[edgedemon]

I have been giving thought on the best way to spend my tax rebate? And Im itching to spend a bit of money on some gear

My main body is my K20D, which I love, but it is getting on a bit now and the new shiny shiny stuff is calling me..
Plus I want a smaller camera..
Im thinking K5 or maybe it's successor when it arrives
I have mainly old M primes and early K series zooms, all of which get used, but I want to modernise my collection to lighter and faster.


I was thinking

DA 15 and keep a bit back for the new K5 successor when it comes out (if it does!)
Or I could go for a K5 now while it is cheap, get the DA15 and maybe the 18-135 as a general purpose zoom? (pushing the budget a bit!)
Or go for the DA* 16-50 and then the DA* 50-135 and then save a little bit more and go for a new body later?
That way Id have 2 top quality zooms waiting for a new body

Choices Choices - frustrating but fun..

The real purpose is to modernise my lens collection to more auto focus and plan for a new body..

[mysticcowboy]

What lens you should get is such a personal question. What do you shoot the most? Also, you might consider some third party lenses. Read the review onsite comparing the *16-50 with the Sigma and Tamron lenses. Both are less expensive and at least as good optically. Just a thought.

The conventional wisdom is to invest in glass and that bodies come and go. However, I find my K-5 to be so superior to my old K20D that I'm not sure I agree. I doubt the K-5's replacement will beat it much in image quality.

[RioRico]

I speak as a satisfied K20D owner with a zillion lenses but no Ltd's nor DA*'s:

If you really need high ISO, video, a camera that's a couple generations advanced, get the K5 plus Ltd.

If you're unhappy with your current zooms, get the DA*'s now and the next-generation body later.

Or try this: Pick up a coin. Tell yourself, "Heads for K5+Ltd, tails for DA* zooms". Flip the coin. While the coin is still in the air, realize which side you'd rather see win. That'll decide you!

[edgedemon]

Or try this: Pick up a coin. Tell yourself, "Heads for K5+Ltd, tails for DA* zooms". Flip the coin. While the coin is still in the air, realize which side you'd rather see win. That'll decide you!

Not bothered about video at all - its a camera! (I know, Im old fashioned)
Leaning towards the DA zooms as that will give me range, but the DA 15 is really tickling my fancy right now, more from a challenge sense of perspective as it would be a whole new style for me

im guessing I want to slim down, get rid of some old glass and modernise my set up, all the new stuff coming out has given me GBA

[civiletti]

Look at the Tamron and Sigma 17-50s and the Sigma 8-16. The K-5 is a great camera.

[Lwerewolf]

Wait for the K-3 or whatever might be in the pipeline. The K-5 is still an extremely capable camera, but the replacement seems to be just around the corner, therefore the price...
If you can't wait, go for the glass IMO.
If you don't need the sealing, don't go for the 16-50. Both the sigma and tamron are optically superior to the pentax and cost way less, at least according to the comparison on the site. The sigma has HSM focusing if you want it, but it's not worth it performance-wise, it seems.
And, as civiletti said, look at the Sigma 8-16.

[TenZ.NL]

Your main goal is to modernize your glass, why not just get the DA 18-135 and the DA15ltd for now and decide later about other lenses and the body?

[edgedemon]

I will probably go for the DA* 16-50 and then the DA* 50-135 as they are optically better than the 18-135 and wait for the K3.

Its funny how a system grabs you, Nikon and Canon have some good new offerings, but I love the way my K20 handles, so haven't looked at anything else.

Will check the reviews for the 3rd party lenses as well as I hadn't really looked at any non pentax lenses, just in case there are some gems

Cheers for the help guys

[edgedemon]

Damn you all, I checked out the 8-16 sigma thread and Im in love...
Looks like the new body will wait until next year now as Im getting 3 lenses - no real loss as I don't need to tell you how good the K20 is
That 8-16 will do me just fine for some shots Im planning
:-)

[TenZ.NL]

Damn you all, I checked out the 8-16 sigma thread and Im in love...
Looks like the new body will wait until next year now as Im getting 3 lenses - no real loss as I don't need to tell you how good the K20 is
That 8-16 will do me just fine for some shots Im planning
:-)

Severe case of instant LBA, right?

[edgedemon]

Yeah, the phrase 'struck by lightening' springs to mind
I have to have that lens..

[ihasa]

If you get the 8-16mm, you could offset the cost by 'downgrading' to the Tamron 17-50 instead of the DA16-50. The Tamron is reputedly better optically in any case.... However I'd rather have a Ltd than either of them!

The K5 OR the K30 will make excellent replacements for your K20 in due course.

[edgedemon]

WHEN I get the 8-16, as Im not going to kid myself anymore, I have major LBA, I will probably get the 17-50, as I hadn't really thought about 3rd party lenses, and had been seduced by the DA* rating of the 16-50, thinking it had to be a good lens as Pentax wouldn't give it a * rating otherwise

[Giklab]

Any thoughts about the Samyang 14/2.8?

[edgedemon]

I will have a google, but to tell the truth, if I was going for that FL, Id probably go for the 15mm Ltd and I think I have fallen hard for the 8-16
I will still go off and do some research though

Thx for pointing that one out