[petekeen]

Hello Kind Strangers

I recently bought a K-70, I am still very new to photography, and i'm looking for advice on my first lens purchase (I have a starter DA L 18-55mm 3.5-5.6).

I am enjoying learning photography, but I would like a lens for filming in my music production-based videos I am making for youtube.

I am looking for a wide to natural lens to fit in details in a fairly cramped studio environment. I would also like to get some nice bokeh. I am drawn to prime lenses but open to suggestions.

Can you recommend any good options, preferably on the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Thanks in advance
😁

[UncleVanya]

Hello Kind Strangers

I recently bought a K-70, I am still very new to photography, and i'm looking for advice on my first lens purchase (I have a starter DA L 18-55mm 3.5-5.6).

I am enjoying learning photography, but I would like a lens for filming in my music production-based videos I am making for youtube.

I am looking for a wide to natural lens to fit in details in a fairly cramped studio environment. I would also like to get some nice bokeh. I am drawn to prime lenses but open to suggestions.

Can you recommend any good options, preferably on the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Thanks in advance
😁

Pleasant bokeh and wide angle are hard to get at studio distances. Without that part of your criteria I would recommend the DA 12-24 F4 or the DA* 11-18 f2.8.

[AfterPentax Mark II]

You say you are still very new to photography and you ask strangers to recommend you a lens preferably on the cheaper end of the spectrum. My answer is you have got that one already. So I think you should start making use of your 18-55 which has a decent wide angle capability and also does well for making youtube video's. By the time you have learned to use the K-70 and the 18-55 you will have discovered where this lens does shine and where not and what problems you have you want a solution for. The strangers here, who are usually called Pentaxians, can then give you a better advice than at this moment.

[Bertrand3000]

Is 18mm wide enough? If it is, I recommend Sigma 17-50. High quality, fast lens F2.8 for bokeh and low light.

[caliscouser]

wide-angle, cheap, bokeh

Pick two because you can't have all three

What is your budget?

[5ks]

Assumably you feel that 18 mm (the wide end of your kit zoom) is not wide enough focal length, or f/3,5 is not wide enough (aperture) to give you a nice bokeh. Well, UncleVanya already said it is not easy to get very soft bokeh with wide angle lenses.


Is DA 2,8/14 too expensive? If you don't mind manual focusing, Samyang 2,8/14 or 2/16 might also be good alternatives. Or, if you don't mind some fish-eye type aberrations, even DA 10-17 might suite you?

- Disclaimer: I don't have any of these , but rely on what I have read about them. Please see the lens reviews of this forum for more information.

[stevebrot]

(I have a starter DA L 18-55mm 3.5-5.6)

You may want to use that lens for learning and consider upgrade once you know where you "points of pain" are for your work. Here is a small selection of what I managed with the the DA 18-55 (first version) when I was learning how to use the K10D...

Pentax DA 18-55 Kit | Flickr


Steve

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Last edited by stevebrot; 05-16-2021 at 11:41 AM.

[swanlefitte]

Agree with the others to use your lens to learn. One thing you will learn is how wide is wide enough.
If you find 18mm isn't wide enough you can calculate your aproximate needs.
This calculator will help.
https://www.pointsinfocus.com/tools/depth-of-field-and-equivalent-lens-calcu...2}],%22m%22:0}
Using the apsc sensor size you can see for example that your needs me you have 10 feet of space and want to capture 15 feet across. The 18mm will only be wide enough for 13'2". The 16mm is close but you want at least 15mm to cover that.
So work with your lens, envision the working space for recording and the space you need to capture. Then come back with more informed questions.

[house]

Do you need autofocus? If not the Samyang/Rokinon/Bower wide angles might work well?

[pentaxus]

What is the definition of cheap. A used tamron 10-24 is +/- 300.

[Cerebum]

You are looking at £250+ to get anything wider than your kit lens. The 15mm limited is a peach but its the dearest of the DA limited primes, a 10-17mm fish eye is very cool but distorts a fair bit and will cost you £250, an 18-135mm will give you better IQ than the 18-55 but it isn't any wider. Have a good play with the 18-55 and save up if however you have a stash of cash ready, let us know what your budget is and we will help you spend it

[shyrsio]

The Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 EX DC is your way to go IMO. Its light small and reliable. Also the Tamron 10-24 is about the same size, if you're more a Tamron guy. Reviewers rate them more or less on par.

Pleasant bokeh and wide angle are hard to get at studio distances. Without that part of your criteria I would recommend the DA 12-24 F4 or the DA* 11-18 f2.8.

I agree with that completely. But one other observation: the kit lens you've got with the "L" designation is the cheaper version of basically the same lens, but the 18-55mm SMC DA AL WR is better overall. I do also agree with those who said to learn using the lens you've got, that's good advice, but if you discover you're happy with that range of focal lengths, you might want to consider stepping up to the better (weather resistant) version.
That said, I'll tell you that I had the 18-55mm SMC DA AL WR, and gave it to one of my kids and bought the DA* 11-18 f2.8 that @UncleVanya suggested, and I'm thrilled with it.

[DWS1]

I suggest you work with the 18-55mm a lot. As you gain experience you will learn what you need. Only you can determine that.

[Michail_P]

The K-70 has been a great camera so far, for me there’s a lot to experiment with, after ~20 months of regular, relatively frequent shooting. I love my 18-55. It certainly has some potential if you get to work with it. Fairly wide, decently sharp.