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10-03-2007, 09:42 AM   #1
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help with choosing first lens for k100d!plus question about super!

Hello everyone,
I finally saved up enuff money for my first slr camera wich will be the pentax k100d and I would like some help choosing my first lens.
the camera is offered with or without the 18-55 lens kit or without, but I would like to know if theres a lens that would suit my need better for under 150 dollars.
I mainly will be using the camera to take still pics of people from about 10 to 15 feet away, wich lens would give me the most versatility of capturing full body and face closeups?
would
I was consider this zoom Pentax smc DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens for Digital SLRs W/ USA Warranty
also what does this new super digital offer that the original k100d does not?

10-03-2007, 10:11 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by zimzum Quote
pentax k100d and I would like some help choosing my first lens.
the camera is offered with or without the 18-55 lens kit
I mainly will be using the camera to take still pics of people from about 10 to 15 feet away, wich lens would give me the most versatility of capturing full body and face closeups?
I was consider this zoom Pentax smc DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Lens for Digital SLRs W/ USA Warranty
The lens link you gave is the kit lens.

The range is very useful of a good true wideangle for group shots, and the 55mm end (~82.5mm equivalant) was what used to be considered the "ideal" portrait lens - good for most head and shoulders shots.

So it looks as though the kit lens would be very suitable for your intended use.

It doen't hurt that the 18-55mm kit lens is actually one of the best kit lenses offered, and the K100D with kit lens is very well priced - lower priced than some non-dSLR digicams....
10-03-2007, 10:11 AM   #3
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Nothing wrong with that kit lens. Go for it. The Super offers ISO 3200, dust removal, and support for lenses with integral focus motors. For your use I'm not sure it's worth the extra money.
10-03-2007, 10:21 AM   #4
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Since you're just getting started in this whole DSLR thing.. Avoid the extra cost associated with the K100-Super.. You'll be upgrading in the future likely anyway so, save your money now.

The 18-55 kit lens is a perfect starter lens and you can pick it up for $79 NEW or so.. It produces nice images, is easy to handle, and allows full functionality of your camera. If you later feel you want a zoom lens, the DA 50-200 compliments the camera very well and it too produces great images. You can find this one for under $200.

10-03-2007, 10:23 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ahab Quote
The Super offers ISO 3200, dust removal, and support for lenses with integral focus motors.
The regular (non-Super) K100D already had ISO3200.

Just for clarity and not a contradiction -

Dust removal - K100D Super has an extra "anti-dust" coating on the sensor, and a sticky dust capture strip below the sensor. BUT the regular K100D does have a dust removal setting in its menu that shakes the sensor to remove dust.

SMD (Supersonic Drive Motor) lens support - I understand the regular K100D can still focus SMD lenses by the mechanical screw-drive (probably slower and noisier) - but not via the built-in lens motor.
10-03-2007, 10:26 AM   #6
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The Super adds only two things:
1) Dust reduction feature.
2) Support for SDM focus.

P.s. Ahab, the plain K100d has ISO 3200 already, and it supports lenses with integral focus motors; it just uses regular autofocus instead of the integral motors (unlike for example the Nikon D40 where non-compatible lenses simply won't autofocus at all). ... oops, UnknownVT obvious types faster than me

As Ahab said, I'm not sure the Super is worth the extra money. Personally I find Dust Reduction a bit of a gimmick; the best way to reduce dust being to change lenses sensibly and give the sensor a clean occasionally
Support for SDM focus on the other hand could be useful if you want to buy either of the two new DA* zooms, or if Pentax make SDM focus standard throughout the range (which really would be the sensible thing for them to do)... but the good news is that even without SDM focus you will have autofocus... so it's up to you whether to spend the extra on a Super (personally I wouldn't, and would put the difference towards a better lens).
10-03-2007, 10:42 AM   #7
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re: Dust removal setting

QuoteQuote:
BUT the regular K100D does have a dust removal setting in its menu that shakes the sensor to remove dust.
Actually the Dust Removal setting moves the mirror out of the way to enable cleaning with a brush or pad.

10-03-2007, 11:17 AM   #8
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Original Poster
thanks very much for the quick responses, I think I will go with the 18-55 kit lens and the regular k100d since ive seen it for 459.00 plus a 50 dollar mail in rebate!
10-03-2007, 12:27 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by zimzum Quote
thanks very much for the quick responses, I think I will go with the 18-55 kit lens and the regular k100d since ive seen it for 459.00 plus a 50 dollar mail in rebate!
I thought the rebate is over?
10-03-2007, 07:17 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by baw Quote
Actually the Dust Removal setting moves the mirror out of the way to enable cleaning with a brush or pad.
I think the K100D actually uses the shake-reduction mechanism to shake the CCD sensor as well to aid dust removal - please see page 189 of the K100D manual (Download Manual) -



When I cleaned my K100D sensor - I did it without a blower - just held it with the lens opening down and turned on the Sensor Cleaning mode and I could hear faint sounds of the SR mechanism throughout the entire time the camera was in the Sensor Cleaning mode.

Last edited by UnknownVT; 10-03-2007 at 07:27 PM.
10-03-2007, 08:58 PM   #11
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QuoteQuote:
I think the K100D actually uses the shake-reduction mechanism to shake the CCD sensor as well to aid dust removal - please see page 189 of the K100D manual (Download Manual) -



When I cleaned my K100D sensor - I did it without a blower - just held it with the lens opening down and turned on the Sensor Cleaning mode and I could hear faint sounds of the SR mechanism throughout the entire time the camera was in the Sensor Cleaning mode.
No. It does exactly what it says - you are misinterpreting it. The noise is the SR feature doing its SR thing while you happen to be cleaning the sensor.

If you read the marketing blurb of the K100D Super, its pointed out the dust reduction is an added feature over the K100D.

You would see the phrase "dust reduction feature" in the K100D manual, if it was there...

As for the original question, an 18-55 will not have "face closeups" at 10-15 feet. The 50-200 would be a better choice.
10-03-2007, 09:33 PM   #12
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I think that you'll like either the K100D or Super zimzum.
I just have a 1 year old 100D, and it's given me more wonderful photographs than you could imagine

I hardly ever use the 18-55mm kit lens these days, however I always have it with me.
It's a really good lens, especially for the money.

I actually managed to sell a K100D, with the 18-55mm lens in my local camera shop today, by just showing the people looking a few images that I've taken with it
They weren't looking to buy a camera either..... No wonder Bill gives me discounts on just about everything

QuoteOriginally posted by UnknownVT Quote
I think the K100D actually uses the shake-reduction mechanism to shake the CCD sensor as well to aid dust removal - please see page 189 of the K100D manual (Download Manual) -



When I cleaned my K100D sensor - I did it without a blower - just held it with the lens opening down and turned on the Sensor Cleaning mode and I could hear faint sounds of the SR mechanism throughout the entire time the camera was in the Sensor Cleaning mode.
As much as I hate to say it you got lucky if you managed to shake any dust off
Read steps 1-9 on page 189 - 190, and you'll see that we're supposed to either blow it off or use a brush.
10-03-2007, 10:24 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpecialK Quote
No. It does exactly what it says - you are misinterpreting it. The noise is the SR feature doing its SR thing while you happen to be cleaning the sensor.
I do take this point (and agree about the more specific wording in the K100D Super manual) -

However as an experiment I just tried the Sensor cleaning procedure with the SR turned OFF.

The SR mechanism still seemed to make the same continuous noise (with SR switched off) -
should the SR still be doing its thing, when turned off?
10-04-2007, 12:37 PM   #14
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Both Kit's lens and DA 50-200 do well for me

I have few blog posts sharing my thoughts on my 6 month journey with k100D along with DA 18-55 and DA 50-200. I am a p&s newbie recently moved to dSLR with k100d.

Thoughts on DA 18-55 (the kit's lens)
Thoughts on Pentax DA 18-55 - Hin's Tech Corner

Reactions to photozone.de poor review on DA 50-200
Photozone.de Pentax DA 50-200 review - Hin's Tech Corner

And I highly recommend both especially DA 50-200, blog posts with images using those two lens:

SR test on 1st day (DA 18-55)
Pentax K100D Test Shots - Hin's Tech Corner

Young musicians (DA 50-200)
Young Musicians with Pentax DA 50-200 - Hin's Photo Blog

Hiking & chasing my boy (DA 50-200)
Chasing My Boy with DA 50-200 - Hin's Tech Corner

Color (DA 50-200)
Color from Pentax DA 50-200 - Hin's Tech Corner

Thanks,
Hin
10-04-2007, 01:13 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by hinman Quote
I have few blog posts sharing my thoughts on my 6 month journey with k100D along with DA 18-55 and DA 50-200. I am a p&s newbie recently moved to dSLR with k100d.
And I highly recommend both especially DA 50-200

To help emphasize the quality of both the Pentax 18-55mm zoom kit lens and the 50-200mm zoom - here are a couple of Popular Photography magazine reviews of the re-badged Samsung versions - read the review for PopPhoto's comments about these "clones" -

Lens Test: Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF
Full test of Samsung's Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF lens.
July 2006

Lens Test: Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenon 50-200mm f/4-5.6 AF
Full test of Samsung's Schneider-Kreuznach D-Xenon 50-200mm f/4-5.6 AF lens.
July 2006
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