[UncleVanya]

So far Sara votes for the F 100 or the Sigma AF 400. Both lenses have challenges with portability but the Sigma also comes with a disclaimer of loss of contrast and more fringing. Hummm... I'm just crazy enough to do either.

---------- Post added 06-24-15 at 03:27 PM ----------

Despite my abject failures over the last two months, I will probably saddle up again. My DA15 has returned from Japan with a repaired focussing helicoid and two new lens elements, so I'm keen to see how it stacks up against the Sigma 8-16, which I can't fully embrace because of its size and the fact that it's not a Pentax.

Two new elements???? Wow.

I'm honestly a bit jealous of your option to send to Japan for repair. Here in the USA we are pushed to Precision and while they seem to have repaired my K50 when it was in their care they don't generate a lot of enthusiasm or confidence.

[UncleVanya]

Whoops! I forgot to mention the DA HD 70mm Limited I have in the bag as another option. I like this option due to the focal length NOT being as Normal as the 35 and 50 and the size still being quite small. The reach of a 105 equivalent seems crazy fun in such a small light package.

[dakight]

If the 18-55 is anything like the kit lens I got with the K-S2 (the 18-50 [insert acronym] collapsible jobber), it's not knocking anybody's socks off. -_- ... I vote for the Sigma! Not sure if it's better, but it's differenter!

I do have a couple of other options that I haven't yet played. I have a Pentax FA 35-80 which I've used very little if any, and I also have a Tamron 28-200 that was on my PZ-1 film camera before it dies last year. The 35-80 seems to get OK reviews, not great but not bad and the Tamron as I recall was always a little soft but I suppose it could have been an issue with the PZ-1 so it's worth a try. The Tamron is an enormous lens with a 72mm filter thread but I do have CP filter for it which could be handy. Decisions, decisions...


Correction, the 35-80 is a Pentax-F, not an FA. Not sure what difference it really makes.

[todd]

YELLOW

haha that's likely to put my eye in a weird mode on 'red, white, and blue' day here in the states...

repaired focussing helicoid

I missed the story on how it ended up needing repair.. Dropped? Came that way? Wore it out from 500 images per day? Glad you're giving it a go!

I'm in. Would be fun to go with one of my limited lenses but have Singled them all before and should save them for the upcoming FF arrival, so feel constrained to pick from my list of Not-Yet-Singled (listed in order of likelihood):
A 50mm/1.4
A 70-210mm
Toyo 28mm/2.8
A 28mm/2.8
Spiratone 200mm/3.5
F 35-80mm
DA18-55mm AL
M 50mm/2.0
SMC Takumar 55mm/2.0
Focal 28mm/2.8
Vivitar 70-210mm (Series II... It was my first $20 ebay lens purchase after buying my K100D+Kit back in 2008.. Didn't realize until it arrived that I was supposed to buy Series I and have never even taken it for a test drive...I've pretty much only kept it because I thought it might be interesting to take a lens apart sometime...)

[severalsnakes]

A 28mm/2.8

That's what I want to see. I did the M28/2.8 last September and I ended up really, really liking it. I'd like to see the A version in action.

[wolfiegirl]

I'm in again. Am feeling the lack of participation as life gets in the way and I only manage to pp and post once a week even though I'm shooting daily. I think someone else was mentioning something similar in the June thread. It also doesn't help in terms of progression/education, as the results are so delayed often I forget what I did or how I did it, or how I could improve based on the images created. If that even makes any sense.

Am going to go wider again this time. Have a few options to go.

- My newly acquired DA 35/2.4 - which I found I reached for often in June, while using the 105 as the Singles lens.
- an old tamron adaptall 35-80 2.8 (predecessor to the 01a i think?)
- pentax 28-70 (af one which is supposedly very good, and I spent ages scouring until i found one, only to discover i didn't think it was that great, so it'd be good to test it out properly to see if i just got a bad copy or not)
- a pentacon 50mm/2.8

Undecided.

p.s. @severalsnakes - love your new profile pic =D It reminds me of a book cover from a favourite author of mine. either way, love the bw treatment and contrasts. great shot.

[noelpolar]

I in with a K200 f4.

[severalsnakes]

pentax 28-70 (af one which is supposedly very good, and I spent ages scouring until i found one, only to discover i didn't think it was that great, so it'd be good to test it out properly to see if i just got a bad copy or not)

Well, I feel like this is the obvious choice, then!

And thanks for the compliments on my little picture. :-) (What's the book cover, BTW?)

[g026r]

- a pentacon 50mm/2.8

Is that actually the 50/1.8? If so, it's based on the Meyer Oreston, which was a decent lens from all I've heard. (I don't think they made a 2.8, but could be mistaken.)

I had one of the Pentacon ones, but wound up getting rid of it after I took it apart to try and fix a loose element and then couldn't get it back together again.

[wolfiegirl]

And thanks for the compliments on my little picture. :-) (What's the book cover, BTW?)

Tamora Pierce's "Trickster's Choice" - although looking at it now the scan of the image doesn't do it justice.

https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Trickster_s_Choice.html?id=h2vhAAAAM...kp_cover&hl=en

You are right, I should just use the 28-70 or whatever it is, but I've quite enjoyed the smaller footprint of a prime and am tempted to go there instead of a zoom. Dunno. Gonna think about it some more. And seriously, that 50 hasn't been touched..

Is that actually the 50/1.8? If so, it's based on the Meyer Oreston, which was a decent lens from all I've heard. (I don't think they made a 2.8, but could be mistaken.)

Umm.... maybe?! You are most likely correct.

I know I have a 50/2.8 and a 50/1.8 that I have yet to test. One of them should be a czj and the other, a pentacon. But since I'm not at home atm, I can't recall which is which. But I *think* I want to try the Pentacon one (no matter the aperture) because I have never used it since purchase (it came in a bulk lot in a garage sale - in fact, nothing from that lot has ever been used. Talk about random LBA for the sake of LBA... )

[Zorglub]

I love hate this challenge

My vacation is due in July so if I ever want to join again this is a prime opportunity. I have a Q 08 lens on the way from Japan (thanks to Sandy's inspiring run with it) that I will shoot.

I can't wait to get beyond 28mm with the 08. Recently I have been shooting GR panorama stitches so perhaps this will let me rethink "wide" shots in a different (4:3) format.

[dakight]

Tamora Pierce's "Trickster's Choice" - although looking at it now the scan of the image doesn't do it justice.

https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Trickster_s_Choice.html?id=h2vhAAAAM...kp_cover&hl=en

You are right, I should just use the 28-70 or whatever it is, but I've quite enjoyed the smaller footprint of a prime and am tempted to go there instead of a zoom. Dunno. Gonna think about it some more. And seriously, that 50 hasn't been touched..



Umm.... maybe?! You are most likely correct.

I know I have a 50/2.8 and a 50/1.8 that I have yet to test. One of them should be a czj and the other, a pentacon. But since I'm not at home atm, I can't recall which is which. But I *think* I want to try the Pentacon one (no matter the aperture) because I have never used it since purchase (it came in a bulk lot in a garage sale - in fact, nothing from that lot has ever been used. Talk about random LBA for the sake of LBA... )

Garage Sale bulk purchases don't count. That's not LBA, that's just opportunism.

[UncleVanya]

Has anyone "Singled In" with an DA 70 lately?
My short list:

DA HD 70 (f/2.4)
F 100 Macro (f/2.8)
DA* 200 (f/2.8)
Sigma AF 400 (f/5.6)

I'm honestly still debating. The 70 has the size factor locked up. The 100 has the versatility of a dedicated macro lens. The 200 is weather resistant and a nice change from the 35 and 50 from the past couple of months. The 400 is outrageous - it's low contrast and soft and full of aberrations and glitches. I still somehow like it despite its warts.

I loaned my HD 1.4x TC to my dad which limits my versatility a bit but I do have my Raynox 250 which would work on the 100 or 70 but not the 200 or 400 due to filter ring unless I get a larger step up ring.

[blackcloudbrew]

It's been done by some in the past, can't remember who though. Likely one of our down under friends I believe.

[UncleVanya]

It's been done by some in the past, can't remember who though. Likely one of our down under friends I believe.

Anyone lately?

I forgot how LONG the minimum focus distance on the AF TELE 400mm was - 4 METERS... yikes.

I played with all four lenses and I think either the 70 or the 100 the best for me this next month. I'm thinking the 70 honestly. It's small and has a rational amount of reach. It will be a fun change from the 35 40 and 50 I have been playing with but still small and compact. The F 100 is a versatile lens as well... so I'm not 100% sure yet. But the 100 is a bear - heavy and bulky by comparison.