Lens purchasing dylema, help before I drive my wife mad!
Jack.
Buy my Bigma your wife will love it and you'll be a happy chap
Jack.
It would stop her moaning about me pinching her spotting scope
it's hard to give you advice on lenses if you don't know what to get yourself or what you want to shoot with it.
What do you mostly photograph then or what lens do you sue the most?
it's hard to give you advice on lenses if you don't know what to get yourself or what you want to shoot with it.
I currently photograph Landscapes and Wildlife , however I tend to pick these subjects because if fits with my other hobbies. My desire is to become a better all-round photographer rather than a mediocre landscape photographer. Since joining the forum I have had quite a bit of opportunity to try areas I would not normally consider, portraits and so on. My current frustration is that anything I produce is very soft and lacking in punch and feels as though I need better kit before I can move on. It's like listening to a music student on a beginners clarinet, they can only go so far until they are limited by the instrument.
Or I'd substitute the 17-50mm with a Pentax/Samsung 35mm f2 or the 35mm Da f2.8 macro. Depends if your a zoom or prime guy I guess.
https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/
Have you ever worked with a prime lens before.
A second-hand 50mm 1.7 for his DOF is a nice lens to play with or maybe a macro lens?
This one is done with the DFA 100mm macro
Model:
PENTAX K10D
Shutter Speed: 1/8 second
Aperture: F/3.5
Focal Length: 100 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Here is the full size link
Keep in mind though that it's 1/8 second at 100mm so I moved a bit
This one illustrate what the lens (and camera) can better but the subject is very boring, this one is unprocessed I believe link
If your "out in the hills quite a lot" do you realise the 50-500 weighs in at around 2Kg.
I'm a 50 year old fat knacker and I don't have too much bother with the weight of the big Sigmas. I have a Lowepro Flipside 400, and can happily wander around all day with the K20, 150-500, DA*300, DA*60-250, 18-50, DFA 100 and a 50gm pouch of Old Holborn. (Probably not a combination I would choose).
As I found in my earlier life on Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, you can carry a lot more if it's correctly stowed.
If your "out in the hills quite a lot" do you realise the 50-500 weighs in at around 2Kg.
That is one reason why I'm hesitating about the 50-500 It would only get used on days that i go wondering round the country park
Thank you Graham, it's still very open though.
Have you ever worked with a prime lens before.
A second-hand 50mm 1.7 for his DOF is a nice lens to play with or maybe a macro lens?
I have considered this Macro link it looks a very good price but and still unsure about this one.
Stefan, RR, and Dougf8 have all mentioned primes but again I'm not quite sure what I would get for my money and what to look at. This is my one frustration with Pentax products, it's near on impossible to wander into a shop and try Pentax lenses.
It's a bit difficult to recommend a lens when you don't seem to be sure what you are after.
Saying that, the DFA100 macro is proving to be a stunningly good lens, with blisteringly sharp images and cheap (49mm) filters, given that you can get one at about three fifths of the street price and you do not have a macro lens, it strikes me as a no brainer.
Re that snake Stefan, you would not have managed to get me that near to it.
Go up to 50mm DFA Macro, you get into portrait territory but you start to loose the landscape. Still f2.8 good for shallow depth of field. Good for macro another 1:1.
The suggestion of the 50mm f1.7 at a reasonable price is not a bad idea as you can try out a prime without breaking the bank.
Also look at Pentax pricing. 2nd hand prices have firmed up with Pentax nearly doubling their prices. You could buy 2nd hand with little loss if you sell up soon after.
I would nail down one thing you want to do and aim for that.
Search the photos here or flikr for example images from the lenses on your shortlist.
(you could post your 9 fave images here and get suggestions on your best choices to produce them)
Add Comment
To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.
1347 posts
14 years
Somewhere at the back of my mind
I think I would start with a 50mm 1.7 "A".....a great lens....oh so sharp,great for portraits and general around the house stuff!....
There is a realy good example here
Shameless plug.
Well I am now watching your post