[LensBeginner]

FF is not an expletive
Some people wanting to "upgrade" (sidegrade is probably a better word for it?) to FF made me think about all the things that such a move entails.

This thread is about your lens collection. Is it ready? are you ready? if you already did it, what was ready and what not?

> FF-ready lenses you have, and their strong points/weaknesses

> Crop-only lenses you have
> What areas are lacking
> Do you care (e.g. you never shoot action and lack a fast AF sport zoom - no, you don't care much, or you shoot events and lack a wide-to-normal f/2.8 zoom - yes you care)?

Comments about other people's setup are encouraged - civil ones of course

=====

I'll start:

K 55/1.8; SMC-M 28/3.5, 50/1.7, 100/2.8, 200/4, 80-200/4.5, Helios 44K-4. All lacking AF, corner and edge performance should be decent. The Helios should swirl more.
Kenko MC7 2X Macro TC. It should work, since pixel density on the K-1 is the same as the K-30, and I have lenses that resolve that much even when multiplied. Corner and edge performance is unknown.
40mm XS. Works with minimal vignetting, is AF.
Sigma 10-20. I've seen on DPR that it's usable from ~12mm onwards on Canon FF.
Sigma UC 70-210. Should cover FF in a pinch, but quality will be low.
Pentax-F 28-80, Cosina 28-210. Those will probably be useless due to low quality.
18-55 WR, DA-L 55-300. Only cover APS-C.

At the moment I'm covering most focal lengths except for ultra-wide (but the Sigma should suffice in the meantime: I'm a RAW shooter so cropping off some dark corners isn't too hard a task for me) and super-tele (but for that I have crop bodies).

[chrism888]

When I decided to move from APSC to FF, the benefiting factor was all my lenses barring one was FF compatible, the only one not was the Sigma 10 - 17 which I sold on and purchased a Samyung 14mm prime instead

[Sandy Hancock]

I'm a big, burly bloke with broad shoulders and good aerobic fitness, so in that respect I have always been FF ready

Seriously though, I had been ready for some time when the K-1 was released over two years ago.
I already owned several full frame lenses - FA20, FA*24, F28, FA31, FA43, A50/1.2, DA*55, FA77, DFA100WR and DA*300 - all well beforehand. All but one were AF. I had owned the K135/2.5 and FA135 and my first copy of the FA*85 (since replaced), but foolishly sold them before the K-1's release.
My DFA*70-200 also came a little before the K-1 arrived, and the DFA15-30 followed soon thereafter. Since then I've added the 24-70 and 28-105 and a couple of extra primes.

It soon became apparent that if I wanted to lug the DFA*70-200 around, I was going to need a bigger bag. Enter the Domke Metro Messenger, which now comfortably swallows all my DFA zooms plus the DA*300, a flash and the Lee 150mm filter system to fit them all. The only problem is I have to carry it!

[savoche]

I concluded I was "FF ready". Of my lenses less than 10 are APS-C only, more than 25 are FF compatible, and a handfull are usable on FF even though they are DA lenses.

When I stumbled upon a lightly used K-1 there were two things I didn't have for FF ; a wide angle and a standard zoom.
* The K-1 came with a DFA 28-105
* I found a very nice A 20/2.8 on a local marketplace shortly after I got the K-1

The APS-C lenses that are painful to leave behind (yes, yes, I could use them in crop mode or on my K-3, but in practice I don't):
* DA 15
* DA 21

The two DA lenses I find very useful on FF even though with restrictions:
* DA 10-17 (works just fine at 14-17mm)
* DA 55-300 (vignettes quite heavily at shorter focal lengths, but at 300mm I find the images usable without cropping and excellent with a slight crop)

The one DA lens I find fully usable (and use a lot) on FF:
* DA 70

The one lens that went from "meh" to wonderful when going FF:
* FA 31

Do I care about lower FPS? Not really. I have shot a very few high-speed series with the K-3 on safari but they haven't really resulted in more keepers than a slower shot rate does. The other thing high FPS is useful for is hand-held bracketing, but with the DR of the K-1 I haven't felt the need for that.

The big question, of course, is: Do I "need" FF? No, I definitely don't. In fact, APS-C is probably a better fit for my needs (less weight with more reach). But I still find the K-1 more enjoyable to use, and as such makes my hobby more enjoyable. Which is why my K-3 sits on the shelf even in situations where it really would be a more suitable tool.

What am I lacking? Nothing much, but I have two items I hope Ricoh will make one day:
* A small and lightweight DFA 20/4 Limited (a FF version of the DA 15 Ltd, if you will)
* A (relatively) compact tele zoom, something like a DFA 100-400/4-5.6 at 1.5 kg. Not likely to ever happen but one can always hope

[monochrome]

I had been shooting film cameras for many years prior to release of the K-1, so I have an ample collection of manual FF lenses, mostly SMC K lenses, plus the three FA Limiteds. My list of manual focus lenses is linked at Manual Focus Lenses. I was, as you say, FF-ready if the use case was shooting with classic Pentax manual lenses on a FF sensor.

My original plan was to sell the K-3 and APSC lenses. I sold the K-3, but never got around to selling the lenses - then a member offered a silver KP at a discounted price, so I still have the DA Limiteds. I still plan to sell the APSc lenses and use the FA Limiteds in their place with the KP, which I plan to keep for the frame rate and the ‘reach’.

I have since added the 28-105 (assigned to the KP), 24-70 and 70-200. I also have the FA50/2.8 Macro and FA100/2.8 Macro, as well as the FA*300/4.5. Over the balance of the year I plan to sell many excess, unused lenses, 30 or 40 in total, and concentrate on the original plan, which was using the K manual lenses on the K-1

[08amczb]

I have the primes, but not the zooms. My FA*24-FA31-FA43-DA*55-FA77-DFA100 primes a good base to start with, but I need a 24-70 and a 70-200 to complete the kit.

[Dartmoor Dave]

My Takumars are definitely FF ready, and I've already got all the focal lengths I need and I'm used to shooting them with film. But really the full frame that I'm most interested in at the moment is trying out the new Ektachrome when it's finally released. I don't feel any urgent need to move to digital FF, although I suppose if there was some sort of a contest with a chance of winning one. . .

If I was lucky enough to end up with a K-1, I think I'd be very tempted by the F24-50 for those occasions that come up now and then when I want autofocus. A friend of mine uses one with beautiful results.

[MrMojo]

just listing lenses which are known to be FF ready:

24mm
28mm (several)
35mm
40mm (x2)
50mm (several)
35-70
35-80
80-200
100-300

Nothing over 300 but with APS-C that's not an issue for me. I guess when I take the plunge I'll have to sort that out then. I guess I'm about ready
Even when/if I "go", I'll keep my K3 and APS-C only lenses, and lose the K5 which currently shoots mostly older lenses, Pentax M/A/F, and a trio of Cosinas, 24mm, 40mm & 100-300mm. The K5 tends to be my static/landscape kit and the majority of the lenses I use on it are film era.

[RobA_Oz]

Aside from a collection of manual focus M42 and K-mount lenses from my long time in film photography, I deliberately collected many FA and FA* lenses while shooting with APS-C Pentax bodies, with a view to acquiring a 35FF Pentax when it appeared. Having had a K-1 for two years, now, I can easily say that I’m ready for the next Pentax 35FF body! Not that there’s anything much that I’d change about the K-1, but any significant upgrade is welcome.

[pentaxfall]

I used FA macros(50, 100) that i purchased during Film time. After DSLR became mainstream I purchased Sigma 180mm Macro. I paid 500$ for new lens. Then I got Tamron 28-75mm, another FF lens. Maintaining two lines of lenses is too expensive for me. I broke this rule for 50-135mm. Going forward also I will not buy APSC lens even it makes coffee

[ffking]

My later serious film usage was mostly landscape with Pentax 67 and wildlife with a Z-1, so my only two decent 'FF' lenses were an FA* 400mm f/5.6 (I had the F*300mm, but it was stolen) and a 100mm macro. My wider angle lenses were consumer grade as well as being film era. So in a way, APSC was a better fit for my lenses, giving them more reach. But I really wanted FF - In the same way that 35mm didn't satisfy me for landscapes, neither did APS-C, so when the K-1 came along I knew I would eventually have it - and when some money from my late father's estate came through, my wife encouraged me to get the camera and the 24-70 and 70-200 zooms (all on a very good deal from srs - I saved over £1000 on the list prices, which were lower the than now on the lenses anyway). I subsequently picked up a couple of Ltds with a small windfall - so I really wan't prepared at all in terms of glass, but things just worked out that way - and I can see it as a last wonderful gift from my Dad.

[LensBeginner]

I'm a big, burly bloke with broad shoulders and good aerobic fitness, so in that respect I have always been FF ready

That's one important consideration I overlooked!
I think I'm ok in that respect as well, though

---------- Post added 06-18-18 at 11:44 AM ----------

*snip*
The big question, of course, is: Do I "need" FF? No, I definitely don't. In fact, APS-C is probably a better fit for my needs (less weight with more reach). But I still find the K-1 more enjoyable to use, and as such makes my hobby more enjoyable. Which is why my K-3 sits on the shelf even in situations where it really would be a more suitable tool.
*snip*

Many people don't... in fact I think few people do. Some people would benefit from it (but that's not "needing").

I'm a curious person, so I like to try everything, and as a consequence I shoot everything. Animals, macro, landscapes, night shots, flowers, portraits, real estate interiors, product photography, action, sports, abstract, you name it. I even tried astro.


I think about 25% of my shooting would benefit from a bigger sensor, with all the tradeoffs it implies.
That would open up possibilities that aren't necessarily what one would expect.
For instance, when shooting macro of butterflies, I rarely get to 1:1 because they are too big to fit, unless I shoot detail or get lucky with the framing (wind is a concern as well). With FF I could go 1:1, and then crop just shy of the subject. If it fits an APS-C crop, then I get 16 full Megapixels instead of having to throw away a lot of pictures because I have a proboscis cropped here, a wing that goes out of the frame there...

[savoche]

I'm a big, burly bloke with broad shoulders and good aerobic fitness, so in that respect I have always been FF ready

That is actually a good point. I'm 194 cm and more fit now than I was 15 years ago, so in that sense I guess I'm "FF ready"

I'm a curious person, so I like to try everything, and as a consequence I shoot everything. Animals, macro, landscapes, night shots, flowers, portraits, real estate interiors, product photography, action, sports, abstract, you name it. I even tried astro.

Same with me. Sure, I'd like to make good pictures, but the learning process is more important.

I tend to confuse learning with acquiring more gear, though... And I think I would learn a lot with that 645D kit someone is selling locally (No, I will not do that! Even though the price he asks is very, very good - not much more than the lenses alone would cost...)

[steve_k]

Almost all,of my recent purchases have focused on ff capable lenses. With that being said even if / when I get a full frame I will be in pretty good shape. Plus I don’t see my K-3 II going away.

FF lenses (I need something below 24mm)
Pentax A 28 f2.8
Pentax A 50 f1.4
Pentax A 35-105 f3.5
Pentax D-FA 100 f2.8
Tamron 24-135
Tamron 70-200 f2.8
Sigma 50-500 DG

APS-C
Sigma 8-16
Pentax DA 16-85
Sigma 18-300
Tamron 17-50 f2.8
Pentax DA 18-135
Pentax DA* 50-135

[ddharriman]

To the question: Are you FF ready?

Ho yes!

I do have for FF:
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Sigma 70-300 4.0-5.6
Pentax 50 1.4
Pentax DA XS 40 2.8

For real, for apsc I just have 2 18-55 3.5-5.6 kit lenses and the Pentax 55-300 4.0-5.8.

So, if I make the jump (a very far in the future possibility I reckon), I’m ready.