Ahh, Typically I post it on #29 and I'm made a veteran on #30...or maybe someone was watching

Not that I care at all what I'm called, but how does the new member / veteran thing work on this site?

I notice others who have been here less time than me are veterans so I assume it's on the number of posts, although some are only just over me.

Not jealous, just curious

As we all know, the 31mm has fantastic wraps here and across the world, however, as it's not a digital lens (and I understand the in's and out's of filling photosite wells etc), I'm wondering whether the DFA is going to give me a better image on the D. I'm assuming colour/contrast may be a touch better but the sharpness of the 31mm would be better.

Does anyone have both, or have experience with both the 31mm and other similar digital lens offerings on a digital body?

Thanks.

lol, so Arthur, are you happy with it on your "D" - this is my intention.

Thanks for the info everyone.

I have another question about this but I think it might deserve another thread...

You wouldn't have any more 31mm blacks left would you?
I think a silver one might look odd on my *istD.

Well, my name is...er... Phil Taylor (26 yr old) and I'm extremely paranoid about letting people know my name

I grew up in Tasmania, Australia and now live in Melbourne.
Currently (2006) doing a 3 yr science degree in Scientific Photography and hoping to end up in medical photography / opthalmic / whoever will take me!

Have worked in photography in a tree nursery, picture framing for a pano photographer and done a bit of surveying & drafting amongst other work.

I have a full belief that both film and digital have their place, and work with whatever suits the job.

Hobby photography interests are nature esp. landscapes, table top product type stuff.

My kit includes CF slik tripods, other manfrotto gear, Pentax *istD, MZ5n, P30, half made homemade 4x5 monorail, and a range of lenses to go with it all. I use a vosonic x-drive & old G3 powerbook when out & about. I also run a colorgetter drum scanner & old mac for fun.

My dream kit includes.....no, wont go there...

I have a wonderful wife Kate(23) and beautiful daughter Cassia (terrible2), Border Collie "Joella".

For those extra interested, I have a couple of credit cards which you're quite free to use, as they're always well in the red anyway.

Hmm, think that's enough, anything else, just consult big brother...no, not the TV show

throw away the diffuser, just use the canon lens, you may come out with similar results

Thankyou all very much for your replies, very useful, especially those on specific lenses.

I'd love to wait for the line-up coming out but unfortunately I must have the lenses, by March next year.

I've just finished my 1st year of a degree in scientific photography and we're moving into macro, and digital next year. Personally I'd rather spend the money on digital specific lenses, however the course requires us to use both. I could of course continue to use a sigma 28-80 lens on the fim body and spend money on the digi lens, but it means carrying more gear (and with a tripod, 2 bodies, range of lenses, monorail 4x5, and uni text books, it's getting rediculous).

For macro work I'll rarely be using my camera's metering, mostly it'll be with a minolta hand held meter, so stop down metering doesn't worry me anyway.

I think you've convinced me to stick with Pentax lenses anyway.
Just getting the right one is the issue - the 24-90 sounds reasonable.

thanks again, and any more reports on specific lenses are great.

For some reason, I tend to trust people here on quality recommendations then anywhere else, as most here have a good range, and longer experience...does that mean you're all old?

It's time for me to replace my standard zoom lens and buy a macro.

I'm continuously getting dissapointed by pentax's lack of standard zooms with a fixed aperture throughout the range, and while I'm not set on that being a major factor, I really struggle to know what will be a great lens as opposed to an ok lens.

I have a m 50mm 1.7 which is very nice so my other option is to get the 77mm limited - but is it really that good?

I'm not familiar with other brands other than sigma, and wouldn't get anything other than ex, unless it has superb write ups.

I need lenses which will work with full function on both MZ-5n and *istD.

Previously I had a FA28-80 3.5 - 5.6 which I was unimpressed with.

For macro I'm looking at the DFA 100mm 2.8, but wouldn't mind knowing if others prefer any sigma offerings.

In the end, I'm more worried about superb glass than speed of lens etc.

Also, I don't really know my budget yet, so I may opt for a manual macro, even screwmount and adapter; in the idea of spending more on my standard range.

Thanks for the help.

I should have added, I have a FAJ 18-35, although it's REALLY BAD

Yup, we use (b/f)sq'd

B = Bellows
F = Focal Length

And just in case you don't know, when focussing for macro, don't use the standard hyperfocal focussing, apparently you need to focus half way not a third into the subject. I have no reason for this, but it works on 4x5 film. We were taught this semester in studio table top photography (not macro but close to 1:1).

I'll have to investigate this.

EDIT

I don't think the (b/f)sq'd formula will work for a P67. It doesn't work on 35mm as far as I know, because 35mm lenses are complex in design: they have elements which refract the light at various angles to reduce the overall length of the lens.

The same would go for the P67 lenses (& 645 etc etc). When dealing with 4x5 cameras the lenses are far less complex (usually 3 or so elements) and a 1000mm lens has to be used at around 1000mm.

Hope this all makes sense, I'm not too good at explaining things (I'm a pictures person go figure).