Pentax Wide Angle

Wide angle lenses give massive fields of view (well, the ones you're contemplating buying do anyway), this is often detrimental to landscape shots as you tend to get large expanses of foreground and sky while the subject matter can seem tiny in comparison. WA lenses are very good for playing tricks with perspective and for interiors (estate agents love 'em because they make the smallest pokiest rooms look like banqueting halls) - they'll make all those imposing mountain ranges look like molehills on the horizon.

I don't shoot many landscapes personally (not usually my thing) but on the few occassions I do I like to use my FA43. The ever-so-slightly-telephoto field of view pleases my eye, but each to their own...

so do you think im better off sticking with my 18-55mm lens?
this is the effect im trying to create:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/melbrackstone/art/81142-11-splash

cheers

Without knowing what that scene looks like in "real life" I can't guess what focal length was used to create that (very nice!) seascape there, however, I'd be very suprised if your 18-55 couldn't produce something very similar in terms of the field of view. When taking shots like that it's fairly essential to keep your camera level to the horizon so I'd suggest trying it with the lens you have and satisfy your urge to buy more gear by splurging on something like this instead: http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=99125

Much cheaper!

there are complete threads on landscape photography here.
you could get a shot like that with your kits lens.
I use the 10-17 mm often. a shot like that would require having the horizon dead center of the frame. My 16-45 is the lens of choice for wide angle landscapes. but my 50 mm prime gets used more often.

if I were you, I'd grab a cir polarizer, a graduated nd filter or two, a cable release, tripod, and decide on a lens a little later...

if after you start getting the hdr shots down, and you find yourself in the feild wishing you had a wider lens, then you'll know for sure what you need.
the pentax 12-24, or sigma 10-20 or whatever fits that range, don't go fish-eye unless you really like the effect! While harder to use, I personally love it!

Excellent advice from you and don! i think ill buy one of these and bank the £300 , will the one youve pasted fit the k10d?
Im a newbie to all this and its all to easy to go out and spend lots of money and then regret it "spend in haste repent at leisure!!".

it's a standard hot shoe accessory so one size fits all.


Best way to establish that you want a new lens is to take photographs. If you keep slamming up against one end of your current lens's range and wishing you could go further, you might think about a lens purchase to extend your options in that direction.

If you can't visualise exactly what you would use the lens for, you don't need it.

At least, thats how I personally keep myself from spending every penny I have in SRS.

Lol, Cheers!