[foxycce]

Can a pentax pro photographer use any pentax lens? or do they only go ultra high end?

[pexi85]

Of course! Pentax has many high quality lenses and if someone cant get good photos with them, he should look to the mirror.

[Andi Lo]

Depends on your definition of Pro and what's your definition of "any lens".

For fine art photogs I don't see the need for any top end gear, all that matters is your vision and what look you want for your images. I know alot of fine art photogs still use film.

For wedding and event shooters in low light you have to go f/2.8 zooms or fast primes, which in pentaxland (on most cases) is pretty much the highest grade lenses you can get.

For wildlife photogs you need the more expensive stuff, although not necessarily the "high end"

Whether you need the higher end lenses or not depends on whether you feel limited by your equipment yet or not. If you feel that the lens you have now is adequate, then that's all you need.

[dsport]

I know a commercial photographer sponsored by Pentax in Hong Kong, he uses what he has, even the DA18-55mm kit and DA18-250mm, and the result is great as he knows how to take pics and how to present his pics.

[ftpaddict]

Talent is much more important than equipment. Sometimes, those without talent go for the more expensive gear to compensate. In an interview I once saw on youtube, a photographer with a funny Scottish accent said that the best gear is the one which provides the most consistent results. That way you learn to adapt and compensate for the limitations of your tools.

In my case, EV +0.3 will do the job 99.5% of the time.

[MPrince]

A pro chooses his tools to assist him in accomplishing his objective or achieving his vision. Sometimes his tool of choice will be a high end camera/lens combination. Or it could be a cheap p&s. Or even a home-made pinhole camera.

[Marc Sabatella]

I'll answer from a slightly different perspective:

If you're thinkg that there mere existence of the word "Pentax" on the lens means it is "pro" quality - like all "Pentax" lenses are automatically better than all lenses by Sigma or Tamron, or Canon or Nikon for that matter - that much is definitely *not* true. Like all manufacturers, Pentax makes some lenses that are top notch, some that are adequate, and all points in between. The more expensive lenses do tend to be the better ones. The fact that your lens was made by pentax doesn't mean it is better or worse than any other lens.

None of that is to say a pro can't get perfectly acceptable results with lesser lenses, of course.

[RioRico]

The most important photographic tool is located between the ears. A famous mentor advised photographers to cut a hole in a piece of cardboard, look at the world thru that, learn how to see. Cameras and lenses are but tools; knowing how and when to use them is primary. Some pros even use Holgas! (A Minneapolis photojournalist shot the last known picture of the late Sen. Wellstone with a Holga and considers it one of his best shots.) Some film-era photographers were renowned for using the simple gear they'd started with, because they knew *exactly* what it would do. Experimenters (like some pro photo artists) might not want that kind of consistency. So, the tools of any pro will be determined by how they want to use them.

So, what are your intentions and goals, and what tools will get you there? For nice portraits and impressionistic art, soft lenses. For ultra-realism, sharp lenses. For low light or speedy subjects, fast lenses. For creative shooping, almost any lenses. For hazardous situations, throwaway cams and lenses. (Be sure to remove the film or memstick!) Even within any area, your needs may vary. Like, portraits. Are you doing studio shots, group photos, ID pictures, surveillance, candids, fine art, pr0n, forensics, anthropology, what? Not all of these will require the finest glass, eh?