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11-24-2010, 05:05 PM   #1
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No go area?

Hi All!

I'm wondering your opinions on what makes of lenses to avoid?

There bound to be some rotten lens manufacturers out there!

Cheers!

11-24-2010, 05:23 PM   #2
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Difficult to say, as all manufacturers have their lemons it seems.
You can look at this thread and see that some of unknown brands might give you surprising results.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/31353-off-brand-club.html
11-24-2010, 05:29 PM   #3
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I don't know that there is a good answer to that. All brands (except Pentax of course ) are subject to putting out a turkey once in a while. I have had good luck with Sigma, IQ wise but others haven't. Tamron is generally well respected, but my only experience with them is with a 28-75 that had such FF issues that it couldn't be compensated for on my k20D. (that was a known issue with the Tamron 28-75). The point is, everything is a crap shoot. Pick the lens that suits your needs the best and go for it. Now, having said that, remember that one of the biggest reasons to use a Pentax camera, is that you can use Pentax glass.
11-24-2010, 05:46 PM   #4
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I would say that it is more important to figure out a specific lens's weaknesses. I had a Pentax FA-J 28-80 that was a real dog. Prone to flare and poor contrast in a lot of settings, but it still was capable of taking decent photos in the right situation. I would never generalize based on that lens that all Pentax lenses are poor lenses.

I personally have had some pretty bad Sigma lenses, but I have seen some awfully good photos from the upper end lenses. The lens reviews section can be really helpful in giving you an idea of a particular lenses strengths and weaknesses as well.

11-24-2010, 05:56 PM   #5
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No brand is perfect, but no brand of lens manufacturer need to be avoided.
I may hate Sigma, but that's a personal peeve I have with their lenses that makes me avoid them.

It's more helpful to know what particular lenses to avoid.
If you want quality images, Sigma's kit lens in particular (18-50 f/3.5-5.6) is quite ordinary and guaranteed not to please. However Sigma's faster version (18-50 f/2.8) is a very decent lens optically and compares reasonably well to Tamron's 17-50 f/2.8
Pentax's DA, DA* and DA limited lenses are excellent - none of them IMO are duds.
The one I consider least in their lineup is the 50-200, and yet even that one has produced some decent images.
As for telephotos, the Sigma 70-300 is also a poor performer, particularly beyond 200mm, and the Tamron 70-300 isn't a great deal better, but Pentax's 55-300 is clearly a step up from these.
11-24-2010, 06:37 PM   #6
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I'm pretty sure we can all agree that conversion lenses that screw on the front make pretty good paperweights.
11-24-2010, 07:13 PM - 1 Like   #7
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I avoid any manual focus lenses. Others have nothing but manual focus lenses. People avoid the the 16-50 due to QC issues, but it happens to be the best zoom with the most useful range (wide to normal). Buying any limited lens should be avoided though if you value your bank balance; it's hard to stop at just one.

Bottom line: avoid the lenses that you wont shot with much (either because it's of poor quality or a focal length you don't use), doesn't matter how good the quality is, if it lives in your bag and not on the camera then it's a dumb purchase.

11-24-2010, 07:44 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by twitch Quote
I avoid any manual focus lenses.

Bottom line: avoid the lenses that you wont shot with much (either because it's of poor quality or a focal length you don't use), doesn't matter how good the quality is, if it lives in your bag and not on the camera then it's a dumb purchase.
This is very true. Just because others get great shots with manual focus lenses/wide angles will not turn me into a manual lens/wide angle kind of guy. Once I realized this, I stopped looking at those threads, because buying those lenses just to stick them in my cabinet is silly, even if they are quite cheap.

Another thing to remember is that lenses that are cheap are cheap for a reason. Usually you are giving something up: autofocus, metering, or image quality. If you are willing to deal with the loss of one of these things, there are some real steals out there.
11-24-2010, 08:31 PM   #9
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My first wide-angle lens was a Sakar 28mm. It was the only lens I took on my honeymoon, and it was dead when I stepped off the plane in Italy. Seemingly against all odds I found an M 28/3.5 in a little camera shop in Venice, our first stop, and was able to enjoy my K1000 fo rthe rest of the trip. But I will never buy another Sakar lens, if they even still exist.
11-25-2010, 12:02 AM   #10
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For the most part the market has caught onto the value of vintage pentax so there are not steals like there once were. The off brands are where you are going to find your wonders.

That said, it would likely be easier to ask if a lens is good, or check out the review database. For the most part, lenses are limited by their user, not the other way around.

I will suggest this - if you insist on a manual focus zoom, make sure it has an A on the aperture ring (auto-aperture). Stop down metering on a manual focus zoom is just torturous.
11-25-2010, 12:11 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpecialK Quote
I'm pretty sure we can all agree that conversion lenses that screw on the front make pretty good paperweights.
Leave me out of that "all".

My next intended acquisition of choice is a Raynox product.

.R.
11-25-2010, 12:32 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Hypocorism Quote
Leave me out of that "all".

My next intended acquisition of choice is a Raynox product.

.R.
I have seen good macro shots with the Raynox. I was thinking more of the Opteka varieties of telephoto and wide angle.
11-25-2010, 12:52 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpecialK Quote
I have seen good macro shots with the Raynox. I was thinking more of the Opteka varieties of telephoto and wide angle.
Yeps, I'd agree with that in general. It's a real caveat emptor game - like with most things...

Still there are some true gems to be had, like Samyang mfgrd lenses for example (another target future purchase here).

.R.
11-25-2010, 04:31 AM   #14
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Hey! Thanks for all your great replies. Very informative and good advice!

I'm planning on buying a few 2nd hand "cheap" lens from Ebay as I've just taken up photography and still finding my feet.

Many thanks all!
11-25-2010, 07:24 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpecialK Quote
I'm pretty sure we can all agree that conversion lenses that screw on the front make pretty good paperweights.
FAR more satisfying to throw them against concrete!
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