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06-29-2015, 02:56 PM   #1
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Suggestion on Camera Purchase

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but not new to photography. I had a quick question for everyone. I've the opportunity to pick up a Pentax K-5 for $250. It'll be used, but it's in excellent condition and has all of the accessories the camera comes with and the original box. Would you recommend it at this price?

06-29-2015, 03:22 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by sabzijoon Quote
Hi everyone, I'm new here, but not new to photography. I had a quick question for everyone. I've the opportunity to pick up a Pentax K-5 for $250. It'll be used, but it's in excellent condition and has all of the accessories the camera comes with and the original box. Would you recommend it at this price?
Yes. I would get it if I needed one, and I'd likely be willing to pay more for an excellent copy with everything that came with it.
06-29-2015, 03:23 PM   #3
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Yes, absolutely! Still a great camera, and unless there's something specific you need that a K-3 (or K-3 II) would give you that a K-5 wouldn't, it will serve you incredibly well.
06-29-2015, 03:25 PM   #4
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second that

06-29-2015, 03:40 PM   #5
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Thanks, guys! What do you suggest in terms of good, lenses. I was thinking of picking up the 16-45mm f/4.
06-29-2015, 03:56 PM   #6
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The 18-135 would be an excellent choice for starters. It is WR so is good on the WR K5, and had a good range, fast focusing and silent too, and has pretty good IQ. You can cli k i to my profile and see I have some nice lenses, yet this is on my K3 more often than not.
06-29-2015, 04:03 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by sabzijoon Quote
Thanks, guys! What do you suggest in terms of good, lenses. I was thinking of picking up the 16-45mm f/4.
Lenses range all over the map. Is there a goal and a budget? The 16-45 is a nice older lens but there are a lot of compromises that it makes vs. some other lenses. What is the intended subject matter? (General photography isn't a great answer... LOL).

06-29-2015, 04:06 PM   #8
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I'll be traveling overseas and doing some sightseeing. So, my goal is to capture those moments. I usually do a lot of ultra-wide to wide angle photography especially because I like to capture the background. I also do landscapes, cityscapes and the like. I don't really know what's a good budget, but I can't afford too much. If there is something I can pick up under $250, then that'd be great.
06-29-2015, 04:47 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by sabzijoon Quote
I'll be traveling overseas and doing some sightseeing. So, my goal is to capture those moments. I usually do a lot of ultra-wide to wide angle photography especially because I like to capture the background. I also do landscapes, cityscapes and the like. I don't really know what's a good budget, but I can't afford too much. If there is something I can pick up under $250, then that'd be great.
Down in some of the old cities in Mexico and in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands the 18-135 was almost glued to the K5 then the K3. There is one for sale here that is at 300 bucks in the marketplace. You can sometimes find them less.

Check this out: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/179869-da-1...at-can-do.html
06-29-2015, 05:10 PM   #10
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Will it be fine for taking shots at night? IT seems a little bit on the slow side.
06-29-2015, 05:21 PM   #11
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Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8
06-29-2015, 05:22 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by sabzijoon Quote
I'll be traveling overseas and doing some sightseeing. So, my goal is to capture those moments. I usually do a lot of ultra-wide to wide angle photography especially because I like to capture the background. I also do landscapes, cityscapes and the like. I don't really know what's a good budget, but I can't afford too much. If there is something I can pick up under $250, then that'd be great.
OK - so 16mm wide end checks a box. What's the longest you need? If 45 does it I think you are close to sealing the deal.

Here are the contenders:
17-70 Sigma f/2.8-4 "Contemporary" - not as wide, faster, longer, not pentax color rendition, no in camera jpg corrections
17-50 Sigma f/2.8 - as above without the longer
17-50 Tamron f/2.8 - as above, not quite as well respected but supposedly very good.
16-45 Pentax f/4 - noisy focusing, out of production, some issues with decentering and lens barrel wobble I think.
17-70 Pentax f/4 - silent focus, sdm reliability issues, not quite as wide, longer reach.
12-24 Pentax f/4 - wide wide wide, very useable for street photography, out of budget
10-24 Tamron f/3.5-4.5 - wider than wide, still useful for street photography, not pentax color rendition

DA* 16-50 is out of the price range, and heavy.
HD DA 16-85 is a good lens but pricey compared to your budget I think.

I eliminated everything not at least 17mm on the wide end. This rules out the excellent 18-135 in my opinion.

Disclaimer - I have no personal first hand experience with ANY of these. I own an 18-135, and love it. It's my go to travel lens. I also own several nice prime lenses and some killer DA* zooms and some no so killer kit lenses. It's all relative. There are great pictures to be made with every choice you can make. Even dog lenses offer some options for creative use.

But based on what you said - travel, city use, wide wide wide angle desired etc. I think you have a good list here - go read some reviews next from the lens section to help you learn more. I don't think your first suggestion is a bad one at all but a lack of practical experience with it makes it hard to say.

---------- Post added 06-29-15 at 08:25 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by sabzijoon Quote
Will it be fine for taking shots at night? IT seems a little bit on the slow side.
At the wide end it is faster than the 16-45 you mentioned only on the long end is is slower. There is a chart one of the reviews on the site that shows how the f/stop changes with focal length. I am almost certain it isn't slower at 18-45mm than your original choice. The Sigma 17-70 is a little faster but mainly on the extreme short end.

Also remember that a single f stop separates f/5.6 from f/4 and likewise from f/4 to f/2.8 - that's not a lot on Digital with good high ISO performance. Use a tripod and enjoy. But in very dark situations you will want the extra light gathering or the wide open performance for subject isolation.
06-29-2015, 05:26 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by sabzijoon Quote
Will it be fine for taking shots at night? IT seems a little bit on the slow side.
Let me show you some I did at night outside with it and a K5 in Mexico. I did no noise reduction at all on them and all were simple handheld shots. this was in the worst conditions you could use the lens.

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---------- Post added 06-29-15 at 06:27 PM ----------

Ohh, and the originals were much sharper. I used Prish Resizer on those. It kills detail, but those were so I could upload them with a horribly slow connection in San Luis Potosi MX.
06-29-2015, 05:52 PM   #14
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I'll add my vote for the 18-135. It stays on my K3 most of the time, and I too have some nice primes and costlier zooms. On my K20d, the 16-45 was my main lens, and I got lots of excellent shots from it, but I missed some which would have been good with a longer reach. I have not missed the 2mm wider FOV of the 16-45, but if you find a good example at a good price, you might be happy with it.
06-29-2015, 08:54 PM   #15
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I'd have trouble with the used K-5 at that price point when the K-50 new with warranty gives you nearly the same pricing. The K-5 is more refined and quieter with some great advanced features for those who are already well acquainted with the finer aspects of dSLR, but the K-50 provides sharper images, vastly better live view capability, better flash consistency, quicker focusing... and a warranty!

The 16-45 is a fine lens for the money if the range isn't an issue - but you really can't use it for portraits. The 18-135 is a pretty significant step down in IQ, closer to the 18-55 kit, frankly; which is still fine. But it actually does portraits pretty well for an all-arounder, and gives you WR at an affordable price. If you need that range, it is a fine performer. Others here will defend it as equal to the 16-45, or the 17-70 (Sigma or Pentax), but the range simply does not allow for that - and I'm yet to see a single image from it that would rate as stunning.
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