|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-29-2015, 04:45 PM
|
| |
Ok quick backstory - I went a bit crazy years ago when I bought my first real DSLR, my K20D in 2008. I bought a stack of old prime lenses from ebay and a few modern lenses locally.
I have just picked up an immaculate K5iis body and I'm not completely happy with the performance of my old faithful 18-250 lens on it (struggles to focus at long zoom). It's time to get serious about good glass (but at a price point that is reasonable).
Here is the list of lenses I currently have (and the higher on the list they are, the more often I use them):
Pentax 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 ED AL IF SMC DA
Sigma AF 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC
Sigma 70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro
Pentax SMC-DA 16-45mm f/4 ED AL
1971 Asahi Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR 1:1.4 / 50mm prime
1963 Asahi Super-Takumar 1:2.8 / 105mm prime
1964 Asahi Bellows-Takumar 1:4 /100mm (with bellows kit).
1958 Asahi Takumar 1:3.5 / 200mm prime
1980-ish SMC Pentax-M 1:2 / 50mm
Now, the loose plan is to sell the K20D body along with either the 18-250, the 16-45 or both, then sell off the primes separately (unless there are some you think I should keep and learn how to use properly). I never really got into the old primes, other than messing around with portraits or macro (bugs etc).
I love the 10-20 and the 70mm prime, so they stay.
What I would like advice on, is what other two modern lenses I should buy to complete my kit. I am thinking a short zoom up to 50 or 70mm for the everyday lens and then something else to cover out to 200-300mm area.
Here is a basic short list (but happy to hear alternatives):
Short Zoom:
Tamron AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR LD Aspherical IF SP
Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
SMC Pentax-DA 17-70mm F4 AL [IF] SDM
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro HSM
Long zoom:
SMC Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM (obvious first choice for many, but probably out of my price bracket)
HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED WR
Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD Macro
SMC Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR (will this give better IQ results than my current 18-250?)
Thanks for any advice on why a particular combo will be best. I am expecting the "well what do you want to take photos of?" questions, but there is no easy answer. I take photos of kid's sport (indoor and outdoor), landscapes, buildings, wildlife, insects, portraits and everything in between. Haven't tried night / stars shooting, but would like to. Best combo that will cover 95% of everything :p
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
07-19-2009, 09:51 PM
|
| |
Stop it. I'm happy with my K20D. I don't need to upgrade.......
....what price do you reckon the K-7's will be next January in the US? I'll be back there then...... :lol:
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-07-2009, 10:24 AM
|
| |
After a LOT of research and reading many forums and reviews, I found my lens!
I missed out on a Tamron 90mm Di, but it might have been a blessing in disguise. I ended up picking up a mint condition Sigma 70mm F2.8 f/2.8 EX DG Macro for a little over US$300.
From everything I've read, it's about as good as macros get for my purposes. It's super sharp, the perfect focal length for me (with sensor size, it takes it to 105mm - I think!), and has very good build quality.
I haven't read a bad review on it and it won a few "top lens in class" awards in the past year or two.
I'm not worried about resale value. I don't buy lenses thinking about selling them. I buy them because I want them :lol:
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-27-2009, 11:50 PM
|
| |
Sorry I should have said what I wanted to use it for.
I really love insect macro, and along with that, I will be doing some aquarium photography, so the longer length would be better.
I'm keeping my eye out on US ebay for a 70mm up to 100mm good quality macro lenses, so we'll see what turns up. There are also a couple of nice deals here on the site. I'll make a decision in the next few days, so I can pick something up here before I head home to Australia.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-27-2009, 01:41 AM
|
| |
Thanks :)
Just to add to the decision, while I've been researching, a few people recommend the Tamron SP AF 90mm f2.8 Di Macro as an alternative. It seems you can ge this lens a little bit less second hand.
Decisions decisions :o
What to do?
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-27-2009, 01:19 AM
|
| |
Thanks for the quick reply.
If you could get either in near new condition for around $375, would you still go for the sigma?
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-27-2009, 01:00 AM
|
| |
How does the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG compare to the Pentax D-FA 100mm 2.8 macro?
If you could buy both for the same price in the same condition, which one would you go for?
Thanks for any opinions
|
|
Forum: Sold Items
06-27-2009, 12:51 AM
|
| |
PM sent as well. Interested ;)
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
01-01-2009, 06:05 AM
|
| |
Morays are actually very gentle creatures. As long as you don't freak out and whip your hand away from them when trying to pat them, they are fine. At one of my local dive sites, they are used to being handled and they are huge! Some would be thicker than your arms and almost as thick as your leg!
They will sniff your hand, realise it's not food, then let you give them a tickle inder the neck. I've had one come right out into the open water with me, then decide my bcd was a good place to retire to :lol:. I had to remove it completely to get him out.
The buggers I hate down there are the numb rays who are all but invisible under the sand. They hit you with a 200 volt electric shock if you accidentally touch them. Being a photographer on many dives, I often lean my elbow on the sand to get a close up shot. I've copped a few nasty shocks that way!
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
01-01-2009, 04:58 AM
|
| |
They are called Nudibranchs (Noo-dee-branks) ;)
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-31-2008, 11:04 PM
|
| |
Thanks for the kind comments :)
Underwater photography is my real passion, but macro is catching up fast :D
Unfortunately I've never been able to afford the rig I want for underwater stuff. All shots were taken with either a canon G2 4.0mp or a fuji F10 6.0mp.
I'll get myself a nice housing for the K20 / 30 / 40 / 50 one day and really get some impressive shots :p
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 01:22 PM
|
| |
The fly was caught in the trampoline netting, and freed itself about a second after I took the shot. :)
The "breakdancing" fly was dying and was just trying to stay upright. We have thousands of them die off overnight a few times each summer.
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 05:15 AM
|
| |
Not an insect as such:
Ok here is an insect one if the above is not allowed:
 |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 05:11 AM
|
| |
I may have posted a few of these before. I was going through my photobucket pics and found a few photos I'd forgotten about. As I'm re-arranging my files, I thought I'd post a few of the better pics I've taken in the past couple of years:
 |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 05:08 AM
|
| |
I may have posted a few of these before. I was going through my photobucket pics and found a few photos I'd forgotten about. As I'm re-arranging my files, I thought I'd post a few of the better pics I've taken in the past couple of years:
 |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 05:04 AM
|
| |
I may have posted a few of these before. I was going through my photobucket pics and found a few photos I'd forgotten about. As I'm re-arranging my files, I thought I'd post a few of the better pics I've taken in the past couple of years:
 |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 05:00 AM
|
| |
I may have posted a few of these before. I was going through my photobucket pics and found a few photos I'd forgotten about. As I'm re-arranging my files, I thought I'd post a few of the better pics I've taken in the past couple of years:
 |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-23-2008, 04:49 AM
|
| |
I may have posted a few of these before. I was going through my photobucket pics and found a few photos I'd forgotten about. As I'm re-arranging my files, I thought I'd post a few of the better pics I've taken in the past couple of years:
 |
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-13-2008, 05:37 AM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-13-2008, 05:32 AM
|
| |
Ow! I didn't know that ceiling fan was on!
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-02-2008, 12:39 PM
|
| |
Spyglass, is your name Billy Ray by any chance? Your daughter looks a lot like Miley Cyrus :lol:
Lovely pics and great lighting ;)
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-02-2008, 05:27 AM
|
| |
Just playing around with my new 50mm f/1.4 and extension tubes.
A knot in my 3 year old daughters hairband:
A nail tip:
A tiny spider sitting on a nail:
See if you can guess what this is (without looking at the image name):
Tiny gumnut flowers about 3mm across:
Yellow flower:
Yellow flower through a 50mm lens:
Comments and criticism welcome.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-01-2008, 09:48 PM
|
| |
Ok I'm sufficiently spooked :lol:
I took some pictures of a white sheet today and I cannot see any dust or the fungus, which is on the outer edge of the lens. I also cannot see anything through the viewfinder against a bright white background.
I'm going to leave it for a while and if the fungus grows, will attempt the dismantling then.
Thanks for the info though. It will be invaluable when the time comes to give it a go.
Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up of witnessing a disaster :lol:
|
|
Forum: General Talk
12-01-2008, 12:31 PM
|
| |
Blue, I think the correct term is blue lamps.
I like
I thought that only annoyed me :lol:
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-01-2008, 04:37 AM
|
| |
Me too :D
Thanks for the pictures. It's making a real difference.
|
