[W412ren]

I am currently in the market for a new lens for street photography. I currently have a DFA 28-105, DA 50 f1.8, and a HD FA 77mm Limited. I like shooting primes but the 77mm is too tight for most of my use cases in street photo. The DFA 28-105 has been my walk around lens for the past 4 years on the system, and imo the DA 50 is my least favorite lens of the 3.

As you've been using the 28-105 for 4 years now my suggestion is for you to pick out your favourite images taken with this lens and then take a look at the focal lengths and apertures you've used for them (use smart collections in Lightroom or their equivalent in your choice of software). This should help you to narrow the choices down somewhat and start you off in the right direction.
Things to ponder:
You don't say why the 50 is your least favourite - fov, rendering ...?? If most of your street shots are at 28mm you may have a case for getting something wider. If 77 is too tight, at what point do you feel the fov getting restrictive?

[5ks]

For the purposes mentioned, I would keep using DFA 28-105. But like W412ren said, it's a good idea to recognise how you have used it and what have been the specific shortcomings. For me, the only real drawback of DFA 28-105 for street photograhy might be the lack of aperture 2,8 or wider - for those situations you want to have very little DOF or shoot in twilight.

For street shooting, I would not recommend anything as big and heavy as DFA 2,8/24-70. And if you'd like to go really light, whay not DA XS 40? It does vignette a little in FF, but is still usable with K-1 in FF mode.

[GaryT]

Given what you already have I’d personally go for a FA 43mm which is small, light and slightly wide on FF, or the XS DA 40mm which is designed for crop but can give good results on FF depending on the subject and is really tiny and makes the K1 almost like a compact camera (almost!). I acquired the 43mm second hand after the 40mm- I prefer the 43mm, but don’t want to get rid of the 40mm as it is really unobtrusive and could fit in a loose shirt pocket so you can easily have it as an extra lens to carry about. Enjoy your street photography.

[normhead]

Just to be different, partnered with my DFA 28-105 for my K-1 is my Sigma 24 macro 2.8.

I don't know if you can find one, but it has become part of my K-1 3 lens kit. Small, AF reasonably corrected, and fast.

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Last edited by normhead; 07-15-2021 at 02:26 PM.

[awscreo]

Are you using the DA50 in APS-C or FF mode? In APS-C mode it would match the field of view of the FA77 (I assume you have an FF camera), in FF-mode the DA50 would vignette badly at the edges. I think I would start by selling off that one.

Now for the more difficult question of what to replace it with. I would consider both the FA43 and the quite new FA35. HD Pentax-FA 35mm F2 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database Both are good and very compact. I often prefer that field of view for landscape and street photo.

The DFA 24-70/2,8 are quite heavy and expensive, not my cup of tea, so I have a hard time recommending that, but you may have a different view on weight and pricing. For the ease of zooming I would stick to the DFA 28-105. Its lighter, cheaper and has more ease of zooming. I consider the 24-70 a kind of akward compromize between zoom and prime, having all the negative sides in one, and being medicore on both ease of zooming and aperture. Yes, I expect a hailstorm of comments on that view.

Weird, my 50 1.8 doesn't vignette that badly on the sides.

---------- Post added 07-15-21 at 05:35 PM ----------

Hmm. I personally enjoy my 15-30 2.8 and 28-105 landscape kit. It covers almost any situation for landscapes.

You then would have 15-30 for UWA landscapes, 28-105 for traveling light and when you need some more reach for landscapes, and 77 1.8 for portraits. Pretty versatile kit all things considered. All 3 lenses are sharp, great optically, and are high quality.

[robgski]

Given what you already have I’d personally go for a FA 43mm which is small, light and slightly wide on FF, or the XS DA 40mm which is designed for crop but can give good results on FF depending on the subject and is really tiny and makes the K1 almost like a compact camera (almost!). I acquired the 43mm second hand after the 40mm- I prefer the 43mm, but don’t want to get rid of the 40mm as it is really unobtrusive and could fit in a loose shirt pocket so you can easily have it as an extra lens to carry about. Enjoy your street photography.

+1 for the XS on the K-1, fantastic results in a compact package.

[mikesbike]

just kinda want to move on from the kit lens.

Only problem is, this "kit" lens is an exceptionally fine performer. The only logical reason to get the DFA 24-70mm is the larger f/2.8 aperture will allow lower ISO settings for evening low light scenes. But it is larger and heavier. My policy for years is to have both, using the f/2.8 lens mainly when I need it for low light and/or fast action to get the shutter speed up. Otherwise, a high-quality all around zoom lens with more reach does a great job. I use this fine "kit" lens mostly, and when I need the aperture, I have an ancient but excellent Tokina 28-70mm f/2.6-2.8 ATX Pro II, which I am now glad I hung on to since buying it new at the end of its run to use with my Pentax 35mm film bodies.

If you are looking to reduce size and bulk so your activities attract less attention, going to a small but very fine prime lens having very moderate wide angle would offer a larger aperture yet, and still would be versatile enough to bring fine results in dealing with many scenes. The HD FA 43mm f/1.9 would be an excellent choice, and brings a totally natural perspective with that focal length, in an amazingly compact but well-built body. The HD FA 35mm f/2 would be a very good choice as well.

---------- Post added 07-15-21 at 04:16 PM ----------

The classic Pentax FA35-70 seems like a match for your street stuff and it's so silly inexpensive.
SMC Pentax-F 35-70mm F3.5-4.5 Reviews - F Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

If wanting an amazingly small but fine-performing zoom lens for light carrying and being less noticeable, this is a great choice- and yes, you can find very good ones at bargain prices!

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Last edited by mikesbike; 07-15-2021 at 04:18 PM.

[bad2thegnome]

Are you using the DA50 in APS-C or FF mode? In APS-C mode it would match the field of view of the FA77 (I assume you have an FF camera), in FF-mode the DA50 would vignette badly at the edges. I think I would start by selling off that one.

Now for the more difficult question of what to replace it with. I would consider both the FA43 and the quite new FA35. HD Pentax-FA 35mm F2 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database Both are good and very compact. I often prefer that field of view for landscape and street photo.

The DFA 24-70/2,8 are quite heavy and expensive, not my cup of tea, so I have a hard time recommending that, but you may have a different view on weight and pricing. For the ease of zooming I would stick to the DFA 28-105. Its lighter, cheaper and has more ease of zooming. I consider the 24-70 a kind of akward compromize between zoom and prime, having all the negative sides in one, and being medicore on both ease of zooming and aperture. Yes, I expect a hailstorm of comments on that view.

I agree with you there my 50mm is the first thing that I am selling as it really isn't for the full frame system. I expect a hail storm for you about the 24-70 but I agree with you, I much prefer primes. I get crispy images out of them, and they make me think more about the composition of the shot and less about the how to zoom in and our without moving.

[DWS1]

Getting an extra small lens on a K1 will not let you go unnoticed in street photography. Instead of a new lens, you might want to consider a GRiii. Just a thought.

[bad2thegnome]

Getting an extra small lens on a K1 will not let you go unnoticed in street photography. Instead of a new lens, you might want to consider a GRiii. Just a thought.

I actually have someone offering me a Fuji X-H1 for a pretty steep discount with a 35 & 50mm fuji glass. I was thinking about a smaller body for the discreteness of street. Walking around with the K-1 and the 28-105 definitely gets some passing glances more than I'd like

[Michaelina2]

Advice from the modern-day Godfather of street photography...

http://thomas.leuthard.photography/ebooks/

...lots of great suggestions.

Cheers... M

[Paul the Sunman]

The 28-105 as the workhorse zoom, and either the DA40 or FA43 as an inconspicuous faster prime.

The DA40 is actually a crop lens, and has weak corners on FF, but I still find it's a good fit with the K1 for street photography.

[disconnekt]

As you've been using the 28-105 for 4 years now my suggestion is for you to pick out your favourite images taken with this lens and then take a look at the focal lengths and apertures you've used for them (use smart collections in Lightroom or their equivalent in your choice of software). This should help you to narrow the choices down somewhat and start you off in the right direction.
Things to ponder:
You don't say why the 50 is your least favourite - fov, rendering ...?? If most of your street shots are at 28mm you may have a case for getting something wider. If 77 is too tight, at what point do you feel the fov getting restrictive?

What W412ren said, it'll help you narrow down what focal length you use the most & go from there.
The usual "Top 3 primes for street photography" are the 28mm, 35mm, & 50mm focal lengths.

---------- Post added 07-15-21 at 09:16 PM ----------

For me I've used 35mm & 50mm focal lengths, but at times found that I needed something a smidge wider than 35mm & a bit longer than 50mm so I ended up getting a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 & sold off my K-mount primes lenses. For my m42 mount camera I still have a 35mm & 50mm.

[Joe Schmoo]

Hello all,

I am currently in the market for a new lens for street photography. I currently have a DFA 28-105, DA 50 f1.8, and a HD FA 77mm Limited. I like shooting primes but the 77mm is too tight for most of my use cases in street photo. The DFA 28-105 has been my walk around lens for the past 4 years on the system, and imo the DA 50 is my least favorite lens of the 3. I am looking into either the DFA 24-70 f2.8, DFA* 50mm f1.4, or the HD FA 43mm limited. I need some advice because I enjoy landscapes, and portraits as well and street photo is a new hobby of mine as I am now in a big city and not a rural town with nice landscapes. I want to find a new lens to best suit more than one use case. Everyone on the forum raves about the DFA* 50 f1.4 and it does look like a superb piece of kit. I am interested in the 24-70 mainly because it is a good set of focal lengths but I do already have the 77mm for portraits. If I were to get a new lens I would probably be parting with my trusty DFA 28-105m, just kinda want to move on from the kit lens.

Any advice or input would be much appreciated. I would be up for selling the kit lens and picking 2 lenses if I had to lol. Cheers!

Tamron 17-35

[gatorguy]

We've had other forum members with the same questions concerning lens choices for "street photos". FWIW that moniker might mean different things to different people. For some it's about architecture and patterns and color, static stuff, more than people and pets and activities, moving stuff. I'm mostly the latter with a good sprinkling of the former.

Best Street Photography/walk around lens. Emphasis on Bokeh capability - PentaxForums.com
Favorite body and lens for street photography - PentaxForums.com