[jct us101]

Have you considered just getting a Micro Four Thirds camera to compliment your kit and stay with Pentax?

[deadwolfbones]

Have you considered just getting a Micro Four Thirds camera to compliment your kit and stay with Pentax?

Ha, no.

I might pick up a GF1/20mm out of curiosity, but a) I'm not leaving Pentax anyway, and b) I already have a D700.

[jct us101]

It was worth a try.

The GF1 and 20mm are great too.

[deadwolfbones]

Just an update... my current kit after much selling and buying

Pentax:
K-7
DA 15mm f/4 Ltd.
FA 31mm f/1.8 Ltd.
DA 35mm f/2.8 Ltd. Macro
FA 43mm f/1.9 Ltd.
A 50mm f/1.2
Helios-44K-4 58mm f/2
FA 77mm f/1.8 Ltd.
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8*

Nikon:
D700
16-35mm f/4 VR
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8*
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR I
Sigma 100-300mm f/4
24mm f/2.8 AF II*
Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 Close Focus*
35mm f/2 AF*
50mm f/1.2 Ai
50mm f/1.8D
135mm f/2 Ai*
180mm f/2.8 AF-N*

Panasonic:
GF1
20mm f/1.7

(* denotes to-be-sold or currently on the chopping block)

I plan to use the funds from the remaining Nikon sale items to get the 24-70/2.8. I may also resell the 16-35/4VR to get the 14-24/2.8, but it's too early to tell. The distortion is pretty terrible, but the VR and sharpness are excellent.

A D300 still might be in the cards later on, particularly if I don't keep the GF1.

On the Pentax side I plan to pick up the DA 21 and 40 Ltds after I sell the Tamron.

[Jend]

Wow... I'm pretty jealous of just the Pentax side of your kit!

Wouldn't it be pretty crowded in the 30-40mm range if you added the DA 40mm? It's small size brings something unique to the table, but it seems like the 43mm without it's hood isn't that much bigger.

[deadwolfbones]

Wow... I'm pretty jealous of just the Pentax side of your kit!

Wouldn't it be pretty crowded in the 30-40mm range if you added the DA 40mm? It's small size brings something unique to the table, but it seems like the 43mm without it's hood isn't that much bigger.

I think that's mainly my reaction to the trouble I'm having getting to grips with the 43... seems soft wide open and it's bugging me a bit, but I have to remember that wide open with the 43 is 1.9 vs. 2.8 on the 40.

[Clicker]

I like your current system plan and yes to the 14-24 + 24-70 to streamline the Nikon system to something less overlapping, hopefully you have no fear of exposing that huge blubuous (is that a word?) element of the 14-24 in a crowded room.

My Canon system is shaping up similarly but keeping the 16-35 as canon doesn't have a 14-24 variant but on my 7D i have that exposed element of the Sigma 8-16 but i'm not worried of getting it jostled in a crowd, i want the photo ( i'm hoping the rumours of that 1DsMIV are true)

[deadwolfbones]

Getting closer...

Pentax:
K-7
DA 15mm f/4 Ltd.
FA 31mm f/1.8 Ltd.
DA 35mm f/2.8 Ltd. Macro
FA 43mm f/1.9 Ltd.
A 50mm f/1.2
Helios-44K-4 58mm f/2
FA 77mm f/1.8 Ltd.
Tokina 90mm f/2.5 Macro
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8*

Nikon:
D700
Nikon 16-35mm f/4G VR II
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR I
Sigma 100-300mm f/4
Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 Close Focus*
50mm f/1.2 Ai
50mm f/1.8D
85mm f/1.8D

Panasonic:
GF1
20mm f/1.7

(* denotes to-be-sold or currently on the chopping block)

Still unsure on the 16-35 / 14-24 swap...

[deadwolfbones]

Whoops! The 35/2 AF sold immediately after I posted that.

[Bart]

...Still unsure on the 16-35 / 14-24 swap...

14mm is awfully wide on FX, making the 14-24 a very specialized lens and considering this, very pricey.
Questions are, do you need it, will you use it and how long or how often.
16-35 is a more useful range, lighter and takes filters.
DxO already has a module for 16-35. Could use it. Hefty distortion at 16mm.

To be clear: I have neither. 24mm is plenty wide for me on FF.


PS I'm still on the lookout for a comparison shot between A 50mm 1.2 and AI 50mm 1.2

[deadwolfbones]

I'll see if I can get on that comparison asap.

And yeah, the distortion is the main reason I'm thinking about trading out for the 14-24...

[VAV]

I had to make a similar decision and sold most of my pentax kit except the four DA Ltds, FA35, Tamron 18-250, VL 125. I am without any Pentax body now since I also sold my Pentax 200D (I can wait for the next body).

My Nikon kit: D700, Tamron 17-35, 28-75, 28-300 (VR), Nikon 50 1.4, 180 2.8. The only thing I miss is a fast prime lens in the 80-105 focal range.

I heard too many reports of the Nikon zooms being great quality but too heavy to be carrying around all day! For my amateur shooting, I am quite happy with the Tamrons.

I am waiting for a Higher end Pentax body with a k-x like sensor so I can start using my Pentax DA Limited primes!

[jsherman999]

The only thing I miss is a fast prime lens in the 80-105 focal range.

Have you considered the 85 1.8D? $399 @ B&H. Very good lens, especially at that price.

I heard too many reports of the Nikon zooms being great quality but too heavy to be carrying around all day! For my amateur shooting, I am quite happy with the Tamrons.

As am I. My Nikon zoom lineup does not contain a Nikon lens! (My primes are all Nikon, though.)

Tokina 12-24 4 (DX)
Tamron 17-50 2.8 (DX)
Tamron 28-75 2.8 (DX/FX)
Sigma 50-150 2.8 (DX)
Sigma 100-300 4 (DX/FX)

I am waiting for a Higher end Pentax body with a k-x like sensor so I can start using my Pentax DA Limited primes!

I love my K20D, but I'm waiting too.

.

[deadwolfbones]

I'm finding myself not exactly loving the vaunted 24-70/2.8 yet... it's incredibly sharp and contrasty, but it suffers from serious vignetting wide open (much worse than the Tamron 28-75) and some pronounced barrel distortion at 24mm. It's nice that LR3 has built-in lens corrections for these problems, but it's still annoying. The 70-200/2.8 VRI also suffers from the vignetting, but it's fantastic—totally love it. The 16-35/4 I'm still on the fence about. I think I just need to learn to harness it properly/avoid playing into the distortion.

[jezza323]

id definately go for the 14-24mm f2.8 if $$ arent too much of an issue. TBH if i was to feel the urge to go full frame, i would go nikon purely for this lens!

other than that, id recommend cutting the DA 35 from Pentax, and Sigma 100-300, and 50mm f1.8 from Nikon.

also keen to hear your thoughts on the GF1/20mm combo, the more i think about it the more i want 1 of these micro 4/3 cameras with a lil fast prime