[rvandenbrink]

Gloomy with threatening rain so I came up with this bit of nonsense.

Considering only prime lenses made for the 35mm format, over the years Pentax has made, in Screw Mount, lenses with the following focal lengths:

15, 17, 18, 20, 24, 28, 35, 50, 55, 58, 83, 85, 100, 105, 120, 135, 150, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 1000mm, many available with different apertures and some also came in various body incarnations.

moving on now to those for the K mount we have:

15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 30, 31, 35, 40, 43, 50, 55, 70, 77, 85, 100, 120, 135, 150, 200, 300, 400, 560, 600, 1200 and 2000mm, again many come with an assortment of apertures, and in various incarnations.

I suppose somewhere out there in the vastness of the internet there might be a collector who has one of every lens Pentax has ever made, so which one does he/she put in their gadget bag for their afternoon walk and do they combine it with the appropriate camera for which it was made.

Perhaps we could narrow down the choice for APS-C with the DA21, 35 or 40 and 70mm which would make a nice lightweight set though there would have to be one or two extras for the specialist photographer.

For years most of us got by with the single 50/55mm lens that came with their camera, you could probably still do it if you really put your mind to it.

Depending on the day, the 18-135 is on the camera, with the 55-300 in the bag - or vice versa. I really like those two, it’ just too convenient to frame the shot as much as possible with what’s on the camera. Actually thinking of another KP just so I don’t need to swap. I keep a decent “A” series macro (35-105) in the bag, plus the 1.4x converter. Looking at primes lately, esp to replace that macro lens…

[UncleVanya]

And that can cause long intense "what do I take today " sessions that can seriously cut into your time spent taking images.

True words have been rarely said.

[zbrueningsen]

If you get that one first, you may decide not to buy the others the 31, 85 and 100. Probably not, they all do things other lenses aren't good at, but it's a possibility.

This is exactly what keeps me from buying those lenses in the past. I've wanted the 31 and 85 for a LONG time. And now I can afford it and not feel guilty about it.

[RICHARD L.]

I just got an FA 135 mm f/2.8 IF medium telephoto from eBay to complete my roster of terrific FA prime lenses (20 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm and 300 mm).

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Last edited by Sandy Hancock; 01-18-2022 at 02:38 AM. Reason: unbolded

[robbiec]

Gloomy with threatening rain so I came up with this bit of nonsense.

Considering only prime lenses made for the 35mm format, over the years Pentax has made, in Screw Mount, lenses with the following focal lengths:

15, 17, 18, 20, 24, 28, 35, 50, 55, 58, 83, 85, 100, 105, 120, 135, 150, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 1000mm, many available with different apertures and some also came in various body incarnations.

moving on now to those for the K mount we have:

15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 30, 31, 35, 40, 43, 50, 55, 70, 77, 85, 100, 120, 135, 150, 200, 300, 400, 560, 600, 1200 and 2000mm, again many come with an assortment of apertures, and in various incarnations.

I suppose somewhere out there in the vastness of the internet there might be a collector who has one of every lens Pentax has ever made, so which one does he/she put in their gadget bag for their afternoon walk and do they combine it with the appropriate camera for which it was made.

Perhaps we could narrow down the choice for APS-C with the DA21, 35 or 40 and 70mm which would make a nice lightweight set though there would have to be one or two extras for the specialist photographer.

For years most of us got by with the single 50/55mm lens that came with their camera, you could probably still do it if you really put your mind to it.

Comes down to your choice and mood no?

APSC = DA*16-50 + DA*50-135 & say a 100Macro to cover vast majority of photo opportunities (hail, rain, shine )
Or as you say, go lighter with a set of 3 DA Limited's (15, 35, 70)
FF, you can now go 21, 43, 77 or 21, 50, 100 or 21, 50, 70-200 (hail, rain & shine setup).

Ne plus ultra for absolute quality = DFA*50 + 70-200, Ne plus ultra for images with character = FA31, 43 & 77, Ne plus ultra for getting close the (D)FA50/2.8 & 100/2.8, take a K-1 series and K-3 series along with the TC1. 4 and melt your brain with the potential close up focal opportunities

If you forced me to 1 lens for a week, month, year - I'd probably select my FA50/2.8 Macro with the DFA*70-200 coming in 2nd place.

[DonV]

And that can cause long intense "what do I take today " sessions that can seriously cut into your time spent taking images.

Not if you don't agonize over it and just get on with the program; but if you are one of those folks who "can't decide"- I can see it could be a small problem.

[zbrueningsen]

I just got an FA 135 mm f/2.8 IF medium telephoto from eBay to complete my roster of terrific FA prime lenses (20 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm and 300 mm).

The F and FA 135 are limited quality optics in a meh body.

My F 135 is one of the best rendering lenses I have. Sharp and smooth. Congrats. I think Pentax should do what they did with the 100 Wr to it.

[normhead]

Not if you don't agonize over it and just get on with the program; but if you are one of those folks who "can't decide"- I can see it could be a small problem.

You clearly you don't own enough lenses.

[DonV]

You clearly you don't own enough lenses.

You are absolutely correct!

[tibbitts]

For years most of us got by with the single 50/55mm lens that came with their camera, you could probably still do it if you really put your mind to it.

I'd guess most forum members probably had a reasonable assortment of lenses in the film era, not just the standard/"kit" 50/55mm.

[kypfer]

And that can cause long intense "what do I take today " sessions that can seriously cut into your time spent taking images.

This is where having a couple of "extra" bodies can come in useful. Have each body in a bag with an appropriate assortment of lenses, then just grab a "complete kit" and go.
There may be some duplication … think of it as insurance … never a bad thing
Can even put two "complete kits" in the car then decide whilst driving
Enjoy!!

[PenPusher]

Well us old fogies had what is the same problem we have these days, x into y doesn't go, around this time If I remember correctly I was earning UK £17 weekly, hopefully if I get the uploading correct are a few pages from Wallace Heatons 1965-1966 Blue Book, they were a chain of about 7 shops and were eventually taken over by, I think, Dixons, I could not afford the Pentax of the time and had to settle for an EXA IIb with a 50mm Domiplan UK £39, it worked and actually still does but its a bit big and awkward to handle, from that I progresses to a Yashica 35J or J35 screw mount which came with a 50mm F2 Yashinon which I am fairly sure was made by Tomioka, you had to cock the shutter and it closed down when you pressed the shutter, lovely lens still works fine.

---------- Post added 01-17-2022 at 12:02 PM ----------

This is where having a couple of "extra" bodies can come in useful. Have each body in a bag with an appropriate assortment of lenses, then just grab a "complete kit" and go.
There may be some duplication … think of it as insurance … never a bad thing
Can even put two "complete kits" in the car then decide whilst driving
Enjoy!!

Apart from picking up the wrong bag in your hurry to get to wherever you're going you'll be hit with "what do you want all these bags for, cluttering up the house, tidy them up" at least I would, based on 52 years experience.

[normhead]

This is where having a couple of "extra" bodies can come in useful. Have each body in a bag with an appropriate assortment of lenses, then just grab a "complete kit" and go.

Adding an extra body just doubles the choices number of choices and combinations... how does that help?
Especially since most of my lenses will work on my K-1 or my K-3.

Most of the time I take the K-1 with the 28-105 and Sigma 24 macro for landscape and the K-3 with the DA 55-300 for birds and wildlife, in the same bag if two bodies are going to be involved.

[RICHARD L.]

Plus, don't forget there are Medium-format Pentax cameras (both film and digital) and lenses. I have 13 Pentax 67 late model lenses (from 45 mm f/4 to 500 mm f/5.6 and two zooms) and 17 Pentax 645 lenses (from 35 mm f/3.5 to 400 mm f/5.6 plus numerous zooms). The 67's are all usable in autoexposure Av mode on the 645N (film) and 645Z (digital) cameras with the Pentax adapter. Pentax 645 lenses are all great performers, sharp with great contrast and warm colors. These 30 lenses can be used in manual stopped-down mode on K-mount bodies, using the Av mode on K1's or K3's.

[UncleVanya]

I'd guess most forum members probably had a reasonable assortment of lenses in the film era, not just the standard/"kit" 50/55mm.

With my Nikon I literally owned one lens. 50mm f2. I used more than that on occasion since my dad worked in retail camera sales at one point and as a Pentax rep his best friend was the Nikon rep. I had opportunities for the use of loaner lenses but I tended to use mainly the one lens.

With my Pentax PZ-1 I owned: M28 2.8 / M100 2.8 / F 35-135 / FA 80-320 / F 100 Macro 2.8 / A* 85 1.4 / A50 1.7