[dxpand4]

Hello ppl, I wanted to know what some recommended lenses are for landscape, astro & time lapses are.

I've been recommended the Pentax DA 12mm - 24mm lens, DA 15mm and the DA 21mm for astro.

If there are any lenses you think are better let me know.

Thanks guys

[hcc]

The DA15mm Ltd is a no-brainer for landscape. It is a fantastic lens. Metallic construction (very solid), pancake shape (non intrusive), superb IQ.... It is an awesome landscape lens IMHO.


Highly recommended.


I posted my experience during a trip to Paris a few years ago at https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/246655-primes-paris.html and the DA15mm was the real surprise!

[Adam]

Hello ppl, I wanted to know what some recommended lenses are for landscape, astro & time lapses are.

I've been recommended the Pentax DA 12mm - 24mm lens, DA 15mm and the DA 21mm for astro.

If there are any lenses you think are better let me know.

Thanks guys

The 15mm is hard to go wrong with. I would also check out the fast samyang primes. Having an extra stop or two can be super nice at times for astro work.

[dxpand4]

The 15mm is hard to go wrong with. I would also check out the fast samyang primes. Having an extra stop or two can be super nice at times for astro work.

Do they have to be fast primes?

And what brand is best while being cheap?

[Billk]

Do they have to be fast primes?

And what brand is best while being cheap?

With lenses, you only ever get what you pay for.

For landscape, astro and still life, if you are willing to forego auto focus, you can get great image quality more cheaply. Samyang manual focus lenses have a reputation for great image quality at the price point. You can also find second hand manual focus lenses in K mount (the newer Pentax mount) that have great image quality.

The one possible exception to the "you only get what you pay for rule" is the Sigma Art Series. Not cheap but oh so fantastic at the price point. They give much more expensive Pentax Limited Series, Zeiss and Canon L series lenses a run for their money and the only negative is they are big and heavy. (OK for some users that's a big negative! )

Have a browse of the user reviews of lenses on this site for some ideas.

[Cerebum]

I love my M42 Helios 44m-4 (great colour rendition, 58mm), I have also had fun with my vintage Miranda 24mm Ka. Are you looking for a fixed focal length? I had some tremendous results from my 10-17mm fish eye but this isn't a cheap lens, although it is significantly cheaper than the lenses recommended and you do have the focal length options. As for general landscapes on a budget, I absolutely love my 18-135 and 55-300. Happy hunting

[aslyfox]

I like my HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR

you can find user reviews and an " In Depth Review " under " Cameras " above

are there any companies in your area that offers rentals

if so, consider renting and doing your own testing

[dxpand4]

I like my HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR

you can find user reviews and an " In Depth Review " under " Cameras " above

are there any companies in your area that offers rentals

if so, consider renting and doing your own testing

What would be the best focal length and should it be fixed or not for astro & the same thing for landscape?

[JohnX]

The 12-24 is a great and versatile lens. I think IQ is up there with the Ltds, but with the lens hood on its a bit big!

[Cerebum]

What would be the best focal length and should it be fixed or not for astro & the same thing for landscape?

What lenses do you already have? It could be that the only way to noticeably improve on what you have would be to buy a stellar prime (pun intended). Equally, you may have an absolute gem that just needs polishing

[aslyfox]

What would be the best focal length and should it be fixed or not for astro & the same thing for landscape?

I've never used it for either purpose but if I did a WAG I would say zoomed as wide as possible ??

the following is from the " In Depth Review " of the lens:

Field of View
Diagonally: 83 degrees (wide) to 19 degrees (tele)
Horizontally: 74 degrees (wide) to 16 degrees (tele)
Aperture Range F3.5 to F22 (wide), F5.6 to F38 (tele)

Diameter x Length 78 x 94 mm (3.07 x 3.7 in.)
Weight (w/o Hood) 488 g (16 oz)
Pentax Mount Designation KAF3
Weather Sealing Yes (WR - Weather Resistant)


Read more at: HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 Review - Specifications | PentaxForums.com Reviews

Verdict
The DA 16-85mm zoom has a useful zoom range as a multi-purpose lens and the difference between the 18mm of a kit lens and the 16mm at the wide end does bear a practical significance for landscape and interior photography. This is a handy lens for travel photography and can be used as a main zoom lens by beginners and advanced users alike.

Its general image quality (color & contrast) is very good, but the exposure accuracy is slightly uneven over the aperture range, something that you would only notice when shooting the same scene at various apertures. It is advisable to use the aperture priority (Av) or manual (M) exposure modes and keep the aperture fixed if this unevenness is a concern. At times a slight exposure compensation may also be appropriate.


Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/hd-pentax-da-16-85mm-f35-56/general-ima...#ixzz5FHZwUD7v


This lens surprised us with professional-grade sharpness throughout the zoom range and superior corner and edge performance compared to not only consumer lenses, but also faster lenses such as the DA* 16-50mm. Its 16mm focal length also gives users a noticeable (7 degree) increase in field of view compared to lesser standard zooms that begin at 18mm, such as the 18-55mm kit lens. On top of already-impressive optical performance, any remaining imperfections (such as fringing or vignetting) can be effectively corrected thanks to the in-camera lens corrections built in to all current Pentax DSLRs. The only compromise this lens makes is its somewhat slow aperture range, but it makes up for this by performing well wide-open. While it's not quite as sharp or as aberration-free as a prime might be, this lens is fantastic for the versatility it offers, and while physically larger than the Pentax 18-135mm, it is still relatively compact.

Read more at: HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 Review - Conclusion | PentaxForums.com Reviews

[dxpand4]

What lenses do you already have? It could be that the only way to noticeably improve on what you have would be to buy a stellar prime (pun intended). Equally, you may have an absolute gem that just needs polishing

I don't have any because i'm planning on getting a camera in the next few months and im needing advise because I've never owned a camera before

[aslyfox]

---------- Post added 05-12-18 at 05:45 ----------

I don't have any because i'm planning on getting a camera in the next few months and im needing advise because I've never owned a camera before

you are doing the right thing, in my humble opinion, doing your research and asking questions

keep it up

________________________


here is a thread about the " limiteds "

the limiteds do they live up to the reputation and why - PentaxForums.com

and they say a picture is worth ______________ words

DA 16-85 WR,show us what it can do. - PentaxForums.com

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/86234-15mm-limited-contro...mind-club.html

The DA Limited Club - PentaxForums.com

Pentax Camera & Lens Sample Photo Search Engine - PentaxForums.com

________________________________________________________________


take a look at the article lists to see if there might be something that might help you out

https://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/resources/

[Cerebum]

Oooh, exciting. If you go for Pentax the 16-85mm is a great option as is the 18-135mm for general use. These often come with the camera so you may be able to get them as a bundle. If however you only get the 18-55mm you are still getting a good lens. Another one that is sometimes bundled is the 55-300mm, another great lens. They all come in weather resistant (not weather proof) forms (look for "wr"). As the limited lenses and Pentax primes are not cheap make sure you do your research as aslyfox said. Once you have read everything and you dive in, it may be worth getting to know your lens and what it can do. You may find it is everything you need at the moment.

[aslyfox]

more info you might find helpful:

" Pentax Lens Compatibility Chart

Copyright 2006-2016 Mosphotos.com. All rights reserved.
Pentax bayonet lenses labeled "SMC Pentax" are referred to as "K" lenses in the table below. Other Pentax bayonet lenses have the lens designation as a part of their name as in "SMC Pentax-FA."

Note that "star" lenses work like their "non-star" counterparts: DA* lenses work like DA lenses, FA* like FA, F* like F, A* like A, and M* like M.
Exceptions: FA and F "soft" lenses behave like M lenses in terms of metering.

The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart

__________________________________________

" Pentax K-Mount Lens Series Explained: The differences between various Pentax lens series

In a nutshell

There are several series of Pentax K-mount lenses; the ones currently being produced include the DA (digital), DA L (cheap digital kit), D FA (full-frame, digital optimized), and FA (full-frame) series. While all Pentax K-mount lenses ever produced are compatible with all current Pentax DSLRs (in some cases with restrictions in that not all exposure modes of the camera are supported by old lenses), there are significant differences between each lens series and each has different features. Furthermore some of the newer lenses do not work with older cameras. We'll be exploring the differences between the various K-mount series lenses in this article "

Pentax K-Mount Lenses Explained: The differences between various Pentax lens series

________________________________________________________________

you can fine reviews of various Pentax and third party lenses by following this link

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/

______________________________________________

---------- Post added 05-12-18 at 06:29 ----------

just looked at the series of articles on astrophotography and found this warning:

" Lens Selection

This first point should not be controversial. Do not use a zoom lens for astrophotography. Use a prime lens and use the fastest one that you can get (f/1.4, f/1.7, f/1.8, and f/2 lenses provide the most flexibility). A wide aperture allows you to use slightly slower shutter speeds, and the lack of depth of field is irrelevant. Having a lens that's very sharp close to its maximum aperture is ideal.

Because astrophotography is a game of minutes or hours, a fast, manual-focus prime lens is a great option for astrphotography. Many other Pentax prime lenses are great and my five best Pentax prime lenses for star trails as well as astrophotography are listed below.

But first, why shouldn't you use a zoom lens? A zoom lens adds an element of added motion to a camera in that the zoom could creep during the shot. More importantly, though, zoom lenses are often up to three stops slower than primes, meaning you need to set your ISO three stops higher to obtain the same results. That introduces significant noise. Using a zoom lens increases the likelihood of image quality loss at a time when every factor available to gain image quality should be used fully.
Zoom lenses are also longer than prime lenses. This shifts the camera-lens center of gravity away from the central point in the tripod. The further the camera-lens center of gravity is from the tripod's center, the more likely that the combination could introduce camera shake.


Read more at: Astrophotography Part 2 of 6: Equipment Selection - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

so perhaps a zoom is not a good idea for that goal???

I never had tried it myself