[stevebrot]

Ditto!

Yeah I was thing of a fish-eye lens as well.

Phil.

Courtesy of the Zenitar 16mm...



Multiple selfies in that shot.


Steve

[Robot camera]

I don't usually photograph cars, but I've found that when photographing motorcycles, 24mm on my K3 or K20D works well; at the sort of distance motorcycles are parked at shows (far enough apart that you can walk between two bikes) I can get a three quarters shot of a whole bike without the nearest wheel being noticeably distorted, as it would be with a wider lens. The same thing would apply to cars if they are reasonably far apart.

There may be times when you need a slightly wider view, and times when you want to pick up a detail or get a nice bit of compressed perspective, maybe to show off some nicely formed bodywork. I suggest you take the 18-135. It's not particularly fast, but when the light levels drop, well, you've got a K3 Mk3; just raise the ISO a bit more.

[no694terry]

Do you have a polarizer filter? Might help with the glare on some of the shinier cars. Personally I like to take car pics at 50+mm because I don't like distortion you get close up, but then you end up with too many chances of people standing in your way.

A Tamron 17-50 would be my choice but since you don't have that one, I'd go for the 20-40

[C_Jones]

You might want to bring the 10-24 and 18-135. If the 10-24 does not cover the kind of scenes you find, you can switch to the 18-135 for more flexibility. It really depends on the area and location you want to cover in your images.

[robgski]

In my experience Closely parked cars as well as crowds make the UWA the best choice . I used a 17mm Fisheye on my K-5, where it became a UWA.

[tonyzoc]

Do you have a polarizer filter? Might help with the glare on some of the shinier cars. Personally I like to take car pics at 50+mm because I don't like distortion you get close up, but then you end up with too many chances of people standing in your way.



A Tamron 17-50 would be my choice but since you don't have that one, I'd go for the 20-40

I have a polarizers for 49 and 52mm... nothing that will fit the Tamron 77mm.

[dbs]

Hi Tony
I have used for car shows / meets .
10 - 17 fish, 12 - 24 , 16 - 45 ( om the K100d Super a good double ), 40 ltd , FA 50 , 70 ltd., Sig 70 - 200 / 2.8

Choices are always hard if you use normally a large range of lenses to pick from.
2 Lenses a zoom and a prime ..... or ..........

Most of all ... have fun


Dave

[UncleVanya]

I vote wide:

IMGP4775_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP4799_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5004 by -vanya_42nd-

The 10-24 should work most of the time. The 50mm also fits well.

[ramseybuckeye]

I've only shot a couple of car shows, one was on a rainy day, and at that time my only WR lens was the DA 18-35. The other car show was indoors and I used the DA 15 only. and I had the I have since done an indoor motorcycle show where I used the DA 18-135, DA 15, Rokinon 8mm fisheye, and the Tamron 10-24.

DA 18-135



The 18-135 was nice to use for some closeups when I wanted detail. The first shot is what 90% of people take at car shows, pretty boring, OK for just seeing what the cars look like, but just a blah photo.

DA 15




The 15 was really nice because you can get close without a lot of distortion, plus that Limited IQ.

Tamron 10-24




The 10-24 offered the chance to get pretty close, but with distortion. I no longer have the 10-24, I really used it less and less after getting the 15. One problem with the 10-24 besides the distortion is flare, it doesn't have the Pentax coatings. I like to shoot at a low vantage point sometimes, and if it is bright and sunny, it's hard to keep the light off of that 77mm front element.

A lens I did not have at the time of these shows but do have now is the DA 20-40. It would definitely go with me now, if I only took one lens that would be the one, it just handles everything well. If I took two, I would probably take the 15 along, and that would probably be enough. Of the lenses you mention I would choose the DA20-40, it would cover you for low light and possible rain. If you take a second lens the Tamron is wide enough to get by with a slow shutter.

But I really think the composition is more important than the lens, trying to make the photos interesting is more fun. I would take a small tripod also, if it's not too much to carry.

[lesmore49]

I like to shoot hot rods and classics and my kit with the K-3 usually consists of:

• Sigma 17-70/2.8-4.0 (C)
• FA 35/2.0 or Tamron 24/2.8 (01BB)
• Rokinon 8/3.5 or Zenitar 16/2.8 Fisheye

The zoom because it's versatile, the fisheye for creative potential, the 35mm because of its size and near-normal perspective, the 24mm because of it is good for "street" work. Be sure you have something capable of close focus for trim details.

In regards to your 18-55...One of my favs, taken with the 18-55/3.5-5.6 kit lens on the K10D at a local concours d'elegance...


1954 Jaguar XK-120 drophead coupe

Steve

(...I vote the 18-55 plus 10-24...both will get a work-out...)

Beautiful photograph. BTW, I cropped out the top, the part showing the bottom of the windshield...and that also comes out quite well.

[tonyzoc]

I've only shot a couple of car shows, one was on a rainy day, and at that time my only WR lens was the DA 18-35. The other car show was indoors and I used the DA 15 only. and I had the I have since done an indoor motorcycle show where I used the DA 18-135, DA 15, Rokinon 8mm fisheye, and the Tamron 10-24.

DA 18-135



The 18-135 was nice to use for some closeups when I wanted detail. The first shot is what 90% of people take at car shows, pretty boring, OK for just seeing what the cars look like, but just a blah photo.

DA 15




The 15 was really nice because you can get close without a lot of distortion, plus that Limited IQ.

Tamron 10-24




The 10-24 offered the chance to get pretty close, but with distortion. I no longer have the 10-24, I really used it less and less after getting the 15. One problem with the 10-24 besides the distortion is flare, it doesn't have the Pentax coatings. I like to shoot at a low vantage point sometimes, and if it is bright and sunny, it's hard to keep the light off of that 77mm front element.

A lens I did not have at the time of these shows but do have now is the DA 20-40. It would definitely go with me now, if I only took one lens that would be the one, it just handles everything well. If I took two, I would probably take the 15 along, and that would probably be enough. Of the lenses you mention I would choose the DA20-40, it would cover you for low light and possible rain. If you take a second lens the Tamron is wide enough to get by with a slow shutter.

But I really think the composition is more important than the lens, trying to make the photos interesting is more fun. I would take a small tripod also, if it's not too much to carry.

I thought about the likelihood of flare with the 10-24, especially outdoors early evening or once the lights come on. I got the lens cheap, like $160, so I grabbed it to fill the UW gap, but I hope to replace it pretty soon. The 15mm would be my next limited purchase because it's affordable but the 11-18 is something I'd like to get. I'm going with 2 lenses as I don't want to carry a bag. I might bring the 20-40 just to see what I can do with it.

[Larrymc]

Last event like that I attended I had my Sigma 18-200 contemporary mounted on my K-3 Mk I and it covered my needs nicely. So the 18-135 would be my choice as I don't like to change lens on the go if I don't have to.