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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-17-2009, 11:49 AM
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I've gotten a couple good deals (although I'm afraid I'm not sure what the acronym LBA stands for :-) )
The first was a P-DA 50-200mm open box for $45 when Circuit City was going under, and the second was a FA50 1.4 for $129 when MSN Cashback was offering 35% on Ebay Buy-it-now purchases. These days even the full BIN price looks like a good deal though :-)
Chris
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-17-2009, 09:44 AM
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I seem to have read multiple times that "if Canon and Nikon can charge ~$350 for their 50mm 1.4 prime, why can't Pentax?" While I agree that as a company, Pentax can choose to sell their lenses for whatever price they want - they do have that right - I still personally think it is a colossal mistake on their part. When I chose to go with Pentax, it was significantly based on the availability of high quality glass that cost less than the more main-stream choices.
Since Pentax doesn't choose to still produce a lower cost 50mm prime (or any affordable primes) anymore that is comparable to the Canon and Nikon offerings that sell for approximately $100, the FA50 1.4 is the comparison for people trying to decide what system they are going to buy.
For example, my co-worker was going to purchase his first DSLR. Due to my recommendations and his own research, he's been leaning very heavily towards a K2000 or possibly the K-x. As part of his getting into higher end photography, he's interested in honing his skills by using prime lenses. How does a beginning photographer afford to do this with Pentax? The only way is through buying manual lenses, that these days cost as much as the AF entry level lenses from Canon and Nikon (yes, I realize that the older manual lenses are certainly better optically, and are going to do even more to hone skills, but AF has an attraction too).
Even as a beginning photographer he realized that at $200, the FA50 1.4 was a better deal than the competitors 1.8 lenses that were half the cost. But this just doesn't hold true when the lens is now 4 times the cost, and he's re-thinking if he wants to go with Pentax at all now.
I'm just glad that I got mine off Ebay for $129 (after the 35% bing cashback).
Chris
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-17-2009, 07:47 AM
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The biggest problem with manual focus is that the cameras themselves don't have a very good system for being able to tell that it is in focus. Think back to our old K1000's or ME's - the "assist" in the center of the viewfinder was significantly better, and much easier to manually focus with. I know that the autofocus square will blink when it is in manual focus mode, but this doesn't work well at all in low light situations. I personally just find it difficult, in low light, to tell when the manual lenses are in focus with the current digital bodies (at least with the istD and K100D Super).
So from your post though, and I apologize for being a novice at this, but you mention a focusing screen? I didn't realize they were replaceable - obviously this makes my point above somewhat moot, other than wishing that Pentax would include a better one out of the box.
Chris
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