I need one more lens.....help me pick!!!

vmax84 · 01-10-2009, 11:16 AM

I have the Pentax K100D with the standard lens that comes with it. I recently picked up a used Tamron 70-300mm budget lens. I am very happy with both lens!!

However, I now feel I need some type of "intermediate" lens. What would you recommended to a guy that is on a budget?

Thank you.

vmax84

SpecialK · 01-10-2009, 11:47 AM

The gap between 55 and 70 is not really significant.

You could replace your 18-55 with a Sigma 17-70 that is a bit faster and covers more range. It's about $340 new but some people sell them used on the forum.

If you really just want to fill the gap with something cheap, they make a 24-70 for about $70.

vmax84 · 01-10-2009, 12:26 PM

I think I'm looking for something that will go up to around 135mm. Any other ideas?

Thank you.

vmax84

gokenin · 01-10-2009, 12:44 PM

well if you are looking for a lens that covers 18-135 there are two that come to mind one is the sigma 18-135 and the other is the tamron 24-135. I have the tamron lens and it is a good lens but it is bigger than the two lenses you have in size and weight.

Mark2100 · 01-10-2009, 03:27 PM

I think you really need a fast 50.

Marc Sabatella · 01-10-2009, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by vmax84

I think I'm looking for something that will go up to around 135mm. Any other ideas?

Depends on what else you need it to do. If you just need 135, thn I'd suggest the M135/3.5, which is of course 135mm only, but is a full stop faster than most affordable zooms at that focal length. If you want something to use in conjunction with the kit lens, the DA50-200 would seem to make the most sense. It's enough smaller/lighter than the 70-300 to make a significant difference in how I feel about using the lens - and starting at 50mm rather than 70mm makes a big difference, too.

Otherwise, if you're looking for a one lens wide-telephoto solution, the 18-125-ish lenses other mentioned are possibilities, but also worth considering is the FA28-105 (the one that starts at f/3.2). It's not made any more, but isn't *that* hard to find, and is very much liked by a lot of people. Not quite as wide or as long as you might prefer, but cheap and excellent.

All that said, I concur with the idea that what you *really* need is not another slow zoom, but something fast for low light, portraits, etc.

**Mallee Boy** · 01-10-2009, 03:46 PM

Oh, ho! ho!
...........the famous last words uttered by those of us that have gone before you "I need one more lens"

Don't fight it Vmax, its a lot less painful if you just go with it ( "it" being LBA....the affliction that is beginning to take you over....there is no known cure....just one more lens

)

Just be mindful that you now own two (2) OK, better than average lenses. Both have flaws and shortcomings.

You may want to now think about puting some quality & speed in your collection. The FA 43Ltd is good buying and the DFA 100mm is a very good lens as is the 50mm already referred to. The other option would be the DA* 50-135, whereas I have so far resisted the charms of this beauty, I know of others who have yet to take it off their cameras, and in fact break down & sob if you suggest they do....probably tells you something

Cheers. ( & good luck )

vmax84 · 01-10-2009, 07:10 PM

Originally posted by Mallee Boy

Oh, ho! ho!
...........the famous last words uttered by those of us that have gone before you "I need one more lens"

Don't fight it Vmax, its a lot less painful if you just go with it ( "it" being LBA....the affliction that is beginning to take you over....there is no known cure....just one more lens

)

Just be mindful that you now own two (2) OK, better than average lenses. Both have flaws and shortcomings.

You may want to now think about puting some quality & speed in your collection. The FA 43Ltd is good buying and the DFA 100mm is a very good lens as is the 50mm already referred to. The other option would be the DA* 50-135, whereas I have so far resisted the charms of this beauty, I know of others who have yet to take it off their cameras, and in fact break down & sob if you suggest they do....probably tells you something

Cheers. ( & good luck )

You're not a kidding here.......the reason I bought the Pentax K100D in the first place is that I already had the standard lens and a Soligor zoom off my Pentax MG film camera. But, I got lazy and wanted to go autofocus, so, here we are!!!!

I love this photography stuff. My 14 year old daughter really likes it as well, and we have a lot of fun with it. Beats sitting in front of the tv getting brain rot.

vmax84

jnkinney · 01-10-2009, 07:36 PM

I'm in kind of the same boat right now...just one more lens

Problem is there's about three I'm looking at. My number one choice is the DA*50-135. If I could find it for $600 or less I might be tempted, but so far that's not the case. I think the 43 limited would also be a good pick up.

**NaClH2O** · 01-10-2009, 07:41 PM

What is your defination of "buget"? And do you want another zoom or are you willing to look at a prime? Do you insist on AF? or are you willing to try a MF lens?
The previously mentioned FA 43mm ltd is a stellar lens but is about $400 new.

You can sometimes find the wonderful Tamron 24-75 F2.8 second hand for about $300-350

One of my favorite lenses is the Pentax K 135 F2.5 but it is an all manual lens

If you want long reach on a buget, take a look at the Pentax K 300mm F4 (faster and most likely sharper than your 70-300)

The Pentax A 50 F1.7 always gets good reviews and can be had for under $100 usually. But it is manual focus.

The Zenitar 16mm Fisheye lens is a fun fun lens and is pretty inexpensive, but again a fully manual lens. And I had no idea how much I would enjoy mine.

You can usually find a decent second hand Tamron 90mm macro for around 300, also makes a great portrait lens and a decent short tele.

It would help us if you could narrow your range some.

NaCl( "I want a good lens" is a bit too broad)H2O

audiobomber · 01-11-2009, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by vmax84

I have the Pentax K100D with the standard lens that comes with it. I recently picked up a used Tamron 70-300mm budget lens. I am very happy with both lens!!

However, I now feel I need some type of "intermediate" lens. What would you recommended to a guy that is on a budget?

Thank you.

vmax84

The kit lens, Tamron 70-300 and Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 make up a kit that can do damn near anything. The 50mm is the fastest lens you can get which makes it ideal for low light situations, it's an ideal short portrait length, and it has exceptional image quality. Those were my first three picks, and they are still the lenses I would want on a tight budget.

K100Dave · 01-11-2009, 08:09 AM

You should definitely have a fast fifty of some sort in your bag. It's inexpensive, plus it will fill the void between the kit lens and the tamron.

newarts · 01-11-2009, 08:13 AM

Originally posted by K100Dave

You should definitely have a fast fifty of some sort in your bag. It's inexpensive, plus it will fill the void between the kit lens and the tamron.

I agree. A fast fifty opens a whole new range of possibilities involving depth of field and low level, natural lighting possibilities.

vmax84 · 01-11-2009, 09:16 AM

Does anybody have a link to a "fast 50" so I know exactly which lens you're referring to? Thank you.

vmax84

dayah · 01-11-2009, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by vmax84

Does anybody have a link to a "fast 50" so I know exactly which lens you're referring to? Thank you.

vmax84

here you go: Pentax Lens Review Database - 50mm F1.4

01-10-2009, 11:16 AM	#1
vmax84 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 307	I need one more lens.....help me pick!!! I have the Pentax K100D with the standard lens that comes with it. I recently picked up a used Tamron 70-300mm budget lens. I am very happy with both lens!! However, I now feel I need some type of "intermediate" lens. What would you recommended to a guy that is on a budget? Thank you. vmax84

01-10-2009, 03:41 PM	#6
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by vmax84 I think I'm looking for something that will go up to around 135mm. Any other ideas? Depends on what else you need it to do. If you just need 135, thn I'd suggest the M135/3.5, which is of course 135mm only, but is a full stop faster than most affordable zooms at that focal length. If you want something to use in conjunction with the kit lens, the DA50-200 would seem to make the most sense. It's enough smaller/lighter than the 70-300 to make a significant difference in how I feel about using the lens - and starting at 50mm rather than 70mm makes a big difference, too. Otherwise, if you're looking for a one lens wide-telephoto solution, the 18-125-ish lenses other mentioned are possibilities, but also worth considering is the FA28-105 (the one that starts at f/3.2). It's not made any more, but isn't that hard to find, and is very much liked by a lot of people. Not quite as wide or as long as you might prefer, but cheap and excellent. All that said, I concur with the idea that what you really need is not another slow zoom, but something fast for low light, portraits, etc. Last edited by Marc Sabatella; 01-10-2009 at 08:43 PM.

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01-10-2009, 11:47 AM	#2
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	The gap between 55 and 70 is not really significant. You could replace your 18-55 with a Sigma 17-70 that is a bit faster and covers more range. It's about $340 new but some people sell them used on the forum. If you really just want to fill the gap with something cheap, they make a 24-70 for about $70.

01-10-2009, 12:26 PM	#3
vmax84 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 307 Original Poster	I think I'm looking for something that will go up to around 135mm. Any other ideas? Thank you. vmax84

01-10-2009, 12:44 PM	#4
gokenin Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: lowell,ma Posts: 1,899	well if you are looking for a lens that covers 18-135 there are two that come to mind one is the sigma 18-135 and the other is the tamron 24-135. I have the tamron lens and it is a good lens but it is bigger than the two lenses you have in size and weight.

01-10-2009, 03:27 PM	#5
Mark2100 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 185	I think you really need a fast 50.

01-10-2009, 03:46 PM	#7
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904	Oh, ho! ho! ...........the famous last words uttered by those of us that have gone before you "I need one more lens" Don't fight it Vmax, its a lot less painful if you just go with it ( "it" being LBA....the affliction that is beginning to take you over....there is no known cure....just one more lens ) Just be mindful that you now own two (2) OK, better than average lenses. Both have flaws and shortcomings. You may want to now think about puting some quality & speed in your collection. The FA 43Ltd is good buying and the DFA 100mm is a very good lens as is the 50mm already referred to. The other option would be the DA* 50-135, whereas I have so far resisted the charms of this beauty, I know of others who have yet to take it off their cameras, and in fact break down & sob if you suggest they do....probably tells you something Cheers. ( & good luck )

01-10-2009, 07:10 PM	#8
vmax84 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 307 Original Poster	Originally posted by Mallee Boy Oh, ho! ho! ...........the famous last words uttered by those of us that have gone before you "I need one more lens" Don't fight it Vmax, its a lot less painful if you just go with it ( "it" being LBA....the affliction that is beginning to take you over....there is no known cure....just one more lens ) Just be mindful that you now own two (2) OK, better than average lenses. Both have flaws and shortcomings. You may want to now think about puting some quality & speed in your collection. The FA 43Ltd is good buying and the DFA 100mm is a very good lens as is the 50mm already referred to. The other option would be the DA* 50-135, whereas I have so far resisted the charms of this beauty, I know of others who have yet to take it off their cameras, and in fact break down & sob if you suggest they do....probably tells you something Cheers. ( & good luck ) You're not a kidding here.......the reason I bought the Pentax K100D in the first place is that I already had the standard lens and a Soligor zoom off my Pentax MG film camera. But, I got lazy and wanted to go autofocus, so, here we are!!!! I love this photography stuff. My 14 year old daughter really likes it as well, and we have a lot of fun with it. Beats sitting in front of the tv getting brain rot. vmax84

01-10-2009, 07:36 PM	#9
jnkinney Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 14	I'm in kind of the same boat right now...just one more lens Problem is there's about three I'm looking at. My number one choice is the DA*50-135. If I could find it for $600 or less I might be tempted, but so far that's not the case. I think the 43 limited would also be a good pick up.

01-10-2009, 07:41 PM	#10
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	What is your defination of "buget"? And do you want another zoom or are you willing to look at a prime? Do you insist on AF? or are you willing to try a MF lens? The previously mentioned FA 43mm ltd is a stellar lens but is about $400 new. You can sometimes find the wonderful Tamron 24-75 F2.8 second hand for about $300-350 One of my favorite lenses is the Pentax K 135 F2.5 but it is an all manual lens If you want long reach on a buget, take a look at the Pentax K 300mm F4 (faster and most likely sharper than your 70-300) The Pentax A 50 F1.7 always gets good reviews and can be had for under $100 usually. But it is manual focus. The Zenitar 16mm Fisheye lens is a fun fun lens and is pretty inexpensive, but again a fully manual lens. And I had no idea how much I would enjoy mine. You can usually find a decent second hand Tamron 90mm macro for around 300, also makes a great portrait lens and a decent short tele. It would help us if you could narrow your range some. NaCl( "I want a good lens" is a bit too broad)H2O

01-11-2009, 07:30 AM	#11
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by vmax84 I have the Pentax K100D with the standard lens that comes with it. I recently picked up a used Tamron 70-300mm budget lens. I am very happy with both lens!! However, I now feel I need some type of "intermediate" lens. What would you recommended to a guy that is on a budget? Thank you. vmax84 The kit lens, Tamron 70-300 and Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 make up a kit that can do damn near anything. The 50mm is the fastest lens you can get which makes it ideal for low light situations, it's an ideal short portrait length, and it has exceptional image quality. Those were my first three picks, and they are still the lenses I would want on a tight budget.

01-11-2009, 08:09 AM	#12
K100Dave Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 111	You should definitely have a fast fifty of some sort in your bag. It's inexpensive, plus it will fill the void between the kit lens and the tamron.

01-11-2009, 08:13 AM	#13
newarts Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ames, Iowa, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 2,965	Originally posted by K100Dave You should definitely have a fast fifty of some sort in your bag. It's inexpensive, plus it will fill the void between the kit lens and the tamron. I agree. A fast fifty opens a whole new range of possibilities involving depth of field and low level, natural lighting possibilities.

01-11-2009, 09:16 AM	#14
vmax84 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 307 Original Poster	Does anybody have a link to a "fast 50" so I know exactly which lens you're referring to? Thank you. vmax84

01-11-2009, 09:27 AM	#15
dayah Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Photos: Albums Posts: 56	Originally posted by vmax84 Does anybody have a link to a "fast 50" so I know exactly which lens you're referring to? Thank you. vmax84 here you go: Pentax Lens Review Database - 50mm F1.4