[incidentflux]

I'm aiming to get the most out of my Pentax gear with my black K-30. Would appreciate some suggestions about optimal primary and secondary uses for each lens.

1. 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 WR
2. 40mm f/2.8 XS
3. 100m f/2.8 Macro WR

Would love to hear feedback from folks who shoot with them as their primary or secondary lenses.

Update: Started this thread since I'm to new to DSLRs and these lens types to get ideas, to incorporate with my own creative styles. Certainly, the obvious answer is go out and shoot, but comments from experienced users make a significant contribution. Hopefully filling technical gaps in my knowledge from this this warm Pentax community we have here

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Last edited by incidentflux; 04-03-2013 at 06:20 AM.

[Tonto]

I don't own ANY of them (but would like to!). This is how I would advise you use them

1. Your go everywhere outside lens due to the WR- also your widest lens good for landscape esp stopped down on a tripod. Good interior lens with flash and a good portrait range from group 30mm to tight headshot 135mm. Your best lens when you are out with others as you won't have to time to get your shots in frame.

2. Take this everywhere as it is tiny! Lower light lens to minimise ISO use. Sharp corner to corner which makes for nice landscapes and stiching together shots for panoramas. Your smallest camera lens combo for when you want to stay small suitable for an inconspicuous street shoot. Zoom with your feet! Basically use this as your body cap.

3. Use for macro (duh) whether it be insects/flowers/EBay stuff but also textures, cars, architectural detail, sculptures. Also a great lightweight tele lens for casual portraits across the street shooting, low light good for museum cases. Also the 40+100 make for a great walkaround kit if you arn't shooting wide.

[Louicio]

Taking photos

[TER-OR]

What Tonto said.
I have the 18-135, it's versatile and WR. It's a primary walkaround/day in the woods/zoo/etc lens.
I don't have the 40mmXS, but it's tempting. I think I'd like a hood, though.
I have an earlier 100mm macro - and I take lots of insect pictures. These 100mm Macros are great lenses.

[Kozlok]

The right answer for you isn't the same as anyone else's. Just go shoot pictures, you'll figure it out! Try all different sorts, explore the boundaries.

[Ken T]

The right answer for you isn't the same as anyone else's. Just go shoot pictures, you'll figure it out! Try all different sorts, explore the boundaries.

Agree.

[DeadJohn]

As others have said, go use them all and find your own style. You are starting with a great set of lenses.

With respect to the 100mm macro, insects and other extreme closeups require good technique. It's fun for me, but expect many of your early photos to be "failures" if you try macro. But they aren't really failures because you'll learn from them. The lens is also outstandingly sharp when used at regular non-macro distances.

[felixkh]

I have the 18-135 as well as the 100WR. The DA18-135 is used as a holiday lens while the D-FA100WR is used when I want to shoot macro. My DA*16-50/2.8 is always on my K5 as the de facto kit lens. I recently managed to get the DA*50-135/2.8 so the two DA* lenses are now my most used lenses.

It depends on what you like to shoot and slowly, you will know what you like after a while. For now just go out and shoot and shoot.

[wullemaha]

I also have the 18-135 WR and use it as my "everyday" lens.
My second lens is an old manual-focus-only 50mm F1.7 - I use this for low light and portraits.

So you see our lens combo is kind of similar, with only a long macro missing in my setup: which is what I am currently considering ;-)
Or I go for a wide angle low light... which seems to be impossible to find :-(

Anyhow, as mentioned above - just shoot as much as possible and try to find out which lens suits you for which purpose.

[incidentflux]

Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm really loving the 100mm macro lens. It's like a zen meditation lens. Just using it clams me down

Will post photos in appropriate threads here, and on Gplus and facbeook.

[kshapero]

I have the 18-135 for outdoors and the 35/2.4 for evenings and indoors.