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04-07-2011, 11:15 PM   #1
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New to DSLR world advice on lens - Souther California

Hi, I bought a Pentax K-x Digital SLR Camera with PENTAX-DA 18-55mm and 55-300mm lenses (Black) a couple months ago, but then had back surgery so I am still super new to my camera and would really like to become a good photographer if not a great one. I know from reading around a bit that it's not just the camera and the megapixels but lens that take great photos. I would like some friendly advice at which lens I should have to help me along in my photography journey. I'm taking a lot of pictures of buildings and indoor settings, so I have a full spectrum of light and of course things themselves close up and at a distance. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

04-08-2011, 03:25 AM   #2
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Welcome to the forum, you'll get more answers to your question if you ask it in the Pentax Beginners Corner. But if you like landscapes and architecture I'd suggest getting the sigma 10-20mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Angle lens as they are razor sharp and give quality images.
04-08-2011, 04:05 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by eaglem Quote
sigma 10-20mm F2.8
mmm i think you mean f3.5 or f4-5.6...
There are some UWA out there that you may consider Tamron 10-24,pentax 12-24,the sigmas...or you can go for prime quality with the 15 f4 limited or the different 14mm (there is a pentax, a samyang, an SP line Tamron).
Zooms are more versatile and some of them have got great Image Quality, primes usually got better IQ and are hadled differently, they may make you think more about the composition and force you to move to discover the best framing.
If i were you i would shoot for some time with the two lenses you already got and then i would define the things i like the most, then i would buy the best lens that i could afford that suited those interests.
Since you already know you like to shoot architecture i would start to look at the Ultra Wide Angle lenses...For the indoor shots, if its shots of rooms and spaces i would look into a good tripod too to use with the ,usually, quite slow UWAs. If it's shots of people or things indoors with available light i would start looking at 24 to 50 range of fast primes or at the 17-50 constant f2.8 lenses.
04-08-2011, 11:12 PM   #4
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A friend recommended the Pentax SMCP-FA 50mm f1.4, what do you guys think? I also just took a ton of pictures of animals at the living desert in palm desert, California. And I really would have liked a lens that focused on the animals more and not as much of some of the stuff around them. My budget is around $350 for a lens. And thanks for the advice on the other lens I'm going to be researching more about them.

04-09-2011, 07:26 AM   #5
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That is indeed a good lens...but i reiterate what i said before..define well your interests before acquiring new glass.
If it's animals you want to photograph you can look into a 70-200 f2,8 (the tamron is well loved) with a teleconverter. Or depending on the animals you can start to look into longer focal lenghts, that is a very especialized use and the glass won't be cheap if you want quality images...so better to use the ones you got (fine and capable lenses) before you jump into a new lens. Maybe you will find out that you use a lot a concrete focal lenght and you may want a quality prime in that FL...maybe you will se you use a lot the 30-70 range and you may want a good IQ constant aperture zoom (or the 18-50 range...).
Shoot a lot..then save money and buy top glass that will satisfy your especialized needs (for general use that pair of lenses is fine).
04-09-2011, 08:02 AM   #6
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I bought the exact same setup a year ago and was feeling a little frustrated at some of the shots I was getting. I felt that some shots were not as sharp as they should have been. I bought a used Sigma 105mm 2.8 DG EX macro lens and was surprised at how sharp this lens was compared to both kit lenses. Not only are the macro shots sharp, so are all the telephoto shots. Very pleased with this lens!!
04-09-2011, 09:39 AM   #7
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From the years I have been taking photographs, I have learned that it is not the camera or the lens that makes a good photograph. A good photograph starts in your brain. A good photographer knows when to walk away when there is no real opportunity. I have seen some absolutely breathtaking photography from a simple point and shoot. It's whats in the photo that counts.
You have chosen a very good camera/lens combo that will let you be creative in capturing the "shot".
I am in my 60's and I am considered by my peers to be a very good photographer, but the reason is I hone my skills by taking photo courses, looking at a lot of other photographer's works, and taking lots and lots of photos.

Remember the difference between a good photographer and a poor photographer, the good one only shows you his best.
So, get out there, learn and take lots and lots of pictures (films cheap).

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