Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions

le petit prince · 4th February 2008

Hi all,
Am a brand new, one-week-old Pentaxian, and loving it.

Besides my kit 18055mm, I am thinking of getting 50mm f1.4 prime, and a 50-200mm f4-5.6 zoom. Pentax lenses.. should cost $330 and $360 respectively, according to price-list (not sure how up to date this is though!).

I do a bit of every type of photography, as in using the range. Used to have a Canon S3 and I zoomed in and out like crazy. :P

Any thoughts?

My S3 and A95 galleries, if it helps. (Used to be a Canon chap, yup.)
http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/asteriod_b612&page=1
http://flickr.com/photos/lepetitphilosophe/

THANKS!

airconvent · 4th February 2008

welcome to the rebellion....
You have been turned from the dark side ! You will make a good padawan!

If zooming is your thing, the Pentax/Tamron 18-250 is your best choice...(or can get my sigma 18-200 which I'm selling too).

night86mare · 4th February 2008

consider getting the sigma 70-300 macro (best version possible, can't remember which one) , or if you can find it, the tamron version

almost the same range, but longer, and more value for money, if you test the lens properly and get a sharp one. also got semi-macro function, so allows for more room for growth, not that expensive either.

the 50 f/1.4, i expect you will get sooner or later anyways

hjbyeo · 5th February 2008

Why not consider the DA 40mm Pancake Limited lens even though it's only f2.8, instead of the 50 f1.4? If you can wait, see how's the reviews like for the 55 - 300mm that's coming out!

Just my 2 cents worth...

le petit prince · 5th February 2008

Thanks guys, for the inputs! Very helpful you've been.

Mmm. Maybe I will hold out for the new 55-300mm lens. Any idea when it'll hit our shores?

Not considering 18-200/250 zooms as I still have my kit lenses, which is decent enough for wide angles. (I doubt I can sell it away too.)

Also not rolling in cash, so I'll have to steer clear of the higher-end, limited editions, more costly lenses.

Cheers!

airconvent · 5th February 2008

The kit lens is around x3 zoom where as the 18-250 is x13 zoom...that's a whole lot different!

BTW, just to let you know OP has several units of 50 f/1.4. Was there today and saw 3 sets of K100D Super, a 77mm, 21mm, 14mm and a few others.
cheers

creampuff · 6th February 2008

Originally Posted by airconvent

The kit lens is around x3 zoom where as the 18-250 is x13 zoom...that's a whole lot different! ...
cheers

How to compare the 18-55mm vs the 18-250mm?
Looking at it from the cost perspective, it is far cheaper to go with a 2 lens solution to cover the wide to tele range. The superzoom costs about 10X what the kit lens costs but image quality isn't correspondingly 10x better.

le petit prince · 6th February 2008

Thanks for the heads-up, airconvent! Was quoted $340 for 50mm f1.4 by MS Colour. I wonder if OP is cheaper; will have to check..

Oh, I mean wide angle, as in the kit's 18-55mm range. With another lens covering 50/55 to 200/250/300mm, I am fully covered for the entire range. But yah, the hassle of swapping lenses.. prepared to live with it though..

Cheers, and happy CNY eve all!!

Edited: Yes, creampuff, that's what I thought too!

knyghtfall81 · 6th February 2008

Originally Posted by le petit prince

Thanks for the heads-up, airconvent! Was quoted $340 for 50mm f1.4 by MS Colour. I wonder if OP is cheaper; will have to check..

when i checked with OP a few wks ago, they were selling the 50/1.4 for $320.

Heh, I guess lens swopping is actually one of the reasons why ppl get SLRs, to enjoy the versatility offered by the range of different lens - else ppl will go for the DSLR-like cameras such as the panasonic Lumix L10. Even taking into consideration the trouble of swopping lens, I guess its better to have a picture taken with a good lens, and marvel at the quality rather than have the small one taken with a mediocre one and bemoan at how much better it could be! Just my two cents worth, and I'm probably biased since I'm more of a primes person.

NoMoney · 6th February 2008

Haha... 50mm f1.4 is the one you would like to get and won't regret.

So far my lens were kit lens and the 50mm f1.4

VSonic06 · 7th February 2008

Originally Posted by knyghtfall81

...else ppl will go for the DSLR-like cameras such as the panasonic Lumix L10.

The Lumix L10 is a fourthirds DSLR... but FT prime lenses are pitifully few and expensive. So you're right, it is DSLR-like because most owners won't ever be changing lenses and will just use it like a bridge cam.

airconvent · 7th February 2008

Why would you call the Lumix L10 "DSLR-like?".
Its a full fletched DSLR camera with Leica interchangeable lenses and is compatible with Olympus lenses also. I think you are talking about the their defunct LC1 series which was their P&S camera that had DSLR-like controls. They have since been replaced by the FZ20 to FZ30 series.

le petit prince · 8th February 2008

We're veering off tangent, but heck cares :P

Anyway, anyone has the Pentax 50-200mm lens? How's the performance? Online reviews seem to say it's good. The price is definitely good-looking though!

VSonic06 · 8th February 2008

Its small and light weight, images have good colour saturation and contrast. Very good bang for the buck!

le petit prince · 8th February 2008

http://www.pbase.com/alfisti/images_by_lens

Thanks, vsonic!

Link above is sample photos by a good photographer (judging from his shots) from various Pentax lenses. Good resource I found

Now to actually go out shooting.. :P

seafone · 8th February 2008

Originally Posted by le petit prince

We're veering off tangent, but heck cares :P

Anyway, anyone has the Pentax 50-200mm lens? How's the performance? Online reviews seem to say it's good. The price is definitely good-looking though!

there are some older post here about 50-200mm.
http://forums.clubsnap.com/showthread.php?t=251274

its a good lens for that kind of price.

cheerss..

istDeS · 9th February 2008

It is a good lens, together with the kit lens, it cover most photography need.

le petit prince · 10th February 2008

Thanks once again for all your feedback!

Will get them lenses soon then. Am now getting e-quotes from the various shops which stock Pentax.

Cheers!

4th February 2008	#1
le petit prince Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 912	Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Hi all, Am a brand new, one-week-old Pentaxian, and loving it. Besides my kit 18055mm, I am thinking of getting 50mm f1.4 prime, and a 50-200mm f4-5.6 zoom. Pentax lenses.. should cost $330 and $360 respectively, according to price-list (not sure how up to date this is though!). I do a bit of every type of photography, as in using the range. Used to have a Canon S3 and I zoomed in and out like crazy. :P Any thoughts? My S3 and A95 galleries, if it helps. (Used to be a Canon chap, yup.) http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/asteriod_b612&page=1 http://flickr.com/photos/lepetitphilosophe/ THANKS!

4th February 2008	#2
airconvent Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,114	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions welcome to the rebellion.... You have been turned from the dark side ! You will make a good padawan! If zooming is your thing, the Pentax/Tamron 18-250 is your best choice...(or can get my sigma 18-200 which I'm selling too).

4th February 2008	#3
night86mare Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: in your mind Posts: 19,351	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions consider getting the sigma 70-300 macro (best version possible, can't remember which one) , or if you can find it, the tamron version almost the same range, but longer, and more value for money, if you test the lens properly and get a sharp one. also got semi-macro function, so allows for more room for growth, not that expensive either. the 50 f/1.4, i expect you will get sooner or later anyways __________________ Gallery \| Dreamscapes 09 Pentaxian 伪君子之所以更可憎

5th February 2008	#4
hjbyeo Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: East Posts: 1,950	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Why not consider the DA 40mm Pancake Limited lens even though it's only f2.8, instead of the 50 f1.4? If you can wait, see how's the reviews like for the 55 - 300mm that's coming out! Just my 2 cents worth... __________________ Pentaxian \| apwp flickr

5th February 2008	#5
le petit prince Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 912	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Thanks guys, for the inputs! Very helpful you've been. Mmm. Maybe I will hold out for the new 55-300mm lens. Any idea when it'll hit our shores? Not considering 18-200/250 zooms as I still have my kit lenses, which is decent enough for wide angles. (I doubt I can sell it away too.) Also not rolling in cash, so I'll have to steer clear of the higher-end, limited editions, more costly lenses. Cheers!

6th February 2008	#8
le petit prince Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 912	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Thanks for the heads-up, airconvent! Was quoted $340 for 50mm f1.4 by MS Colour. I wonder if OP is cheaper; will have to check.. Oh, I mean wide angle, as in the kit's 18-55mm range. With another lens covering 50/55 to 200/250/300mm, I am fully covered for the entire range. But yah, the hassle of swapping lenses.. prepared to live with it though.. Cheers, and happy CNY eve all!! Edited: Yes, creampuff, that's what I thought too! Last edited by le petit prince; 6th February 2008 at 07:49 AM.

6th February 2008	#10
NoMoney Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ang Mo Kio Posts: 1,206	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Haha... 50mm f1.4 is the one you would like to get and won't regret. So far my lens were kit lens and the 50mm f1.4 __________________ Let's get rolling :)

7th February 2008	#12
airconvent Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,114	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Why would you call the Lumix L10 "DSLR-like?". Its a full fletched DSLR camera with Leica interchangeable lenses and is compatible with Olympus lenses also. I think you are talking about the their defunct LC1 series which was their P&S camera that had DSLR-like controls. They have since been replaced by the FZ20 to FZ30 series.

8th February 2008	#13
le petit prince Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 912	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions We're veering off tangent, but heck cares :P Anyway, anyone has the Pentax 50-200mm lens? How's the performance? Online reviews seem to say it's good. The price is definitely good-looking though! Last edited by le petit prince; 8th February 2008 at 01:23 AM.

8th February 2008	#14
VSonic06 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 808	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Its small and light weight, images have good colour saturation and contrast. Very good bang for the buck!

9th February 2008	#17
istDeS Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: "River end" Posts: 2,916	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions It is a good lens, together with the kit lens, it cover most photography need.

10th February 2008	#18
le petit prince Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 912	Re: Buying my next lenses (post-kit lens era) - Opinions Thanks once again for all your feedback! Will get them lenses soon then. Am now getting e-quotes from the various shops which stock Pentax. Cheers!