I have read several threads about building a kit, but was well on my way when I found them. Since I like landscapes / cityscapes, panoramas - built the following...
Main Kit
- K20D - My main body. It works very well for me.
- DA 10-17 FE - Excellent for really large objects, especially items with natural curves. Great for objects that are large and very close. Complements the 12-24. Field of view 180-100 degrees.
- DA 12-24 - Not as wide as the Sigmas, but the distortion is controlled much better. Very sharp and field of view complements the 10-17. One of my favorite lenses. FoV 100-60 degrees
- DA 16-45 - Yes, it has substantial overlap with the 12-24, but gets me up to almost 50. I like it. The bottom end is sharper than the 12-24's top end. So it complements the 12-24.
- FA 31 Ltd - Unexpected acquisition. Long story, going after a DA*21 but this came instead, since they advertised its serial number and picture. Due to its smaller field of view, is sharper with better resolution. I really like it for stitched portrait panoramas. It gives a totally different look to images than the 12-24 with the longer focal length. Use it with the NN3 pano head.
- DA 55-300 - This picks up everything else, in terms of FL. Very good, I like it a lot, and have done some stitching at 100mm that have come out great.
Backup Kit - Carry everywhere kit in the pickup
- K100D - My carry everywhere body in the pickup.
- DA 18-55 - The kit lens. For some reason I have an extremely good copy and like it a lot for times where space is at a premium.
- DA 50-200 - The other Kit lens. Again, a very good copy came my way.
Support
- Benro A-168M - Light travel tripod that I can't live without. It packs perfectly in my luggage.
- Acratech GP Ball head - Light ballhead that I can't live without. Just the right size in my luggage.
- Kirk K20 L Bracket - Lives on my K20 and also fits on my K100
- Nodal Ninja 3 - For multi row stitching. Going to put on a arca swiss plate so that AS is the common mechanical interface.
- Manfrotto 3001 - Found it used - great price. Heavier tripod that I put the NN3 on
- Manfrotto 486RC2 ball head - Found it used - great price. For the NN3
- 2 wired shutter releases - drop dead simple - they just work
- IR shutter release - so small that I have lost it several times
- A50/1.7 - Very good - very cheap $20 acquisition. Could not pass it up. Great for star trails and very low ambient light.
- K28/3.2 Shift - Architecture, and panoramas. I really did not need it, but I wanted to experiment with it. Found a couple of off nominal ways to use it, like it and am enjoying it.
- Tokina 2x TC - The price was right, and I wanted to experiment with the 55-300 at the 300 end. Works well for me.
- Note - I picked up the second tripod because as I was shooting one camera, I wanted to use the second on a tripod usually in a multi row stitched capacity, and since the truck was right there, and I usually do not have to carry it, a second used beater was in order (at the right price and condition).
Shelf
- Spotmatic IIa - What got me started in 1970
- M42 SMC 55/1.8 - Still going strong, and why I went Pentax with digital
I guess you can say I have a hole from 45 to 55, but it really has never bothered me. The A50 covers it perfectly, and its no slouch.
Overall, its basic wide angle, f4, screwdrive landscape. Reasonable low tech lenses - no SDM, works very well, best quality I could find and afford. I am almost completely arca swiss mounting plates, and that works perfectly for me. CPL an ND filters for the 12-24 and 31.
Now if someone would have told me that I would have acquired all of this when I started out, I would have called them absolutely stark raving crazy. I have more lenses than what I absolutely need. My LBA phase is over. I am just shooting pictures and trying to play with light, while having some fun and enjoying it.