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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-14-2016, 12:01 AM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-13-2016, 11:53 PM
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On my side, I don't miss the zoom but you have to be carefull that this is a more expensive route and it doesn't bring the same kind of experience.
I'll also add that while the picture quality is clearly improved that the subject, the composition, the choice of the good lighting, the choice of the right moment break or make the photo much more than the lens.
Having a set of primes only work if you take your time for your photos or you admit you'll not change lenses every 2 minutes meaning you'll miss some scenes. This is no issue for me, I can use the same prime for quite some time, but is it the case for you? I think keeping the same prime help to improve your photos and because I have no productivity constraint, I have no issue. But if you don't enjoy that way of shooting, you'll be frustrated.
Are you sure you are not going to miss that 18-135? the possibility to shoot a bit wider (18mm vs 21mm) or to shoot noticably longer (36-135mm ?).
I would strongly advise that you try before, take time to review the experience and depending of the result, decide what you do. I propose you to validate the model first with the 18-135, sticking to a focal length (for example 21mm) for quite some time. You could do an outing, one afternoon and restrict yourself to only 21mm and 35mm, avoid to change between the 2 focal length too often and see how you feel.
If that conclusive, you could buy 1 of the lenses and use it only for another outing or try it in your next trip but have the 18-135 as backup. Maybe the 2 lenses, but buy used so that if you are not satisfied you can resell almost at the price you paid for it.
To be noted, depending you'll also want in addition, a longer focal length for architectural details, portraiture, capture distant street scenes so that would be DA70/FA77 or something like that... But you don't have to buy it now, you can keep the 18-135 in the bag, use it for tele shots and use the DA21 or DA35 the rest of the time. But if you end up somewhat like me, look at my signature: DA15, DA21, DA35ltd, FA77, F135... That's going to cost not far from 2000€ even used. If you concentrate on the "essential" say DA21, DA35ltd and DA70, that would be still not far from 1000€ used and you might want the DA15 field of view (that brige picture you like !) or increase the reach (F135...). That's not the best way to save money. That's not issue if you agree with that, but not to be overlooked.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-13-2016, 04:15 PM
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I understand that and I'd say the 21 is great, but the best benefit is to have some tiny thing to cover the range when you go out with another one or 2 lenses like say 21, 35 and 77.
At 21mm, the 18-135 is going to work just fine. In difficult condition the 21 would win constrast/micro contrast and flare, but that's about it.
If you plan to have the 18-135 with you anyway, you gain more getting lenses that compliment you 18-135 rather than doing the same thing (framing/apperture).
The DA15 for example would be quite nice because 15mm bring more possibility than 18mm, and the lens as the best flare resistance and contrast ever. Would help quite a bit on some landscape/architecture shots.
One or 2 fast lenses would help for portraiture and low light, innexpensive there is DA35 f/2.4 or DA50 f/1.8, but if you want to get best quality, you'd want to look at DA70/FA77 for portraiture and FA31/FA35 for a wider field of view.
DA35ltd is a great lens for landscape. Extremely contrasty, very resistant to flare, punchy colors... And of course macro, nice for small objects, flowers and things like that. The thing is it isn't especially good for portraiture/people.
DA21
 IMGP4946 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
DA21
IMGP0778 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
DA21
IMGP4821 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
DA15
IMGP9434 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
DA15
IMGP9639 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
DA15
IMGP2544 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
DA35 ltd
Biking - Madrid by Nicolas, sur Flickr
IMGP0179 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
IMGP0130 by Nicolas, sur Flickr
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-13-2016, 03:42 PM
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People don't buy 4 time more expensive FA31 f/1.8 instead of FA35 f/2 just for the apperture difference, a mere 0.3stop ;)
There something more to the lens than pure sharpness. This is first and foremost the bokeh, the in focus - out of focus transitions that make the subject pop and the colors handling on top of good contrast and micro contrast.
I agree depending of your priorities and objectives, this might not be worth the trouble, but there definitely something to it.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-13-2016, 03:25 PM
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Usually I am happy with the DA15 ;) I find it is enough for most use and I think 16mm would do too.
This I guess is subjective but I don't feel the need to always have everything in the frame and to get an heavy lens for that. :) I agree that very time I felt I needed wider than the 21 and got the 15 for it. But that's about it :)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-13-2016, 03:20 PM
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The 21 ltd is a nice small lens. It can do basically everything. Proxy/Flowers, landscapes, indoor/outdoor, full body portrait and group portrait, street photography. The size is a great asset. The lens is not aggressive to subjects.
For the picture quality, the lense is sharp, but not extremely sharp. It has some field curvature. The good thing it has for it is the color rendering, constrast and flare resistance that are good.
The max apperture is nothing to rave about and the focal length quite common, but as I said, can be used for many, many things.
This is not a lens like the FA31 with excquisite bokeh and in focus/out of focus transitions, but it get the job done.
One could ask why you would get the DA21 if you already have a zoom lens like the 18-135 or maybe a 17-50... Well this is mostly a contrast/flare thing but to me the idea is for when you don't want to have the zoom with you anyway. If you walkaround with only 2-3 primes, the 21 can make itself very useful and is not very expensive, at least used.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-09-2016, 04:46 AM
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Honestly, I don't things other can vote for you, because this is subjective. What more important? Great sharp wide view or tele view (that can be cropped from the 85mm framing) ?
Do you prefer to shoot more wide or more tele ?
That (here DA15):
IMGP9614-HDR by Nicolas, sur Flickr
Or that (here F135):
 French riviera sunset - in explore - by Nicolas, sur Flickr
Couting that at 77 framing you could do that too ?
Red Sunset - French Riviera by Nicolas, sur Flickr
We are arguing focal length. The thing that depend of the subject, your preferences etc.
The thing is the 18-135 is also quite cheaper or for 16-85 money you could have tamron 17-50 + 55-300 and get more of everything basically. Larger apperture, more reach and 17mm not that far from 16 anymore... 55-300 long enough for a safari even if not perfect while neither 16-85 or 18-135 would do, and 17-50 great for events, indoor, low light and being quite sharp stopped down.
Reality is even if we remove the monetary aspect some people will prefer one solution or the other or even cumulate. I think norm has a 17-50 or some f/2.8 zoom and also a 60-250 on top of his 18-135...
On my side, I'll end up with 17-50 + 55-300 in a few months on top of my prime and decide what to take depending of the occasion...
If I was to choose the 18-135 and that was my only lens, I would think to get also a DA15 or a sigma 8-16 or pentax 12-24 one day or another.
if I was to choose the 16-85 and that was my only lens I would think to get something longer at least up to 135mm on the occasion. 55-300 or maybe the F/FA135...
In both case I'd want to compliment with some low light/bokeh capability so DA35 f/2.4, DA50, 17-50 f/2.8 or 24-70 f/2.8 or something along the lines...
And sure different people would prioritize differently.
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