[JenB]

Hi all!

Can you take a look at the lenses that I have and tell me if they are any good and what they are good for (like, close shots of the kids, far away shots of a baseball game, etc...)? And since I didn't personally purchase any of these - feel free to tell me if they are completely crappy

I would really like a good all-around 'mom' lens to catch pics of the kids and some scenery shots. Recommendations welcome!

One more thing - we are taking a family vacation to Vegas - which (if any) of the lenses that I already have would be the best to take along?

Thank you!
Jen

Lens 1 (came with the camera!) SMC Pentax DAL 1:3.5 - 5.6 18-55mm AL
Lens 2 (hubby bought) Sigma Zoom 28-135mm 1:3.8 - 5.6 MACRO
Lens 3 (???) Sigma Zoom AF-? 1:4.5 - 5.6 75-300mm

[Adam]

Check our lens databases:
Pentax Reviews - Pentax Lens Reviews & Pentax Lens Database
Third-Party Lenses for Pentax - Pentax Third-Party Lens Review Database

The 75-300 is probably best for tele shots, and the 28-135mm for everything else.

[SpecialK]

Those would all be consider fair-performing budget lenses.

The 18-55 is considered a standard zoom and iw what comes with most cameras. It is a little bit wide-angle to a little bit telephoto.

The 28-135 is not very wide, but is more telephoto so you can fill the image with a more-distant subject. "Macro" in this case is a marketing term for a telephoto lens that focusrd relatively closely, say 18 inches, but a true macro lens focuses to within a few inches or less.

The 75-300 is a telephoto that you could use for sports in daylight.

For shots of the Las Vegas strip and buildings, you really only need the 18-55.

[JenB]

Thank you!

I think I really need to wrap my head around what the numbers really mean on a lens.

Jen

[KxBlaze]

All the lenses you have are pretty good. For a beginner they will do great. The best way to find out more about those lenses is to go out and take a ton of photos. Try to take some of the same photos with all the lenses, that way you can see for yourself which one renders what IQ. I have the 18-55 and I think it is a great general purpose lens.

[interested_observer]

Hi Jen,

Here is a link to a website that can help you with what the numbers mean. The focal length - the mm numbers. On the website you can play with the "slider" scrolling from one focal length to another, simulating the zooming you would do in terms of taking a picture. This should help you visualize what 50mm means as opposed to 300mm, there by helping you select the lens that you would use to compose the picture you want to take.

• Tamron Europe: Focal length comparison

You can also click on the various lenses off to the right side, and the tool will show you what part of the focal length range that they cover.

[Ash]

Hi Jen,
Along with the above specific advice,
I'd suggest some more general direction in learning about what those numbers and letters mean (because most of them are quite important in photography);

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photography-articles/115942-beginners-art...enclature.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photography-articles/39743-understanding-...-kit-lens.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photography-articles/62522-exposure-shutt...rture-iso.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photography-articles/23232-learning-basic...echniques.html

[sterretje]

Lens focal length calculator might help to find out which focal length you (more or less) need

According to your profile you have a film camera (ZX-L). The size of a negative is 36x24mm. Assuming that you want a kid (1.5 meters tall) to more or less fill the height of the negative (in landscape mode), you can fill in 24mm for the image size. Not sure how close you can get, but assume you're sitting at 10 meters distance.

Object size 1500 (mm)
Image size 24 (mm)
Object distance 10 (m)

Press the 'calculate button and it will tell you that you need a lens with a focal length of 157mm.

If the question is asked for another camera with an APSc sensor (all Pentax dSLR for example), the sensor size is 24x16mm. Fill in 16mm for the image size and it will tell you that you need a 105mm lens.

Can't get at 10 meters? Doubling the object distance will double the required focal length.

Hope this helps

[John Araki]

I'm thinking that if the DA-L lens came with the camera, it's a kx or kr.

For this, I hope you have photoshop or something similar. take a pic at 18mm that you're pretty familiar with (how far you were from it, how big the thing is - think: taking a picture of your house from the mailbox) and superimpose this grid onto it, lining up the 18mm.


That should give you a good idea of what FOVs your lenses are all about (sorry, I don't have a 300mm length)

[John Araki]

and I say buy a bag that'll hold all three of them lenses - I like the lowepro slingshot (get one of the kids to sling it if you please).

and a blower to keep the specs off the sensor when you swap out.

don't touch the sensor.

[opfor]

Hi all!

Can you take a look at the lenses that I have and tell me if they are any good and what they are good for (like, close shots of the kids, far away shots of a baseball game, etc...)?
Thank you!
Jen
Lens 3 (???) Sigma Zoom AF-? 1:4.5 - 5.6 75-300mm

If yours is a manual focus then it's this one-
Sigma 75-300mm DL Macro 1:4-5.6 "A" Lens Reviews - Pentax Third-Party Lens Review Database
I think it will do fine for a starter lens. It's not the sharpest, but I think it gives good colors....:-)

[justtakingpics]

Hi all!

Can you take a look at the lenses that I have and tell me if they are any good and what they are good for (like, close shots of the kids, far away shots of a baseball game, etc...)? And since I didn't personally purchase any of these - feel free to tell me if they are completely crappy

I would really like a good all-around 'mom' lens to catch pics of the kids and some scenery shots. Recommendations welcome!

One more thing - we are taking a family vacation to Vegas - which (if any) of the lenses that I already have would be the best to take along?

Thank you!
Jen

Lens 1 (came with the camera!) SMC Pentax DAL 1:3.5 - 5.6 18-55mm AL
Lens 2 (hubby bought) Sigma Zoom 28-135mm 1:3.8 - 5.6 MACRO
Lens 3 (???) Sigma Zoom AF-? 1:4.5 - 5.6 75-300mm

I have the first one. It does a good all around job. It can make things look great when everything comes together (I'm just not consistently good enough.)

[theunartist]

Hi all!

Can you take a look at the lenses that I have and tell me if they are any good and what they are good for (like, close shots of the kids, far away shots of a baseball game, etc...)? And since I didn't personally purchase any of these - feel free to tell me if they are completely crappy

I would really like a good all-around 'mom' lens to catch pics of the kids and some scenery shots. Recommendations welcome!

One more thing - we are taking a family vacation to Vegas - which (if any) of the lenses that I already have would be the best to take along?

Thank you!
Jen

Lens 1 (came with the camera!) SMC Pentax DAL 1:3.5 - 5.6 18-55mm AL
Lens 2 (hubby bought) Sigma Zoom 28-135mm 1:3.8 - 5.6 MACRO
Lens 3 (???) Sigma Zoom AF-? 1:4.5 - 5.6 75-300mm

I think the 18-55 lens will do you just right. You will be surprised how often you use the 18mm end versus needing the 135mm or 300mm...

[JenB]

Thanks for all the replies! I actually have the K-x, guess I forgot to add that info

I love the grid idea and will try it out! Hopefully I'll come back with some great shots from Vegas to post.