end of your adventure with Pentax.

[EnglishBob]

My advice.
Use some proper photo software.
Do some hiking walkind with photography of what you have.
Analyse photos and see the most of the focus range you are using vs the most satisfying results.
Think how often something was too close or out of reach. Then come back and ask - usually when you analyse your ranges you will be pretty sure what you need.

Put some significant investment in lens that will be good enough to stay with you untill the end of your adventure with Pentax.

Good advise. Using what you have is the best way to find what you need. I started with the HD 16-85 and now walk around with the HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited and the HD DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro. The zoom is great, and but the primes make me think a bit more before I shoot.