Lenses and the K5

Okay, there's been a lot said about lenses - but that's the problem. Reviews saying this or that is the best ever, are blasted by one saying same lens is complete rubbish. I've got the P 55-300mm which I like a lot, but need others - prime, wide angle, portrait...whatever. I've spent so long looking that funds are now an issue. I know I'm asking 'how long's a piece of string', but I'm tired of surfing and wasting time looking. Any tips please?

Hi Pammo - welcome to the forum.

I too get rather jaded when it comes to reviews.

One thing you could try is to ask more specific questions here. There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum.

It really depends on what you want to do. The 55-300 covers a good range, but if you want wider then there are a number of relatively cheap options.

A suggestion - get hold of the 18-55 kit lens and use it for a while to see what the wider end of things does for you. It is readily available for just a few quid since many people upgrade, but it gives very good quality and flexibility for the price. Once you become aware of its limitations you can consider what to buy next.

Hi, other than the 55-300, I do have a kit 18-55 but would like to upgrade. As I've yet to specialise in most categories, could do with something in range of between 10 to 50mm, maybe pancake. Portrait, landscape and macro - but at the moment I could only aford one. I know it's subjective, but I'm getting nowhere fast.

You need to be very specific, both in understanding your needs and asking questions. The more specific, the better advice people can give you. Some basic considerations you need to think about:

* how much fund? - the most important thing

* for what purpose/purposes? - 2nd most important thing

* prime vs zoom?

* maximum dimension / weight? - e.g. I personally would not consider any 70-200mm lenses because they are too big and heavy

* IQ tolerance? - e.g. I found FA 50mm at f1.4 to be way too soft but some like the dreaminess.

* IQ compromise?
e.g.(1) When I buy a fast lens (f2.8 or better), I want to use it wide open so sharpness wide open is more important i.e. I prefer a lens that is sharper wide open (within the acceptable sharpness zone - see IQ tolerance above) even if its maximum sharpness is not as good as the alternatives.
e.g.(2) I found chromatic aberrations to be the most difficult to fix in post so I prefer a lens with less CA even if it has below average vignetting and barrel/pin-cushion distortion.

* Manual or Auto Focus? - MF is cheaper than the AF equivalent but less convenient. Purists prefer MF.

If you can think about those considerations and post it here, I bet people will be able to give you much better advices.

Thanks guys. That's great. The breadth and concise info is perfect. I'll start checking things out again. I guess I could go £500 and have a preference for sharp, clear landscapes but would like to try portarits and also macro. I've purchased a very cheap bolt-on macro/fisheye and am having lots of fun with that. Once again thanks.