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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-06-2013, 12:06 PM  
Expensive primes vs. budget zooms…personal experiences and advice
Posted By todd
Replies: 48
Views: 5,984
Gotcha. Well said. The mention of Hasselblad and pinhole makes me want to say that yes the gear does make the photographer at least to some extent... Pinhole for example seems to funnel the photographer into such a specific realm of stylistic expression. I am guessing that could get me into trouble, so maybe a safer way to say it is that the two are inseparable? :)
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-06-2013, 09:16 AM  
Expensive primes vs. budget zooms…personal experiences and advice
Posted By todd
Replies: 48
Views: 5,984
Unless you have the money and feel like splurging. (I'm being redundant so I promise to stop after this...) I didn't even remotely need it at its price but I am so glad I splurged on the FA31. I went out yesterday to a Cinco De Mayo festival on a cloudy day here and took tons of shots and the IQ was blowing me away all day. In the mix was probably my favorite shot of my family (just sitting together on a bench) that I've ever acquired. The more I shoot with this lens the more I feel like I am drinking a fine wine that I am learning to appreciate with all its subtly and it may not be improving my photography but it has way improved my photography experience...
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-05-2013, 10:12 AM  
Expensive primes vs. budget zooms…personal experiences and advice
Posted By todd
Replies: 48
Views: 5,984
I am not discounting anything you've said, and I agree with the above, nevertheless in my interpretation of what Ash said, certain lenses have certain qualities that make them unique, and that make them desirable aka popular and unfortunately expensive.

I am no expert by a long shot, but I've yet to see any relatively fast lenses that don't have some PF issues. (If there are some I'd love to know about them...) As Rondec said, PF is not a big deal.

Technical and cost arguments aside, just spend a few minutes scrolling through a hundred or two of these shots and see if you don't recognize anything special about what the 77 can do. Not to say that other lenses at varying costs can't do this and aren't special in their own ways... And what do I know I may be wrong or snowed, but it's my honest opinion just based on the results I've seen, the 77 is a special and desirable lens.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-04-2013, 09:59 PM  
Expensive primes vs. budget zooms…personal experiences and advice
Posted By todd
Replies: 48
Views: 5,984
I just thought I'd throw my cents in since I've been through my own journey in this too. I started hobbying in early 2008 when a friend started showing me the stuff he was doing with his Canon Rebel. I did my online research and picked up a K100D then right before I went on a trip to China, Javier (well known member here) loaned me a Tammy 70-300 for the trip. I barely knew enough but had the time of my life shooting on that 2 week trip. Got back from that buzzing then a couple months later got an FA50/1.4 for $200. During the summer of 2008 my wife's business died when the recession hit full tilt and from then on my income alone we went through seriously tight financial times that are still really tight to this day for the most part except for some spurts of extra income that came last year and this year. After the Fa50 in 2008, I hadn't spent more than $20 on a lens and I was happy to just enjoy what I had. I suddenly came into enough money last year to get a k-5, a DA15 and a DA35/2.4 all at the same time! Hog heaven baby!

This year I got an unexpected $3,600 bonus at work and I was torn because of the practical demands I should have spent the money on, but I got permission from the wife to be ridiculous and spend $1000 of it on whatever I wanted. I debated for some time and ultimately decided on an FA31 that I spent $950 on and received in early April. It was a tough decision but here was some of my rationale for the purchase:

I do photography for fun as a hobby.
I knew from my experience shooting that around 28mm is my favorite APS-C focal length for general all around shooting, especially family oriented stuff. This factor helped me justify the expense because I wagered that no matter how well I do photography or not, my family will appreciate the images down the line. At close to the 28mm length, I knew the 31 length would be fun and therefore help me to want to keep shooting. There aren't too many AF options in this general focal length. I of course debated hard about just getting the Siggy 30 and then being able to get at least one additional lens.... The 31 eventually won when I just decided if money weren't a factor which lens would I want. I debated about the FA35 too but I already knew I wanted something wider than 35 and faster because I have the DA35/2.4 (which I really like, and my 14yo daughter uses it a lot on my K100D)
I knew from my experience looking at tons of shots online that the FA31 gave really pleasing results to my eye in all regards.
I wagered that even if I decided that it was a relative mistake, I could most likely recoup a significant portion of my investment and then try a different route.
I knew that by spending that much money on one lens, it would make me try really hard to get my money out of it.
I do photography for fun as a hobby, and I only live once. I knew that this lens wouldn't make me a better photographer but I really enjoy the process of doing photography and knew that I would enjoy the heck out of this lens.
I do hope that Pentax eventually goes full frame (and that I'll get another spurt of income to acquire), but even if it doesn't, I have an ME Super I am intending to learn how to use and the FA31 will be fun there too no doubt.
There are probably more factors I would add if I had more time but I am being summoned by family.

I've been really enjoying the heck out of the 31 and have no regrets. I've noticed them selling for as "low" as $850 here on the forum since I got mine, but I had to get mine when I did because that money would surely have been sucked into bills had I tried to wait...

(I really want the FA77 too. I wow over just about every image I see posted from that lens and hopefully one day I will be able to own a copy. )
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