[kcjonez]

Yes I have the SMC version. I won't turn down a good deal on the HD though.

I can't disagree with this!

Since you mention starbursts, I assume you have the SMC version, not the HD? The lens is not very prone to flare, so the superior coating is not a huge advantage.

[tokyoscape]

assume you have the SMC version, not the HD? The lens is not very prone to flare, so the superior coating is not a huge advantage.

I couldn't agree more. I would go for starburst of SMC 15, 21, 35 any day. It is pretty much being use for landscape photography and starburst is a nice to have for night urban landscape shooting. My direct experience with 15 and 21 can also confirm that they are not prone to flare. Even it flare, the flare doesn't look ugly and its bokhen looks pretty good already.

[rogerstg]

For me the nod still has to go to my DA* 16-50 for its versatility

Landscapes


Interiors


Casual portraits

[disconnekt]

I think you meant "thread", not "threat". Threats are discouraged on PF.

The only "threats" here is the tones in the reply's of how good/great/awesome a certain product is when someone is wondering if they should get/buy another body/lens/thing and gently nudge them into one (or both) of the most feared club(s) photographers have: The L.B.A. Club and the G.A.S. Club lol

[pepperberry farm]

right now, it would have to be either of the two latest lenses I've received, both of which I wanted to try out for a while...

Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f2 SL II or Carl Zeiss Jena MC Flektogon 35mm f2.4

shame on me for not providing proof...

Voigtlander:








Flektogon:

[BigMackCam]

I have, I think, two all-time-favourite AF lenses in K-mount on the APS-C format... The first is the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, which some might think a rather pedestrian and limiting choice - but it's a reasonably fast constant aperture lens that covers my most common focal length preferences, is sharp enough for me (since carrying out AF fine adjustment), and renders to my tastes. The second is the flawed but - for me - quite wonderful Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Art, offering a near-perfect field of view for general photography and rendering to die for, like a modern interpretation of a classic film-era lens.

But...

My favourite lens for this year is one that I've only quite recently come to use regularly and value so highly... my screw-drive HD DA55-300 f/4-5.8 WR.

For some time, I've been (and remain) a huge fan of the DA*60-250 f/4 AW... It's beautifully built and optically superb - but it's not without its quirks; specifically, toe-curling focus breathing at short range, leisurely AF, plus the bulk and weight that come with a fairly fast, constant aperture AW zoom with excellent optical performance. Because of these quirks, over the last 12 - 18 months I've increasingly chosen to carry and shoot the HD DA55-300 instead. It's limited by the variable aperture, of course, and the build quality - whilst very good in its class - isn't comparable to DA* lenses... but I've been very impressed with it optically. Yes, the DA*60-250 is better - but it's not a "night and day" / "chalk and cheese" difference. The little screw-drive 55-300 is amazingly capable, and the compact / light-weight build means I'm more likely to carry and shoot with it. In fact, I have carried and used it considerably more than I would the DA*60-250 in the past year, and I've ended up with a significant number of "keepers" for my photographic library as a result.

The OP suggested including a couple of photos to support the choice of lens, so here are two taken earlier this year at a bird-of-prey conservation centre at Kielder in Northumberland, not too many miles from my home in the North East of England. These were shot in relatively poor daylight on a grey, drizzly day - and, hence, at higher ISO settings - forming part of a larger set that I was delighted to capture...

[ThomSirveaux]

My favorite lens of this year, and will probably be for a while, is the Sigma Art 18-35. At f1.8, the bokeh is just unheard of.

Though, I do want to pick up a Rokinon/Bowers 85mm f1.4, so that might take over as my personal king of Bokeh.

[gaweidert]

Probably my D FA 28-105 by just the tiniest bit over my D FA 150-450 lens. Hard for me to pick between those two. I have other excellent lenses, but they do not see near the use.

[Madaboutpix]

Hm, bit hard choice to make since all my lenses have given me shots I cherish this year. For example, I rediscovered through more deliberately using my smc Limiteds DA15 and DA35 what great lenses they can be.

The one that has given me the most consistent line of keepers, however, should be the DA50 F1.8. It's neither a DA*55 nor a DFA*50, I totally get it, but, boy, does this thing perform for the money. Weighs next to nothing and is compact too, so always finds its way into my photo backpack.

[pbancr]

I have, I think, two all-time-favourite AF lenses in K-mount on the APS-C format... The first is the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, which some might think a rather pedestrian and limiting choice - but it's a reasonably fast constant aperture lens that covers my most common focal length preferences, is sharp enough for me (since carrying out AF fine adjustment), and renders to my tastes. The second is the flawed but - for me - quite wonderful Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Art, offering a near-perfect field of view for general photography and rendering to die for, like a modern interpretation of a classic film-era lens.

But...

My favourite lens for this year is one that I've only quite recently come to use regularly and value so highly... my screw-drive HD DA55-300 f/4-5.8 WR.

For some time, I've been (and remain) a huge fan of the DA*60-250 f/4 AW... It's beautifully built and optically superb - but it's not without its quirks; specifically, toe-curling focus breathing at short range, leisurely AF, plus the bulk and weight that come with a fairly fast, constant aperture AW zoom with excellent optical performance. Because of these quirks, over the last 12 - 18 months I've increasingly chosen to carry and shoot the HD DA55-300 instead. It's limited by the variable aperture, of course, and the build quality - whilst very good in its class - isn't comparable to DA* lenses... but I've been very impressed with it optically. Yes, the DA*60-250 is better - but it's not a "night and day" / "chalk and cheese" difference. The little screw-drive 55-300 is amazingly capable, and the compact / light-weight build means I'm more likely to carry and shoot with it. In fact, I have carried and used it considerably more than I would the DA*60-250 in the past year, and I've ended up with a significant number of "keepers" for my photographic library as a result.

The OP suggested including a couple of photos to support the choice of lens, so here are two taken earlier this year at a bird-of-prey conservation centre at Kielder in Northumberland, not too many miles from my home in the North East of England. These were shot in relatively poor daylight on a grey, drizzly day - and, hence, at higher ISO settings - forming part of a larger set that I was delighted to capture...

Both are amazing images!

[y0chang]

I just bought an FA 77mm limited, and its just jaw dropping in the way it renders portraits. It is worthy of all the accolades that I have read here on this forum.

[normhead]

Hm, bit hard choice to make since all my lenses have given me shots I cherish this year. For example, I rediscovered through more deliberately using my smc Limiteds DA15 and DA35 what great lenses they can be.

The one that has given me the most consistent line of keepers, however, should be the DA50 F1.8. It's neither a DA*55 nor a DFA*50, I totally get it, but, boy, does this thing perform for the money. Weighs next to nothing and is compact too, so always finds its way into my photo backpack. (Full-res images here: Forstgarten, Kleve (Cleves) - Marc)

A standardized check list would be nice.... I just counted the number of keepers for each lens. As a person who often uses four different lenses in single outing, I can really only tell you what my best lens this minute is. It may be something else next time I turn my head.

So for me, like many things, this is a straight numeral analysis. Which lens was used the most and produced the greatest number of images I want to keep.

[Madaboutpix]

Well, to be honest, Norm, I neither checked the numbers nor do I care much about them. I can even love lenses that I don't shoot all that often, but which I know are capable of giving me great images when I do take them out (as, for instance, the D35 Ltd.). Basically, I saw the thread and sensed I might use it as a pretext to upload some autumn colour images ...

[normhead]

I just bought an FA 77mm limited, and its just jaw dropping in the way it renders portraits. It is worthy of all the accolades that I have read here on this forum.

Darn, I've been lusting after these lenses for years. But as noted, the price never drops. I'm looking for excuses to stop lusting. I suspect lusting is bad for your health.

[BigMackCam]

Well, to be honest, Norm, I neither checked the numbers nor do I care much about them. I can even love lenses that I don't shoot all that often, but which I know are capable of giving me great images when I do take them out (as, for instance, the D35 Ltd.).

Same here. My choice of favourite lens for this year wasn't based on the number of shots I've taken with it (I'd guess they account for a relatively small percentage of my total), but my discovery that it's a much more practical option than the bigger, "better" lens I'd been using, whilst still being optically good enough. Hence, I'm taking more shots within the focal length range, especially the longer end. It has gone from being an occasional lens to one that sees quite frequent use