Advice Needed
Posted 18/06/2014 - 12:15
Link
Hello Mike, dont think we've met.
My walkabout is the 18-135. It's fairly compact and light. A little slow though. Can't afford a fast lens.
My walkabout is the 18-135. It's fairly compact and light. A little slow though. Can't afford a fast lens.
Steve
Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
Posted 18/06/2014 - 13:25
Link
Hi Mike
It's not clear whether you have used the lens on any other camera - if 'can't get on with it on my K20D' means you could get on with it on a different camera - then it may just be an adjustment is required?
If it is the DG macro f3.5-5.6 - it is a decent performer for the price but known to be a bit soft - especially at the long end.
Many options exist for a walk about - any everybody has a different opinion of what constitutes a walk-about. Budget is of course a major consideration - so to get any opinions of any use to you - it may be worth you saying what sort of price range you would be considering and what the main uses would be.
My preferred walk about lens is the Pentax DA 17-70
Carl
It's not clear whether you have used the lens on any other camera - if 'can't get on with it on my K20D' means you could get on with it on a different camera - then it may just be an adjustment is required?
If it is the DG macro f3.5-5.6 - it is a decent performer for the price but known to be a bit soft - especially at the long end.
Many options exist for a walk about - any everybody has a different opinion of what constitutes a walk-about. Budget is of course a major consideration - so to get any opinions of any use to you - it may be worth you saying what sort of price range you would be considering and what the main uses would be.
My preferred walk about lens is the Pentax DA 17-70
Carl
No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more
Posted 18/06/2014 - 15:34
Link
The K20D does have AF Fine adjustment - C Custom Setting: 35. AF Adjustment. Page 106 of the manual.
Posted 18/06/2014 - 20:42
Link
Its about 12 years old worked ok on my 2 old MZ30 films slrs and also istDL2. But have noticed that when its on the K20 the shots aren't quite sharp enough I don't know if its had a knock.
I've been thinking up to about £500 or so
it's a f3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom.
I'll try that JohnX.
Thanks guys
I've been thinking up to about £500 or so
it's a f3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom.
I'll try that JohnX.
Thanks guys
Posted 18/06/2014 - 20:49
Link
MHP 84 wrote:
Its about 12 years old worked ok on my 2 old MZ30 films slrs and also istDL2. But have noticed that when its on the K20 the shots aren't quite sharp enough I don't know if its had a knock.
I've been thinking up to about £500 or so
it's a f3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom.
I'll try that JohnX.
Thanks guys
With that budget - there are many decent options. What sort of range do you prefer?Its about 12 years old worked ok on my 2 old MZ30 films slrs and also istDL2. But have noticed that when its on the K20 the shots aren't quite sharp enough I don't know if its had a knock.
I've been thinking up to about £500 or so
it's a f3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom.
I'll try that JohnX.
Thanks guys
Carl
No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more
Posted 18/06/2014 - 20:54
Link
Probably the same sort of range maybe a bit less than 300 at the top end.
Posted 19/06/2014 - 07:40
Link
Hi Mike
If 17-70 or 18-135 are not long enough for you as a walk-about the options become more limited.
Assuming you do not want to lose the wide range by opting for something like the Pentax 55-300, you are really looking at the 18-250 or 18-270 range.
Lenses covering this range will always be a compromise to some extent and often display tendencies towards softness at the extremes compared to lenses dedicated to these distances. These days - I choose to use a combination of 2 or 3 lenses to cover this range.
That said, I have owned several 'mega-zooms' over the years including the Pentax , Tamron and Samsung versions of the DA 18-250s (all intrinsically the same lenses with different badges and coatings) and accepting the limitations this sort of lens will have - all performed well with the Pentax version just edging it for me - probably down to the front element coating being different to the other versions.
Discontinued for a few years now - good used examples can be picked up for between £200 and £300
If I were looking for a new lens of this range now- I would probably go for the Pentax SMC DA 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 SDM.
I have not used one personally but it gets good user revues and has been discussed on this forum and good reports received.
The downside of this lens was the price when it first came out a couple of years ago with a hefty £699 price tag. These days it can be picked up new for a little over the £400 mark from several retailers (£419 from our friends at SRS micro systems). I note there are a couple on ebay described as new/ demo models for just under the £400 mark.
Hope this helps
Carl
If 17-70 or 18-135 are not long enough for you as a walk-about the options become more limited.
Assuming you do not want to lose the wide range by opting for something like the Pentax 55-300, you are really looking at the 18-250 or 18-270 range.
Lenses covering this range will always be a compromise to some extent and often display tendencies towards softness at the extremes compared to lenses dedicated to these distances. These days - I choose to use a combination of 2 or 3 lenses to cover this range.
That said, I have owned several 'mega-zooms' over the years including the Pentax , Tamron and Samsung versions of the DA 18-250s (all intrinsically the same lenses with different badges and coatings) and accepting the limitations this sort of lens will have - all performed well with the Pentax version just edging it for me - probably down to the front element coating being different to the other versions.
Discontinued for a few years now - good used examples can be picked up for between £200 and £300
If I were looking for a new lens of this range now- I would probably go for the Pentax SMC DA 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 SDM.
I have not used one personally but it gets good user revues and has been discussed on this forum and good reports received.
The downside of this lens was the price when it first came out a couple of years ago with a hefty £699 price tag. These days it can be picked up new for a little over the £400 mark from several retailers (£419 from our friends at SRS micro systems). I note there are a couple on ebay described as new/ demo models for just under the £400 mark.
Hope this helps
Carl
No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more
Posted 19/06/2014 - 08:19
Link
The 18-250 and 18-270 are also available in their native 'Tamron' versions.
Since you want a 'walk about' lens, it's worth checking the weight of the lenses before you buy, as I personally find the weight of a lens increases exponentially in relation to how long I'm carrying it, especially when mounted on my K20D which itself is no light-weight. I found one answer was to upgrade the strap from the Pentax one.
Since you want a 'walk about' lens, it's worth checking the weight of the lenses before you buy, as I personally find the weight of a lens increases exponentially in relation to how long I'm carrying it, especially when mounted on my K20D which itself is no light-weight. I found one answer was to upgrade the strap from the Pentax one.
Posted 19/06/2014 - 08:37
Link
JohnX wrote:
The 18-250 and 18-270 are also available in their native 'Tamron' versions.
Since you want a 'walk about' lens, it's worth checking the weight of the lenses before you buy, as I personally find the weight of a lens increases exponentially in relation to how long I'm carrying it, especially when mounted on my K20D which itself is no light-weight. I found one answer was to upgrade the strap from the Pentax one.
John - although the 18-250 was available with a Tamron badge (owned 2 of them) unless I am mistaken - the 18-270 has never been released by Tamron in a Pentax mount.The 18-250 and 18-270 are also available in their native 'Tamron' versions.
Since you want a 'walk about' lens, it's worth checking the weight of the lenses before you buy, as I personally find the weight of a lens increases exponentially in relation to how long I'm carrying it, especially when mounted on my K20D which itself is no light-weight. I found one answer was to upgrade the strap from the Pentax one.
I agree that weight can be a consideration - and we will all have different views on what constitutes heavy.
One of my favorite lenses is my Tamron 70-200 and at 1.2kg - to me that is a heavy lens to have around your neck as a walk-about.
At a shade over 450g - I don't think the 18-270 would be a problem and it is about 10% lighter than the Sigma 28-300
Totally agree that replacing the strap can be more comfortable - I use a very comfy neoprene one - twice as wide as the standard Pentax strap.
Carl
No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more
Add Comment
To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.
5 posts
18 years
I have a Sigma 28-300 lens, it is fairly old and I can't get on with it on my K20D. The images aren't totally sharp.
Is that something that could be recalibrated or is it new lens time?
If that is the case what lens would people reccommend as a general walk about zoom?
Many thanks
Mike