First lens for my first FF camera, on a somewhat "tight" budget.

Dr_who · 04-06-2016, 09:25 PM

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Helios 40 or Helios 44-2

HopelessTogger · 04-07-2016, 07:32 AM

smc Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7. Manual focus. Around £30 on ebay. A superb standard prime K-mount lens, very cheap.

SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Or, if you want AF . . .

smc Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.7. More difficult to find, but I've seen them for around £130 - £150.

SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

gatorguy · 04-07-2016, 08:16 AM

Originally posted by HopelessTogger

smc Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7. Manual focus. Around £30 on ebay. A superb standard prime K-mount lens, very cheap.

SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Or, if you want AF . . .

smc Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.7. More difficult to find, but I've seen them for around £130 - £150.

SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

I just yesterday sold a Pentax F35-70 that would have made a fine full-frame starter lens IMHO. You can find them sometimes for as little as $15 (or cheaper) up to $75 or so for a "mint" copy.

nomadkng · 04-07-2016, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by laTimo

Hello there! I just pre-ordered the Pentax K1.... im thinking about getting the new 28 105 3.5 5.6 since the samples ive seen looks rather good. But i know there are some sigma alternatives aswell.

I don't believe primes are that "general purpose." I think the new 28-105 would probably be a great lens, however there is this lens out there:

SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6 Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

it's a very good lens if you don't mind the slightly weird bokeh when subjects are closer than about 15 feet. There are half a dozen on ebay at any one time for around $100 USD. It's very sharp and has the FA colors and contrast. I used one for about 2 years as a gap filler between my landscape and telephoto lenses.

for the price of the new 28-105, you could pick up the older FA 28-105, plus the FA100-300 and maybe an FA50 macro. That's a decent starter 3 lens kit that would allow your to familiarize yourself with photography again and really highlight your personal style.

Once you have a better idea of what you shoot most often and how, you can start spending much more money on lenses that target your specific needs.

---------- Post added 04-07-16 at 09:49 AM ----------

Originally posted by i5_david

Ok then i will Cross Fingers and Hope the K-1 will breathe life into this lens. Thanks mate. Hope you Are Right

Just found this on the K-1 description site

It's not always/necessarily a function of the AF module. The AF micro adjustments are more designed to alleviate manufacturer tolerance issues. It's impossible to manufacture lenses and mounts to the exacting requirements that focal planes require. So each combination of lens and body will interact differently. You could literally get another K5 and you may have a focus adjustment of +2 with that same lens.

I have a couple lenses that went from +/- 1-2 on my K5iis to -7 or -8 on my K3. My FA28 and FA50 1.7 were spot on my K5iis but unusable (could not even determine if front or back focused at max adjustments) on my K3.

Unregistered User · 04-10-2016, 06:39 PM

Haven't found a better for value lens than the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. It is very cheap and it takes very acceptable images. You'll only need to spend a few moments on flickr to see what it can do. I've seen them on eBay for around $200.

**clackers** · 04-10-2016, 09:43 PM

Originally posted by lightsource

Haven't found a better for value lens than the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. It is very cheap and it takes very acceptable images.

Yeah, this will be my standard zoom when my pre-ordered K-1 arrives.

Sharp from f4 onwards.

i5_david · 04-10-2016, 11:07 PM

Originally posted by nomadkng

It's not always/necessarily a function of the AF module. The AF micro adjustments are more designed to alleviate manufacturer tolerance issues. It's impossible to manufacture lenses and mounts to the exacting requirements that focal planes require. So each combination of lens and body will interact differently. You could literally get another K5 and you may have a focus adjustment of +2 with that same lens.

Today I will have the chance to do some quick tests of this issue with my co-workers K5, K5 II, K-x and K-r.
What I think is strange at this lens (but maybe fully normal because of the laws of physics!?

) is that I have at the shorter end (28mm) a back focus and at the longer end (75mm) a front focus which is manageable with fine adjustment -10 but then I have the mess at 28mm. this is boggling and annoying me. So excited to test it today on these different bodies.

Originally posted by clackers

Sharp from f4 onwards.

absolutely, when it nails the focus, from f4 this lens can produce amazing shots for this price

i5_david · 04-11-2016, 05:58 AM

I could test the Tammy today with my colleague's K5 and I had even without fine adjustments remarkable better results on her camera than on mine. This is really interesting. I have never thought about this subject until recent weeks. The K-x had a dead battery and no AF. Tomorrow I will do some testing on the K-x, K-r and another K5 II. Maybe this won't be a big problem on the K-1 since f2.8 on a full frame format is for most occasions too open

normhead · 04-11-2016, 06:07 AM

My guess is the 28-105 plus DA 50 1.8 or DA 35 2.4 will be the thrifty package for beginners. With a slower lens like the 28-105, having some faster glass in primes is the way to go. Then you have pretty much everything covered. On a K-1 I would think the DA 50 1.8 would be almost standard issue for the budget minded.

gatorguy · 04-11-2016, 09:05 AM

Originally posted by lightsource

Haven't found a better for value lens than the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. It is very cheap and it takes very acceptable images. You'll only need to spend a few moments on flickr to see what it can do. I've seen them on eBay for around $200.

I agree about the images. For relatively inexpensive glass this lens way outperforms expectations IMHO. I'll be pairing it with a K5 for the time-being, but as I probably won't be upgrading to a K1 as I originally thought I would I may sell the Tamron in the near future to someone who could more appreciate it on their FF K1. I have other lenses I could probably use just as well on the K5.

As for the $200 apparently more folks must be keeping a watch out for these better performing full-frames. $300+ seems more the norm now for good copies of it.

Unregistered User · 04-11-2016, 07:37 PM

Originally posted by gatorguy

I agree about the images. For relatively inexpensive glass this lens way outperforms expectations IMHO. I'll be pairing it with a K5 for the time-being, but as I probably won't be upgrading to a K1 as I originally thought I would I may sell the Tamron in the near future to someone who could more appreciate it on their FF K1. I have other lenses I could probably use just as well on the K5.

As for the $200 apparently more folks must be keeping a watch out for these better performing full-frames. $300+ seems more the norm now for good copies of it.

Here's one for $220 + $25 postage. EXC Tamron SP AF 28 75mm F 2 8 XR DI Macro A09P FOR Pentax K From Japan | eBay It was but two days ago that I saw one for $212. They can be found closer to the $200 mark, but agreed, the normal price seems to be at around the $300+ mark. This one for $220 looks like its in good condition. Japanese sellers seem to often stock well looked after lenses.

i5_david · 04-14-2016, 06:47 AM

I am thinking about this tight budget start gear for quite some time now but this link here, shared in the media coverage thread has really captured my attention (in particular this shot). If you scroll down you will see some low light shots taken with the 28-105/3.5 and to me they look impressive. Even up to 12K ISO the shots are remarkable sharp and useable for most things. Now I am thinking about the 28-205, 35 2.4 (and maybe 50 1.8) lenses as a start for the FF-love.

At the moment I have a tamron 17-50/ 2.8 on my K5 II with which I do a big part of my shots. I know this is not really comparable but regarding low light works... do you think the new FF Kit lens will be a stepback from the Tamron 2.8 where the aperture is better? Or will I be as happy as I was with he Tammy on my K5 II with the 28-105 on the K-1?

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04-06-2016, 09:25 PM	#46
Dr_who Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 777	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Helios 40 or Helios 44-2

04-07-2016, 07:32 AM	#47
HopelessTogger Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Roi-et, Thailand Posts: 773	smc Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7. Manual focus. Around £30 on ebay. A superb standard prime K-mount lens, very cheap. SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database Or, if you want AF . . . smc Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.7. More difficult to find, but I've seen them for around £130 - £150. SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

04-07-2016, 08:16 AM	#48
gatorguy Moderator Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,092	Originally posted by HopelessTogger smc Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7. Manual focus. Around £30 on ebay. A superb standard prime K-mount lens, very cheap. SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database Or, if you want AF . . . smc Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.7. More difficult to find, but I've seen them for around £130 - £150. SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database I just yesterday sold a Pentax F35-70 that would have made a fine full-frame starter lens IMHO. You can find them sometimes for as little as $15 (or cheaper) up to $75 or so for a "mint" copy.

04-07-2016, 08:50 AM	#49
nomadkng Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,448	Originally posted by laTimo Hello there! I just pre-ordered the Pentax K1.... im thinking about getting the new 28 105 3.5 5.6 since the samples ive seen looks rather good. But i know there are some sigma alternatives aswell. I don't believe primes are that "general purpose." I think the new 28-105 would probably be a great lens, however there is this lens out there: SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6 Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database it's a very good lens if you don't mind the slightly weird bokeh when subjects are closer than about 15 feet. There are half a dozen on ebay at any one time for around $100 USD. It's very sharp and has the FA colors and contrast. I used one for about 2 years as a gap filler between my landscape and telephoto lenses. for the price of the new 28-105, you could pick up the older FA 28-105, plus the FA100-300 and maybe an FA50 macro. That's a decent starter 3 lens kit that would allow your to familiarize yourself with photography again and really highlight your personal style. Once you have a better idea of what you shoot most often and how, you can start spending much more money on lenses that target your specific needs. ---------- Post added 04-07-16 at 09:49 AM ---------- Originally posted by i5_david Ok then i will Cross Fingers and Hope the K-1 will breathe life into this lens. Thanks mate. Hope you Are Right Just found this on the K-1 description site It's not always/necessarily a function of the AF module. The AF micro adjustments are more designed to alleviate manufacturer tolerance issues. It's impossible to manufacture lenses and mounts to the exacting requirements that focal planes require. So each combination of lens and body will interact differently. You could literally get another K5 and you may have a focus adjustment of +2 with that same lens. I have a couple lenses that went from +/- 1-2 on my K5iis to -7 or -8 on my K3. My FA28 and FA50 1.7 were spot on my K5iis but unusable (could not even determine if front or back focused at max adjustments) on my K3.

04-10-2016, 06:39 PM	#50
Unregistered User Guest	Haven't found a better for value lens than the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. It is very cheap and it takes very acceptable images. You'll only need to spend a few moments on flickr to see what it can do. I've seen them on eBay for around $200.

04-10-2016, 09:43 PM	#51
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by lightsource Haven't found a better for value lens than the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. It is very cheap and it takes very acceptable images. Yeah, this will be my standard zoom when my pre-ordered K-1 arrives. Sharp from f4 onwards.

04-10-2016, 11:07 PM	#52
i5_david Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 332	Originally posted by nomadkng It's not always/necessarily a function of the AF module. The AF micro adjustments are more designed to alleviate manufacturer tolerance issues. It's impossible to manufacture lenses and mounts to the exacting requirements that focal planes require. So each combination of lens and body will interact differently. You could literally get another K5 and you may have a focus adjustment of +2 with that same lens. Today I will have the chance to do some quick tests of this issue with my co-workers K5, K5 II, K-x and K-r. What I think is strange at this lens (but maybe fully normal because of the laws of physics!? ) is that I have at the shorter end (28mm) a back focus and at the longer end (75mm) a front focus which is manageable with fine adjustment -10 but then I have the mess at 28mm. this is boggling and annoying me. So excited to test it today on these different bodies. Originally posted by clackers Sharp from f4 onwards. absolutely, when it nails the focus, from f4 this lens can produce amazing shots for this price

04-11-2016, 05:58 AM	#53
i5_david Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 332	I could test the Tammy today with my colleague's K5 and I had even without fine adjustments remarkable better results on her camera than on mine. This is really interesting. I have never thought about this subject until recent weeks. The K-x had a dead battery and no AF. Tomorrow I will do some testing on the K-x, K-r and another K5 II. Maybe this won't be a big problem on the K-1 since f2.8 on a full frame format is for most occasions too open

04-11-2016, 06:07 AM	#54
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	My guess is the 28-105 plus DA 50 1.8 or DA 35 2.4 will be the thrifty package for beginners. With a slower lens like the 28-105, having some faster glass in primes is the way to go. Then you have pretty much everything covered. On a K-1 I would think the DA 50 1.8 would be almost standard issue for the budget minded.

04-11-2016, 09:05 AM	#55
gatorguy Moderator Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,092	Originally posted by lightsource Haven't found a better for value lens than the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. It is very cheap and it takes very acceptable images. You'll only need to spend a few moments on flickr to see what it can do. I've seen them on eBay for around $200. I agree about the images. For relatively inexpensive glass this lens way outperforms expectations IMHO. I'll be pairing it with a K5 for the time-being, but as I probably won't be upgrading to a K1 as I originally thought I would I may sell the Tamron in the near future to someone who could more appreciate it on their FF K1. I have other lenses I could probably use just as well on the K5. As for the $200 apparently more folks must be keeping a watch out for these better performing full-frames. $300+ seems more the norm now for good copies of it.

04-11-2016, 07:37 PM	#56
Unregistered User Guest	Originally posted by gatorguy I agree about the images. For relatively inexpensive glass this lens way outperforms expectations IMHO. I'll be pairing it with a K5 for the time-being, but as I probably won't be upgrading to a K1 as I originally thought I would I may sell the Tamron in the near future to someone who could more appreciate it on their FF K1. I have other lenses I could probably use just as well on the K5. As for the $200 apparently more folks must be keeping a watch out for these better performing full-frames. $300+ seems more the norm now for good copies of it. Here's one for $220 + $25 postage. EXC Tamron SP AF 28 75mm F 2 8 XR DI Macro A09P FOR Pentax K From Japan \| eBay It was but two days ago that I saw one for $212. They can be found closer to the $200 mark, but agreed, the normal price seems to be at around the $300+ mark. This one for $220 looks like its in good condition. Japanese sellers seem to often stock well looked after lenses.

04-14-2016, 06:47 AM	#57
i5_david Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 332	I am thinking about this tight budget start gear for quite some time now but this link here, shared in the media coverage thread has really captured my attention (in particular this shot). If you scroll down you will see some low light shots taken with the 28-105/3.5 and to me they look impressive. Even up to 12K ISO the shots are remarkable sharp and useable for most things. Now I am thinking about the 28-205, 35 2.4 (and maybe 50 1.8) lenses as a start for the FF-love. At the moment I have a tamron 17-50/ 2.8 on my K5 II with which I do a big part of my shots. I know this is not really comparable but regarding low light works... do you think the new FF Kit lens will be a stepback from the Tamron 2.8 where the aperture is better? Or will I be as happy as I was with he Tammy on my K5 II with the 28-105 on the K-1?