[snake]

Currently, I'm a happy K5 early-adopter. If I was in DSLR "re-start" mode, I'd lean towards the K5II/FA 31.

On the other hand, I'm very impressed by how easy it is to successfully post-process (LR4.3+NIK) raw (DNG) images from the Pentax Q/01 (it shares about the same crop-factor as the K5/31, near 47mm).

Knowing what I know now, for everyday fun, I take the Q/01 over the K5 then plan on adding two specialty lenses, the 03 Fish-eye and 06 Zoom-Tele.

...my 2 cents... Cheers...M

The crop factor isn't the same. The effective focal length after their respective crops is roughly the same.

[i_trax]

yes primes are great for the certain jobs and situations but if you have kind of one in the life chance to go somewhere and take photos you would think differently and would take the most versatile kit with you. I am flying to Siem Reap tomorrow, want to go light, leaving K-5 with chargers,grips, DA* 's and limited , primes etc all behind.
I am taking K-30 with spare AA's, Sigma 17-70 2.8-4.5 Macro as the main glass ( Macro, indoors, evenings and night photos) + DA 18-250 for all other outdoor photos where plenty of light is available.
I can not imagine covering all that with primes.
and for anyone just starting, I would highly recommend K-30 with Sigma 17-70 2.8-4.5 Macro.
I have used those Sigma's ( have two ) in light rain with no problems, there is significant diference between wide end of Sigma vs Pentax 18-135 and the fast F2.8 in Sigma glass make it much more enjoyable indoors and in low light.
kind regards
jack

[BirdDude007]

Like someone in here also mentioned, the K-5 with the 18~135 is an awesome combination. I have a thread in here somewhere telling of my experiences on my trip to Florida for two weeks at Disney and Universal Studios. The 18-135 lens was just the perfect balance on my K-5, took it on all the water rides and even the fastest roller coasters (a few times I had to break it down and put the camera body in one pocket and the lens in the other, I was wearing those cargo type shorts with the huge pockets and I was carrying spare body cap and lens cap) This setup was performing flawlessly and I took over 4000 pics while i was there, the wife and kids were getting tired of the camera in their faces, but that is just me and they got used to it.
I also had the "Capture" belt clip on a camera belt that when worn with the camera on it, I never even realised it was there.
The only other thing I can suggest if you want is to get a grip as well, but that is only personal preferance.
When it comes to Pentax, I feel that any WR camera body they make along with the 18-135 WR is an excellent balance and should cover all your avenues for a "one Camera, One Lens"

[snake]

Hmmm... Help me understand where I'm going wrong and I'll gladly stand corrected.

Let's see... The crop factor of the FA 31 (31x1.5) mounted on a K-5 is 46.5mm and 01 Prime (8.5x5.5) mounted on a Pentax Q is 46.75 in FF (35mm film) terms.

The focal length of the 31 (and respective shallow depth-of-field) is always 31 and the focal length of the 8.5mm (and respective deep DOF) is always 8.5mm.

...just curious...M

The bolded numbers are the effective focal lengths after their RESPECTIVE crop factors.

This is the wiki link on a "factor":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient

The crop factor is a multiplier, which are different here.

[sb in ak]

K5 or K30 with the 18-135 or perhaps the Sigma or Tamron 17-50. Maybe even the Sigma 17-70 if you want the extra zoom. I think you'd feel pretty restricted just owning one prime....though if you did go that route, I'd probably go for one of the 35s or the DA40. Enjoy the new system!

[subidoc]

Until a few years ago, when I made the complete switch to primes, I used my faithful *ist DS with a very sharp Tamron 28-75. I regret selling that.... (sigh). It satisfied 95% of my use, with the remaining 5% split evenly between my M100/f2.8 and Bayomet 135/f2.5. I imagine the 28-75 would have made a formidable combination with my newly aquisitioned K-5.

[GibbyTheMole]

If you're on a budget, the K-x is killer. I also have this Tamron 18-200 which is pretty decent for a superzoom. My review of it is there, along with a couple of demo shots.

[lytrytyr]

I like the K-x and K24/2.8 as a cheap, quality, one-camera-one-lens combo.
The poor man's Leica X1/Fuji X100, and way faster for action shots than either.

[RonHendriks1966]

Hmmm... Help me understand where I'm going wrong and I'll gladly stand corrected.

Let's see... The field of view for the FA 31 (31x1.5) mounted on a K-5 is 46.5mm and 01 Prime (8.5x5.5) mounted on a Pentax Q is 46.75 in FF (35mm film) terms.

The focal length of the 31 (and respective shallow depth-of-field) is always 31 and the focal length of the 8.5mm (and respective deep DOF) is always 8.5mm.

...just curious...M

Well it's all about Field Off View wich isn't a thing off the lens, but something that the sensorsize in the camera makes:

These four are all allmost the same:
645D+D-FA55mm - K-5+FA31mm - K-01+FA31mm - Q+01prime


I would recommend from these the 645D

[magkelly]

If I had to pick one lens one camera I'd make it my Tamron 28-200 and my K-x. It's just common sense. Super zooms aren't a really great choice in terms of quality but I'd want to be able to do anything in that range and if I was limited to one lens I'd have to make it that one because it gives me one lens with the best range. That being said I'd much prefer to take the18-55 kit lens and my Tamron 75-300 with maybe an A or M series F1.7 thrown into the bag for good measure. I don't see the point in lugging half a dozen lenses around but I'm not a one lens shooter. I do like to be covered from 28-300mm when I am on the road. In the studio I use any number of lenses depending upon what I am doing. But when I have to pack light that's generally my combo one prime in the 50's range, the kit, the 75-300 Tamron.

[B Grace]

I too would go the K5II + FA31 route but then that would be for the One Camera + One Lens + One "Film" approach for photography. Pretty cool idea, actually. My problem would be I'd then quickly buy the FA43 and FA77.

[Docrwm]

Well it's all about Field Off View wich isn't a thing off the lens, but something that the sensorsize in the camera makes:

These four are all allmost the same:
645D+D-FA55mm - K-5+FA31mm - K-01+FA31mm - Q+01prime


I would recommend from these the 645D

Ok, but what camera did you use to take that photo? And I thought your K-01 was Yellow?

[frank]

Ok, but what camera did you use to take that photo? And I thought your K-01 was Yellow?

In the olde manual film days, most SLR cameras only came with 50mm lenses as kits, and most buyers never bought or used by other lens on their cameras.

In modern digital era, most dSLR cameras come w some sort of cheap kit lenses,most users never bothered w another lens. It's only guys like us who are crazy about using different lenses for different purposes, or just for fun.

I'm sure we'd be just fine if we only got one lens for our cameras, be it a kit zoom lens or a 50mm equivalent. If I were to keep one camera and one lens, it'd be K5IIs and FA31. But between these and a Fujifilm X10, I probably will choose the X10 instead.

[ProdigalPentaxian]

Welcome back!

Really depends on what you want to shoot and how intensely you want to go. If its casual across the board then the K-30 + 18-135 is a very versatile and Weather Resistant combination that ought to serve you well.

I am between K30 or K5 IIs with either 18-135 or FA43 or FA31, even Tamron 28-75, DA 16-50, DA 40 XS

[ivanvernon]

Any ideas for a returning Pentax user!!!

I am sorry, I'll Elaborate... As a start. Which lens and body should I get FIRST!!! I will expand my collection later..

I want the BEST Contrast, Sharpness,
I want to travel light, and I dont want to loose a shot because I am changing lenses.

I place low light AF performance as the utmost Priority!!!

Which body and which lens should I get on DAY ONE

To answer, I would hold on to my best Pentax camera, K-5,and one lens,the 50 mm macro f 2.8.Camera is great, and lens is fast enough for low-light situations, razor sharp as a lens can be, long enough for portrait shots, wide enough for limited landscape shots, and offers excellent macro capabilities. Soon, however, I would buy back my 10-17mm Pentax fisheye, the 43 mm limited, and the 77 mm limited.