Lens Advice, please?

RayB
Posted 24/04/2011 - 08:52 Link
Morning all

I'm off to Mongolia for a month later in the year and am in a quandry over what to take.

In the collection I've got the 18-55 and 50-200mm WR's, the 10-17mm fish eye and the 170-500mm Sigma.

Should I take the F/E as well or purchase either;

14mm f2.8 ED IF
15mm f4.0 ED AL
35mm f2.4 DA
35mm f2.8 DA Macro

Or is there something else out there that would be ideal that I've overlooked?

There will be lots of landscape opportunities as well as everyday stuff. Although I've had the f/e a while, I'm not convinced that it will really come into it's own, however; I could be wrong!

Any comments/advice welcome.

Other kit being taken is the K5, DLII and a shed load of batteries!!!
Mike-P
Posted 24/04/2011 - 09:15 Link
A macro of some description seems to be missing from your lineup so I would prob go for a 35mm LTD.
Edited by Mike-P: 24/04/2011 - 09:16
royd63uk
Posted 24/04/2011 - 09:31 Link
take the fisheye definitely and i agree with Mike a macro lens would add to you lineup.
regards
Roy

Pentax K3 gripped,and some lenses
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pentaxroy/

my pbase gallery
rparmar
Posted 24/04/2011 - 12:52 Link
What do you like to shoot? You mention landscapes and "everyday stuff" -- would that be street portraits? I don't think there's any reason to buy a special lens for Mongolia unless you want weather sealing for the dust. Instead, buy a lens that will be generally useful for how you like to shoot.

Do you like to shoot auto-focus or manual? Auto-aperture or manual? Those questions will dictate whether some older bargain lenses might meet your needs.

How important is ultimate IQ? From your line-up I am guessing that you prefer to have your options open rather than spend a lot on the "ultimate" IQ.

How much do you want to carry? One or two light lenses can do a fine job while leaving you more free to concentrate on the experience of the trip. or would you prefer to be documenting everything? How many bodies will you take?

And finally, what is your budget? Again, from your line-up I am guessing it is moderate. Otherwise you would already own both DA* zooms and would have no questions.
Listen to my albums free on BandCamp. Or visit my main website for links to photography, etc.
rparmar
Posted 24/04/2011 - 12:55 Link
Oh yeah, I have an entire article on this topic which I hope will be helpful.
Listen to my albums free on BandCamp. Or visit my main website for links to photography, etc.
DrOrloff
Posted 24/04/2011 - 13:43 Link
I would take a wide non fish eye.
Frogfish
Posted 24/04/2011 - 19:44 Link
I have no idea why people think a macro would be a good lense to take to Mongolia. We are talking wide wide open spaces on the plains, lakes, rivers, people for sure, horse-riders, congested chaotic cities / towns and possibly temples.

If it were me I'd be taking a Sigma 10-20 (or similar Pentax / Tamron), your 18-55 and your 50-200. And you've got it covered. You may also need a wide low light lense (I'd suggest one of the Sigma line-up of 24/1.8 or 28/1.8 (which is a macro too !) or 30/1.4) as you will be in plenty of poorly lit environments, possibly even inside a yut. Take lots of batteries, a CPL filter and SD cards plus your tripod.
http://frogfish.smugmug.com/ Pentax. Pentax DA*300/4, Cosina 55/1.2, Lens Baby Composer Pro & Edge 80, AFA x1.7, Metz 50 af1.
Nikon. D800. D600. Sigma 500/4.5, Nikon 300/2.8 VRII, Sigma 120-300/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 21/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 35/2.0, Sigma 50/1.4, Nikkor 85/1.8, Nikon TC20EIII, Nikon TC14EII, Kenko x1.4, Sigma 2.0
Edited by Frogfish: 24/04/2011 - 19:47
Dr. Mhuni
Posted 24/04/2011 - 19:58 Link
Get the 15. It's small and perfect for travel. It also has excellent IQ, particularly when stopped down. A non-fishy ultra-wide is definitely what you'd be missing IMO.
Mhuni

500px
Don
Posted 24/04/2011 - 20:49 Link
Frogfish wrote:
I have no idea why people think a macro would be a good lense to take to Mongolia. We are talking wide wide open spaces on the plains, lakes, rivers, people for sure, horse-riders, congested chaotic cities / towns and possibly temples.

If it were me I'd be taking a Sigma 10-20 (or similar Pentax / Tamron), your 18-55 and your 50-200. And you've got it covered. You may also need a wide low light lense (I'd suggest one of the Sigma line-up of 24/1.8 or 28/1.8 (which is a macro too !) or 30/1.4) as you will be in plenty of poorly lit environments, possibly even inside a yut. Take lots of batteries, a CPL filter and SD cards plus your tripod.
I live in Hell....I mean Manitoba. We have farms bigger than some countries. You see one farm you've seen them all.
My macro gets used way more often than my wide angles around here... the closer you look, the more beauty you find... around here anyways, a close up of a prairie crocus is way more interesting than the wide open expanse of prairie you found it on....
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
Edited by Don: 24/04/2011 - 20:50
Frogfish
Posted 24/04/2011 - 20:55 Link
But you live there Don .. not just visiting ! And by the sounds of it Mongolia's wide open spaces and horse riding herders are far more fun than Manitoba !
http://frogfish.smugmug.com/ Pentax. Pentax DA*300/4, Cosina 55/1.2, Lens Baby Composer Pro & Edge 80, AFA x1.7, Metz 50 af1.
Nikon. D800. D600. Sigma 500/4.5, Nikon 300/2.8 VRII, Sigma 120-300/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 21/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 35/2.0, Sigma 50/1.4, Nikkor 85/1.8, Nikon TC20EIII, Nikon TC14EII, Kenko x1.4, Sigma 2.0
Don
Posted 24/04/2011 - 21:01 Link
Frogfish wrote:
But you live there Don .. not just visiting ! And by the sounds of it Mongolia's wide open spaces and horse riding herders are far more fun than Manitoba !
well it does have it's ups and downs... now that it is finally warm enough to break out the motorcycle... on the one hand, it is damn near impossible to scrub the chicken strips off the edges of the tires, so you wind up getting a flat spot in the middle... but on the other hand, there's 15, un-patrolled roads near my house where you can bounce the needle off the rev limiter in sixth gear..... not many places in the mountains where you can do that on a litre class sportbike....
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
Edited by Don: 24/04/2011 - 21:01
Frogfish
Posted 24/04/2011 - 21:04 Link
Don wrote:
but on the other hand, there's 15, un-patrolled roads near my house where you can bounce the needle off the rev limiter in sixth gear
Worth living there for that alone ! I picked up 11 speeding tickets here last year ! Only one so far this year
http://frogfish.smugmug.com/ Pentax. Pentax DA*300/4, Cosina 55/1.2, Lens Baby Composer Pro & Edge 80, AFA x1.7, Metz 50 af1.
Nikon. D800. D600. Sigma 500/4.5, Nikon 300/2.8 VRII, Sigma 120-300/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 21/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 35/2.0, Sigma 50/1.4, Nikkor 85/1.8, Nikon TC20EIII, Nikon TC14EII, Kenko x1.4, Sigma 2.0
Edited by Frogfish: 24/04/2011 - 21:04
cintelli67
Posted 24/04/2011 - 21:07 Link
Well , I suppose you have to travel light as much as possible. I would sell both the WR lenses and buy a second hand Sigma 28/70 2,8 and 70/200 2,8. I will take with me the wide zoom and a light manfrotto tripod.You will cover 90% of the possible pictures. In case you want to be sure add a 2x multiplier. I would bring even a grip for the K-5 with the possibility to use 6xAA batteries in case you run out of energy. A data-storage or few 32GB class 10 SD will help.
I would bring even a dust collecter .... not a blower but one with electrstatic capacity.

Ciao

Alberto
Frogfish
Posted 25/04/2011 - 20:24 Link
cintelli67 wrote:
Well , I suppose you have to travel light as much as possible. I would sell both the WR lenses and buy a second hand Sigma 28/70 2,8 and 70/200 2,8. I will take with me the wide zoom and a light manfrotto tripod.You will cover 90% of the possible pictures. In case you want to be sure add a 2x multiplier. I would bring even a grip for the K-5 with the possibility to use 6xAA batteries in case you run out of energy. A data-storage or few 32GB class 10 SD will help.
I would bring even a dust collecter .... not a blower but one with electrstatic capacity.

Ciao

Alberto
The Tamron 28-75 is not only a better lense than the Sigma .. it's lighter too !
http://frogfish.smugmug.com/ Pentax. Pentax DA*300/4, Cosina 55/1.2, Lens Baby Composer Pro & Edge 80, AFA x1.7, Metz 50 af1.
Nikon. D800. D600. Sigma 500/4.5, Nikon 300/2.8 VRII, Sigma 120-300/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 21/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 35/2.0, Sigma 50/1.4, Nikkor 85/1.8, Nikon TC20EIII, Nikon TC14EII, Kenko x1.4, Sigma 2.0
cintelli67
Posted 25/04/2011 - 20:34 Link
Tamron is ok as well .... I never used the 28-75 but all the other Tamrons I had in the past were estremely good.
And if it is lighter even better.

Ciao

Add Comment

To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.



Proudly supporting Pentax User

Samsung Logo Asahi Pentax Logo