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I know It’s late...

jaronjames
Posted 14/04/2018 - 01:22 Link
Hello everyone, and thanks for having me. Newish to Pentax, have a K1 after being a Sinar / Canon user for years as a photographer at The V&A, now freelancing...

Only realised yesterday that there was a UK Pentax forum, been posting on the US site for a while and getting replies all through the night!

So, whilst I’m saving for the 15-30 beast, I have a shoot in a few weeks involving large African textiles. Highly detailed, and shot from above using a ladder to get over them. I need a lens and I’ve spent hours and hours pouring over reviews everywhere, but they’re often contradictory on older lens.
Auto focus is useful but not essential.
A zoom is useful, but not essential as I’m happy to go up or down a ladder rung or two.
What is essential is image quality and edge sharpness as the frame will be more or less filled - think 35mm negative with the trim around it.

Last time I did this job, a 24mm was the widest I needed to go, so I’ve narrowed it down to:
1. Any SMC 24mm lens (would like an ‘A’ but scarce.
2. 24-35mm f.3.5
3. F 24-50 f.4

Does anybody know which is the sharpest up and down, corner to corner and side to side?!

Any hands on thoughts and facts appreciated. Maybe I can get some sleep then...

Night, Jaron
RobL
Posted 14/04/2018 - 08:33 - Helpful Comment Link
Welcome! Maybe see if you can hire a 15-30mm for the shoot from SRS Microsystems. An alternative approach could be a slightly longer lens and take multiple images to stitch together in Lightroom, that way you would end up with less distortion.
Edited by RobL: 14/04/2018 - 08:34
johnriley
Posted 14/04/2018 - 08:37 Link
Any of the lenses listed should be sharp enough stopped down to f/8 or so.

The alternative might be the SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm f/4 - not commonly found but not impossible to find a good example.
Best regards, John
Algernon
Posted 14/04/2018 - 10:50 - Helpful Comment Link
The Pentax 24's are soft at the edges especially on FF. Generally the Sigma 24mm f/2.8 is about the best and only about £70.

See this review. At the bottom is a link to a German Mag. test.

If you can use 35mm the Pentax DA 35m f/2.4 is very good for a cheap lens and it's AF.
Better still would be the FA version.

If you can manage with a 50mm the FA 50mm f/2.8 MACRO would be your best bet.




--
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi
Edited by Algernon: 14/04/2018 - 10:56
Pentaxophile
Posted 14/04/2018 - 12:18 Link
If you want to try the Sigma 24mm f2.8, I am thinking of selling mine. I'm thinking of asking £30 inc p&p. It's the manual focus version. It's not in amazing condition but still works great.
[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]
Edited by Pentaxophile: 14/04/2018 - 12:21
graevy
Posted 14/04/2018 - 12:22 - Helpful Comment Link
Note also that Lennybloke is selling a 24-50 here at the moment...
Edited by graevy: 14/04/2018 - 12:22
pschlute
Posted 14/04/2018 - 14:38 Link
This sounds like a situation where Pixel Shift would give you excellent results. Not sure how you are going to steady the camera up a set of ladders though !

Can you not hang the textiles vertically on a frame and then use a tripod to shoot normally using Pixel Shift ?

The V&A is my favourite museum by the way. I used to live not too far and was a regular visitor.
Algernon
Posted 14/04/2018 - 14:47 Link
Search Ebay for 'Skyhooks'

--
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi
RobL
Posted 14/04/2018 - 15:44 Link
Algernon wrote:
Search Ebay for 'Skyhooks'

--

No this the way:
Comment Image
jaronjames
Posted 14/04/2018 - 21:41 Link
Algernon wrote:
The Pentax 24's are soft at the edges especially on FF. Generally the Sigma 24mm f/2.8 is about the best and only about £70.

See this review. At the bottom is a link to a German Mag. test.

If you can use 35mm the Pentax DA 35m f/2.4 is very good for a cheap lens and it's AF.
Better still would be the FA version.

If you can manage with a 50mm the FA 50mm f/2.8 MACRO would be your best bet.

Thanks for this - I have the 50mm macro which I use for some of the smaller textiles. Think I'll just hire from SRS for now, no point wasting money if none of the 24mm primes are up to task...




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jaronjames
Posted 14/04/2018 - 21:42 Link
pschlute wrote:
This sounds like a situation where Pixel Shift would give you excellent results. Not sure how you are going to steady the camera up a set of ladders though !

Can you not hang the textiles vertically on a frame and then use a tripod to shoot normally using Pixel Shift ?

The V&A is my favourite museum by the way. I used to live not too far and was a regular visitor.

I certainly miss it, quite a place. I certainly miss the high level equipment!!
jaronjames
Posted 14/04/2018 - 21:44 Link
johnriley wrote:
Any of the lenses listed should be sharp enough stopped down to f/8 or so.

The alternative might be the SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm f/4 - not commonly found but not impossible to find a good example.

Yes, it's one my list although I thinkI'd rather put the £500 towards the 15-30. I hired it last month, amazing lens.
jaronjames
Posted 14/04/2018 - 21:59 Link
Pentaxophile wrote:
If you want to try the Sigma 24mm f2.8, I am thinking of selling mine. I'm thinking of asking £30 inc p&p. It's the manual focus version. It's not in amazing condition but still works great.

Thank you! I'll PM you...
jaronjames
Posted 14/04/2018 - 22:27 Link
Or, I think about a Samyang 24mm that I've just seen at a good price... argh
RobL
Posted 15/04/2018 - 12:32 Link
jaronjames wrote:
Or, I think about a Samyang 24mm that I've just seen at a good price... argh

I have a Samyang 24mm TS and it is very sharp, BUT no Samyangs have electronic connections to the body so manual focus only.

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