Hi,
I'm Doug and I've had LBA/CBA for a year or more; I see that others have some of the same issues, as bad, if not worse. (;-) Being a bachelor, no worries about wife filing for divorce on account of camera/lens disease draining family budget. (;-) Wondering, though, what it might be like to not always be wishing for more glass, bodies, (e.g. K20D, 50D, D700) and cases - I also have the associated camera bag/holster/backpack problem. (;-)
Anyway, in the lens department…
* 13 lenses (quite the reminder I need to get rid of some lenses that I don't use) for my Pentax K10D/K110D set-up, including:
- favourite lens has to be the super-sharp 70-300mm Sigma DG macro; I got some amazingly sharp ground squirrel and marmot shots in the backcountry this summer - I'm blown away every time I look at them (on screen; haven't yet printed 8x10s, but I should); amazing value!
- 100mm Vivitar macro's been great at the Butterfly Pavilion, but otherwise underused; maybe I can do without this lens, since I now have the 70-300; however, this one's smaller, lighter and faster, and gets closer - all important properties.
- 100-400mm Phoenix has produced some pretty cool shots, even at the far end; inexpensive, fun lens, was great for zoo.
- 28-300mm Tamron XR Di macro is a nice and versatile lens - good range - for outdoor events, but kinda slow so also gotta have a...
- 28-75mm Tamron f2.8 XR Di macro. Nice having a fast lens in this range for concerts where I can get close, but starting to wish for a faster lens, like 77 or 85mm f1.8/1.9 for indoor gigs. Macro's handy.
- 50mm f1.4 - seemed like a great idea at the time - decided I really, *really* wanted fast glass - but haven't actually had much use for it; it gets left behind because other lenses, like the 10-17 seem more useful somehow. Will try to make a conscious effort to use this nice lens so I don't have to feel guilty about having it. (;-)
- 10-17mm Pentax fisheye is very cool and fun; sometimes encourages GFS (gratuitous fisheye shots). However, I often wish it had some more reach so I didn't have to switch to the 18-55 (or, skipping some range, to the 28-75).
- waiting for my $200 800mm Rokinon mirror lens; I have low expectations and I imagine it'll be fun and useful for some things - 1200mm is some serious telephoto!
* 5 more lenses for my Canon 10D set-up, including:
- 70-200mm Sigma f2.8. Desperately wanted a fast lens in this range for summer concerts and got tired of waiting for not-yet-shipping Sigma and Tamron Pentax versions, so I got this to use after I got a good deal on a Canon 10D kit. Alas, no IS, as I would have on the K10D, but very pleased with this lens. Large and heavy, so I have to be pretty committed to drag it to a show.
- My get-closer wildlife lenses, mostly for pikas: 400mm Canon L (pro) and 200-500mm Tamron. Was frustrated about not having enough selection for Pentax so I explored the offerings for Canon. The Pentax mount 70-300 is not as much reach as I want/need, the Phoenix 100-400 isn't quite serious enough, and I wasn't quite ready to take the $1000 Bigma plunge, so I got the used 200-500mm Tammy, which they don't make for Pentax.
After using a friend's Canon 100-400mm L, I next decided to try getting a 400 L; I really like it, but I also rather like having the 500mm reach of the Tammy - and zoom that I don't have with the 400 prime. Maybe I'll yet decide the 400 L is unnecessary.
Perhaps I should have just gotten the Pentax mount Bigma (free IS/SR on the K10D, of course) and not gotten distracted with Canon, but I do like many things about my 10D.
Still thinking about renting some bigger Canon glass at Camren in Denver just to see what that's all about; they also rent Nikon, but, like so many other places, no Pentax.
Oh, it's so hard being a camera/lens junkie. (;-)
