[vk4akp]

Hi,

OK I've compiled a shopping list to help with what I want to do for now.

Please keep in mind that I am on a POV budget and can't afford prime lens's etc.

So I'm mainly interested in feedback as to quality, if you know of better options brands or sellers, what issues I will be facing with this approach? IE Loss of quality and so on. And anything else you might want to comment on.

OK So here's my list.

Filters.
- IR (720) for starters.
- UV
- Circular Polariser.
- Macro filter set.
- Neutral Density filter set.

Other.
- 2x Tele Converter (To use with my SMCP DA 50-200mm ED)
- Fish eye / macro adapter.
- Reflex Mirror Lens Kit.

See the following links to see what I've been looking at so far.

52mm 52 mm Infrared Infra-Red IR Filter 720nm 720 - eBay (item 250343008072 end time May-13-09 10:45:24 PDT)
2X AF 7 Element converter PENTAX K20D K200D Samsung K - eBay (item 180341345728 end time Apr-27-09 18:58:15 PDT)
NEW 500mm / 1000mm F6.3 LENS KIT Pentax K20D K200D K110 - eBay (item 180337198677 end time Apr-14-09 11:46:28 PDT)
Camera Pentax M42 MC Zenitar 2.8/16 FISHEYE Lens NEW - eBay (item 350168010606 end time Apr-19-09 03:44:45 PDT)
3x Telephoto+Fisheye Lens for Pentax K110D K100D K10D - eBay (item 190137414807 end time Apr-23-09 01:27:26 PDT)
.42x Wide Semi-Fisheye Lens for Pentax Digital/Film SLR - eBay (item 270371977471 end time Apr-16-09 14:01:45 PDT)
Macro Close Up Lens for Pentax K110D K10D K20D K200D - eBay (item 200329810882 end time Apr-19-09 05:18:24 PDT)
4 FILTER 1 MACRO + 3 Close Up Lens Set 52mm 52 MM kit - eBay (item 360140800337 end time Apr-19-09 15:42:35 PDT)

.-.-.

As for filters, many of us don't use them, we consider the lens hood sufficient protection. If you must have filters, you need expensive ones really. If you get an IR filter, you should also be investing in a tripod as longer exposures are necessary. Just remember, do you want to risk your expensive camera on a cheap tripod?

For the 'other' list, I think you would be disappointed with them, teleconverters won't work so well for a lot of lenses so unless you can try first, you take a risk.
FE/Macro adapters are a bit of a gimmick really and not usually good quality.
Mirror lenses are making somewhat of a comeback lately so you might be happy with one of those.

Consider investing in a M42 adapter and then start looking around for some old lenses, they can be had quite cheaply and are usually good quality. Look through the M42 lens reviews on this forum and see what floats your boat. Also look in the marketplace here and ebay to get an idea of prices.

Again, look in the marketplace on this forum, most of the items on your list won't appear in there. That's because people don't think they are worth the bother.

If you want to do macro, you can probably pick up an old screwmount 50mm f2 (this was the standard kit lens) for under $50 and a set of old screwmount extension tubes for about the same. You would still nee a tripod but you could get away with a cheaper one as long as you don't extend the legs too much (the more you extend the legs, the more unstable the tripod becomes).

[OregonJim]

If you want to do macro, you can probably pick up an old screwmount 50mm f2 (this was the standard kit lens) for under $50 and a set of old screwmount extension tubes for about the same. You would still nee a tripod but you could get away with a cheaper one as long as you don't extend the legs too much (the more you extend the legs, the more unstable the tripod becomes).

That's surely the way to do macro on the cheap. I would add a macro focusing rail to that list. Price is in the same ballpark ($30-50 US), or you could probably make one out of the leftover parts from that laser printer you rebuilt. The idea is to move the whole camera/lens combination forward/backward while mounted on the tripod. Makes fine focusing much simpler. A step up from that would be a bellows unit.

Oh, and Gary is right - stay away from those gimmicky tele/wide/fisheye adapters - they're a waste of money.

[Ira]

And although you have to be careful with old bellows--the material can dry out and develop holes--you can find very reasonably priced ones.

Totally manual operation usually, which is what you need, since depth of field is so critical. So a cheap m42 adaptor will allow you to attach an m42 bellows to your body, and m42 lenses directly to the body.

And as said, don't buy those crappy specialty filters.

[Marc Sabatella]

Please keep in mind that I am on a POV budget and can't afford prime lens's etc.

Not sure what "POV" means, but if you'd eliminate the unnecessary items from your shopping list, you could easily afford a prime or two or three. For instance, as far the filters go, unless you have already identified specific needs, it's unlikely you'd need anything on your list. I mean, if you want to get into IR, sure, you'd need the gear, but it's hardly something most people would own just to have it. A polarizer comes in handy occasionally, true, so by all means, get one. But the macro sets are pretty much worthless, UV filters completely unnecessary, and with the basic slow zooms you have, I can't see why you'd ever need an ND filter, much less a whole "set" of them.

As for the TC, I doubt very much any 2X TC would perform nearly as well as simply cropping your image down. And if you plan on getting a mirror lens, you certainly don't need a TC for your 50-200, but of course, a mirror lens *is* a prime. Not sure how much you were looking to spend, but from what I've seen, nothing under $300 or so would perform any better than simply cropping your 50-200 that much more. Also I rather doubt any "fish eye adapter" would produce results worth whatever you might spend on it. If by "macro adapter" you mean a better quality version of the filters you already listed, well, sure, the Raynox does well enough for the price.

Basically, the Raynox and the polarizer are the only things on your lists that strike me as worth spending money on. With the money you'd save not buying the other stuff, you could easily afford any of several primes - manual 28. 50, 100, 135, or 200, or even the FA50 or DA40.

Now, on the list of actual items you are looking at, the Zenitar would definitely be worth looking at. But it's not an adapter - it's a lens. A prime, at that.