I'm also delighted with this lens. I came to it via comments on this forum when I was looking for something fast and suitable for low light football games. I have the Sigma 70-300 which is fine for full light but my do the extra stops help as the floodlights come on! I also agree about the images being good enough to crop tightly.

I love using it with the TAv setting so I can keep tot eh dof and shuuter speed I want.

It is a lens to walk about with and get new options from previously visited places. Oh how you can play with dof!

I can only think that on the K20 it gains even more!

Whats this about it costing £1k now?

Thanks to Mike-P for the tip about convertors for the 50-135 DA*

Geoff

Just found out that the Kenko convertors (or any others for that matter) won't allow AF with this lens. Seems to eb the penalty we have to pay for the super smooth/fast focus mechanism.

You can't win them all!

Great news, am so glad it was that lens! I just got one today from SRS.

Hope I can get do half as well under poor lighting conditions.

Nice shots Cabstar -I can almost here the music in them! Which lens did you use?

Thanks for sharing
Geoff

I think we should keep challenging the electronic engineers of Pentax to keep thinking as diversely as is made possible by the technology that we take for granted.

I did smile, when reading through some of the comments above, to see people talking about being purists. Doesnt this speak volumes for how far the analogue/digital conversion has now progressed?

Pentax should take a bow at having combined so well the features of a computer with the pure handling feel of their DSLRs.

So if not face recognition what else would we like the camera to offer?

All in all a good discussion and one which celebrates the fact that we all want something different.

Geoff

Hi Sean

Welcome. I'm also quite new around here.

You've already mentioned something that interests me -seems you have experience with various third party lenses. This surely helps others to learn from your experiences with those lenses -especially those of us on tight budgets or with specific needs.

What sort of shots do you mostly take and are the lenses helping you?

I agree about the biting....I don't yet have any teeth marks from fellow forumites.

Have fun
Geoff

I think it could be worthwhile, as long as,

1 its quick
2 its would have to cope with multiple faces/evaluate DoF
3 you could turn it off easily

My views are skewed by problems with perfectly focused hordings at football games...and blurred players. I know its a shocking admission, and maybe its not so mnay shots really that get ruined like this, but they are always the ones you would have most hoped would have been sharp!!

Well thats the blue touch paper lit......

Cheers all
Geoff

Thanks for the explanation Hefty1. I'll certainly see how far the 135mm shoots -thats a sound bit of logic! I can see my plumping for the Pentax 50-135 because it certainly seems to be a favourite amongst the experienced guys on here.

I'm new to Pentax, but still loving every day I have the 10D in my hand.

Cheers, Geoff

Mike

Have to say that its floodlit/twilight sports that I need faster glass for. The 50mm wider end of the Pentax 50-135 sounds worthwhile for the closer action. At the moment I can't afford a second body so its a case of following the action - usually in TAv mode and hoping for the best compromise.

I think the Pentax lens is just top at the moment and am hoping someone on here will tell me that its sharp enough to allow for cropping to give an image simialar to what would have been captured at the 300mm end of my Sigma zoom.

What does the "*" mean with Pentax lenses?

Being spoilt for choice doesnt help!

Geoff