What's your first LBA item?

miks · 12-08-2009, 07:24 PM

As a newbie in the SLR realm, i want to try almost everything (except sports, i guess). Portraits, wildlife, macro, etc...

If only i had money to burn, i'll get lenses suited for each one.

In my head, its now... "which one? a fast 50? a WA? a 100~ish macro?

Then this got me thinking, I think a good number of people went thru the stage i'm going thru now which would be torn between the older but still good lenses suited for different applications.

now back to the topic, What's your first "not really NEEDED, but badly WANTED lens"?

Last edited by miks; 12-08-2009 at 07:41 PM. Reason: to be more specific, thanks Lowell Goudge

**Lowell Goudge** · 12-08-2009, 07:31 PM

I think you need to really clarify an LBA item.

My perspective is it is something you "really want" but someting that you don't "really need"

I exclude things that you purchase to round out your photographic kit because even if you specialize in one or two aspects of photography you should have a reasonably complete kit.

For me the complete kit is zooms covering 10m to 200 mm (possibly to 400mm if wild life is an interest) and fast primes and speciality lenses such as macro's and fish eyes as you need to fill gaps.

That means LBA kicks in after you have a good kit, and my first don't need lens was a super takumar 85mm F1.9 especially since I already had a vivitar 85mm F1.4, but I happened upon it at a really good price.

miks · 12-08-2009, 07:38 PM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

I think you need to really clarify an LBA item.

My perspective is it is something you "really want" but someting that you don't "really need"

I exclude things that you purchase to round out your photographic kit because even if you specialize in one or two aspects of photography you should have a reasonably complete kit.

For me the complete kit is zooms covering 10m to 200 mm (possibly to 400mm if wild life is an interest) and fast primes and speciality lenses such as macro's and fish eyes as you need to fill gaps.

That means LBA kicks in after you have a good kit, and my first don't need lens was a super takumar 85mm F1.9 especially since I already had a vivitar 85mm F1.4, but I happened upon it at a really good price.

I won't be making money off photography so its not a "really need" or is it a need because my kit isnt set yet... i'm confused

To make the thread more specific

"first don't really need lens, but really want"

Pentaxor · 12-08-2009, 08:11 PM

the problem is that I tend to use what lens I bought inorder to justify it's purchase. so LBA would be something that I wanted to buy and wanted to use.

anyway, since I have already quite a number of lens, I do tend not to use them all that frequently. the most unused lens that I have is the M50/2 which is now officially retired. now the strongest LBA I had was looking for an A 50/1.2 which I now possess. followed by the FA50/1.7 on second place and third is the most used lens and one of my favorites in my arsenal, the FA100/2.8 macro which is now being replaced by the Sigma 70/2.8 for it's purpose.

**Just1MoreDave** · 12-08-2009, 08:50 PM

I already had a Pentax-A 50mm f1.7 and a Takumar-A 70-200mm f4 from my film camera. My first purchase was a Tamron 28-300mm superzoom, because I really thought I needed to reach 300mm, and it seemed to do so many other things. It's really a pretty decent lens within its limitations, and I could probably sell it at a profit today. It wasn't a great lens for me, though.

My second purchase got me headed in the right direction for me. It was a Sigma Super-Wide II 24mm f2.8 manual focus prime. A good sign was, I probably took 5 photos with the zoom and 50 with the Sigma on the first day. I enjoyed getting good prime lenses at cheap prices.

I think everyone should have some kind of plan or direction, especially if you intend to buy new lenses. Old Pentax lenses hold their value well, so as long as you don't pay beyond the market, you can buy, use and sell them for little or no cost. It's tough to do that with new lenses, so be sure of your purchases. (You can also get ten old lenses for the price of one new one.) Your plan doesn't need to make sense to anyone else, as long as it does to you.

stevebrot · 12-08-2009, 09:52 PM

The first non-need lens that did not come attached to a camera was my second (yes, 2nd) XR Rikenon 50/2. Did I need this lens? Nope, not at all! My Ricoh XR-2s came with this lens and my Ricoh XR7 is mounted to a very nice Pentax-M 50/1.7. Both bodies were very nicely mated to quality glass. Why the second Rikenon? I had the simple notion that it would be nice to have a type appropriate lens on the XR7.

Close on its heels (by only a few days) was the Vivitar 135/2.8 (M42). Did I need this lens? Nooooo! I did not! I already have a very nice Tamron 70-150/3.5 Adaptall-2 and a M42 adapter. I just thought that it would be nice to have lenses of the similar vintage to go with my Ricoh Singlex TLS and Mamiya/Sekor 1000 DTL bodies. Simple as that.

I hope you see the foolishness of all this. The Viv 135 soon led to a Viv 200. I am still looking for a Viv 28 to round out the M42 kit.

Fortunately, the LBA has subsided to be replaced by an recurrence of a rare variant of CBA...CRFBA...Cheap Rangefinder Buying Addiction. This is similar to, but different from the more common LAM (Leica Acquisition Mania). I just closed a deal on an mid '60s Yashica Lynx 5000 and am casing a couple of early '60s Lynx 1000 models. I am telling myself that I will sell the one that I don't like. Don't you believe it...I will keep them all. That is the way it is.

Steve

(Also watching a couple of Lynx 14 and 14E as well as a couple of Electro 35 GSN...)

(My first camera was a Lynx 1000...nostalgia is a dangerous thing...)

**monochrome** · 12-08-2009, 10:24 PM

Vivitar Series 1 105/2.5 Macro. I bought it on eBay New in the Box in November 2003, not knowing what it really was. I actually never took a photograph with the lens until I got a K10D.

When I add up everything I have bought on impulse then sold in guilt I could have a K-7 and the three Limiteds.

Wouldn't have had as much fun, though.

Last edited by monochrome; 12-08-2009 at 10:42 PM.

jsherman999 · 12-08-2009, 10:39 PM

Originally posted by miks

I won't be making money off photography so its not a "really need" or is it a need because my kit isnt set yet... i'm confused

To make the thread more specific

"first don't really need lens, but really want"

.

The first couple lenses I bought that I didn't really 'need'?

I think I bought these in a single used-lens shopping trip right after I got my K100DS:

Vivitar 28 2.8 close-focus (before anyone including me 'knew' about it, just got lucky)
M 50 1.4 (already had the FA 50 1.4, just loved the way it handled)
M 135 3.5 (already had the DA 50-200, but this was faster at 135mm)

On that same trip I lusted after the M 85 f/2 they had in the case... But couldn't justify the price at the time. It took me another couple months and about 5 more trips to the store before they dropped the price and I found an excuse to get it

.

Zav · 12-09-2009, 01:18 AM

Not really wanted but badly wanted? FA31! I was not really in favor of prime lenses (I found the FA50 just so so).But for 500€ new, Jesus!

axl · 12-09-2009, 01:52 AM

My first which I didn't need but bought anyway was F50/1.7. Never regreted it though, unlike some other purchases....

cupic · 12-09-2009, 01:52 AM

Sigma 17-70 and still creates a smile on my face

cheers

Timtast1c · 12-09-2009, 02:44 AM

For me it was the DA* 300. I was just going in to get $30 dollars worth of stuff....but

sitting on a shelf at a popular camera store on clearance was a the 300......$300 dollars off! how could I possibly resist!

about 30 minutes and a much lighter wallet later... I walked out the door with a new lens

Voe · 12-09-2009, 03:37 AM

My first LBA purchase was the 77mm Limited. I bought this lens before I even bought a Pentax DSLR, back in October 2006 when the news of the K10d already broke out, but the camera was not available yet. And while waiting for the K10D I also bought Pentax M 50mm f/1.7 and Pentax M 135mm f/3.5.

Mechan1k · 12-09-2009, 03:44 AM

Super Takumar 85mm f/1.9 .... really didn't need it as I have a Tamron 90mm macro .... but hell .. I love that lens to bits.

knyghtfall · 12-09-2009, 05:25 AM

Voigtlander 75mm/2.5. Don't really need it cos I already have the FA 77. But - stating an oft quoted cliche - what has need to got to do with LBA?

Other items that I don't need and would like to have is a Takumar 85mm and the not well known Takumar 83mm.

12-08-2009, 07:24 PM	#1
miks Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 49	What's your first not really NEEDED, but badly WANTED lens purchase? As a newbie in the SLR realm, i want to try almost everything (except sports, i guess). Portraits, wildlife, macro, etc... If only i had money to burn, i'll get lenses suited for each one. In my head, its now... "which one? a fast 50? a WA? a 100~ish macro? Then this got me thinking, I think a good number of people went thru the stage i'm going thru now which would be torn between the older but still good lenses suited for different applications. now back to the topic, What's your first "not really NEEDED, but badly WANTED lens"? Last edited by miks; 12-08-2009 at 07:41 PM. Reason: to be more specific, thanks Lowell Goudge

12-08-2009, 07:38 PM	#3
miks Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 49 Original Poster	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge I think you need to really clarify an LBA item. My perspective is it is something you "really want" but someting that you don't "really need" I exclude things that you purchase to round out your photographic kit because even if you specialize in one or two aspects of photography you should have a reasonably complete kit. For me the complete kit is zooms covering 10m to 200 mm (possibly to 400mm if wild life is an interest) and fast primes and speciality lenses such as macro's and fish eyes as you need to fill gaps. That means LBA kicks in after you have a good kit, and my first don't need lens was a super takumar 85mm F1.9 especially since I already had a vivitar 85mm F1.4, but I happened upon it at a really good price. I won't be making money off photography so its not a "really need" or is it a need because my kit isnt set yet... i'm confused To make the thread more specific "first don't really need lens, but really want" Last edited by miks; 12-08-2009 at 07:45 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Question Marking item as sold	jumbuc	Site Suggestions and Help	1	04-21-2010 07:11 PM
Macro Still item shot for the very first time	elpolodiablo	Post Your Photos!	1	02-20-2010 02:37 AM
Purple Item	ChipB	Monthly Photo Contests	0	10-15-2008 09:53 AM

12-08-2009, 07:31 PM	#2
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I think you need to really clarify an LBA item. My perspective is it is something you "really want" but someting that you don't "really need" I exclude things that you purchase to round out your photographic kit because even if you specialize in one or two aspects of photography you should have a reasonably complete kit. For me the complete kit is zooms covering 10m to 200 mm (possibly to 400mm if wild life is an interest) and fast primes and speciality lenses such as macro's and fish eyes as you need to fill gaps. That means LBA kicks in after you have a good kit, and my first don't need lens was a super takumar 85mm F1.9 especially since I already had a vivitar 85mm F1.4, but I happened upon it at a really good price.

12-08-2009, 08:11 PM	#4
Pentaxor Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,513	the problem is that I tend to use what lens I bought inorder to justify it's purchase. so LBA would be something that I wanted to buy and wanted to use. anyway, since I have already quite a number of lens, I do tend not to use them all that frequently. the most unused lens that I have is the M50/2 which is now officially retired. now the strongest LBA I had was looking for an A 50/1.2 which I now possess. followed by the FA50/1.7 on second place and third is the most used lens and one of my favorites in my arsenal, the FA100/2.8 macro which is now being replaced by the Sigma 70/2.8 for it's purpose.

12-08-2009, 08:50 PM	#5
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	I already had a Pentax-A 50mm f1.7 and a Takumar-A 70-200mm f4 from my film camera. My first purchase was a Tamron 28-300mm superzoom, because I really thought I needed to reach 300mm, and it seemed to do so many other things. It's really a pretty decent lens within its limitations, and I could probably sell it at a profit today. It wasn't a great lens for me, though. My second purchase got me headed in the right direction for me. It was a Sigma Super-Wide II 24mm f2.8 manual focus prime. A good sign was, I probably took 5 photos with the zoom and 50 with the Sigma on the first day. I enjoyed getting good prime lenses at cheap prices. I think everyone should have some kind of plan or direction, especially if you intend to buy new lenses. Old Pentax lenses hold their value well, so as long as you don't pay beyond the market, you can buy, use and sell them for little or no cost. It's tough to do that with new lenses, so be sure of your purchases. (You can also get ten old lenses for the price of one new one.) Your plan doesn't need to make sense to anyone else, as long as it does to you.

12-08-2009, 09:52 PM	#6
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	The first non-need lens that did not come attached to a camera was my second (yes, 2nd) XR Rikenon 50/2. Did I need this lens? Nope, not at all! My Ricoh XR-2s came with this lens and my Ricoh XR7 is mounted to a very nice Pentax-M 50/1.7. Both bodies were very nicely mated to quality glass. Why the second Rikenon? I had the simple notion that it would be nice to have a type appropriate lens on the XR7. Close on its heels (by only a few days) was the Vivitar 135/2.8 (M42). Did I need this lens? Nooooo! I did not! I already have a very nice Tamron 70-150/3.5 Adaptall-2 and a M42 adapter. I just thought that it would be nice to have lenses of the similar vintage to go with my Ricoh Singlex TLS and Mamiya/Sekor 1000 DTL bodies. Simple as that. I hope you see the foolishness of all this. The Viv 135 soon led to a Viv 200. I am still looking for a Viv 28 to round out the M42 kit. Fortunately, the LBA has subsided to be replaced by an recurrence of a rare variant of CBA...CRFBA...Cheap Rangefinder Buying Addiction. This is similar to, but different from the more common LAM (Leica Acquisition Mania). I just closed a deal on an mid '60s Yashica Lynx 5000 and am casing a couple of early '60s Lynx 1000 models. I am telling myself that I will sell the one that I don't like. Don't you believe it...I will keep them all. That is the way it is. Steve (Also watching a couple of Lynx 14 and 14E as well as a couple of Electro 35 GSN...) (My first camera was a Lynx 1000...nostalgia is a dangerous thing...)

12-08-2009, 10:24 PM	#7
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Vivitar Series 1 105/2.5 Macro. I bought it on eBay New in the Box in November 2003, not knowing what it really was. I actually never took a photograph with the lens until I got a K10D. When I add up everything I have bought on impulse then sold in guilt I could have a K-7 and the three Limiteds. Wouldn't have had as much fun, though. Last edited by monochrome; 12-08-2009 at 10:42 PM.

12-08-2009, 10:39 PM	#8
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	Originally posted by miks I won't be making money off photography so its not a "really need" or is it a need because my kit isnt set yet... i'm confused To make the thread more specific "first don't really need lens, but really want" . The first couple lenses I bought that I didn't really 'need'? I think I bought these in a single used-lens shopping trip right after I got my K100DS: Vivitar 28 2.8 close-focus (before anyone including me 'knew' about it, just got lucky) M 50 1.4 (already had the FA 50 1.4, just loved the way it handled) M 135 3.5 (already had the DA 50-200, but this was faster at 135mm) On that same trip I lusted after the M 85 f/2 they had in the case... But couldn't justify the price at the time. It took me another couple months and about 5 more trips to the store before they dropped the price and I found an excuse to get it .

12-09-2009, 01:18 AM	#9
Zav Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,371	Not really wanted but badly wanted? FA31! I was not really in favor of prime lenses (I found the FA50 just so so).But for 500€ new, Jesus!

12-09-2009, 01:52 AM	#10
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	My first which I didn't need but bought anyway was F50/1.7. Never regreted it though, unlike some other purchases....

12-09-2009, 01:52 AM	#11
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	Sigma 17-70 and still creates a smile on my face cheers

12-09-2009, 02:44 AM	#12
Timtast1c Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 330	For me it was the DA* 300. I was just going in to get $30 dollars worth of stuff....but sitting on a shelf at a popular camera store on clearance was a the 300......$300 dollars off! how could I possibly resist! about 30 minutes and a much lighter wallet later... I walked out the door with a new lens

12-09-2009, 03:37 AM	#13
Voe Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery Posts: 719	My first LBA purchase was the 77mm Limited. I bought this lens before I even bought a Pentax DSLR, back in October 2006 when the news of the K10d already broke out, but the camera was not available yet. And while waiting for the K10D I also bought Pentax M 50mm f/1.7 and Pentax M 135mm f/3.5.

12-09-2009, 03:44 AM	#14
Mechan1k Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,891	Super Takumar 85mm f/1.9 .... really didn't need it as I have a Tamron 90mm macro .... but hell .. I love that lens to bits.

12-09-2009, 05:25 AM	#15
knyghtfall Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 348	Voigtlander 75mm/2.5. Don't really need it cos I already have the FA 77. But - stating an oft quoted cliche - what has need to got to do with LBA? Other items that I don't need and would like to have is a Takumar 85mm and the not well known Takumar 83mm.