K-7 new shooter ...needs advise..


rastaman

New Member
Apr 11, 2010
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Hi Guys!
First of all, I’d like to thank you guys(CS Pentax group) for making me decide to take up this "Interesting" hobby and getting an "Interesting" system(PENTAX).
Anyway, this is my first DSLR. I bought this baby a month or so ago and still learning all its features and how to handle and shoot it properly. Basically, 90% of my shooting is family/kids portraits and I'm having problem deciding which lens should go with my 18-55WR to have a great/sharp family/kids portraits.
Now, my question is: What is the best lens for family/kids portrait? (Just one lens for now please..) :)
1. smc PENTAX FA 50mm F1.4 – Most I’ve read about this lens said it’s a MUST HAVE lens. Great IQ, value for money but a bit soft wide open and not WR.
2. smc PENTAX DA Star 55mm F1.4 SDM- a bit expensive and I’ve noticed that nobody is using this lens based from the “Show us your Pentax” & “Pentax Camera Owner..Report” threads and review is not that good on this lens. A bit sharper but not faster than FA50mm 1.4(per review) Weather Sealed to compliment K-7.
3. smc PENTAX FA 77mm F1.8 Limited – mid telephoto, great IQ but expensive, not that fast as the 1st 2 lenses above and not WR.
4. smc PENTAX DA 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED WR – (Not that fast based on reviews but creampuff appreciation thread looks very promising and interesting. Plus WR to compliment K-7 body)
5. smc PENTAX DA 17-70mm F4 AL (IF) SDM – per photozone: http://www.photozone.de/pentax/408-pentax_1770_4?start=2
“The Pentax DA SMC 17-70mm f/4 AL [IF] SDM is undoubtedly the most desirable standard zoom lens in the current Pentax lens lineup”. Not WR though.

Thanks in advance!

And oh…I hope to join your monthly shoot and the 2nd batch of tech sharing (Congrats and Great jod to the GURUs(fengwei,creampuff,VanGogh53,felixcat8888,Ben Loke, and others) who are willing to share their knowledge/expertise to the newbies.
 

sry i knew you only said one lens but i must also definetly recomend the DA*16-50mm f2.8 very versatile and most importantly a fast lens [to get non motion blurrd shots!] i actually recomend this over the 31mm as if you only need one lens its has the ability to do wide [tight constraint's small room ..etc ] and portraits :D i am also looking to get this lens in the future ;)
 

Rastaman like you, I'm also a new user to k7 and only a few weeks old into the DSLR world.
For the one lens only, I went for the DA* 16-50mm f2.8 instead of the primes.
 

You identified the object - portraits of family and kids. If you want good bokeh, I love the 100mm f2.8 WR (still not on the market); only the one without WR is. I was impressed by it. I am waiting to buy this one. I think it will be about $1k. Otherwise the 70mm could be good. Anyway, hang on for others Pentaxians to give you more ideas. I am also experimenting myself.
 

If you are on a budget you can get the following too:

Sigma 18-50mm/2.8
Tamron 17-50mm/2.8
Sigma 17-70mm/2.8-4.5
Sigma 17-70mm/2.8-4

All of them are good all rounder lenses . . . :devil:
 

These are the best value for money lenses and great performers

Sigma 18-50mm/2.8
Tamron 17-50mm/2.8
Tamron 28-75/2.8

The FA35/2 or FA31/1.8 are good choices as well.

The bad is that these lenses generally make your kit lens redundant (for the case of the 28-75, you can still use the kit lens as a wide angle)

Within your list, I would suggest a 50/1.4 or 77ltd. The 50/1.4 is much faster to justify the focal length duplication while the 77ltd is fast ad does not duplicate what you already have.
 

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Thank you guys! I'll take note all your advice before purchasing my next lens..
 

Your kit lens 18-55 mm is agood lens.Why not get a 50-200 WR it good and affordable
and that make a full range from wide to tele. Unless you got $$$ to spend........
 

See the Pentax price guide:)

Ok... haven't come in here for yrs, so not familiar inside here... I used to have Pentax *ist DS, lens, grip & flash etc all Pentax mount... Later jumped ship to Olympus for a few yrs... now thought of coming back & buy the K-7. :sweatsm:
 

Ok... haven't come in here for yrs, so not familiar inside here... I used to have Pentax *ist DS, lens, grip & flash etc all Pentax mount... Later jumped ship to Olympus for a few yrs... now thought of coming back & buy the K-7. :sweatsm:

Should be $1338 for the body only & WR kit lens 18-55 +50-200mm cost $419 .
 

Should be $1338 for the body only & WR kit lens 18-55 +50-200mm cost $419 .

:lovegrin: Thank you. That is very reasonably priced. I will not be getting any kit lens. I'll look at 3rd party f2.8 zoom lens.
 

:lovegrin: Thank you. That is very reasonably priced. I will not be getting any kit lens. I'll look at 3rd party f2.8 zoom lens.

Should be $1338 for the body only & WR kit lens 18-55 +50-200mm cost $419 .

@ SLR Revo @ Funan $1338
@ OP @ SLS $1340

Tamron 17-50mm f2.8
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8
Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 (New)
 

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but what is the consensus here regarding SDM? Is it a rare or common problem here? How much will it cost to fix if I kena problems after my warranty?

Would love to get a K-7 / DA* combi but potential sdm issues are a big concern.
 

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but what is the consensus here regarding SDM? Is it a rare or common problem here? How much will it cost to fix if I kena problems after my warranty?

Would love to get a K-7 / DA* combi but potential sdm issues are a big concern.

Not really much of a problem I only know of 3 cases in the US that have blown up the problem ...:sweat: So far have not heard anyone in SG having the prob . BTW Felix has the sigma 17-50 f2.8 come out here yet ? also wondering if the IQ is as good as the tamron one , but most importantly is the HSM!:bsmilie:
 

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but what is the consensus here regarding SDM? Is it a rare or common problem here? How much will it cost to fix if I kena problems after my warranty?

Would love to get a K-7 / DA* combi but potential sdm issues are a big concern.

Most of us here have the DA* lenses and we are fine with them ...

I am one of those who have the K7+DA*16-50mm F2.8