What to Pack

LittleRocker · 03-13-2019, 02:34 PM - **1 Like**

Heading to Belize for a week and have a small backpack to carry the K-70 and a few lenses in. I'm planning to take a Sigma 10-20 F4-5.6 EX DC J and a SMC 55-300/4.5-6.3 ED PLM W. Should I consider taking either the DA 50mm f1.8 or the DA35mm f2.8 to fill a gap and to use as a walk around lens? Only one can fit. Or, am I simply carrying the wrong lenses to start with? I'd like to keep it at two. But, I'm afraid that I've got a pretty serious gap in there. I'll also have a Fujifilm XP130 that may be the gap filler.

**Kerrowdown** · 03-13-2019, 02:55 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by LittleRocker

Should I consider taking either the DA 50mm f1.8

A wee fast "nifty fifty" should... IMHO always be part of the kit.

**clackers** · 03-13-2019, 04:28 PM - **1 Like**

Have you got a portfolio or similar so we can see your shooting styles, Little Rocker?

You could just do the K-70 and your DA35 Macro.

**ramseybuckeye** · 03-13-2019, 05:01 PM - **1 Like**

I think you have made good choices with the two zooms, the 35 could fill the gap nicely, if you plan on a lot of lower light shooting, maybe the 50. Have fun!

LittleRocker · 03-13-2019, 05:02 PM

I'm pretty well a newby. I prefer nature, landscape and wildlife shots. My pursuit of better pictures followed a 3 day photo tour via snowmobile in Yellowstone over Christmas. I was thinking the Sigma to get me the ultra wide angle for landscapes and the Pentax lens to give me a wide focal range for everything else. I need to play with it some and see how it does indoors and in low light.

**pres589** · 03-13-2019, 05:04 PM - **2 Likes**

I'd like an 18-135 in there with that 10-20. Or a 16-85. You've got nothing approaching normal on Pentax crop, which would be 28mm, in that current combo. The 35 on crop is too long, the 50 is a portrait or short-tele on crop. I like the DA 50 1.8 a ton more than the 35 f2.4 but you do you on that one.

Beg, borrow, or steal an 18-135. That's my guidance.

EDIT: For low light, you've already got the K-70, which just kills most anything else out there in crop bodies at high ISO. You're okay there and can leverage the camera's ability to grab light without creating a lot of noise.

LittleRocker · 03-13-2019, 05:11 PM - **1 Like**

Thanks, Pres, I do have the 18-135, but thought that I might be overlapping the two lenses that I've already planned on taking.

**clackers** · 03-13-2019, 05:24 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by LittleRocker

Thanks, Pres, I do have the 18-135, but thought that I might be overlapping the two lenses that I've already planned on taking.

Ooh, you could do the 18-135 and the fast fifty combo, then, LR - very efficient!

SpecialK · 03-13-2019, 05:37 PM - **1 Like**

Just 2 lenses...the 10-20 and 18-135.
With 3 lenses...10-20, 35, 55-300. I'n guessing the 55-300 will see the least use. I spent 8 days in (admittedly compact) New York City with a 10-17, 12-24 and 17-70. Wanted something longer about once.

**pres589** · 03-13-2019, 06:00 PM - **1 Like**

Having the 10-20 overlapping the 18-135 just means you might need to swap lenses a little less often to capture the image you want.

Having nothing in the 20's for walk-around duty would be a challenge. The 18-135 performs very well wide open from the mid-20's to mid-70's.

My "NY Kit" was always the DA 15 and the 18-135. If I was going to the city with my K-5, those two lenses did almost everything I needed. Unless you've also got an FA 31 or Sigma 28 f1.8 hiding in there somewhere, no lens you've mentioned makes me that excited about bringing it along as a third lens for the kit.

**ramseybuckeye** · 03-13-2019, 07:10 PM - **1 Like**

A lot depends on what you are doing in Belize, I don't know much about Belize. My last outing (only had about an hour) a few days ago in rural southern Kentucky I shot only landscapes exclusively with the 55-300 PLM. I also had the DA 18-135, DA 15, and F50/1.7 with me, but the 55-300 was perfect. Most of the shots could have also been taken with the 18-135, but I feel the 55-300 is a little better lens, although I like them both. The 18-135 and 55-300 are equally versatile, depending on venue, and both weather sealed if that comes into play. I would say both are more versatile than the 10-20. The 10-20 would be most valuable for architecture, or tight streets.

LittleRocker · 03-24-2019, 04:00 PM - **2 Likes**

Got back yesterday. I found that the 18-135 fulfilled 99% of my shots. I think I took 4 or 5 shots with the 10-20. Beautiful place to really take in history of the Maya’s.

**pres589** · 03-24-2019, 04:10 PM

Hope it was a good trip! Now share some pictures! Were you happy with the 18-135 or did you find yourself wishing for different characteristics than what it offers?

LittleRocker · 03-24-2019, 04:48 PM - **2 Likes**

Being a true novice, I found that it fit well within my skills. The weather resistance was also handy as it was quite dusty. I feel much better about it’s ability to be a good solo walk around lens. I also had a Fujifilm point and click with me that I was disappointed in its performance.
Tikal Mayan Ruins - Guatemala by Jack Melvin

SSGGeezer · 03-24-2019, 06:41 PM

Originally posted by LittleRocker

Being a true novice, I found that it fit well within my skills. The weather resistance was also handy as it was quite dusty. I feel much better about it’s ability to be a good solo walk around lens. I also had a Fujifilm point and click with me that I was disappointed in its performance.
Tikal Mayan Ruins - Guatemala by Jack Melvin

Some cool shots! I got a little bit of vertigo looking at how steep those steps were!

03-13-2019, 02:34 PM - 1 Like	#1
LittleRocker New Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 7	What to Pack Heading to Belize for a week and have a small backpack to carry the K-70 and a few lenses in. I'm planning to take a Sigma 10-20 F4-5.6 EX DC J and a SMC 55-300/4.5-6.3 ED PLM W. Should I consider taking either the DA 50mm f1.8 or the DA35mm f2.8 to fill a gap and to use as a walk around lens? Only one can fit. Or, am I simply carrying the wrong lenses to start with? I'd like to keep it at two. But, I'm afraid that I've got a pretty serious gap in there. I'll also have a Fujifilm XP130 that may be the gap filler.

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03-13-2019, 02:55 PM - 2 Likes	#2
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by LittleRocker Should I consider taking either the DA 50mm f1.8 A wee fast "nifty fifty" should... IMHO always be part of the kit.

03-13-2019, 04:28 PM - 1 Like	#3
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Have you got a portfolio or similar so we can see your shooting styles, Little Rocker? You could just do the K-70 and your DA35 Macro.

03-13-2019, 05:01 PM - 1 Like	#4
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	I think you have made good choices with the two zooms, the 35 could fill the gap nicely, if you plan on a lot of lower light shooting, maybe the 50. Have fun!

03-13-2019, 05:02 PM	#5
LittleRocker New Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 7 Original Poster	I'm pretty well a newby. I prefer nature, landscape and wildlife shots. My pursuit of better pictures followed a 3 day photo tour via snowmobile in Yellowstone over Christmas. I was thinking the Sigma to get me the ultra wide angle for landscapes and the Pentax lens to give me a wide focal range for everything else. I need to play with it some and see how it does indoors and in low light.

03-13-2019, 05:04 PM - 2 Likes	#6
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	I'd like an 18-135 in there with that 10-20. Or a 16-85. You've got nothing approaching normal on Pentax crop, which would be 28mm, in that current combo. The 35 on crop is too long, the 50 is a portrait or short-tele on crop. I like the DA 50 1.8 a ton more than the 35 f2.4 but you do you on that one. Beg, borrow, or steal an 18-135. That's my guidance. EDIT: For low light, you've already got the K-70, which just kills most anything else out there in crop bodies at high ISO. You're okay there and can leverage the camera's ability to grab light without creating a lot of noise.

03-13-2019, 05:11 PM - 1 Like	#7
LittleRocker New Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 7 Original Poster	Thanks, Pres, I do have the 18-135, but thought that I might be overlapping the two lenses that I've already planned on taking.

03-13-2019, 05:24 PM - 2 Likes	#8
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by LittleRocker Thanks, Pres, I do have the 18-135, but thought that I might be overlapping the two lenses that I've already planned on taking. Ooh, you could do the 18-135 and the fast fifty combo, then, LR - very efficient!

03-13-2019, 05:37 PM - 1 Like	#9
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	Just 2 lenses...the 10-20 and 18-135. With 3 lenses...10-20, 35, 55-300. I'n guessing the 55-300 will see the least use. I spent 8 days in (admittedly compact) New York City with a 10-17, 12-24 and 17-70. Wanted something longer about once.

03-13-2019, 06:00 PM - 1 Like	#10
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	Having the 10-20 overlapping the 18-135 just means you might need to swap lenses a little less often to capture the image you want. Having nothing in the 20's for walk-around duty would be a challenge. The 18-135 performs very well wide open from the mid-20's to mid-70's. My "NY Kit" was always the DA 15 and the 18-135. If I was going to the city with my K-5, those two lenses did almost everything I needed. Unless you've also got an FA 31 or Sigma 28 f1.8 hiding in there somewhere, no lens you've mentioned makes me that excited about bringing it along as a third lens for the kit.

03-13-2019, 07:10 PM - 1 Like	#11
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	A lot depends on what you are doing in Belize, I don't know much about Belize. My last outing (only had about an hour) a few days ago in rural southern Kentucky I shot only landscapes exclusively with the 55-300 PLM. I also had the DA 18-135, DA 15, and F50/1.7 with me, but the 55-300 was perfect. Most of the shots could have also been taken with the 18-135, but I feel the 55-300 is a little better lens, although I like them both. The 18-135 and 55-300 are equally versatile, depending on venue, and both weather sealed if that comes into play. I would say both are more versatile than the 10-20. The 10-20 would be most valuable for architecture, or tight streets.

03-24-2019, 04:00 PM - 2 Likes	#12
LittleRocker New Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 7 Original Poster	Got back yesterday. I found that the 18-135 fulfilled 99% of my shots. I think I took 4 or 5 shots with the 10-20. Beautiful place to really take in history of the Maya’s.

03-24-2019, 04:10 PM	#13
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	Hope it was a good trip! Now share some pictures! Were you happy with the 18-135 or did you find yourself wishing for different characteristics than what it offers?

03-24-2019, 04:48 PM - 2 Likes	#14
LittleRocker New Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 7 Original Poster	Being a true novice, I found that it fit well within my skills. The weather resistance was also handy as it was quite dusty. I feel much better about it’s ability to be a good solo walk around lens. I also had a Fujifilm point and click with me that I was disappointed in its performance. Tikal Mayan Ruins - Guatemala by Jack Melvin

03-24-2019, 06:41 PM	#15
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Originally posted by LittleRocker Being a true novice, I found that it fit well within my skills. The weather resistance was also handy as it was quite dusty. I feel much better about it’s ability to be a good solo walk around lens. I also had a Fujifilm point and click with me that I was disappointed in its performance. Tikal Mayan Ruins - Guatemala by Jack Melvin Some cool shots! I got a little bit of vertigo looking at how steep those steps were!