Favorite lens combo

Blacknight659 · 05-03-2015, 06:54 AM

I have noticed lately my favorite kit for casual shouting is the k-5ii, 18-135, and the 35mm plastic fantastic. I really enjoy the range, wheather sealing, and light weight of the 18-135. The 35 is awesome when in low light.

What are your favorite light weight lens combinations?

sterretje · 05-03-2015, 07:23 AM

I don't know if it is light weight. But I have a number of combos depending on what I feel like or what I need.

Walk around 1: FA31Ltd plus DFA100WR; this is my standard kit
Wildlife: FA31LTD plus DA55-300
Walk around 2: M50/1.7 plus M120/2.8
Walk around 3: any two M42 lenses out of 55/1.8, 55/2.8 macro, 85/1.8, 135/3.5 or 200/4

Buruny · 05-03-2015, 07:47 AM

For me the favourites are:
walk around - Tamron 17-50 Di II F 2.8; Tamron 28-75 Di F2.8
for object/product photography Pentax SMC FA 50 F1.4

**ismaelg** · 05-03-2015, 08:20 AM

My favorite combos are:
Ultimate IQ and sharpness combo: K5II/F50-1.7
All weather banging around combo: K20/18-55WR
In studio product photography for catalogs combo: K100DS /A50-f1.7

tvdtvdtvd · 05-03-2015, 08:40 AM

Can't say I have a routine 'kit', but it's always light. In the bag at the moment:

FA77 for reach
DA35 Macro for close
K28/3.5 for manual goodness

**savoche** · 05-03-2015, 08:57 AM

Depends on the situation.

- Family holiday: DA18-135 + DA15 and FA43.
- Safari or anything involving wildlife: DA55-300 + DFA100 and some of the above.
- Walkaround: any 1-3 of DA15, DA21, K24, FA28, FA31, FA43, CZ50, DA70, and DFA100. Or the Lensbaby

K57XR · 05-03-2015, 10:30 AM

Same here, depends on the situation.

General walk around: K5/DA*16-50 or DA18-135 if I want a longer reach
Walk around with possibility of video: K-01/DA18-135. Quiet DC motor ideal for AF during video
Lightest possible: K-01/DA35 (Not in my line up yet but eventually DA21/DA70)

Last edited by K57XR; 05-03-2015 at 04:34 PM.

08amczb · 05-03-2015, 12:33 PM

My favorite combo is DA 10-17 fisheye + Tamron 17-50 F2.8 + DFA 100 Macro.
If it's raining I change the 17-50 to the DA 18-55 WR.

**Wingincamera** · 05-03-2015, 04:56 PM

With my K-5 II:
Walk around, DA 20-40 and FA 50mm F2.8 macro
Landscape, DA 15mm, DA 20-40mm and Tamron 70-200mm F2.8
If I am carrying my smaller shoulder bag, then I might switch out the FA50 for the DA35 macro and DA70.
If I am carrying my backpack, then all of the above gets thrown into it.
If it's raining, then the 18-135mm and DA 20-40 will go with me. They are only WR lens I have.

**JimD** · 05-04-2015, 12:58 AM

With my K5 when my two year old grandson is around my Sigma 70 - 200 f2.8. Thinking about it, that's most of the time.

Timd · 05-04-2015, 04:01 AM

Perhaps because I have not really specialised in what I take, my combo in a messenger bag is a K5 with Sigma 10-20; Pentax 18-135, 60-250 and the 1.4X extender..... and then sometimes the Sigma 70 Macro comes for a ride as well.

pathdoc · 05-04-2015, 05:06 AM

A while ago, I replaced my kit lens with a combination of Pentax 18-250 for all-round versatility plus 40mm DA pancake for lightness/compactness and speed in situation where those qualities might be more important - mostly where I knew I was going to be indoors doing "people" stuff and wouldn't need the long reach. Oddly enough, my 40mm has been my "only lens" to go overseas with twice now, but I took the kit (18-50 Sigma) to trade in FWIW if I found something worth buying and actually ended up fitting it to the camera once or twice to take advantage of the wide end.

Sure, this particular Sigma comes from an era when they still had a reputation for being less than stellar, and there's much odium that comes from being a zoom lens that's sold attached to the camera, but it's actually a very useful set of focal lengths. The problem it has is that "f/4 to f/5.6" is like the kiss of death; everyone who sees that "knows" it's been built down to a price and the optics thenceforth aren't trusted, despite in some circumstances being more than acceptable to most people.

sterretje · 05-04-2015, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by Timd

Perhaps because I have not really specialised in what I take, my combo in a messenger bag is a K5 with Sigma 10-20; Pentax 18-135, 60-250 and the 1.4X extender..... and then sometimes the Sigma 70 Macro comes for a ride as well.

And you carry that all around every time?

hypernotactive · 05-04-2015, 11:30 PM

My lightweight and favorite combo is K-S1 with DA21 and DA40 Limiteds in a Thinktank Retrospective 5 bag. I am also planning to add the DA15 and the DA70 to the kit

Timd · 05-05-2015, 03:49 AM

Originally posted by sterretje

And you carry that all around every time?

...yes, he says a bit sheepishly! It all fits in a Lowepro Event Messenger 150. Most of the time the camera has the 60-250 and is in my hand (with the neck strap on), with the messenger bag on my left side with the strap to the right of my head. Very comfortable!

05-03-2015, 06:54 AM	#1
Blacknight659 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 731	Favorite lens combo I have noticed lately my favorite kit for casual shouting is the k-5ii, 18-135, and the 35mm plastic fantastic. I really enjoy the range, wheather sealing, and light weight of the 18-135. The 35 is awesome when in low light. What are your favorite light weight lens combinations?

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05-03-2015, 07:23 AM	#2
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I don't know if it is light weight. But I have a number of combos depending on what I feel like or what I need. Walk around 1: FA31Ltd plus DFA100WR; this is my standard kit Wildlife: FA31LTD plus DA55-300 Walk around 2: M50/1.7 plus M120/2.8 Walk around 3: any two M42 lenses out of 55/1.8, 55/2.8 macro, 85/1.8, 135/3.5 or 200/4

05-03-2015, 07:47 AM	#3
Buruny Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 34	For me the favourites are: walk around - Tamron 17-50 Di II F 2.8; Tamron 28-75 Di F2.8 for object/product photography Pentax SMC FA 50 F1.4

05-03-2015, 08:20 AM	#4
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	My favorite combos are: Ultimate IQ and sharpness combo: K5II/F50-1.7 All weather banging around combo: K20/18-55WR In studio product photography for catalogs combo: K100DS /A50-f1.7

05-03-2015, 08:40 AM	#5
tvdtvdtvd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,665	Can't say I have a routine 'kit', but it's always light. In the bag at the moment: FA77 for reach DA35 Macro for close K28/3.5 for manual goodness

05-03-2015, 08:57 AM	#6
savoche Master of the obvious Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Lowlands of Norway Posts: 18,311	Depends on the situation. - Family holiday: DA18-135 + DA15 and FA43. - Safari or anything involving wildlife: DA55-300 + DFA100 and some of the above. - Walkaround: any 1-3 of DA15, DA21, K24, FA28, FA31, FA43, CZ50, DA70, and DFA100. Or the Lensbaby

05-03-2015, 10:30 AM	#7
K57XR Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 830	Same here, depends on the situation. General walk around: K5/DA16-50 or DA18-135 if I want a longer reach Walk around with possibility of video: K-01/DA18-135. Quiet DC motor ideal for AF during video Lightest possible: K-01/DA35 (Not in my line up yet but eventually DA21/DA70) Last edited by K57XR; 05-03-2015 at 04:34 PM.*

05-03-2015, 12:33 PM	#8
08amczb Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 796	My favorite combo is DA 10-17 fisheye + Tamron 17-50 F2.8 + DFA 100 Macro. If it's raining I change the 17-50 to the DA 18-55 WR.

05-03-2015, 04:56 PM	#9
Wingincamera Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pine Haven, Wyoming Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,182	With my K-5 II: Walk around, DA 20-40 and FA 50mm F2.8 macro Landscape, DA 15mm, DA 20-40mm and Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 If I am carrying my smaller shoulder bag, then I might switch out the FA50 for the DA35 macro and DA70. If I am carrying my backpack, then all of the above gets thrown into it. If it's raining, then the 18-135mm and DA 20-40 will go with me. They are only WR lens I have.

05-04-2015, 12:58 AM	#10
JimD Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Newport, South Wales Posts: 187	With my K5 when my two year old grandson is around my Sigma 70 - 200 f2.8. Thinking about it, that's most of the time.

05-04-2015, 04:01 AM	#11
Timd Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cape Town, SA Posts: 262	Perhaps because I have not really specialised in what I take, my combo in a messenger bag is a K5 with Sigma 10-20; Pentax 18-135, 60-250 and the 1.4X extender..... and then sometimes the Sigma 70 Macro comes for a ride as well.

05-04-2015, 05:06 AM	#12
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	A while ago, I replaced my kit lens with a combination of Pentax 18-250 for all-round versatility plus 40mm DA pancake for lightness/compactness and speed in situation where those qualities might be more important - mostly where I knew I was going to be indoors doing "people" stuff and wouldn't need the long reach. Oddly enough, my 40mm has been my "only lens" to go overseas with twice now, but I took the kit (18-50 Sigma) to trade in FWIW if I found something worth buying and actually ended up fitting it to the camera once or twice to take advantage of the wide end. Sure, this particular Sigma comes from an era when they still had a reputation for being less than stellar, and there's much odium that comes from being a zoom lens that's sold attached to the camera, but it's actually a very useful set of focal lengths. The problem it has is that "f/4 to f/5.6" is like the kiss of death; everyone who sees that "knows" it's been built down to a price and the optics thenceforth aren't trusted, despite in some circumstances being more than acceptable to most people.

05-04-2015, 08:32 AM	#13
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Originally posted by Timd Perhaps because I have not really specialised in what I take, my combo in a messenger bag is a K5 with Sigma 10-20; Pentax 18-135, 60-250 and the 1.4X extender..... and then sometimes the Sigma 70 Macro comes for a ride as well. And you carry that all around every time?

05-04-2015, 11:30 PM	#14
hypernotactive Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Moss Norway Photos: Gallery Posts: 180	My lightweight and favorite combo is K-S1 with DA21 and DA40 Limiteds in a Thinktank Retrospective 5 bag. I am also planning to add the DA15 and the DA70 to the kit

05-05-2015, 03:49 AM	#15
Timd Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cape Town, SA Posts: 262	Originally posted by sterretje And you carry that all around every time? ...yes, he says a bit sheepishly! It all fits in a Lowepro Event Messenger 150. Most of the time the camera has the 60-250 and is in my hand (with the neck strap on), with the messenger bag on my left side with the strap to the right of my head. Very comfortable!