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01-12-2011, 08:35 AM   #1
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Help with consolidate my lenses

Hello,

I have a couple of lenses that I fell are overlapping with each other. I looking shooting pretty much everything. Macro, portraits, landscapes, abstracts, etc. Can you help me decide which ones to keep and which ones to sell and which ones to buy

I have this right now
  • Sigma 10-20mm
  • pentax 15mm limited
  • pentax 21mm limited
  • pentax 40mm limited
  • pentax manual lens 50mm 2.0 (don't use it, but feel lazy to sell it, I don't think I can sell it for more than $30 if so)
  • sigma 70mm macro
  • pentax 18-250mm

What I want
  1. Pentax SMC DA* Series 50-135mm or Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 (any recomandations)
  2. super takumar 50mm 1.4 (I'm getting this for sure)
Thanks so much in advance!

01-12-2011, 08:45 AM   #2
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Go with the *DA lens!!! I have it and love it!!
01-12-2011, 09:02 AM   #3
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Confused

I am not sure where you can consolodate at present.

your kit as listed has 2 zooms and then a mix of primes.

Assuming you add the 50-135 or 70-200 then I think you have a decision to make, specifically with respect to the 18-200.

Personally, I would add something like a 16-50 F2.8 and then dump the 18-200.

the gap that could exist between 50 and 70 is not really an issue, and you can drop the longer zoom if you are city bound any way.

I find that I only take my 10-20 and tamron 28-75 when travelling in cities, but I do find the gap between 20 and 28 a bit of a bother.

You might also want to consider something like a 17-70 over a 16-50 as a better lens, the added reach is a benefit,
01-12-2011, 09:22 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
I am not sure where you can consolodate at present.

your kit as listed has 2 zooms and then a mix of primes.

Assuming you add the 50-135 or 70-200 then I think you have a decision to make, specifically with respect to the 18-200.

Personally, I would add something like a 16-50 F2.8 and then dump the 18-200.

the gap that could exist between 50 and 70 is not really an issue, and you can drop the longer zoom if you are city bound any way.

I find that I only take my 10-20 and tamron 28-75 when travelling in cities, but I do find the gap between 20 and 28 a bit of a bother.

You might also want to consider something like a 17-70 over a 16-50 as a better lens, the added reach is a benefit,
Thanks so much for your advice. How is the quality of the 16-50mm compared to the 15mm 21mm and 40mm, is it better to get that one and get rid of all of the primes? and get the 50-135mm plus teleconverter and get rid of the 18-250mm?
Is the 17-70mm better quality than the 16-50mm?

01-12-2011, 09:23 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by CaymanImaging Quote
Go with the *DA lens!!! I have it and love it!!
Thanks I will consider your advice!
01-12-2011, 05:53 PM   #6
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oops double post.

Last edited by JHD; 01-12-2011 at 06:00 PM. Reason: double trouble
01-12-2011, 05:54 PM   #7
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After a few months with the DA15 I got rid of it and kept my Sigma 10-20.

I wasn’t using the DA15 much - so a few months ago I mounted it on one of my cameras along with the 10-20 on my other camera and went on a trip to see which one I ultimately preferred. Not only do I find the 10-20 to be much more versatile, but the pictures it takes are every bit as sharp and contrasty as the DA15.

There's nothing wrong with the DA15, but I think it's an average lens at best albeit a little pricey, especially when you compare its output to the DA16-45, which is every bit as good and sells for less than half the price! So I'm inclined to agree with the luke warm review dpreview gave it in spite of the band wagon mentality about this lens.

I have no experience with the DA21 but that focal length is conveniently covered by the 10-20 as well. You could recover a fair bit of cash by ridding yourself of those two lenses. I’d also dump the DA70 along with the 18-250 and buy a Tamron 70-200. That will give you speed and outstanding image quality through out its range.

By doing this you’ll have eliminated 4 lenses and picked up one. Plus even after the purchase of the Tamron 70-200, you'll still have cash left over from the sale of the other four lenses.

01-12-2011, 08:28 PM   #8
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QuoteQuote:
There's nothing wrong with the DA15...

...the DA21...is conveniently covered by the 10-20 as well. You could recover a fair bit of cash by ridding yourself of those two lenses. I’d also dump the DA70 along with the 18-250 and buy a Tamron 70-200. That will give you speed and outstanding image quality through out its range.

By doing this you’ll have eliminated 4 lenses and picked up one. Plus even after the purchase of the Tamron 70-200, you'll still have cash left over from the sale of the other four lenses.
Good advice. But keep the macro if you really do macro. The Tamron 70-200 gets reasonably close for flower-sized objects, though. And the 16-50 or any other good lens over that range could let you unload the 40 as well.
01-12-2011, 08:51 PM   #9
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Each lens should have a direct application you use it for on an at least yearly basis (my ball-park figure for value for money). e.g. Do you 'need' the 18-250? Is it mounted more than once a year? Do you see needing a quick zooming capability, and if so, what for? e.f. if you're after portraits or weddings, the 50-135 would be perfect for that and the 18-250 not so good.
01-12-2011, 10:23 PM   #10
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do you use the sigma below 15mm?

do you use the 70 as a macro?

lose the 18-250
01-13-2011, 12:50 AM   #11
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one of the drawbacks of getting rid of those Limiteds and getting a honking 70-200/2.8 is that you lose a lot of portability.

that single 70-200/2.8 would be larger volumetrically than all your primes put together and would weigh a lot as well.

i don't have the DA15 (i have the 16-45) but the DA15 (or DA21) tempts me because they're so much smaller than the 16-45. And the DA* 16-50 is even larger than the 16-45.

Really depends on whether you only care about optical performance and range.. or if you also care about portability and usability.
01-13-2011, 02:03 AM   #12
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The portability argument is over stated. Really, if that matters just go with a point and shoot. Serious photography isn’t, never was and never will be about having the most compact lightweight lenses.
01-13-2011, 03:17 AM   #13
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apparently pentax disagrees.. otherwise what's the rationale of all those DA pancakes?

the trouble with point-and-shoots is that they are generally slow, have small sensors, and are noisy.
01-13-2011, 04:27 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by JHD Quote
The portability argument is over stated. Really, if that matters just go with a point and shoot.
Maybe this argument is a bit overstated: a P&S would be no replacement for a DSLR and half a dozen primes.
01-13-2011, 05:12 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by orly_andico Quote
apparently pentax disagrees.. otherwise what's the rationale of all those DA pancakes?

the trouble with point-and-shoots is that they are generally slow, have small sensors, and are noisy.
Pentax is an irrelevant me too camera maker trying to carve out a niche. Don't get me wrong I like Pentax but I'm no fan boy. I have kept one pancake, my DA40 for sentimental value. I may never use it again, but I'll hang onto it it anyhow.

P&S are much faster than swapping lenses in and out. And they are making strides forward in the noise dept - the Canon S95 leaves early Pentax DSLRs in the dust.
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