[jedperkins]

I am a prime lens shooter, own the K20D, and am waiting for delivery of a new K-m. As a prime lens shooter it is difficult for me to cover all my needs with just 4 or 5 primes, so I have included zooms that either own or have owned, but which I find I generally do not use much, preferring instead my primes. I found as I was writing this post that one list would not suit all my desires, so I am cheating and including 3 lists. I own the lenses in bold text):

1). To cover the full range from wide to super telephoto, I think would choose the following Pentax lenses:
12-24mm (don't use it much, will sell when the 15mm DA* is available)
31mm ltd (for a high quality APS-C normal lens and low light)
100mm macro and for portraits (had it, sold it)
50-135mm DA* (had it, sold it)
300mm F* or 300mm DA*

2). For airline travel on holidays, my list includes the following Pentax lenses
17-70mm (planning to buy this before my trip to Napa in April
31mm ltd for low light
35mm ltd macro (not sure if I'll bring this)
55mm f/1.4 DA* for low light and portrait (I am quickly falling in love with this lens)
135mm FA for a moderate telephoto

3). My current list of favorite, most used lenses that I own
21mm ltd for hiking and landscapes
31mm ltd for a great APS-C normal and low light lens
40mm ltd for a really light weight walk around with my new K-m
55mm f/1.4 DA* - again, my new favorite toy for portraits
135mm FA for action photos of my dogs

[Fl_Gulfer]

I just need a Pentax DA* 11-16mm F/2.8 and a 35mm ltd macro to go with what I have.

PENTAX; DA* 50-135/2.8
TAMRON SP 17-50/2.8 Di II & AF 1.4 TC..
SIGMA 150-500 5/6.3 APO,HSM,,

[axl]

I stretched it to 6 and I'm pretty happy with my choices:
Sigma 10-20
FA31ltd
DA40ltd
F50/1.7
Sigma 105 macro
SMC 400/5.6

idealy one beautiful sunny day I'd like to swap SMC 400 for DA*300 with 1.5x TC, then add DA70ltd, FA20/2.8, FA*24/2 and DA* or FA*200, then I'd be even happier...

but since I decided to go prime way, It's hard to find kit that would be fine with all situations only with 4-5 lenses alltogheter!
I like the idea of different kits for different purposes.
BR

[monochrome]

Well, if you cling to mechanical film bodies -

KX <--> MX <--> LX
K10D > K20D

K18/3.5
K28/3.5 <--> K35/3.5
FA50/1.4 <--> A50/1.4
A*85/1.4
K135/2.5 <-->A*135/2.8
K200/2.5 <--> A*300/2.8

A 14.X-S Rear Converter <--> F 1.7X AF Adapter (add or substitute if I need reach)

Vivitar Series 1 105/2.5 Macro <--> FA 100/2.8 Macro <--> D FA 100/2.8 Macro (add or substitute for Macro)

although one should really have them all.

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Last edited by monochrome; 02-09-2009 at 03:12 PM.

[Nick Siebers]

If I had too, three lenses that I own:

FA 20-35/4
DA 40/2.8
Tamron 90mm/2.5 Macro

Plus two:
SMC Tak 50/1.4 <--> A 50/1.4
SMC Tak 135/2.5

I have longer lenses, but I barely use the 135mm. I'd be willing to swap the 40 for a 31, if any takers. I like either the 24-50mm F zoom or the 35-70 F zoom for a single carry around lens, but wouldn't give up any of the above in their favor... if pressed, which thank goodness I am not.

[Votesh]

1. Pentax DA* 16-50mm
2. Pentax FA LTD 31mm
3. Pentax DA* 50-135mm
4. Sigma 100-300mm f4
5. Pentax FA* 200mm Macro or A* 200mm Macro

I have the 16-50, 31, and the Sigma, and the A* macro is on its way. I had 50-135 but sold it recently to help fund the A*, and I plan to pick up another one when I get the money. If I could have the dream setup contain 6 lenses I would also add an FA* or A* 85mm 1.4.

This is a large kit but I can stand carrying all the lenses if I need to, and if I don't I can pack a few lenses in a smaller bag.

[68wSteve]

thanks for all the posts, gonna really sit down and look at these. i like that the da * 50-135 is on alot of yalls list. makes me feel good that im eyeing this lense. keep the responses coming.

[leadbelly]

I used to have a 10-20 but sold it since I don't usually go that wide. So my "doable" dream setup would be:

already have:
16-50*
50-135*
FA50/1.4

will get soon:
DA40 or DA35 (still choosing if I need the macro capability since I already have extension tubes and a Pentax-A auto bellows, but leaning toward the affordability and low profile of the DA40 as a walkaround lens)

IF I don't do photography professionally, or when I can afford it, I'd like to have:

DA15 limited
FA31
FA43
FA77
FA* 80-200

[Aditya Panda]

My current set up:

K 10D + DA 18-55, Vivitar 50/1.7, DA* 300, Promaster 1.7X TC. Ideally I'd want to retain most of these and only replace the 18-55 with a DA* 16-50 while adding a DA 12-24, a DA* 50-135, a D FA 100mm/2.8 macro and would love it if Pentax gave us a DA* 500mm f4 And of course, a new second body with 6.5 fps or greater would be great....

Cheers,
Aditya

[ixian]

DA 12-24
DA* 16-50
DA 40
DA* 50-135
DA* 300

My dream setup is quite similiar:
DA 12-24
DA* 16-50 - I have that one already
DA* 50-135
Sigma 180/3.5 Macro - sorry, Pentax...
DA* 300

With DA 12-24 and DA* 50-135 in my bag, I could probably trade DA* 16-50 for a fast prime around 30-40mm, but not sure wich one... Voigtlander Ultron 40/2 is at the top of my list for now.

At the moment I have DA* 16-50, DA 55-300 and A 400/5.6 and I'm quite happy with that

[EricT]

It would probably look something like:
12-24 for superwide, while still retaining some general walk-around capabilities
17-70 for a normal zoom
55-300 for a telezoom
55* for low light, low profile (SDM) and weather-sealing.
35 ltd for walk-around and macro.

I like that there is quite a bit of overlap for the zooms.
What I currently have:
DA 18-55
FA 50
Sigma 100-300 f/4.5-6.7

Not quite there yet!

[Lowell Goudge]

I have posted this so many times, that it does become repetitive, but here we go again.

You need to have a kit, when starting out in the planning which can go from 10-12mm at the wide end, to at least 200mm at the long end, AND much of this should be at F2.8.

Additionally, for wild life, you need a means to get out to at least 400mm.

In terms of doing this with 4-5 lenses, as a practical matter, I believe it is as follows My kit in bold (alternates in brackets);

Sigma 10-20mm DC (or sigma 12-24 DG, pentax 12-24 or tamron 10-24)
Pentax FA-J 18-35 (any other lens that fills the gap and works as a wide to normal lens ideally F2.8)
tamron 28-75 F2.8 Di (or sigma 24-60 DG Sigma 24-70 DG or pentax 16-50 F2.8)
Sigma 70-200 F2.8 (tamron 70-200 F2.8 or pentax 50-135 F2.8 or pentax FA 80-200 F2.8)

Sigma 1.4X and 2X Teleconverters


This gets me from 10-400 mm with 28-200 MM at F2.8

The reason I put the pentax 16-50 and 50-135 into the mix is that if you are not into wildlife, you really only need to go to 150mm, and the 16-50 plus 50-135 give you F2.8 all the way down to 16mm. But you are limited to ASP-C sensors.

To make this ideal, I would probably take the sigma 12-24 DG and opt to have all lenses full frame allowing for ultimate ultra wide on film with the 12-24 and my PZ-1. Since this thread does not specify digital or folm dream list


I would also add something very long, with AF as most of you know I shoot wildlife also.
I am at a toss up between Pentax FA 300 mm F2.8, Sigma 300 F2.8, Sigma 500 F4.5. or Pentax FA 600 F4. the lower cost would be to take the 300 F2.8 and use my existing TC's

Edit note. At least one lens needs to be capable of 1:3 or better macro

[studiocrocevia]

My current setup:

Pentax DA 16-45 F4
Pentax F 50 F1.7
Pentax DA* 50-135 F2.8
Tamron 28-75 F 2.8

My favorite (dream) setup:

Pentax DA 12-24 F4
Pentax FA 31 F 1.8
Pentax DA 35 F2.8 MACRO
Pentax DA 40 F 2.8
Pentax DA* 50-135 F2.8
Pentax DA* 200 F 2.8

[Bactman]

My wish list:

Pentax DA 12-24mm F4
Pentax FA 31mm F1.8
Pentax DA* 50-135mm F2.8
Voightlander 125mm F2.8 Macro

From there, either of the following:

Pentax DA* 200mm F2.8
Pentax DA* 300mm F4

Maybe eventually I'll have a few of these. Until then, I appreciate what I have and learn to use the current lineup. Cheers.

[mer]

dream setup :

Sigma 10-20mm
Limited 31mm
cosina/revuenon/pentax 50 or 55mm F/1.2
A* 85mm F/1.4
Leitz Photar 12.5mm macro / bellows lens for x10-x20 magnification