some advice required

Two bodies is a good idea from gareth.
The show I did last weekend I had my K10D with my Sigma 24-70mm on it and my K20D had my 50-135 on. Plus when it got to the curtain call I put my 10-20 on the K10D so that I could get the whole stage with cast on it, yet still had the K20D and 50-135 for individual bows. If you can't stretch to a K-5 then the K-7 or even K-r will still be up to the task of second body for shows.

Another vote for the DA* 50-135mm but then I have never owned a FA77 or 85mm f/1.4...

The DA* and the K5 is likely to be a great combination I would think. I struggled a little the other week with my K20D because I didn't want to push the ISO higher then 800 (and even at 800 I'm not so happy).

I am slowly building up my K5 fighting fund.

K.

ok here goes I'm going to buy the 50-135mm f2.8 before Christmas and in the new year a new K-5.

would you sell the 70-200mm tamron or keep it.
I do have 2 K20's and the K100 witch I'm going to keep.

James

what is this about a mark on the sensor??

In reality I would keep the Tamron, even though you are going to get the 50-135.

Although you will have overlap, you will have different lenses for different circumstances.

The 50-135 will be perfect for studio and theatre, the 70-200 would in my opinion be better when you are out in the field so the speak, where that extra reach will come in more useful. Down the line if you sell the Tamron, you will think that I need more reach and end up paying for a DA* 200mm......

Sell one of your K20D's and the K100 to help pay for the K-5, so you end up with the perfect pair of K20D and K-5 to use.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the advice I will keep the Tamron then and sell the K20 and battery grip I do have a SMC DA 50-200mm F4-5.6 & SMC DA 55-300mm 4-5.8 as well, And I may sell them and buy a big mama also


going the the USA again next year and those gorillas are not going to be safe this time LOL (Not as sharp as I thought last time)

James

James,
How do you get on with the Tamron XR Di 28-75mm f2.8, in a low and changing light situation. (theatre situation etc)

Regards

Colin
The Tamron is excellent for low light photography I get good results
however I do shoot on a tripod I am just a bit short on the focal length where I'm aloud to shoot from that's why I need to upgrade.


James

I shoot gigs with 2 bodies 17-50mm on one 50-135mm on the other, I recently bought 80-200mm 2.8 but sold it as it was just too long a reach for gig work in theatres & arenas.

I regularly shoot at iso 1600 & reduce the noise in lightroom 3.2 however a couple of k-5s are looking a very attractive proposition.

To see what the da* can do check out my flickr stream below in my sig

I give my vote for two bodies. I bought a K10D as a 2nd body to my K20D and it saves a lot of lens swapping and missing shots on a shoot. I generally keep a complementary focal length lens on each body depending on the light. In daylight the K10D has the Sigma 135-400 on, while the K20D has the wide angle stuff.

In darker scenarios I keep my 01-17 fish on one and various on the other

if you do go down the 2 bodies route then try to get matching bodies. any time saved in not swapping lenses is lost trying to find your way around.

the k-5 & k-7 would be a great match as they are identical

I don't know if the OP does this for theatre work, but I always put my cameras in TAv mode, put it at 1/80 - 1/100 sec and F2.8, and let the camera set the ISO. Always works, and if you have a camera from the K20D onwards (K-7 K-5, or even the K10D at a pinch) most photos up to ISO2500 are very useable (except the K10D of course...LOL) and even at a pinch ISO3200 if small prints are required. Most of mine go onto a CD for the cast and keep them at 1800px at the long end should they wish to print them.