what lens are you using for Pentax *istDL?

[old.fogey]

hi all,

what lens do you guys have for ur Pentax DSLR? what would you guys recommend as a walk-around lens.
Also, any idea where can i get pentax kit lens (DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL)? TIA!!

[airconvent]

the shops in funan do sell the 18-55mm lens. it cost around $200.
quite a good lens but I would recommend the Sigma 18-200mm instead for balance of wide view and telephoto coverage. its a little heavy for a walk around but hey, photography is always about compromises!

[fengwei]

You can get the kit lens off eBay quite cheap, mostly less than US$60, plus shipping, you still save alot

Another suggestion is to get the Sigma 18-125, a decent lens with longer coverage than the kit lens. And of course the 18-200 is a good option too, if you prefer that kinda super zoomy

For myself, I like to use prime lenses. I prefer zooming with my legs as much as possible The only two zoom lenses I have are DA16-45 and DA50-200

[airconvent]

Originally Posted by fengwei You can get the kit lens off eBay quite cheap, mostly less than US$60, plus shipping, you still save alot Another suggestion is to get the Sigma 18-125, a decent lens with longer coverage than the kit lens. And of course the 18-200 is a good option too, if you prefer that kinda super zoomy For myself, I like to use prime lenses. I prefer zooming with my legs as much as possible The only two zoom lenses I have are DA16-45 and DA50-200

Not forgetting you have the excellent Pentax DA50 F/1.4!
I think for compactness, the 18-125 would probably be better and being shorter means the designers made lesser compromises but I can't help but miss the long zoom of the 200mm if I downgrade further to 125mm! Withdrawal symptoms from using x12 zoom on my Lumix FZ7...heh heh

[fengwei]

Originally Posted by airconvent Not forgetting you have the excellent Pentax DA50 F/1.4! ...

I wish Pentax had a DA50 1.4 lens I know you were referring to the FA50/1.4. Yes, it's indeed an excellent lens, great performer for its price. But I like the 43LE better nowadays

Cheers,

[tiong78]

Originally Posted by fengwei I wish Pentax had a DA50 1.4 lens I know you were referring to the FA50/1.4. Yes, it's indeed an excellent lens, great performer for its price. But I like the 43LE better nowadays Cheers,

any reason why you prefer the 43LE now? cos i saw 1 at cathay. besides the short focal length and metal body. other qualities?

[fengwei]

Originally Posted by tiong78 any reason why you prefer the 43LE now? cos i saw 1 at cathay. besides the short focal length and metal body. other qualities?

Well, I just feel I've taken better pics with the 43LE than what I got from the FA50/1.4 Besides, the 43LE does feel better (build, design, look, MF ...) than the FA50. AF is abit slower, but I wouldn't have chosen Pentax if I'm into fast AF . There must be some reasons why most 43LE owners like it so much ...

Quote from Stan's Pentax Photography site:
http://stans-photography.info/LongCo...20FA%20Limited


Yoshihiko Takinami - I have/had experiences with almost all types of 40-55 mm lenses Pentax ever made.

I cannot say that FA43/1.9 Limited is better in point of optical quality than FA50/1.4 or A50/1.7; yes, I like these two lenses best in Pentax 50 mm lenses. It has very large coma wings wide open, and also has some distortion larger than expected as a modern normal lens. But still it creates exceptional image qualities as Paal wrote. I would recommend FA50/1.4 in point of optical quality and would recommend FA43/1.9 Limited in point of image quality. I would go for FA43/1.9 Limited if I had to choose one.

[tiong78]

If i do go for the the 43mm, anyone wants to take the 50/1.4 from me? hee.

Originally Posted by fengwei Well, I just feel I've taken better pics with the 43LE than what I got from the FA50/1.4 Besides, the 43LE does feel better (build, design, look, MF ...) than the FA50. AF is abit slower, but I wouldn't have chosen Pentax if I'm into fast AF . There must be some reasons why most 43LE owners like it so much ... Quote from Stan's Pentax Photography site: http://stans-photography.info/LongCo...20FA%20Limited Yoshihiko Takinami - I have/had experiences with almost all types of 40-55 mm lenses Pentax ever made. I cannot say that FA43/1.9 Limited is better in point of optical quality than FA50/1.4 or A50/1.7; yes, I like these two lenses best in Pentax 50 mm lenses. It has very large coma wings wide open, and also has some distortion larger than expected as a modern normal lens. But still it creates exceptional image qualities as Paal wrote. I would recommend FA50/1.4 in point of optical quality and would recommend FA43/1.9 Limited in point of image quality. I would go for FA43/1.9 Limited if I had to choose one.

[alanswan]

Originally Posted by tiong78 If i do go for the the 43mm, anyone wants to take the 50/1.4 from me? hee.

How much would you be letting go of that for?
But I doubt I will get it.
Just got my DA40 for my birthday...

[tiong78]

Originally Posted by alanswan How much would you be letting go of that for? But I doubt I will get it. Just got my DA40 for my birthday...

think a min of 350 would be nice. considering the condition its in.
40mm is a nice lens right?
haa.

wonder how much cathay is selling that 43.. any idea from anyone here?

[fengwei]

Originally Posted by tiong78 wonder how much cathay is selling that 43.. any idea from anyone here?

Last time I checked it's about S$770. Maybe you can bargain it down abit

Good luck

[lizzy]

i am still using the kit lens 18-55mm.
btw, is the pentax 50-200mm optically better compared to sigma 18-125mm or 18-200mm?

[fengwei]

Originally Posted by lizzy i am still using the kit lens 18-55mm. btw, is the pentax 50-200mm optically better compared to sigma 18-125mm or 18-200mm?

From 50 to 200mm, yes, the DA lens is better (at least than the Sigma 18-125 which I had for a while before, and read somewhere that the 18-125 is better than the 18-200 optically, so ...), but of course the DA lens doesn't cover the wide end...And you have the kit lens for that

[lizzy]

Originally Posted by fengwei From 50 to 200mm, yes, the DA lens is better (at least than the Sigma 18-125 which I had for a while before, and read somewhere that the 18-125 is better than the 18-200 optically, so ...), but of course the DA lens doesn't cover the wide end...And you have the kit lens for that

how about the optical quality of the kit lens compared to the sigma on the wide end?

[fengwei]

Originally Posted by lizzy how about the optical quality of the kit lens compared to the sigma on the wide end?

The kit lens is slightly better on the wide end, but the Sigma 18-125 might be abit better at the 55mm end. Actually the Sigma 18-125 is quite decent from its mid to tele end. These are all my personal experiences and what I've read from the others.

You can't expect much from a super zoom lens like a 18-200mm, at least for that price. It's always a compromise (of optical quality and convenience, and cost of course).

My suggestion is keep the kit lens, go and get a 50-200, later on add a 50/1.4 or 1.7. You'll be set for most shooting requirement.

[CSLee]

Originally Posted by fengwei Last time I checked it's about S$770. Maybe you can bargain it down abit Good luck

in Malaysia may be you can get it around S$670 (may need to wait for a month).

[CSLee]

The Sigma 18-125 is sharper when compare to the Sigma 18-200mm, but you need to take care the AF system some time may OOF.

[marios6550]

Hi all, I am glad I discovered this website, this is great. I just got my new SLR *ist DL, and this is mi first step in the SLR world, before I was shooting with the optio S50 but I need something better. Now I am trying to get some macro lens (the camera came with the 18-55 mm) because I love macro pictures. Any feedback? And I want to thank you guys for all the info you share in here. ( you can see some of my pictures taken with the optio S50)

Mario

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mario_pato/

[istDeS]

for pentax macro lens, you might want to get the DFA 100mm f/2.8.

[marios6550]

I've been looking for the DFA 100mm f/2.8 in different places but is like $500 CAD, is there something comparable and cheaper, if you know what I mean?