The best lens you own

barbosas · 03-14-2009, 09:40 AM

My favourite? FA77

Most used, definitely the FA35, great for indoors.

**Sailor** · 03-14-2009, 10:59 AM

OK, I'll bite.

Perhaps my best lens is my A*85/1.4, but I seldom use it owing to its size and lack of AF so I'll confine my "evaluation" to my AF lenses.

My contemporary lens collection is pretty modest by Forum standards: the four DA Limiteds, FA 50/1.4, DFA 100, DA 10-17FE, DA 16-45, DA 50-200 and DA 18-250. Of these, the "best" is my DA 40 - based on three criteria subjectively assessed: optical performance (i.e. how PP'd, printed TIFF files look to me); operational charateristics (prmarily speed and assertiveness of AF); and build quality.

In truth, all of my lenses are more capable than is their owner!

Jer

**Marc Langille** · 03-14-2009, 11:20 AM

Just as Lance stated, they all have unique characteristics:

FA* 300/2.8 - stunning image quality and color:

FA* 200/4 macro - same as above, and super creamy bokeh:

Example of clarity with the FA* 200/4 macro:

FA* 80-200/2.8 - good as a prime lens, although heavy:

DA 12-24 - awesome ultra wide angle zoom - very useful:

FA 77mm Limited - owned it, beautiful lens, and didn't use that focal length much... not doing much portraiture, so it had to go...

Oh, the the best and most underrated lens? The DA 50-200:

Cheers,
Marc

JHfwp · 03-14-2009, 11:30 AM

My FA 77 amazes me, but I hardly ever use it.

ustacood · 03-14-2009, 11:38 AM

I dont' think I will ever live up to the capabilities of this lens.

**Kerrowdown** · 03-14-2009, 12:25 PM

I'm with Wheatfield, Sailer and Douglas of Sweden, either one of these two, I use both every day, the SMC Pentax A* 85mm F1.4 or SMC Pentax-A* 135mm F1.8.

Don't make me choose.

RT1 · 03-14-2009, 12:31 PM

Call me old fashioned, but I an still a huge fan of my "standard" lenses.

I love my fast fifty, Pentax FA50/1.4, but it a a tad long on my K200.

I guess that this means that my favorite lens, and best one that I own in my opinion, is my Sigma 30 f1.4

Raybo · 03-14-2009, 12:49 PM

Originally posted by RT1

Call me old fashioned, but I an still a huge fan of my "standard" lenses.

I love my fast fifty, Pentax FA50/1.4, but it a a tad long on my K200.

I guess that this means that my favorite lens, and best one that I own in my opinion, is my Sigma 30 f1.4

How does the IQ of the Sigma compare to your FA 50?

Thanks in advance,

Ray

ustacood · 03-14-2009, 02:57 PM

Originally posted by Raybo

How does the IQ of the Sigma compare to your FA 50?

Thanks in advance,

Ray

That's a sweet pic of your dog. What kind is he/she? I've seen many nice shots with the Sigma. I'd like to hear compared to the 50 also.

atiratha · 03-14-2009, 03:35 PM

Well, having only recently acquired the FA35, it became an instant favourite of mine. The other one would be my Porst 135/2.8 well...and of course my F50/1.4 which gave me a ton of great pictures.

Parallax · 03-14-2009, 03:52 PM

My best lens is my FA 31, and it is absolutely my favorite. My DA 17-70 comes in second.

**igowerf** · 03-14-2009, 03:55 PM

I managed to get my hands on an A* 135mm f/1.8 a while ago. I don't get to use it often enough, but it's quite a lens.

My favorite lens is either the DA 70mm or DA 35mm though.

skinja · 03-14-2009, 04:01 PM

My FA*31, but my most used is the 28-75 Tamron which is on my K20D most of the time.

The 18-250 Tamron is on my K10D almost always.

beaumont · 03-14-2009, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by Marc Langille

Just as Lance stated, they all have unique characteristics:

FA* 300/2.8 - stunning image quality and color:

FA* 200/4 macro - same as above, and super creamy bokeh:

Example of clarity with the FA* 200/4 macro:

FA* 80-200/2.8 - good as a prime lens, although heavy:

DA 12-24 - awesome ultra wide angle zoom - very useful:

FA 77mm Limited - owned it, beautiful lens, and didn't use that focal length much... not doing much portraiture, so it had to go...

Oh, the the best and most underrated lens? The DA 50-200:

Cheers,
Marc

Beautiful examples Marc...

Marc Sabatella · 03-14-2009, 05:15 PM

My "favorite" lens right now is my M100/2.8. I like it because it so pretty much the perfect lens for the type of shooting I do most - concert photography. Focal length of 100mm is usually ideal for my purposes, f/2.8 is decently fast, and it's plenty sharp given that I'm shooting high ISO and wouldn't really able to take full advantage of any further sharpness. Plus the lens has a wonderful feel for manual focus, and it's small and light. Best $100 I've spent.

My "best" lens right now has to be my DA40/2.8. Again, focal legnth ois just about perfect for another type of photography I enjoy: indoor candids. And again, f/2.8 is usually fast enough for me, especially given that DOF gets awfully shallow as you open up wider. I also love 40mm for intimate (as opposed to panoramic) landscapes and as a general purpose "thing" lens (ie, when I want a picture of a specific thing that is right in front of me, but don't need a macro view). The DA40/2.8 an incredibly sharp lens starting right off from wide open, center to edge, and focuses faster than any other lens I've seen. But more than that, I have a very real sense that while my other lenses are great tools that I use to make pictures, the DA40/2.8 is a lens I merely mount on the camera and point in the general direction of things, and it makes the picture happen all by itself.

It remains to be seen whether the DA70 that should arrive Monday will supplant either of these...

03-14-2009, 10:59 AM	#62
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	OK, I'll bite. Perhaps my best lens is my A85/1.4, but I seldom use it owing to its size and lack of AF so I'll confine my "evaluation" to my AF lenses. My contemporary lens collection is pretty modest by Forum standards: the four DA Limiteds, FA 50/1.4, DFA 100, DA 10-17FE, DA 16-45, DA 50-200 and DA 18-250. Of these, the "best" is my DA 40 - based on three criteria subjectively assessed: optical performance (i.e. how PP'd, printed TIFF files look to me); operational charateristics (prmarily speed and assertiveness of AF); and build quality. In truth, all of my lenses are more capable than is their owner! Jer Last edited by Sailor; 03-14-2009 at 01:29 PM. Reason: struggling with syntax*

03-14-2009, 11:20 AM	#63
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710	it's a toss up Just as Lance stated, they all have unique characteristics: *FA 300/2.8 - stunning image quality and color: FA* 200/4 macro - same as above, and super creamy bokeh: Example of clarity with the FA* 200/4 macro: FA* 80-200/2.8 - good as a prime lens, although heavy: DA 12-24 - awesome ultra wide angle zoom - very useful: FA 77mm Limited - owned it, beautiful lens, and didn't use that focal length much... not doing much portraiture, so it had to go... Oh, the the best and most underrated lens? The DA 50-200**: Cheers, Marc

03-14-2009, 11:38 AM	#65
ustacood Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Photos: Albums Posts: 51	Fa 35/2 I dont' think I will ever live up to the capabilities of this lens.

03-14-2009, 02:57 PM	#69
ustacood Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Photos: Albums Posts: 51	Sweet dog Originally posted by Raybo How does the IQ of the Sigma compare to your FA 50? Thanks in advance, Ray That's a sweet pic of your dog. What kind is he/she? I've seen many nice shots with the Sigma. I'd like to hear compared to the 50 also.

03-14-2009, 04:01 PM	#73
skinja Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Denver, Co Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 968	My favorite is... My FA*31, but my most used is the 28-75 Tamron which is on my K20D most of the time. The 18-250 Tamron is on my K10D almost always.

03-14-2009, 09:40 AM	#61
barbosas Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lisbon Photos: Gallery Posts: 683	My favourite? FA77 Most used, definitely the FA35, great for indoors.

03-14-2009, 11:30 AM	#64
JHfwp Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 876	My FA 77 amazes me, but I hardly ever use it.

03-14-2009, 12:25 PM	#66
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,816	I'm with Wheatfield, Sailer and Douglas of Sweden, either one of these two, I use both every day, the SMC Pentax A* 85mm F1.4 or SMC Pentax-A* 135mm F1.8. Don't make me choose.

03-14-2009, 12:31 PM	#67
RT1 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 85	Call me old fashioned, but I an still a huge fan of my "standard" lenses. I love my fast fifty, Pentax FA50/1.4, but it a a tad long on my K200. I guess that this means that my favorite lens, and best one that I own in my opinion, is my Sigma 30 f1.4

03-14-2009, 12:49 PM	#68
Raybo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 872	Originally posted by RT1 Call me old fashioned, but I an still a huge fan of my "standard" lenses. I love my fast fifty, Pentax FA50/1.4, but it a a tad long on my K200. I guess that this means that my favorite lens, and best one that I own in my opinion, is my Sigma 30 f1.4 How does the IQ of the Sigma compare to your FA 50? Thanks in advance, Ray

03-14-2009, 03:35 PM	#70
atiratha Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 121	Well, having only recently acquired the FA35, it became an instant favourite of mine. The other one would be my Porst 135/2.8 well...and of course my F50/1.4 which gave me a ton of great pictures.

03-14-2009, 03:52 PM	#71
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	My best lens is my FA 31, and it is absolutely my favorite. My DA 17-70 comes in second.

03-14-2009, 03:55 PM	#72
igowerf Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 486	I managed to get my hands on an A* 135mm f/1.8 a while ago. I don't get to use it often enough, but it's quite a lens. My favorite lens is either the DA 70mm or DA 35mm though.

03-14-2009, 04:04 PM	#74
beaumont Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 505	Originally posted by Marc Langille Just as Lance stated, they all have unique characteristics: *FA 300/2.8 - stunning image quality and color: FA* 200/4 macro - same as above, and super creamy bokeh: Example of clarity with the FA* 200/4 macro: FA* 80-200/2.8 - good as a prime lens, although heavy: DA 12-24 - awesome ultra wide angle zoom - very useful: FA 77mm Limited - owned it, beautiful lens, and didn't use that focal length much... not doing much portraiture, so it had to go... Oh, the the best and most underrated lens? The DA 50-200**: Cheers, Marc Beautiful examples Marc...

03-14-2009, 05:15 PM	#75
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	My "favorite" lens right now is my M100/2.8. I like it because it so pretty much the perfect lens for the type of shooting I do most - concert photography. Focal length of 100mm is usually ideal for my purposes, f/2.8 is decently fast, and it's plenty sharp given that I'm shooting high ISO and wouldn't really able to take full advantage of any further sharpness. Plus the lens has a wonderful feel for manual focus, and it's small and light. Best $100 I've spent. My "best" lens right now has to be my DA40/2.8. Again, focal legnth ois just about perfect for another type of photography I enjoy: indoor candids. And again, f/2.8 is usually fast enough for me, especially given that DOF gets awfully shallow as you open up wider. I also love 40mm for intimate (as opposed to panoramic) landscapes and as a general purpose "thing" lens (ie, when I want a picture of a specific thing that is right in front of me, but don't need a macro view). The DA40/2.8 an incredibly sharp lens starting right off from wide open, center to edge, and focuses faster than any other lens I've seen. But more than that, I have a very real sense that while my other lenses are great tools that I use to make pictures, the DA40/2.8 is a lens I merely mount on the camera and point in the general direction of things, and it makes the picture happen all by itself. It remains to be seen whether the DA70 that should arrive Monday will supplant either of these...

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