Seven Lenses

I don't hang out often over there, but I've not heard much if anything bad said about the 50-135 here.

The 16-50 certainly, seems to have had more than its fair share of SDM failures, although lots of people also seem to really like it too.

I've only heard good things about the 60-250 optically, though apparently it's very slow to focus - which seems a bit daft to me, for a longer lens. The sort of things you'd want one for (birds, aircraft, animals) are precisely the sort of thing you'd want fast focusing for. I've been quite impressed with the Bigma's focus speed so far, and that's a big beast, so no excuse IMO.

No personal experience of any of them - it would be good to get some really good statistical reliability information since of course, it's usually people's bad experiences that get the most airplay.

The other forum thinks that SDM is the lens equivalent of the black plague and will eventually destroy mankind.

Me .. I think it's a bit slow focusing.

True.. and over there have some very very vocal members, especially on DPR, PF have some crazies as well. The 50-135 is nearing legendary status I think, perhaps the best zoom on offer currently for a Pentax user.

Well, the seven I'd keep:

Sigma 30mm f1.4
Sigma 70-200 f2.8 HSM
Pentax FA 50mm F1.4
Zenitar 16mm Fisheye
Tamron 18-250mm
Sigma 24-135mm F2.8-4.5
Pentax 18-55mm WR

Also have:
Pentax A 50mm F1.7
Promaster Spectrum 7 70-300mm
Pentax FA 70-200 f4-5.6 powerzoom
Pentax DAL 18-55
Pentax FA 28-70 F4
Crappy 2x pka Teleconverter


I also have a Sigma 400mm F5.6 AF non-APO on it's way from Ebay.. no idea if it'd make the cut yet!

I think the only thing I really need is a fast short zoom, probably Tamron 17-50 f2.8. Might be on the Christmas list.

Top tip:

Never say how crappy most TCs are. I know they are, and pretty much all the regulars here know they are too. But you never know if your eBay buyer is lurking...



Don't say they're great, obviously, that would be evil. Say they're compact.

(I've just sold my last one... can you tell? )

Heh, to be honest that teleconverter was a £10 ebay special, with no expectation of quality. I think I got one or two half decent moon shots, and a couple of foggy looking small birds from distance, but I thought it might be nice to have just in case.
It is undeniably very small, sitting there in my camera bag, never to see light of day...

Robbie, Mike & Chris. It's not strictly true that they feel DA* zooms were forged in Hell but they definitely prefer primes. Here's the survey I ran over both forums a while back : link

My view on SDM and the other forum:

I strongly suspect that Pentax upgraded the SDM motor design in the 50-135mm, but the other forum contains a lot of early adopters who bought the earlier version (and naturally you will hear more about the failures than the ones still working).

I have the 50-135mm. SDM doesn't worry me, if it breaks I have the two year guarantee from SRS and after that I reckon EU consumer law offers some protection - a professional quality lens should be expected to work for at least five or six years!

Never take any notice of surveys tbh.

I have 16-50mm, 55mm, 60-250mm and have had the 50-135mm, 200mm and 300mm.

Probably tempting fate now but ... never had a problem with any of them and they are all over 2 years old now, the 16-50mm was even bought used from Ebay and was probably from the first batch made

Ok, let's have a try:

Zooms:
Pentax 12-24mm
Pentax 50-135mm
Sigma 100-300mm

Primes:
Pentax 31mm
Pentax a50 1.7
Pentax 77mm

I'll leave the 7th place open, maybe a 43mm? Or a 10-16?

Tbh I'd only need 3 lenses if I could have any.

Sigma 8-16
Pentax DA 14
Pentax DAL 40

I suppose I could throw the kit lens in the bag as well, purely for weather resistance, but if it stopped raining I'd be switching over pretty much straight away. Of those three, the 8-16 would get the most use, followed by the 14, with the 40 bringing up the rear. If they made a proper wide angle pancake (the DA21 just isn't small enough for me tbh) that'd end up being my walkabout lens.

15mm?

I have which I will include on my list
Sigma 10-20
Sigma 24-70 f2.8
Pentax 50-135
Pentax 60-250
Sigma 150-500

Amongst others I have the 16-45 and also the 18-55WR. I consider them interchangeable dependent on weather. If I had faith in the Pentax 16-50, then I'd replace them both with that and also probably sell the Sigma 24-70. But I don't, so I won't
I would also like a 1:1 macro to replace my Tamron 90mm f2.5 1:2, but I'm in no hurry. Have been considering selling my Pentax 55-300 to fund a second hand one.
Some day I might be able to afford the Sigma 300mm f2.8 with T/C. Then I'd consider that as a replacement for the 150-500

I'm not sure if the object is to be realistic as such but I'd rather think realistically than go for some lottery-winning fantasy. So... realistically, I'd have to say I'd start with the three 'core' zoom lenses I have at the moment and add from there. It would go something like this:

Already Have:
1) Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8
2) Pentax DA 55-300mm F/4-5.8
3) Sigma 8-16mm F/4.5-5.6

To collect:
4) Pentax DFA 100mm Macro F/2.8 WR
5) Pentax DA 70mm F/2.4
6) Pentax DA 18-135 F/3.5-5.6 WR
7) Pentax DA 10-17 mm F/3.5-4.5 Fisheye

Mainly looking at the 70mm for portraits, the 77mm F/1.8 would be even better but is probably a bit too pricey.

The 18-135 WR is a bit of a 'compromise' lens but probably the best option at the moment for an acceptable all-rounder that I can put on the K-5 and leave there on crappy weather days.

The fisheye is for pure fun and creative experimentation!

Not quite a pancake though, is it? Hell, it's bigger than the 21