By today's standards, the 28-80 is not "excellent". It is now quite old, and was not very expensive when new.

Zoom lenses have come a long way in the last 26 years, and I think this one will definitely be showing its age.

As for the Vivitar, if is not a Series One it is not going to set any pulses racing either.

However, if they are free, then you have nothing to lose. It'll be interesting to try them.

G

I think you mean a slightly "short" normal - in 35mm terms it is a 45mm lens.

Whilst I understand that the Sigma is an excellent lens, I should think that it is a bit wide for most portraits, and would therefore second the suggestions of a 40mm or the 43mm if the budget will stretch. If it won't, then the 1:2.4 35mm is going very cheap at the moment.

G

The Japanese economy. Ours has suffered unnecessary import costs.

G

K10D owns more than one brand, but is far from being anti-Pentax. I suspect if there were a 135-format Pentax and one or two longer lenses, he might give up his blunderbuss (I mean his cannon) entirely.

G

Nice, but not very sharp.

They might look better on here if you resized them to 800 wide, and then sharpened slightly.

G

I have heard people say that portrait sitters can be intimidated by the size of the 85mm. Certainly the 77mm is small and discreet, so it's better for "street photography" too.

G

I should be surprised if the new lens is cheaper than a second-hand F, but stranger things have happened. Might be a good time to sell older 50s, before the new lens arrives.

G

You're not Saint Bernard are you?

G

Actually, the market depends very much on the price. It's my view that lens manufacturers often over-price items which they deem (rightly or often wrongly) to be of little interest to the wider public.

And, of course, the high price puts off all but a few buyers, and apparently confirms the view that the market for the item in question is indeed very small.

But had the item been priced more reasonably, it might have sold in huge numbers, and been a lot more profitable as a result.

If this 560mm were to be priced at £300, I am sure it would sell in vast numbers, and yield a handsome return. But it won't be, of course. It'll be priced at £2,000, and very few people will buy one.

C'est la vie.

G

That's because you have to enlarge the digital image more.

G