Please Help! Choosing a new camera setup!

[SkyStrike]

My question is why not jump straight into the L stuff? If i buy a lens it will last me for a long time.

One of the reason why I would recommend otherwise is because, I'm not sure if you have identified which focal range would you be using most frequently. E.g. You got the 24-105 L lens, but after awhile, you realized that you need more like 200mm instead of stopping at 105mm, would that make you spend again on another lens? Of course this wouldn't be an issue if you have the cash to spend.... Sure, lens can last pretty long, but how useful will that be if you don't use that focal length? *Not saying that you can't buy....*

 

[thexcuriousxwanderer]

Glad the info from me has been useful.


Its hard to keep costs down if you need 24-105 'L' performance (~$1700 new) and WR.
The DA18-55WR; DA50-200WR and 18-135WR are pretty good in performance and have WR at very low prices. (as quoted above)
They can even be as sharp if not sharper in the center than the 24-105L, but the latter does have more even sharpness over the whole frame and is F4.



The high end of the Pentax zoom range to meet your requirements would be a DA*16-50/2.8 and DA*50-135 (~$1K each 2nd hand; ~$1350 new).
Both are weather sealed lenses and optically very good, but these are 2 lenses, not one, and covering UWA 16mm to short tele 135mm at f2.8.
Perhaps these 2 lenses will suffice all you needs from vast landscapes and grand buildings to longer reach use and portraits. Low light usage too given their f2.8 aperture.
So its an alternative to 10-22; 24-105; 50/1.8 (the 10-22 is not cheap either).
Win some, lose some, no perfect solution


My suggestion if I were you:
a. K5; bite the bullet and get the 16-50 perhaps plan for a 50-135 later or just get a cheap 50-200WR
b. K5; just the 18-135WR and get other lenses as you learn more of its strengths and weakness
c. K5; 18-55WR and decide on other lenses later.

DA18-135 isn't too bad a lens.
I did a review of it a while ago.
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/pent...ax-da-18-135mm-f3-5-5-6-ed-al-[if]-dc-wr.html


Look at the other suggestions too. That suggestion of an old 5D+17-40 is viable as well.

Yup. The reason why i am less disposed towards the 5Dc now is cos of the dust issue commonly reported. Let me read a bit more on it, cos I really liked that set up, but it's also heavy.

One of the reason why I would recommend otherwise is because, I'm not sure if you have identified which focal range would you be using most frequently. E.g. You got the 24-105 L lens, but after awhile, you realized that you need more like 200mm instead of stopping at 105mm, would that make you spend again on another lens? Of course this wouldn't be an issue if you have the cash to spend.... Sure, lens can last pretty long, but how useful will that be if you don't use that focal length? *Not saying that you can't buy....*

As for not using the lens ... it i bought those 2 lenses there wouldn't be that problem. Like I said I will be travelling, so I will use the camera everyday. Let me give you an illustration. I bought my G12 last year in April. This year as of now i have taken nearly 35K pictures with it. So I am quite confident that i will use my gear everyday when I buy it. I won't even be in Singapore ... that's why I am not even considering the dry box, and that dust resistance is pretty important to me.

I'm sure my perfect focal length will be there ... of course yes you are right i might tweak my setup after using the lenses ... but I guess i will be too poor by then hahaha