I can't part with the DA 17-70

After recently acquiring a DA12-24mm and a couple of primes (Da 35mm F2.4 & FA 50mm 1.4) I had every intention of selling my DA 17-70...having been out with it today though I've decide it's just too good to be without, it really is a terrific landscape lens - the colour/contrast certainly seems a match for the 2 primes, I'm even tempted to say that it actually betters them.

Oh well, after all the deliberation about starting to use primes I think I'm back where I started - I may even sell the DA35mm F2.4 & just keep the 50mm F1.4

Simon

Get some DA Ltd's Simon! It's the only way you'll better it!
Honestly though the 17-70 seems to be belter, I only didn't get one because I knew I wouldn't take it off the Camera (It's a Laziness and discipline thing with me!). I have found that most of my Lanscapes seem to fall into the realms of the 21mm ltd with a few for the 15mm and fewer still for the 40/70mm. You have almost all these focal lengths in one Lens so why part company with such a Jewel?:arrow: 12-24 is a very good Lens also, a little less micro contrast than the 15 Ltd but kills it 12-14mm

Interesting comments, when i started i thought the 12-24 was THE obvious landscape lens, I now know it isn`t
Still would not sell the 12-24 though.

Davex

Despite getting all those Ltd's I too miss the 12-24mm for it's Image quality and versatilty even though I only had it for a short time. My little Ltd's fear the 17-70 too:arrow:

I love my DA17-70 as well Incredibly useful range.
Utterly stonking image quality, and the bokeh is one of my favourites!
With the K7 in low light I've even been using the 17-70 instead of the 50/1.4

My only niggle is that it's not as tough as other lenses. When extended to 70mm the zoom mech is susceptible to damage (mine got crunched on the end by one of my kids!). So, look after it - twas tough being without it during repair

Matt

Unless you actually need the money, why sell any of them?

The DA 35mm f2.4 is absolutely brilliant as a compact standard lens, while the 17-70mm is more flexible but larger. So that's one for when you stuff a camera in your pocket before going into town and one for when you're actively going out to take photos.

I see what you're saying but I don't really find the size of the 17-70 a problem as the K20D body is pretty hefty anyway, I always end up taking my backpack.

I've just picked up a Tamron 18-250 too which I'll be taking along when IQ isn't 100% critical

I wonder if the 18-135 will steal some souls.

Probably but I think mainly due to the increased range & WR - I don't own it so can't compare but from what I've seen so far I don't think IQ is quite as good as the 17-70, it certainly seems to exhibit a fair bit more CA too.

I thought about buying the 18-135 but for me the range, whilst better than the 17-70, isn't so significant as to not need a telephoto too, unlike the tamron/pentax 18-250 which from a range point of view is a much better walkabout option.

I'm sure WR would come in useful from time to time but during my 3yrs with a DSLR I've never really felt the need for it - that's whilst living in Wales too!!

Have you tried walking around with one of these ?? I thought it would be a good ONE lens solution, but it drove me nuts ! really BAD zoom creep !!

You have to keep it locked all the time.

So DA18-135 + DA55-300 solved my problems

Yes, it's not exactly a great "feature", no doubt I'll keep forgetting to take the lock off.

I have the DA55-300 too and it's excellent but I wanted to reduce the lenses I carry around when travelling as I always take the DA12-24 too so my travel kit is now DA12-24, 18-250, FA50mm 1.4 - the DA17-70 is my main landscape lens together with the 12-24.

I carry 18-135 + 55-300 ! does all I need and not too heavy

That's what I was originally going to take to Spain but somehow the 100mm macro, Raynox DCR-250 and Sigma 12-24mm found their way in the bag as well.

Having bought the DA12-24 just before my trip to China last year I found it invaluable, not only is it good for landscapes but brilliant too for architecture, now I won't travel without it - it's that which prompted me to look for streamlining elsewhere so I'll be compromising on the 17-70+55-300 & taking the 18-250 instead, the 18-135 unfortunately won't allow me to do this.

It's a pity that Pentax didn't develop the 18-250 further, adding WR & DC, but I guess they had to pay Tamron a substantial amount of cash so went with their own more limited range option instead.