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01-14-2018, 11:14 PM   #1
whafrog
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Perfect lens suite?

I'm pondering upgrading my current lenses. I have a K-70 with the following Pentax lenses: 16-45mm, and 55-300mm. This gives good coverage, but I'm missing a few things. The main thing is a macro lens: although the 16-45 can focus down to a few inches, it's not very clear...definitely fuzzy at f4, reasonable at f5.6, but it doesn't get close enough for what I want to get pictures of. I actually get better "close up" results from the 55-300mm at a couple meters away. I'm tempted by the 100mm FA lens, but has anyone had experience with this lens on an APS-C sensor? Are there any good 3rd party macro lenses? Weather sealing is a "must-have"...

The other missing thing is a good super-telephoto. 300mm is okay for large birds, but for small birds in the wild it's just not working for me. I've been tempted by the 150-450, but I'm not sure it's going to make that much of a difference, plus I'm not crazy about the size (for this I'm considering M4/3 as an option).

Lastly, my current lenses are "slow"...f4 at best. But current lenses are decent, but the 16-45 has fairly severe chromatic aberration...a recent high contrast image of "trees against the sky" was practically purple throughout. I'm very much considering upgrading everything, as f2.8, or even a constant f4 would be preferable.

Basically I'm after a set of high quality lenses that offer the FF equivalent of 24-600 + macro. Any opinions/experience with the current Pentax lens lineup, that is weather sealed, that would fit the bill?

01-14-2018, 11:53 PM - 1 Like   #2
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For Pentax's 100mm macro with WR, there's this: Pentax smc Pentax-D FA 100mm f/2.8 WR Macro Lens 21910 B&H Photo

If getting it new is out of your price range, I suggest checking out the marketplace here on the the forums first, and if anything check keh.com, Adorama, or B&H. As far as 3rd party macro lenses that have WR, I'm not sure if Sigma or Tamron offer WR on their macros, maybe somebody else here in the forums can help on that end.

For fast zooms, check out shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=889257&u=523490&m=66875&urllink=keh.com (here: at KEH Camera Store)

For the wide end, you can't go wrong with either Tamron's 17-50mm f2.8 (Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 Aspherical DI II SP IF LD XR (A16) K Mount Autofocus Lens For Pentax APS-C Sensor DSLRS {67} at KEH Camera Store) or Sigma's 17-50mm f2.8 (Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Zoom Lens for Pentax DSLRs 58C109)

For the long end, I'd suggest either Tamron's 70-200mm f2.8 (105-300mm equivelent) (Tamron 70-200mm F/2.8 DI LD IF SP Autofocus Lens For Pentax K Mount {77} at KEH Camera Store) or Pentax's 60-250mm f4 (90-375mm equivelent)
01-15-2018, 12:04 AM - 1 Like   #3
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You have a good camera and two good lenses. These are zoom lenses. Pentax is widely renown for its outstanding prime lenses, from 14 to 100 mm especially. Fabulous prime lenses include the FA Limited series (the three amigos), the DA Limited series (pancake lenses), the DA* prime lenses and D-FA prime lenses and even the older FA* prime lenses.

I would urge you to consider a few prime lenses. Prime lenses can achieve outstanding IQ for a fraction of the cost of the corresponding zoom lenses. They can be fast (e.g. FA31mm f1.8, DA*55mm f1.4, FA77mm f1.8).

Based upon your current lens lineup, I would suggest to consider among the followings: DA15mm Ltd, FA31 mm Ltd, DA*55mm, FA7nn Ltd, D-FA100mm, DA*300mm.

Yes prime lenses are not as convenient and convivial as zoom lenses, but I believe that you can improve drastically your skills with a prime lens: you need to move around more and learn to be at the right place. That was certainly my own experience and I learn a lot.

My 5 cents....
01-15-2018, 02:05 AM - 1 Like   #4
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If you're after a good macro, basically Pentax doesn't make a bad one. Currently there are three - the DA35/2.8 Limited, and the DFA 50 and 100. It basically boils down to how much distance you want between you and your subject. For flowers and such, the 35 is great because it gets you right inside, but for critters like and bugs the 100 is probably ideal. I have both and they perform brilliantly on a crop camera. Older versions are often cheaper and may be worth chasing up.

Whichever you choose, another prime or two would be a great supplement to their coverage. The DA35/2.4 and DA50/1.8 are ridiculously good value for money and would compliment the DFA100 perfectly.

01-15-2018, 02:43 AM - 1 Like   #5
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If WR is important then I suggest DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135 or DA* 60-250 and DA* 300 plus the 1.4x teleconverter. You can add any of the three current pentax macro lenses (DA35, 50, 100).
If WR doesn't important, then I suggest go with primes. I can fit in my bag the DA15, FA* 24, DA35 F2.4, FA43 (my favorite lens), FA77 and DFA100 macro. All of these has outstanding image quality, only the FA*24 is soft a bit wide open. (I will change my DA35 to a FA31 in the near future. I rarely use long leses, feel free to add any options. Consider the 150-450 and the Sigma 50-500 F4.5-6.3 also.)
01-15-2018, 03:26 AM - 1 Like   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by whafrog Quote
I'm pondering upgrading my current lenses. I have a K-70 with the following Pentax lenses: 16-45mm, and 55-300mm. This gives good coverage, but I'm missing a few things. The main thing is a macro lens: although the 16-45 can focus down to a few inches, it's not very clear...definitely fuzzy at f4, reasonable at f5.6, but it doesn't get close enough for what I want to get pictures of. I actually get better "close up" results from the 55-300mm at a couple meters away. I'm tempted by the 100mm FA lens, but has anyone had experience with this lens on an APS-C sensor? Are there any good 3rd party macro lenses? Weather sealing is a "must-have"...

The other missing thing is a good super-telephoto. 300mm is okay for large birds, but for small birds in the wild it's just not working for me. I've been tempted by the 150-450, but I'm not sure it's going to make that much of a difference, plus I'm not crazy about the size (for this I'm considering M4/3 as an option).

Lastly, my current lenses are "slow"...f4 at best. But current lenses are decent, but the 16-45 has fairly severe chromatic aberration...a recent high contrast image of "trees against the sky" was practically purple throughout. I'm very much considering upgrading everything, as f2.8, or even a constant f4 would be preferable.

Basically I'm after a set of high quality lenses that offer the FF equivalent of 24-600 + macro. Any opinions/experience with the current Pentax lens lineup, that is weather sealed, that would fit the bill?
You're trying to get the most out of a budget setup, very similar to my situation. I currently shoot a K-70 a well and have owned and used both the 16-45 and 55-300 at some time or other in the past.

I have literally zero experience in birding or long-range telezooms so can't help you there but I have eventually settled on a series of lenses which are both high-quality as well as slightly overlapping in range. I ended up on the DA*50-135/f2.8 (a lens which has been with me since the K100D-Super), the DA16-85mm (IQ-wise a better choice than the 18-135mm) and the Tamron 90mm/f2.8 Macro. I find these three lenses cover about 80-90% of my needs so I consider them my "core setup". I used to own a 55-300 but found by analyzing EXIF data that I barely used the long end >150mm so I eventually sold that one. Around that I've built-up a few secondary options for special purpose shooting such as the Sigma 8-16mm superwide, A Samyang 8mm fisheye and a Revuenon 55mm/f1.2

All in all I'd say the set is comprised of good-quality glass covering from 8mm to 135mm (incidentally 270mm through a 2x converter) in overlapping ranges so I can usually leave home with one in the pocket, one on the camera and be prepared for any situation while still maintaining high-quality. I've always stayed away from superzooms because of the quality/range compromise in those. Hope someone else can give you a good tip for the long end.
01-15-2018, 05:37 AM - 2 Likes   #7
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Sounds like you may want to consider this trio;
- D FA 100 f/2.8 Macro WR
- DA* 300 f/4
- HD DA 1.4X TC (WR)

The 100 is outstanding and the TC would add extra working distance or magnification. I have the 100 and can only describe it as optical perfection which says something because I normally shoot with a bag of HD DA Limiteds.

The 300 is well regarded by many Pentax shooters. The TC will give you additional reach while keeping size, weight and cost down.

01-15-2018, 07:03 AM - 1 Like   #8
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I use a K3II with FA100 f2.8 macro to do field macro. Above Saltwater describes my dream pairing.

Look at my Flickr page for many, many, many images using the FA100. You will have NO problems using a crop sensor.
Bear in mind that some of the images I post on Flickr are not "print quality" though the have some scientific merit for identification, particularly for bumblebees. Also bear in mind I'm shooting free-handed recently adding a Sunpak ring flash in manual mode. Generic conditions when sunny are f16, ISO 200, 1/160sec and flash at 1/4 power. Camera in AF.S mode, high speed continuous, center focus point and center-weighted metering.
01-15-2018, 07:35 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by whafrog Quote
I'm pondering upgrading my current lenses. I have a K-70 with the following Pentax lenses: 16-45mm, and 55-300mm. This gives good coverage, but I'm missing a few things. The main thing is a macro lens: although the 16-45 can focus down to a few inches, it's not very clear...definitely fuzzy at f4, reasonable at f5.6, but it doesn't get close enough for what I want to get pictures of. I actually get better "close up" results from the 55-300mm at a couple meters away. I'm tempted by the 100mm FA lens, but has anyone had experience with this lens on an APS-C sensor? Are there any good 3rd party macro lenses? Weather sealing is a "must-have"...
The DFA100mm WR is your only option. There are no other WR macros.

Fortunately, it's a good one, reasonably priced, tiny compared to other 100mm macros, and great quality. I have its older sibling, the non-WR dfa100mm (apart from different coatings and aperture blades, the optics are the same) and it's terrific on APS-C (many examples in my flickr link below). It does have some colour fringing on high contrast scenes, especially wide open, but otherwise it's top drawer. For what it's worth, my non-WR version has been through light rain, snow, and trudged through hundreds of swamps with no issues. I've never felt the need to 'upgrade' to the WR version.

Last edited by BrianR; 01-15-2018 at 08:50 AM.
01-15-2018, 10:32 AM   #10
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Ltd. 15mm (first version), the Ltd 35., and the Ltd. 70mm.
01-15-2018, 11:33 AM   #11
whafrog
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Thank you all for great feedback, thought provoking questions, and photo examples. For "macro" stuff I have normally stuck with foliage, but probably because I could never get close enough to bugs anyway (with the exception of large, too-cold-to-be-scared, dragonflies). So the 100mm will open up a new world. As for telephoto, interesting idea about the 300mm + 1.4TC. That's basically a 420 @f5.6 and the combo is about $500 cheaper (and a bit smaller) than the 150-450.

I do tend to focus on zooms instead of primes, since I'm usually hiking trails and need the load to be manageable. For me, at least 1/2 the reason to carry the camera is to "be out". The other half is part art, part chronicle. Sometimes I have "faked a prime" by deciding what to set the zoom at before putting the camera to my eye and sticking with it...it's definitely an interesting exercise, but I don't want to build my whole gear arrangement around it.

It looks like I have a couple configuration options, and both would start with the FA 100 macro and the DA* 16-50 as the "heart". Those would really be an improvement, opening up a new world, and better image quality than the 16-45, and together probably comprise enough strain on my wallet in the near term.

Later on I'll have to decide what to do on the long end. The 50-135 is tempting for lower light levels, but from the reviews it seems like the 60-250 is amazingly sharp. But at the very long end...for the size of the 150-450, I could probably pack an Olympus OMD E1 ii with a 300mm + TC (which ends up being an 840mm equivalent)...that's some serious reach that fits my mobile mode. Something to ponder over the next year.

Thanks again all!
01-15-2018, 02:08 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Marktax Quote
Ltd. 15mm (first version), the Ltd 35., and the Ltd. 70mm.
You must have somehow missed the OP's requirements: macro and longer reach than 300mm. Tempting and gorgeous as they may be, the triplet of limited's you mention do not solve every photographic ask under the sun
01-15-2018, 05:36 PM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Saltwater Images Quote
Sounds like you may want to consider this trio;
- D FA 100 f/2.8 Macro WR
- DA* 300 f/4
- HD DA 1.4X TC (WR)

The 100 is outstanding and the TC would add extra working distance or magnification. I have the 100 and can only describe it as optical perfection which says something because I normally shoot with a bag of HD DA Limiteds.

The 300 is well regarded by many Pentax shooters. The TC will give you additional reach while keeping size, weight and cost down.
I agree with this selection. The DA*300 and the TC is the most cost effective and weight effective way to get the highest quality 420 mm. The DFA 100WR is super sharp fast f2.8. This combo gives you 100mm, 140mm, 300mm and 420mm.
01-16-2018, 12:04 AM - 3 Likes   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by jddwoods Quote
I agree with this selection. The DA*300 and the TC is the most cost effective and weight effective way to get the highest quality 420 mm. The DFA 100WR is super sharp fast f2.8. This combo gives you 100mm, 140mm, 300mm and 420mm.
I agree completely.

For the long tele, I've tried consumer zoom (55-300 both screw-driven and PLM versions), long consumer zoom, (Sigma 170-500), longish prime (Sigma 400 f5.6 tele macro) and 300mm prime + TC (FA*300mm f4.5 + Kenko 1.5x TC). The other option is a premium long zoom like the DFA*150-450. Each option has its merits - it's a trade-off between affordability, versatility, weight/bulk, speed, AF performance (55-300 PLM wins hands down here), and image quality. But I give weight a lot of priority - a 2kg+ lens (e.g. Sigma 150-500, Sigma 50-500, Pentax DFA 150-450) is going to be a beast to carry and harder to use handheld. For me the sweet spot is the 300 prime plus tele when required - image quality is excellent, it's fine to use handheld, you have two focal lengths (each with reasonable maximum aperture) and it's a reasonable carry option. YMMV.

Using a TC costs one stop of light, and might slow the AF a bit, but any degradation in image quality, when used with a sharp prime, is negligible IMO. Here are some samples with the DFA 100 + Kenko TC.



And here are some with the FA*300 + TC (effectively 420mm f6.3):





The DA*300 f4 + DA 1.4x TC should offer similar image quality to my combo, with the advantages of WR, 1/3 stop extra aperture, quieter AF, newer coatings, and correct info being passed to the camera for EXIF and SR purposes. Downsides are SDM AF reliability issues and, if you ever go to FF, possible vignetting from the TC. Some people say the screw-drive AF in the F/FA*300 is faster than the SDM in the DA*300, but SDM is said to be more accurate at times - I can't comment because I haven't used the DA*300.

Last edited by Des; 01-16-2018 at 02:38 PM.
01-16-2018, 06:53 AM   #15
whafrog
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Great shots, thanks for the examples!
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