I can't comment on either of these lenses because I have no experience of them.

What I do know however is that they are not known as 'fixed aperture' lenses. The correct term is 'constant aperture', that is if the lens is set to f11 at one extreme of it's zoom range, it will remain at f11 throught the entire range.
The term 'fixed aperture' applies to lenses like the various 500mm mirror lenses which have their aperture fixed at f8, or similar, and can only be changed by the addition of ND filters.

BTW: The SMC Pentax DA* 16-50mm 1:2.8 lens is a constant aperture zoom lens and produces excellent results.

im a woman and i know all[/quote]I'm a man and I know that women are often mistaken in thinking that they know it all. [/quote]I'm also a man and I know enough to never argue with a woman that says she knows it all....[/quote]

One can be a bit brave hiding behind the interweb

im a woman and i know all[/quote]I'm a man and I know that women are often mistaken in thinking that they know it all.

Are you really happy with the minimal comments of just one person when with a bit of effort on your part you could have had constructive comments from many many more? Some of whom have been in this business for years.

Oh, sorry, this is your idea of fun, isn't it.

1: You were more than a little vague.
2: Nobody did answer your original post.

AT least now you know why.

Thanks for dropping in webba.

So is that a Hot Shoe Adapter F you have between the Hot Shoe Grip and the Samsung flash?

I didn't mention that configuration . . . because I didn't think of it.

The Synch Cord B plugs directly into the AF500FTZ and AF540FGZ flashes but with your configuration you could use any old flash.

One thing I forgot to mention is that there are two types of these flash brackets. One is rigid plastic, but not rigid enough. The other is aluminium and much stronger and very rigid.

Amazon, are you mad? Have you never heard of SRS Microsystems?

With free postage to forum members too. There, see, I've saved you better than £60 already.

If you are patient, you can probably pick up an AF500FTZ flash for less than £100. I'd say that's as versatile a flash as you are likely to need. It's not P-TTL capable, only TTL and manual, but it'll teach you manual flash control for sure and coupled with the other items I mentioned above, it makes a formidable and versatile hammerhead gun.

With the AF540FGZ flash, you'll have a P-TTL hammerhead.

ANother option is to use an AF360FGZ in wireless P-TTL mode. The Hot Shoe grip will still need modifying but you won't need any cables as long as your camera can do wireless flash using the onboard flash as a master or controller.

I think it's one of Pentax's finest lenses and I'll not part with mine.

If you can get one for a good price, buy it, you'll not be disappointed, guaranteed.

If you don't need the speed of an f2.8 lens, consider the DA* 60-250mm f4 option, it's a cracker and every bit as good IQ as the 50-135mm but with extra reach at the expense of low light performance.

If you are familiar with the Pentax AF400T hammerhead gun, you can make one that is very similar, and far more sturdy than your proposed options above. You haven't said what flash you have, but . . . .

What you could use, is:-

1 x Pentax Hot shoe grip
1 x Synch cord F
1 x Hot shoe adapter F
1 x Flash bracket and collar from an AF400T flash (mine came with one)

The above gear will work with an AF500FTZ or AF540FGZ, but the hot shoe grip needs a modification in the form of a hole being drilled where the digital pin would otherwise short to ground.

If you have an older TTL flash, like the AF280T, the Hot Shoe grip needs no modification, but will require this 4P synch cord B cable instead of the hot shoe adpater and the cable listed above.

The flash bracket in your link is very flimsy. I have the twin flash bracket made by the same people in the same materials etc.

The downside is, it will probably take you some time to find all the parts I've listed, but it will last a lifetime.

Those images are impressive Gwyn, and put my effort to sahme, and shot with a Canon too, but why ISO400 and shutter speeds of 1/500 and 1/1000 ? ? ?

I think her ID skills are about as good as mine though. The Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) is more brown than green, but the Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium) nymph is green, brown when adult. My image, whatever it is, would appear to be at the nymph/juvenile stage of its development and the eyes are definitely similar to the creature that I know as the Egyptian grasshopper.

In any event, whatever it is, it ain't eating any more of my orange tree leaves. The leaf burrowing varmints and grasshoppers/locusts have had all they are going to have.