[voles]

Hi

I have started using my K10 again after 6/7 years. But this time I have moved away from 'Auto'!

I already had a Tamron 18-250mm zoom and I just bought my first prime for this camera, an smc 35mm f/2.4 AL and I was wondering if I should get a kit lens to complete the 'set'. I would be grateful for any suggestions/recommendations regarding my new found old friend.

[Dartmoor Dave]

Your Tamron 18-250mm is the same lens as the Pentax 18-250mm, and there seems to be a consensus in the reviews that people prefer the 18-250mm over the 18-55mm kit lens for the focal lengths that they both cover. So instead of the kit lens, perhaps the 16-45mm might be worth a try? That extra 2mm at the wide end makes a much bigger difference than you might guess. Or, since you mention moving away from auto mode, you could give some legacy manual glass a try.

The K10D can still give you great results if you work with its strengths. We've got an enthusiastic K10D Club here on the forum who'll be happy to give you any help you need: The K10D Club! - PentaxForums.com

[UncleVanya]

Hi

I have started using my K10 again after 6/7 years. But this time I have moved away from 'Auto'!

I already had a Tamron 18-250mm zoom and I just bought my first prime for this camera, an smc 35mm f/2.4 AL and I was wondering if I should get a kit lens to complete the 'set'. I would be grateful for any suggestions/recommendations regarding my new found old friend.

The 18-250 isn't bad - it is large and heavy compared to some kit lenses but I think I would wait and see what focal lengths you are finding you are using most and then decide if there is a kit lens you want in that range or if you want another lens to cover that range.

This comparison is old and made on a 6mp K100D rather than a modern camera sensor but it may help:
Comparing test of new Pentax 18-55 II vs old and Tamron 18-250 Photo Gallery by Heidi and Ulrich Burkhalter at pbase.com

[photoptimist]

Enjoy the k10D. It's a fine fine camera.

As for the kit lens, it's probably not worth it if you like the Tamron zoom.

Instead, think about something like a macro lens. A 90mm or 100mm f/2.8 would give you new capabilities.

[pearsaab]

I'm curious about the Pentax 18-250. I have had it from the very beginning with my K200d and it was always my lens of choice. I haven't used it in years because my glass quality has moved up but pulled it out last night and was looking at it. Maybe I never noticed but when the barrel is extended to 250 do you see the base of the lens move as well so there is somewhat of a cavity. I never noticed before and wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't had it off the camera. It works fine and focus at all levels. Have I missed this all these years? If I have to take a picture I will do tonight

[voles]

Your Tamron 18-250mm is the same lens as the Pentax 18-250mm, and there seems to be a consensus in the reviews that people prefer the 18-250mm over the 18-55mm kit lens for the focal lengths that they both cover. So instead of the kit lens, perhaps the 16-45mm might be worth a try? That extra 2mm at the wide end makes a much bigger difference than you might guess. Or, since you mention moving away from auto mode, you could give some legacy manual glass a try.

The K10D can still give you great results if you work with its strengths. We've got an enthusiastic K10D Club here on the forum who'll be happy to give you any help you need: The K10D Club! - PentaxForums.com

Thanks for all that. I was musing over the 16-45mm as it happens.

I do have an old manual lens that was on my daughter's abandoned P30 as it happens. I have never used it in anger though. It's a Kiron 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 + 1:4 Macro. I don't know if it is any good yet. I assume I need to set the focal length at 55mm or something like that for the shake reduction. The camera tells me when it is in focus though, which I was impressed by.

[voles]

The 18-250 isn't bad - it is large and heavy compared to some kit lenses but I think I would wait and see what focal lengths you are finding you are using most and then decide if there is a kit lens you want in that range or if you want another lens to cover that range.

This comparison is old and made on a 6mp K100D rather than a modern camera sensor but it may help:
Comparing test of new Pentax 18-55 II vs old and Tamron 18-250 Photo Gallery by Heidi and Ulrich Burkhalter at pbase.com

thanks

---------- Post added 08-01-18 at 09:35 AM ----------

Enjoy the k10D. It's a fine fine camera.

As for the kit lens, it's probably not worth it if you like the Tamron zoom.

Instead, think about something like a macro lens. A 90mm or 100mm f/2.8 would give you new capabilities.

That's an interesting direction.

I do like my zoom a lot and it has made some great pictures for me. I carried it out around a lot back in the day despite it's bulk. Especially good for wildlife and landscapes I found.

---------- Post added 08-01-18 at 09:40 AM ----------

I'm curious about the Pentax 18-250. I have had it from the very beginning with my K200d and it was always my lens of choice. I haven't used it in years because my glass quality has moved up but pulled it out last night and was looking at it. Maybe I never noticed but when the barrel is extended to 250 do you see the base of the lens move as well so there is somewhat of a cavity. I never noticed before and wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't had it off the camera. It works fine and focus at all levels. Have I missed this all these years? If I have to take a picture I will do tonight

Not sure I can see what you mean. The glass nearest the camera moves up the barrel as it is extended if that's what you mean.

[builttospill]

Will the kit lens give you something you don't now have? It appears it won't add anything.

I still use my 11-year-old K10D often as a second body, or as my primary body when I go to places I don't want to bring the K-1 (just got back from Jamaica two days ago). As suggested here I'd look at something like the 16-45. At the same time I owned the 18-55, 16-50, 16-45, and 17-70. The 17-70 was my favorite, but due to SDM issues I kept only the 16-45 and it's been a great lens (it was the only lens that came with me to Jamaica).

The 35mm is a great little lens. Why not try another prime, such at the 77 Limited, or any other limited?

[voles]

Will the kit lens give you something you don't now have? It appears it won't add anything.

I still use my 11-year-old K10D often as a second body, or as my primary body when I go to places I don't want to bring the K-1 (just got back from Jamaica two days ago). As suggested here I'd look at something like the 16-45. At the same time I owned the 18-55, 16-50, 16-45, and 17-70. The 17-70 was my favorite, but due to SDM issues I kept only the 16-45 and it's been a great lens (it was the only lens that came with me to Jamaica).

The 35mm is a great little lens. Why not try another prime, such at the 77 Limited, or any other limited?

Thats useful - thanks. I was going to get a limited prime but I thought would hold hard with the cheaper alternative until I was sure that was what I needed. Quite a recommendation for the 16-45mm though.

---------- Post added 08-01-18 at 10:09 AM ----------

Thanks for all that. I was musing over the 16-45mm as it happens.

I do have an old manual lens that was on my daughter's abandoned P30 as it happens. I have never used it in anger though. It's a Kiron 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 + 1:4 Macro. I don't know if it is any good yet. I assume I need to set the focal length at 55mm or something like that for the shake reduction. The camera tells me when it is in focus though, which I was impressed by.

Any tips for using the Kiron lens. From the Manual I seem to remember that

A) It would be manual focus obviously, but would I have to switch the K10D to MF?
B) If I wanted to use shake reduction I would have to set the focal length every time or settle for setting it to the max focal length which I think would be 55mm in digital terms.
C) I would need to set the focus to centre and presumably the exposure to centre also?
D) I would have to switch the Program Line to 'Normal' rather than MTF presumably.

That's all I can think of but any suggestions welcome. Even 'don't bother with it'

[normhead]

My advice would be a DA 50 1.8, or a 90 or 100 macro. The Tamron 90 macro completely changed the way I look at photography. My wife still uses it as her walk around lens 6 years later. Most macro lenses are good enough, they just don't go out of date.

[voles]

Any tips for using the Kiron lens. From the Manual I seem to remember that

A) It would be manual focus obviously, but would I have to switch the K10D to MF?
B) If I wanted to use shake reduction I would have to set the focal length every time or settle for setting it to the max focal length which I think would be 55mm in digital terms.
C) I would need to set the focus to centre and presumably the exposure to centre also?
D) I would have to switch the Program Line to 'Normal' rather than MTF presumably.

That's all I can think of but any suggestions welcome. Even 'don't bother with it'

Having looked at this Kiron 28-70mm F3.5-4.5 Macro 1:4 Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database it seems to be not bad. The macro shots seem particularly impressive. However I don't know what a 'tilt shift' is even a fake one.

Also I missed out

E) Turn the aperture ring clockwise to the A position. Thats as far as it will go it seems. Not sure what the silver button on Aperture ring is though - it is ages since I touched an analogue camera...

Not sold on the sharpness/focus yet but it could be camera shake.

[voles]

Having looked at this Kiron 28-70mm F3.5-4.5 Macro 1:4 Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database it seems to be not bad. The macro shots seem particularly impressive. However I don't know what a 'tilt shift' is even a fake one.

Also I missed out

E) Turn the aperture ring clockwise to the A position. Thats as far as it will go it seems. Not sure what the silver button on Aperture ring is though - it is ages since I touched an analogue camera...

Not sold on the sharpness/focus yet but it could be camera shake.

Apparently-according to the K10 manual you can use multi segment AE with the Kiron

[TER-OR]

A DA50 or DA40 pancake would be great on the K10. I sometimes wish I hadn't sold mine. I had a split-focus screen in mine for easier manual lens use.

[Dartmoor Dave]

Any tips for using the Kiron lens. From the Manual I seem to remember that

A) It would be manual focus obviously, but would I have to switch the K10D to MF?
B) If I wanted to use shake reduction I would have to set the focal length every time or settle for setting it to the max focal length which I think would be 55mm in digital terms.
C) I would need to set the focus to centre and presumably the exposure to centre also?
D) I would have to switch the Program Line to 'Normal' rather than MTF presumably.

E) Turn the aperture ring clockwise to the A position. Thats as far as it will go it seems. Not sure what the silver button on Aperture ring is though - it is ages since I touched an analogue camera...

A: Yes, switch the K10D to MF. The green hexagon in the viewfinder will come on to confirm when you're in focus. Personally i just use the Mk 1 eyeball.

B: Can't help you with that one. I'd switch the shake reduction off with a manual zoom, unless I needed a very slow shutter speed, then I'd just set the focal length that I was actually using. 70mm on that lens is not 55mm in digital terms: 70mm is 70mm.

C: The focus will automatically default to centre. As long as you keep the lens set to A on the aperture ring, you can use full matrix metering and set the aperture using the rear dial on the camera.

D: I don't know. I only ever use manual exposure.

E: As above, just keep the aperture ring set to A and control it from the camera. The silver button is just to move the lens on and off the A setting if you want to.

[BigMackCam]

Welcome back to the K10D. As Dave says, there's an enthusiastic club here on the forums dedicated to this camera, and with good reason. Used to its strengths, it's one heck of a camera

The DA35 f/2.4 is also an excellent lens, even wide open, and that can be a real advantage when working with the K10D. You want to keep the ISO setting as low as possible - ideally ISO 400 or below - so lenses with wider ("faster") apertures can be very useful. That's a potential issue with variable aperture zooms like the 18-55 kit lens and the Tamron 18-250. Not only do they have narrower ("slower") apertures at longer focal lengths, but most of them need stopping down further still to produce decent image quality. That reduces the amount of light gathered, and forces you to use higher ISO settings, reducing image quality.

For that reason, I suggest you stick with the DA35 f/2.4 and your Tamron 18-250 for now, but when funds allow, perhaps consider another reasonably-fast prime lens - perhaps a DA50 f/1.8, or something longer like the more expensive DA70 f/2.4 or DFA100 f/2.8. All three of these lenses will give you the ability to shoot at focal lengths your Tamron 18-250 already covers, but at wider apertures, so the amount of light gathered is much greater - meaning you can keep your ISO setting lower in a wider variety of situations. Plus, being prime lenses (and decent ones at that), they'll be sharper than the 18-55 kit lens and your Tamron super-zoom