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11-22-2017, 08:01 PM   #1
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Which lens on a budget?

First of all, I just want to say that I am so jealous of those of you who live
near, or get to travel to, such beautiful places. Where I live, there are mostly just
trees. No oceans, or beaches, or deserts, or mountains, or wide open spaces.
Just trees. So from the bottom of my heart, I just want to thank you for sharing your
beautiful shots with the rest of us.

I am saving slowly, but surely, towards a K-1, and hope to be able
to buy one some time next year. Unfortunately, that means I will have,
hardly any funds for lenses. So I have a few questions since I will need
to get creative. I dont want to use crop mode, so I guess that means none
of the APS-C lenses will work. I dont care if I have to give up certain
metering modes, or auto focus. I am not a professional, and only take photos
for my own enjoyment, which I have done for the last 50 years. Retirement is
looming on the horizen, and hopefully, I will get to travel to, and photograph
some of the places the rest of you have visited.

So here are my questions. Would old 35mm lenses work in full frame on the K-1?
Are there any adapters that would allow APS-C lenses to work in FF? If I were to
start saving for a Pentax FF lens for the K-1, which would you recommend if I
wanted a good all-around lens on a budget. I would probably get a high quality
2x teleconverter to extend functionality of any existing lens for a while.

11-22-2017, 08:14 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeryst Quote

So here are my questions. Would old 35mm lenses work in full frame on the K-1?
Are there any adapters that would allow APS-C lenses to work in FF? If I were to
start saving for a Pentax FF lens for the K-1, which would you recommend if I
wanted a good all-around lens on a budget. I would probably get a high quality
2x teleconverter to extend functionality of any existing lens for a while.
As a fellow Pennsylvanian Pentax-user, I feel obliged to respond!

Old 35 mm lenses work great on the K-1. Anything in the Pentax K-mount family is compatible. You don't even need adapters for APS-C lenses, there is a crop mode on the K-1.

But as for lenses to recommend - it might help to know what kind of shots you are looking to take: Portraits? Birding? Landscapes? Those Pennsylvania trees can make for some nice photos too you know!!
11-22-2017, 08:31 PM   #3
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A great bargain in a FF lens, in terms of price and image quality, is the 50mm f1.7 FA. You can do a lot with a good normal FL lens.
11-22-2017, 08:54 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Saxtonine Quote
As a fellow Pennsylvanian Pentax-user, I feel obliged to respond!

Old 35 mm lenses work great on the K-1. Anything in the Pentax K-mount family is compatible. You don't even need adapters for APS-C lenses, there is a crop mode on the K-1.

But as for lenses to recommend - it might help to know what kind of shots you are looking to take: Portraits? Birding? Landscapes? Those Pennsylvania trees can make for some nice photos too you know!!
Doesnt crop mode basically turn the K-1 into an APS-C quality camera, which kind of defeats the purpose of
buying a K-1?

Type of photos, probably mostly landscape, and maybe some wildlife later on when I can afford a quality FF zoom,
and when the opportunity presents itself.

You can only take so many pictures of trees before you get really, really bored or start hearing voices.

11-22-2017, 08:57 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeryst Quote
so I guess that means none
of the APS-C lenses will work.
Some do.Just look around on the forum.


And all the F and FA film era lenses do just fine.Thats if you want AF......K/M/A series are good manually.
11-22-2017, 09:07 PM   #6
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If you don't mind a zoom the Tamron 28-75/2.8 is a great value. Covers 35 plus a bunch of other lengths!
11-22-2017, 09:07 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeryst Quote
Doesnt crop mode basically turn the K-1 into an APS-C quality camera,
Not really,the 1:1 square mode shrinks the FOV inwards from both side but retains the height(24mp)...a very handy feature.

Crop mode shinks height and width, the frame is smaller...36mp divided by the square of the crop(2.25) giving you 16mp.

The K-1 is 3 cameras in one for stills.

11-22-2017, 09:21 PM - 1 Like   #8
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I'm going to go against the grain. On a restricted budget, you will be better off in APS-C. If you have $2,400, a K-1 and 28-105 is fine, but I'd still rather have 2,400 in APS-C gear. Even better is $1k in gear, and spend the other $1400 on a photo-centric trip. If your budget it approaching $5k, the K1 makes tons of sense. Maybe upgrade your lens kit first, then upgrade to the K1?

Yes, Full Frame offers some advantages. Some disadvantages too.
11-22-2017, 10:31 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by jeryst Quote
...You can only take so many pictures of trees before you get really, really bored or start hearing voices...
PA has a lot of interesting locations. I'm more familiar with the eastern part of the state because that's closer to home. Your state has 2 major cities and many smaller ones for street photography and architecture, industrial ruins scattered around from coal/steel/logging, rivers, mountains, and dark skies for astrophotography. Many opportunities for wildlife like elk, eagles, etc. Assuming you have access to a car and are able to travel, there are many good day or weekend trips within PA.

Would old 35mm lenses work in full frame on the K-1? Yes, any Pentax K-mount lens will work. A-series and newer support auto aperture. K-series and earlier require stop down metering. Old Ricoh lenses are K-mount but might include an extra pin on the mount that must be removed or it might get stuck on the camera.

Are there any adapters that would allow APS-C lenses to work in FF? If I understand your question, you want an optical adapter to expand the APS-C image to FF; that does not exist. Some lenses marketed as APS-C will actually cover the full FF sensor, though. There are also some amazing APS-C coverage lenses, such as the DA 15 Limited, that work great in crop (16mp) or square(24mp) mode.

If I were to start saving for a Pentax FF lens for the K-1, which would you recommend if I wanted a good all-around lens on a budget. Strongly consider the DFA 28-105. It costs $400 or less bundled with a new K-1. It's much better than a lot of old lenses, and could very well be the only lens you need for quite some time.

---------- Post added 11-23-17 at 12:37 AM ----------

P.S. The K-1 is a great camera. But so is the KP with indistinguishable image quality for most photos. IMO K-1 has the edge for wide angle while KP for telephoto, but both can do a bit of everything. You can build a system around the KP for less money than a K-1.
11-22-2017, 10:40 PM   #10
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What do you like taking pictures of? What are the lenses you liked to use the most on a film body?

Are you sure you "need" a K-1? I second the previous emotion about how a crop setup might make more sense.
11-22-2017, 11:24 PM - 2 Likes   #11
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I'm not going to recommend any gear, but I do recommend eyes. If you look around you, you will find beauty. For someone who lives in a desert, your land of trees would be mind-bogglingly beautiful. Try to see them through fresh eyes.It's more than just the subject matter in front of you that goes into an image. It is your vision. What moves you to take a photo in the first place? What moves you about what you are photographing? How do you capture that and convey it to others? You are not just taking pictures; you are making them.

It's easy to suffer from scenery envy; I know I have. But many of my favourite photographs have been taken in and around my home town of London, Ontario, not too far and probably not too different from your own part of the world. Certainly not exotic or spectacular to my mind, compared to other places, but, here I am. I make do. You can too! You can make compelling images wherever you are.

Take advantage of the changes of seasons you have where you live. Try going out in a variety of weather conditions (fog, mist, approaching storm, sunrise/sunset, etc.) Use your photographic skills. Your choice of angle of view, time of day, lighting, etc., all give you control of the viewer's attention. Look at colour, form, texture, light and shadow, pattern and rhythm. You can make beauty with your selection and arrangement of these visual elements. You don't need exotic locales to find any of these things. You just need to find them for yourself. If you can't find anything "beautiful" around you to photograph, a new camera and lenses will not help you.

I do a lot of macro photography. Now that's a great way to see new things! I remember a day last year when I'd planned to go to a local pond to shoot insects. I never made it off my front porch! I encourage you to find the beauty right at hand. Not all that is beautiful is wildly spectacular: some beauty whispers. All you have to do is listen.

Here are some of my "just trees!"







11-22-2017, 11:45 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by DeadJohn Quote
Are there any adapters that would allow APS-C lenses to work in FF? If I understand your question, you want an optical adapter to expand the APS-C image to FF; that does not exist. Some lenses marketed as APS-C will actually cover the full FF sensor, though. There are also some amazing APS-C coverage lenses, such as the DA 15 Limited, that work great in crop (16mp) or square(24mp) mode.
Wouldn't the 1.7 AF adapter allow the APS-C lenses to cover a FF area with a slight change in focal length? There was some amount of discussion on it at one time, what was the verdict on that?
11-23-2017, 01:26 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kozlok Quote
I'm going to go against the grain. On a restricted budget, you will be better off in APS-C. If you have $2,400, a K-1 and 28-105 is fine, but I'd still rather have 2,400 in APS-C gear. Even better is $1k in gear, and spend the other $1400 on a photo-centric trip. If your budget it approaching $5k, the K1 makes tons of sense. Maybe upgrade your lens kit first, then upgrade to the K1?

Yes, Full Frame offers some advantages. Some disadvantages too.
QuoteOriginally posted by Thagomizer Quote
I'm not going to recommend any gear, but I do recommend eyes. If you look around you, you will find beauty. For someone who lives in a desert, your land of trees would be mind-bogglingly beautiful. Try to see them through fresh eyes.It's more than just the subject matter in front of you that goes into an image. It is your vision. What moves you to take a photo in the first place? What moves you about what you are photographing? How do you capture that and convey it to others? You are not just taking pictures; you are making them.

It's easy to suffer from scenery envy; I know I have. But many of my favourite photographs have been taken in and around my home town of London, Ontario, not too far and probably not too different from your own part of the world. Certainly not exotic or spectacular to my mind, compared to other places, but, here I am. I make do. You can too! You can make compelling images wherever you are.

Take advantage of the changes of seasons you have where you live. Try going out in a variety of weather conditions (fog, mist, approaching storm, sunrise/sunset, etc.) Use your photographic skills. Your choice of angle of view, time of day, lighting, etc., all give you control of the viewer's attention. Look at colour, form, texture, light and shadow, pattern and rhythm. You can make beauty with your selection and arrangement of these visual elements. You don't need exotic locales to find any of these things. You just need to find them for yourself. If you can't find anything "beautiful" around you to photograph, a new camera and lenses will not help you.

I do a lot of macro photography. Now that's a great way to see new things! I remember a day last year when I'd planned to go to a local pond to shoot insects. I never made it off my front porch! I encourage you to find the beauty right at hand. Not all that is beautiful is wildly spectacular: some beauty whispers. All you have to do is listen.

Amen to both, seriously. That said, the FF glass advice about the inexpensive but capable standard lens and the deservedly-classic Tamron zoom makes a lot of sense too.

And, yes, it's perfectly understandable and "valid", so to speak: if you want FF, you want FF. But I bet the posters quoted above were just wondering if it would be the most prudent course for really advancing your photography.
11-23-2017, 05:49 AM   #14
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IMO, if you're on a budget, stick to primes. It's not worth pairing cheap old zooms with a camera as good as the K-1. There are plenty of manual focus primes, whether legacy or from Samyang, that are quite sharp corner to corner. 50's and 35's are your bread and butter on FF.

If you want a zoom, the new D FA 28-105mm is a great walkaround lens and probably one of the most cost-effective options. The Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 is another.

Another alternative would be to pick up a KP or K-70 and invest in premium APS-C lenses.

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11-23-2017, 07:48 AM   #15
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Having bought the K-1 expecting to use older lenses, FAJ 18-35, FA 35-80, F 70-210, and various FF capable lenses, the 60-250, the DA* 200, the DA 35, FA 50 1.7 and 2.8 macro, sigma 70 an Tamron 90 macros. I wasn't really happy with the K-1 before I go the 28-105. I find you really need some flexibility to walk around with. I also had the FA 28-200, which isn't sharp enough. I like lenses that give me clear definition pixel peeping. My 28-200 is fuzzy, as is the FA-J 18-35. The others are OK but you can see a difference compared to the 28-105.

I'm still on the fence as to whether I should have gone for a K-P instead.The IQ of the K-1 is awesome, but the weight and relative and cost of lenses inflexibility means there is also a price to pay.

Last edited by normhead; 11-23-2017 at 02:11 PM.
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