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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-25-2018, 04:55 AM
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Long term planning has shifted to not-so-long-term planning, as we're less than two months out from the Iceland trip. I just took possession of a new Suiri T-025X travel tripod, and a plate with separate attachment point for my BlackRapid strap. Also have a good neutral density filter that fits my 40mm limited and 15mm Limited. 16-85mm reserved for the week of the trip from LensRentals.com. The photography side is good. Itinerary includes Vestmannaeyjar, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Golden Circle, the Suzuki Midnight Sun Run, and hanging out in Reykjavik one of the days that the Icelandic football team has a World Cup match. Have a cool looking AirBnB reserved. A Romanian-built, manual transmission, diesel SUV reserved. I'm ready to go.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-12-2018, 12:00 PM
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No worries. :)
I think there's black sand all over the place. We may get out as far as Skogafoss or Vestmannaeyjar, but probably not Vik. That's just too far from our home base north of Reykjavik. We'll definitely have a day for an epic Snaefellsnes road trip, and there are some really good beaches there. I'm trying to remain flexible and we'll see how much driving the wife and kids are up for.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-12-2018, 10:55 AM
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24/7 sunlight is going to put a little damper on the aurora. But I'll definitely take my 15mm Limited.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-12-2018, 05:30 AM
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My planning has begun to morph into reality. In the last couple weeks we've booked an AirBnB house about 30 minutes north of Reykjavik, and tickets on WOW. Late June. We'll be there about eight days, right on the summer solstice.
Now that I don't have to obsessively track airfare and house availability I can move on to compulsively writing and re-writing itineraries and gear lists. I did get my 40 Limited for Christmas, so I have a great small walkaround lens. And I got a 10-stop ND filter for all those not-at-all stereotypical dreamy Icelandic waterfall shots.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-01-2017, 06:41 AM
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I tend to agree. I was in Yosemite and around Lake Tahoe about 18 months ago, and probably 80+% of my pictures were with the 15mm Limited on the K-3II. I just didn't feel the need to swap lenses a lot, the 15mm is a wonderful lens, and you just work with what you have. I also was in Germany last November and went with a kit that was just the 15mm and the 40XS and I got some great shots.
But... a consideration for Iceland is the weather, and waterfall spray. I'll keep the kit small, but will probably have the 15mm and 40mm Limiteds for general use, plus renting the WR 16-85mm for when the weather is dodgy or I'm standing under a waterfall. And I'll probably have the 55-300mm in the bag, just in case I need reach.
---------- Post added 12-01-17 at 08:48 AM ----------
I know this is the lens forum, but forgive me a slight diversion... tripods. I have a nice Vanguard that I'm very happy with, but it's a monster. I also have a Gorillapod SLR, which is all I had with me on my Yosemite trip last year and it worked out okay. Question is... would I be better off in Iceland with a travel tripod? I really rather not spend $150, $200+ on a travel tripod, but I see the benefits of something between the 5 pound beast and the essentially tabletop Gorillapod. I almost just want to take the big Vanguard, but with today's airline policies I fear that might incur confiscatory baggage fees (slight exaggeration, but airlines like Wow seem very strict on baggage).
Would it be worthwhile to buy an inexpensive, small travel tripod I could throw in the checked bag, and just take care that it's not so flimsy it doesn't topple over?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
11-28-2017, 06:16 AM
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I took about 150 shots with the 16-85mm over Thanksgiving week, and I was pretty impressed (see the "DA 16-85 WR, show us what it can do" thread). Very sharp, nice rendering, not too big, clearly a step up in multiple ways from the kit 18-55. I think that will now be on the list to rent for the planned Iceland trip next summer.
Also, I found a used copy of the 40mm Limited at Borrowlenses.com for only $160, plus a 25% off coupon code, so $120 for a Pentax Limited. I hinted and winked at my wife that this would be an excellent Christmas present. It disappeared from the site, so hopefully that'll be under the tree. I loved my 40XS until I dropped it, this should be a great replacement. I'm a huge fan of a K-3II + lens that'll just about fit in a coat pocket.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
11-17-2017, 02:12 PM
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I rented the 16-85 for Thanksgiving week, to try it out in anticipation of next summer. Surprisingly it came today, three days early. So, yeah Lensrentals.com. I paid for a week but get 10 days!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
09-15-2017, 04:52 AM
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Those pictures are excellent, thanks.
My initial thought is that a week is probably not enough to do the ring road justice, but more than a week might be too much for 9-10 year old boys and the budget. So... I've been looking for cabins/cottages/houses to rent in the Akranes or Borgarnes area, or possibly somewhere out in the south. But the south is a little farther removed from some of the must-dos and Reykjavik, and the rentals seem a little more sparse.
With a base about an hour north of Reykjavik we can do easy trips to Þingvellir and the main Golden Circle stuff (you have to do it...), Snæfellsnes, Reykjavik, various fjords and villages, and not terribly far to the south coast. I think there will be opportunities for solitude in that area. We won't see the far north/east or Westfjords, but I'm kind of done with the type of trip I routinely did in my 20s (let's average 350 miles a day for two weeks and see the entire northwest and Canadian Rockies!). A more relaxed pace seems nicer than trying to rush around the ring road and stay in a different place every night.
Although the idea of getting to Grimsey and hitting the Arctic Circle for the first time in 20 years has a certain appeal... probably not...
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
09-14-2017, 04:59 AM
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I have the 15 limited, which is probably my favorite lens. But it's not terribly fast and maybe not made for dark indoor scenes.
I also have the Rokinon 8mm fisheye, which is a bit faster but also not truly fast. I hadn't even considered the fisheye for the trip, I like to pack reasonably light. But I'll have to think about it... I have actually used it for some pretty great landscape shots in Kauai. If you center up the horizon you barely even notice the fishiness. Maybe it could pull some double duty.
---------- Post added 09-14-17 at 08:18 AM ----------
I'll keep my eye out for special offers. I've used Borrowlenses.com and was very happy with them, but they don't have the 16-85, and I'm not sure they have the 20-40.
Huh, I'll have to look into that. Although I don't really have a professional grade kit, the sum total of all my gear might not sell for $3000. Insurance is only good if you can't afford the loss.
That's how I got my dear, departed XS. I'd almost certainly be buying the 40mm limited used, too.
 Quote: Another good idea. $30 is certainly less than the cost of even a rental of a 16-85 or a 20-40.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
09-13-2017, 06:18 AM
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I've discussed trip planning with my extended family and we've decided to spool up for an epic Germany 2019 trip, which means we're probably on for a 2018 Iceland trip with the immediate family (wife, two boys aged 9 and 11 next summer). About a week. My idea is to rent a house/cottage somewhere north of Reykjavik, maybe in the Borgarnes area. Then make day trips to Snaefellness, Golden Circle, maybe the south coast from there.
I need to figure out my lens rental plans for trial runs. I spend Thanksgiving at the old family farm, with ample photo opportunities. I might rent the 20-40 and 16-85 that week.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-11-2017, 06:56 AM
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The only reason I want to replace the 40XS is mine is broken. I dropped it and the K-3II. Camera is fine, lens decentered.
I have a borrowed monopod I haven't tried out yet. I'll have to use it and see how much I like it.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-10-2017, 11:55 AM
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Now with much time for the mind to wander I'm reassessing whether 2018 is the time (and do we have the additional budget) for the long-rumored larger family Switzerland/Germany trip instead of Iceland. Either would be spectacular, and my lens choices probably wouldn't be wildly different either way.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-09-2017, 05:24 AM
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Lensrentals.com has the 16-85, the 20-40, and the 18-135. Each for less than $50 for a week. I may have to do some trial runs in the coming months.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-08-2017, 04:18 AM
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Not strictly defined, but let's say $500. So don't suggest a K-1 or a 150-450 or a Leica or something.
---------- Post added 08-08-17 at 07:26 AM ----------
I was kidding about the Lomo. Although if it was my 5th or 6th time to Iceland I might be tempted...
I have a Gorillapod SLR tripod I'll probably take. It served me well in Yosemite. Will stock up on batteries, but I have three.
Wouldn't have thought of the 28mm.
My main challenge now is dialing back planning for a trip that is still almost a year out. If I don't pull back the reins I'll blow many a day staring at lenses and locations online.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-07-2017, 03:35 PM
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I started this earlier and accidentally deleted the whole post while amending it, so I’ll try again.
I've gotten my wife to give a thumbs up to make our 2018 family vacation a week in Iceland. Probably would be in June under the midnight sun. I’ve been there once, going on 17 years ago. But that was just for a three-day stopover in March. Back then my camera was a Canon film era Elph with whatever that film format was that allowed you to select different aspect ratios and even panoramas. That was long before marriage or kids (who are now 9 and 10).
Today I have the stuff in my signature line, a K-3II and various lenses. The K-30 is a backup body. I’m a huge fan of the DA15 limited; it was almost glued to my camera during a Yosemite/Tahoe trip last summer. I’m generally a fan of small primes; I went to Munich in the fall with just the 15 and the 40XS and loved it. Unfortunately I dropped the 40XS and it’s now decentered, unusable, and presumably unfixable.
On a trip to Iceland I’ll have to expect wildly varying weather and my only WR lens is the 18-55 kit lens. I’d like to replace that with something better. Let’s say my photography budget for the next year is something like $500.
My tentative plan is:
- Replace the XS with the 40 Limited. I can get one used on the marketplace for $170.
- Replace the kit lens with the 18-135. I have concerns about the corner softness. But it’s not expensive and it would become my general all-arounder for anytime the weather is dodgy. I’d step up to the primes when it’s nicer out.
- Pick up a couple of 10 stop ND filters for the lenses I’d end up taking
I also would probably take the 55-300 (old, non WR version) for reach.
I’m open to other thoughts. I’m not opposed to renting lens(es) for the trip. I did that with the DA15 in Yosemite and fell madly for the lens and ended up buying a copy shortly afterwards. I’ve thought about the 20-40 Limited, and the 16-85. Both appear to have better IQ than the 18-135. Also, I’ve daydreamed about the 55-300 PLM WR, although that would bust my budget to buy.
Or… I could forget all that and go with only the Lomo Daguerreotype 64mm f/2.9 and have an absolutely surreal Iceland experience. :)
I know there are countless “what lens to I need” threads, even just about Iceland, but it was helpful just to get all my thoughts typed out here. But any suggestions would be appreciated. I have plenty of time to ponder.
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