Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
12-30-2017, 12:46 PM   #1
New Member




Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 5
Help novice with replacing kit lens please..

Hi all,
Pentax newbie here. My husband and I have just bought our first dslr, the K-S2. So far we have used mostly CSC cameras like the sony nex line and decided to upgrade. We chose the K-S2 for raving reviews about image quality and performance in low light situations, and ended up finding a very good deal for the zoom kit (18-50 DAL and 50-200 DAL). We thought that for our needs for everyday photos, the kit lenses should be fine.
Unfortunately, we are underwhelmed by both lenses... slow AF in any setting, even if you get the desired part in focus, the photo will be unsharp, even with good lighting conditions or with flash. The collapsible kit lens is massively annoying and clumsy, the zoom lens is slow and noisy too. The latter we still need to test better.

Honestly, besides the sharpness and unreliable focus, all else we could deal with. Maybe is us who do something wrong, but the sony kit lens has so far outperformed the pentax one (please don't hate me ).

Came here to ask:
- Are we doing something wrong - or you really cannot expect anything more from a kit lens?
- What would you suggest as a good replacement for starters?

For the replacement, the ideal lens is: sharp, fast, performs reasonably well in low light and you can preferably take it a bit closer to your subject, maybe up 15-20 cm. If possible, something that can be used for general street photography too. Prime lens are OK, if there is a bit of zoom, it is preferred.

So far this is my top choice: Pentax HD DA Limited 35mm F2.8 Macro Lens - any other opinions?

Thank you in advance.

12-30-2017, 01:14 PM   #2
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ĝlgod, Denmark
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 135
Something must be wrong, they are not so bad!
I use the 16-85mm. It is a wery fine lens for normal use.
12-30-2017, 01:17 PM - 1 Like   #3
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Hattifnatt's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Bucharest
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 4,616
QuoteOriginally posted by Timea Quote
Pentax HD DA Limited 35mm F2.8 Macro Lens - any other opinions?
I think this would be an excellent choice. I was just about to recommend the Pentax DA 35mm f2.4 which is cheaper, your choice should offer better IQ. 35mm is in my opinion the most flexible focal length on crop sensors. You can mix it up a little bit, depending on the budget and get a 35mm (either the HD 35 or the cheap DA 35) and a DA 50 1.8, or the HD 70mm. For street photography, I think something in the 70mm range is quite good, as it allows you to keep a little bit of distance from your subjects... with 35mm you need to get pretty close, some people don't like that. Depends on your style.

This was shot with a 35mm on a crop sensor and I was literally a few steps away. Luckily the old lady didn't bother:



This was shot with 77mm also on a crop sensor, I was a few good meters away so he didn't even noticed me:



So it depends on your style of shooting. But I still think your choice is excellent.

Regarding the performance of the kit lens, I guess it shouldn't be that bad, although I have never used it for street photography. For landscapes it was decent, but the DA 35mm was much better. If you get the HD 35mm macro (which should be even better) and you're still not happy with the results, probably you need to work on your technique a little bit. A few quick tips:

- do your best to nail the focus ( I use single point select AF for street shots and manually select my focus point where I want it to be);
- keep an eye on your shutter speed, in this regard I think the TaV mode works great for street shots when the light is often not enough. Don't be afraid to raise the ISO if need be. What I do is set the shutter speed to 1/250 or faster, aperture of my choice and let the camera select the ISO needed. For some subjects, 1/250 might be not fast enough; later edit: when the light is plenty like in the photo posted above, I just use the Av mode;
- shoot RAW and properly process your photos (I think this is one of the main points when getting a DSLR);

If anything goes wrong, please post an example image here and tell us why you are not happy with it, so we can better understand what the problem is.

And above anything else have fun

Last edited by Hattifnatt; 12-30-2017 at 01:31 PM.
12-30-2017, 01:48 PM - 1 Like   #4
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Deva
Posts: 311
It is also important to check if the lens front od back-focuses, and adjust accordingly. A quick way to test it is to take the same photo twice, once with the viewfinder and once with live view, and compare the two (live view does not require focus adjustment). And dont forget to manualy switch focus between shots.

I habe the 35mm macro and it is a fine lens, but do not use it that much because i am a wide angle shooter. See at what focal lenght are most of your fotos taken and choose accordingly. I for one am attracted by the 20-40 limited because of wr and silent focusing.

Another thing to take into consoderation is camera setting. Do you shoot raw or jpg? It is widely considered that the Fine sharpening setting work best. Experiment and see what works best for you.

p.s. be on the lookout for the little hand in the viewfinder (shake reduction confirmation) befor squeesing the shutter

12-30-2017, 02:07 PM - 1 Like   #5
Pentaxian
reh321's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: South Bend, IN, USA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 23,124
QuoteOriginally posted by Timea Quote
Hi all,
Pentax newbie here. My husband and I have just bought our first dslr, the K-S2. So far we have used mostly CSC cameras like the sony nex line and decided to upgrade. We chose the K-S2 for raving reviews about image quality and performance in low light situations, and ended up finding a very good deal for the zoom kit (18-50 DAL and 50-200 DAL). We thought that for our needs for everyday photos, the kit lenses should be fine.
Unfortunately, we are underwhelmed by both lenses... slow AF in any setting, even if you get the desired part in focus, the photo will be unsharp, even with good lighting conditions or with flash. The collapsible kit lens is massively annoying and clumsy, the zoom lens is slow and noisy too. The latter we still need to test better.

Honestly, besides the sharpness and unreliable focus, all else we could deal with. Maybe is us who do something wrong, but the sony kit lens has so far outperformed the pentax one (please don't hate me ).

Came here to ask:
- Are we doing something wrong - or you really cannot expect anything more from a kit lens?
- What would you suggest as a good replacement for starters?

For the replacement, the ideal lens is: sharp, fast, performs reasonably well in low light and you can preferably take it a bit closer to your subject, maybe up 15-20 cm. If possible, something that can be used for general street photography too. Prime lens are OK, if there is a bit of zoom, it is preferred.

So far this is my top choice: Pentax HD DA Limited 35mm F2.8 Macro Lens - any other opinions?

Thank you in advance.
Nobody will hate you for negative talk about Pentax.

Personally, I use the DA 18-135 the most. I have always used narrower apertures, so focus accuracy is hardly ever an issue, and I absolutely love its quiet operation!!
12-30-2017, 02:09 PM - 1 Like   #6
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
twilhelm's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Florida
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,369
Some good advise so far, but I second the notion you may not be waiting long enough for the shake reduction to set (if it is turned on).

The 35 2.4 can’t be beat for price and I was very impressed with mine. From what I’ve heard it focuses faster than the macro version.

If you have the funds, I highly recommend the DA 20-40. Superb build, weather sealed, fast and silent autofocus. Image quality lives up to its limited name. I have used it for weddings alongside my DA* 50-135 with stunning results. It’s also smaller than you may expect and does a close focus.
12-30-2017, 02:24 PM   #7
New Member




Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 5
Original Poster
Hi guys, thanks for the great advice so far. I was thinking of buying the HD macro lens used, as yes, it is quite pricey. Will review the other options recommended!
Some comments:
- shake reduction is def on (thought of it and checked multiple times)
- I shoot raw and fiddle with it, husband does it mostly to post on fb about his snakes, so he shoots jpeg
- single point AF has worked best so far, yes, but manually selecting where to focus hasn't worked too well so far if it was not the centre point. It simply didn't focus where it should have.

Not the most optimal samples to show, but you can see some photos on my husbands snake page on facebook here. The ones after mid-December are with the K-S2.
He says it takes him quite some tries to get the sharpness right,

12-30-2017, 02:27 PM - 2 Likes   #8
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,167
Try using live view with the current lenses. Compare to the same shots via optical finder. Are the focused the same? Usng a tripod for this test will help but it isn't essential. Those lenses aren't the BEST, but they are more than acceptable typically.

If live view works and optical finder isn't focused you may need to fine tune focus. If not that then therr maybe a problem with the body or both lenses.
12-30-2017, 02:48 PM - 1 Like   #9
Veteran Member
Na Horuk's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Slovenia, probably
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 11,186
QuoteOriginally posted by Timea Quote
Unfortunately, we are underwhelmed by both lenses... slow AF in any setting, even if you get the desired part in focus, the photo will be unsharp, even with good lighting conditions or with flash. The collapsible kit lens is massively annoying and clumsy, the zoom lens is slow and noisy too. The latter we still need to test better.
To be fair, kit lenses are some of the worse lenses in the lineup. Pentax' kit lenses had a decent reputation as far as kit lenses went, but pretty much any new Pentax lens you buy will outperform the kit lens. Maybe the superzooms are not much better in IQ, but they at least give massive zoom. All other lenses should be better in IQ as well.

A new lens will improve your photos. But it depends on the lens! And technique and PP. I would usually recommend DA 35mm f2.4 or DA 50mm f1.8, as these are affordable but still have decent aperture size and sharpness. Something like Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 will give you the same zoom as the kit lens, but better aperture and IQ. DA 20-40mm will give you stunning lens character. There are lots of options out there, just define your needs (do you need WR? Quiet AF? Fixed FoV or zoom? Wide angle or telephoto?) and then get the one that fits the best, while not going over your budget.

QuoteOriginally posted by Timea Quote
So far this is my top choice: Pentax HD DA Limited 35mm F2.8 Macro Lens - any other opinions?
Sounds like a good choice! Image quality will be great, but macro lenses do not have specially fast AF. Might still be faster than the kit lens, though. My first Pentax DA prime was DA 35mm f2.4, not the macro version, because it was more affordable. Good lens, I still use it. The f2.8 macro should be even better, by all reports
12-30-2017, 03:19 PM   #10
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Australia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,842
I think it might be best to attach some examples here so we can see the exif for evaluation
12-30-2017, 03:20 PM   #11
New Member




Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 5
Original Poster
Here is a photo taken just now. The upmost "hook" of the animal should be the sharpest, that's what the multiple focus points mode found. Is this acceptable sharpness?
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K-S2  Photo 
12-30-2017, 03:46 PM   #12
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,167
Doesn't look in focus. Try the test I suggested.
12-30-2017, 03:48 PM - 1 Like   #13
Pentaxian
Kozlok's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Albuquerque
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,145
First of all, if you are shooting with flash, try f8. Also, the on-camera flash comes from the direction of the lens, and will ALWAYS give a flat, unappealing look. It's intended purpose is just to fill in a bit of shadows. If you want to do flash photography, a dedicated external flash is the way to go.

All that aside, this shot is severely back focused. The paper towel behind the snake is quite a lot sharper than the snake. Try reading this article: Fixing Front and Back Focus - The Remedy - In-Depth Articles

Another thing, shooting with a DSLR requires at least a little bit of knowledge. Try reading "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. It's an easy read, and will help you quite a bit.

You made a comment about noisy lenses: That's the screwdrive focus. Most less-expensive lenses will use screwdrive. A few very expensive lenses also use it.

AFTER you have mastered the kit lens, then look into other lenses. I myself would always recommend the Sigma 17-70 as the king of low-cost, nice lenses. Get the version 2 model used for a silent lens at a low price. Anything better is significantly more expensive.
12-30-2017, 04:06 PM   #14
New Member




Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 5
Original Poster
Thanks UncleVanya and Kozlok. Please don't judge my abilities only by the photo above It was just a quick snap to illustrate the sharpness issue with no further thought put into it. Flash was used because it's dark on my part of the globe and light sources are limited in the room.
That being said, I know there is a lot to learn. Nonetheless, for the novice I am, still pretty annoying that camera focuses on snake, but paper towel comes out sharp. Will follow the advice on fixing front and back focus.
12-30-2017, 04:27 PM   #15
Veteran Member
Na Horuk's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Slovenia, probably
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 11,186
QuoteOriginally posted by Timea Quote
That being said, I know there is a lot to learn. Nonetheless, for the novice I am, still pretty annoying that camera focuses on snake, but paper towel comes out sharp. Will follow the advice on fixing front and back focus.
DA 35mm macro would be good, but maybe for dangerous subjects something like DFA 50mm f2.8 would be better, as it gives you some more distance. You can get a flash diffuser or cable to trigger it from a different angle than the lens. Along with a top lens, this would give you great photos - though, the one you posted is not terrible!

In super close range or for macro photos I usually focus by hand. It is dark, you might be touching the minimum focus distance (though this will probably not be a problem if you buy a macro lens).. not ideal conditions for AF. And the kit lens has slow aperture, so AF has even less light
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
bit, focus, k-s1, k-s2, kit, kit lens, lens, light, pentax, replacement, sony
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Wi-Fi Help Needed for a K-70 Novice Roger Dier Pentax K-70 & KF 10 03-24-2018 04:54 AM
Need help to choose the right lens.. complete novice. NikNak1980 Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 17 02-11-2013 11:52 AM
K1000 - Novice Needs Help Please dkinkaid Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 34 11-28-2010 09:19 PM
Recommendations for replacing the 18-55mm DA-L Kit Lens... Internetpilot Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 66 06-12-2010 11:49 PM
: Novice Prtographer : Please let me know if this is a good Flash nandigama Pentax DSLR Discussion 5 12-13-2007 10:05 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:42 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top