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Eran.mrg · 03-23-2012, 10:43 AM

So as a gift for my birthday my family asked me what do I want and I'm considering two options a Metz 50 af-1 or a DA 35mm f/2.4
my current arsenal is:
K-5, DA 18-55, SMC 28mm f/3.5, SMC 50mm f/1.4 and a K 200mm f/4
So what wold you have?

KansasPen · 03-23-2012, 10:56 AM

I vote for the 35mm. I just bought one about a week ago and it hasn't left my camera since. I only really shoot pictures not needing an external flash though. I own the AF360 and can never seem to find a use for it. You do own some primes already so a flash may be a good addition if it fits your photography style.

cbope · 03-23-2012, 12:21 PM

With a decent collection of lenses already, I would probably go for the flash. I have the AF360FGZ and it works well with my K-5. Now if you were asking about a Ltd lens... I might answer differently.

Coeurdechene · 03-23-2012, 12:30 PM

Depends...will you use the flash? are you interested in lighting? do you often shoot in places where the high ISO performance of the k5 isn't enough?
If you are interested in lighting the flash is a great way to start you can put it on slave mode and trigger it with the popup to start...
Tough decision..go with the thing you'll likely use the most

eddie1960 · 03-23-2012, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by Coeurdechene

Depends...will you use the flash? are you interested in lighting? do you often shoot in places where the high ISO performance of the k5 isn't enough?
If you are interested in lighting the flash is a great way to start you can put it on slave mode and trigger it with the popup to start...
Tough decision..go with the thing you'll likely use the most

Exactly

My first response is the lens, but i rarely use flash. It depends on what and how you shoot Certainly if you get and use the flash you will learn more about how your gear works than adding another prime

sterretje · 03-23-2012, 09:09 PM

Seeing the lenses that you already have, I would opt for the flash. It will add more flexibility to your kit, even if you only use it once a year or so.

mr.wizard · 03-24-2012, 02:30 AM

no doubt .. the flash...
your lens collection is more than enough

Stuffpentax · 03-24-2012, 06:52 AM

I just found an old thread concerning the achiever 260 AF. Is this suitable for the K-5? It only uses 8 volts and won't be PTTL capable. Still okay to use, even manually?

**felixkh** · 03-24-2012, 07:18 AM

If you love to use flash, then get the flash, otherwise I would go for the DA35/2.4

rvannatta · 03-24-2012, 07:26 AM

You need to think about what you will do with the flash. In my experience, the add on flash unit gives you another battery to go dead and more range than the built
in flash. You probably don't really need the second dead battery so you are looking at distance.-----or if you get an upscale model, the ability to do bounce flash or if you are really high tech--- some ability to set up remote and off camera flashes. Doesn't give you much if your flash pictures are 'around the house'.

On the other hand the lens selected doesn't give you much either because you already have a 28 and a 50mm prime. If you are doing a lot of indoor work which
I suspect you are or the flash wouldn't be of interest at all, I'd be drooling over a 'wide and fast lens----- maybe something down around 20mm.

jmg257 · 03-24-2012, 07:37 AM

I would get a 58-AF2.

demp10 · 03-24-2012, 08:14 AM

Do you have a good tripod? If not you should consider getting one. It will improve your photography far more than any additional lens.

If you do have a tripod, get the flash and learn how to use it. It will open new possibilities that you did not have before, especially if you learn to use it effectively off camera.

telly0050 · 03-24-2012, 08:35 AM

i vote for flash.
as above mentioned, you got a good collection of primes close to that range.
plus flash will open a new photography world to you

ps: 35mm/2.4 really is an awesome lens, i have one and i love it

farhagh · 03-24-2012, 09:38 AM

It all depends on your photography. Before having a little one, I did not consider flash a need. Everything changed afterward; my point is it depends how much you shoot indoors.
Between the two options, and considering you have the 28 and 50 I would go for flash anyhow.

Rupert · 03-24-2012, 09:55 AM

I'd go for the lens.....I already have the 360 and 540 flash units, and have used them considerably in the past, but seldom with the K5, since they are seldom needed with the great high ISO.
I do use them sometimes for macro work to black out the background, but otherwise they sit on the shelf 99% of the time...which is more than the 35mm would sit there unused....and at 2.4 you would seldom need a flash with it...if ever?

I'm not much of a flash fan anyhow........excepting for studio shooting, I try to avoid flash. But....that's just me, others may have a different view?

Happy Birthday !

Regards!

03-23-2012, 10:43 AM	#1
Eran.mrg New Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Herzliya Posts: 15	Flash or Lens So as a gift for my birthday my family asked me what do I want and I'm considering two options a Metz 50 af-1 or a DA 35mm f/2.4 my current arsenal is: K-5, DA 18-55, SMC 28mm f/3.5, SMC 50mm f/1.4 and a K 200mm f/4 So what wold you have?

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03-23-2012, 10:56 AM	#2
KansasPen Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 73	I vote for the 35mm. I just bought one about a week ago and it hasn't left my camera since. I only really shoot pictures not needing an external flash though. I own the AF360 and can never seem to find a use for it. You do own some primes already so a flash may be a good addition if it fits your photography style.

03-23-2012, 12:21 PM	#3
cbope Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Helsinki Posts: 664	With a decent collection of lenses already, I would probably go for the flash. I have the AF360FGZ and it works well with my K-5. Now if you were asking about a Ltd lens... I might answer differently.

03-23-2012, 12:30 PM	#4
Coeurdechene Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: madrid Photos: Albums Posts: 833	Depends...will you use the flash? are you interested in lighting? do you often shoot in places where the high ISO performance of the k5 isn't enough? If you are interested in lighting the flash is a great way to start you can put it on slave mode and trigger it with the popup to start... Tough decision..go with the thing you'll likely use the most

03-23-2012, 12:37 PM	#5
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	Originally posted by Coeurdechene Depends...will you use the flash? are you interested in lighting? do you often shoot in places where the high ISO performance of the k5 isn't enough? If you are interested in lighting the flash is a great way to start you can put it on slave mode and trigger it with the popup to start... Tough decision..go with the thing you'll likely use the most Exactly My first response is the lens, but i rarely use flash. It depends on what and how you shoot Certainly if you get and use the flash you will learn more about how your gear works than adding another prime

03-23-2012, 09:09 PM	#6
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Seeing the lenses that you already have, I would opt for the flash. It will add more flexibility to your kit, even if you only use it once a year or so.

03-24-2012, 02:30 AM	#7
mr.wizard Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 50	no doubt .. the flash... your lens collection is more than enough

03-24-2012, 06:52 AM	#8
Stuffpentax Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New York Posts: 40	I just found an old thread concerning the achiever 260 AF. Is this suitable for the K-5? It only uses 8 volts and won't be PTTL capable. Still okay to use, even manually?

03-24-2012, 07:18 AM	#9
felixkh Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,201	If you love to use flash, then get the flash, otherwise I would go for the DA35/2.4

03-24-2012, 07:26 AM	#10
rvannatta Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Apiary, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,181	You need to think about what you will do with the flash. In my experience, the add on flash unit gives you another battery to go dead and more range than the built in flash. You probably don't really need the second dead battery so you are looking at distance.-----or if you get an upscale model, the ability to do bounce flash or if you are really high tech--- some ability to set up remote and off camera flashes. Doesn't give you much if your flash pictures are 'around the house'. On the other hand the lens selected doesn't give you much either because you already have a 28 and a 50mm prime. If you are doing a lot of indoor work which I suspect you are or the flash wouldn't be of interest at all, I'd be drooling over a 'wide and fast lens----- maybe something down around 20mm.

03-24-2012, 07:37 AM	#11
jmg257 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 202	I would get a 58-AF2.

03-24-2012, 08:14 AM	#12
demp10 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Atlanta Photos: Albums Posts: 602	Do you have a good tripod? If not you should consider getting one. It will improve your photography far more than any additional lens. If you do have a tripod, get the flash and learn how to use it. It will open new possibilities that you did not have before, especially if you learn to use it effectively off camera.

03-24-2012, 08:35 AM	#13
telly0050 Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 233	i vote for flash. as above mentioned, you got a good collection of primes close to that range. plus flash will open a new photography world to you ps: 35mm/2.4 really is an awesome lens, i have one and i love it

03-24-2012, 09:38 AM	#14
farhagh Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ohio Photos: Albums Posts: 339	It all depends on your photography. Before having a little one, I did not consider flash a need. Everything changed afterward; my point is it depends how much you shoot indoors. Between the two options, and considering you have the 28 and 50 I would go for flash anyhow.

03-24-2012, 09:55 AM	#15
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	I'd go for the lens.....I already have the 360 and 540 flash units, and have used them considerably in the past, but seldom with the K5, since they are seldom needed with the great high ISO. I do use them sometimes for macro work to black out the background, but otherwise they sit on the shelf 99% of the time...which is more than the 35mm would sit there unused....and at 2.4 you would seldom need a flash with it...if ever? I'm not much of a flash fan anyhow........excepting for studio shooting, I try to avoid flash. But....that's just me, others may have a different view? Happy Birthday ! Regards!

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