Sell or not sell kit lens

[alvinsclee]

Hi,
I'm making decisions... should I sell my SMC-P DA 18-55mm/f3.5-5.6 AL kit lens? Initially, I planned to add the companion SMC-P DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED lens but I was wondering if I should spend more on another zoom lens. In fact, I just bought a very good MF version of Tamron SP 35-105mm f2.8 Aspherical (an award-winning constant aperture zoom lens produced during early 1990s) from a very nice couple not long ago. I am beginning to like primes very much, especially those old lenses from film camera days.

Reason to sell: I'm more a manual focus, manual aperture guy. I love to play around with the settings to achieve different effects. A control freak

Reason not to sell: It may be difficult to sell the K100D body without kit lens later, should I plan to upgrade. Most people, especially beginners, prefer a complete set.

Just to hear more opinions... would you sell your kit lens?

 

[chantyeroop]

unless i seriously think of upgrading to a wider range like 18-135mm or 18-250mm, i would keep my kit lens.
for about a hundred bucks, may not be worth the trouble.

however, if you more inclined to use MF than AF lenses, then, sell !!

if you intend to upgrade the body in the next 12 months, you may be able to get another new kit lens at a bundled price with the new body. you can then sell the new kit lens with your k100d.

 

[fengwei]

Better keep it I think. It's alot easier to sell your K100d along w/ the kit lens, and the kit lens is quite good for traveling (if you don't have any other lens which goes to 18mm end).

Unless you are getting something better and wider (16-45/4 or 16-50/2.8, or Sigma 17-70, or DA14, 12-24).

Good luck!

 

[seafone]

Hi,
I'm making decisions... should I sell my SMC-P DA 18-55mm/f3.5-5.6 AL kit lens? Initially, I planned to add the companion SMC-P DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED lens but I was wondering if I should spend more on another zoom lens. In fact, I just bought a very good MF version of Tamron SP 35-105mm f2.8 Aspherical (an award-winning constant aperture zoom lens produced during early 1990s) from a very nice couple not long ago. I am beginning to like primes very much, especially those old lenses from film camera days.

Reason to sell: I'm more a manual focus, manual aperture guy. I love to play around with the settings to achieve different effects. A control freak

Reason not to sell: It may be difficult to sell the K100D body without kit lens later, should I plan to upgrade. Most people, especially beginners, prefer a complete set.

Just to hear more opinions... would you sell your kit lens?

I don't know how much is your budget on your lenses setup. In my personal opinion, I think I will not sell the kit lens. It will be good to keep a pair of AF zoom lens. After all, the kit lens don't cost much out there. You may keep these just in case when you want to let your friend use your camera in AUTO mode. We all know that the build quality of this pentax kit lens is reasonably good compare to those plasticky kit soft lens out there. Combined this kit lens with your k100d, I don't see anything wrong with it to perform.

For me, I don't own a kit lens because I bought my dSLR body 2nd hand. I came from film with an array of MF primes. I love prime.. and the prime quality is simply uncomparable with zoom. When I just got my dSLR, I got myself a sigma 18-50EX to try out the AF feature. It is supposed to be a good lens, but i aren't really amaze by it after all. Today, I am still trying to build up my bag with more AF prime lenses. yeah, I want more primes! But I am keeping my zoom too.

your kit lens will still come in handy some days...

my 2cent worth...

 

[alvinsclee]

Hey thanks all for the personal opinions. I appreciate that.

I may sell it and get just one good AF superzoom. This way, I can let my friend use the camera easily (as suggested by seafone) while having a wider and better zoom range (as suggested by fengwei and chantyeroop)... yet able to leave enough investment room for the classic MF lenses I would like to get.

Will listen to further opinions as more come along to chip in their '2 cents worth' (to me, all your opinions worth a lot more )

 

[stk]

I also feel u should keep the kit lens.. it's quite nice for casual travel use.. It's won't fetch much $ if u sell it.. just take it that u will sell it in future with the body.. ;p

 

[seafone]

Hey thanks all for the personal opinions. I appreciate that.

I may sell it and get just one good AF superzoom. This way, I can let my friend use the camera easily (as suggested by seafone) while having a wider and better zoom range (as suggested by fengwei and chantyeroop)... yet able to leave enough investment room for the classic MF lenses I would like to get.

the AF superzoom lens with big zoom range will usually be much more expensive and it probably won't be able to deliver good result. If you really like prime, its better you save the money on those classic MF lenses instead. =)

The kit lens with SMC coating is really worth keeping. Have you notice the color different between 3rd party lens and Pentax SMC lens?

Then again, if you really wish to sell it off.. PM me as I might be interested to get it from you for collection.

cheerss...

 

[alvinsclee]

the AF superzoom lens with big zoom range will usually be much more expensive and it probably won't be able to deliver good result. If you really like prime, its better you save the money on those classic MF lenses instead. =)

The kit lens with SMC coating is really worth keeping. Have you notice the color different between 3rd party lens and Pentax SMC lens?

Then again, if you really wish to sell it off.. PM me as I might be interested to get it from you for collection.

cheerss...

Agree... I'd rather spend money on the classic primes than on another expensive but low-quality superzoom. And yes, Pentax SMC coating is renowned for being near-equal to Zeiss coating.

Noted that someone is also selling the kit lens... I wonder why...
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=251394

I am also wondering, as stk mentioned about its low resale value, if market forces determine that this lens is not as valuable as others... could it be because of projected new developments in the coming Pentax lenses? While I have also seen others report that the Pentax kit lens is one of the better kit lens around, I am confused by its low resale value. Maybe the low Pentax userbase (as compared to the userbase of C and N) has to do with the law of supply and demand coming into play.

 

[fengwei]

Agree... I'd rather spend money on the classic primes than another expensive but low-quality super zoom. And yes, Pentax SMC coating is renowned for being near equal to Zeiss coating.

Noted that someone is also selling the kit lens... I wonder why...
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=251394

I am also wondering, as stk mentioned about its low resale value, if market forces determine that this lens is not as valuable as others... could it be because of projected new developments in the coming Pentax lenses? While I have also seen others report that the Pentax kit lens is one of the better kit lens around, I am confused by its low resale value. Maybe the low Pentax userbase (as compared to the userbase of C and N) has to do with the law of supply and demand coming into play.

There is no cheaper solution than the kit lens if you need a wide zoom w/ AF. The kit lens sold for less because you didn't speed much buying it at the first place. And comparing with C/N kit lenses, Pentax kit lens has been sold for more than

Just like I said above, unless you've got the wide end covered by some better lenses, you'd better keep the kit lens just in case you need it someday.

Cheers!

 

[alvinsclee]

Hi Fengwei,
I've got a new 8mm Peleng (M42 screw mount) and a used but good condition 16mm Sigma (Pentax K-mount) Both prime lenses.

 

[fengwei]

Hi Fengwei,
I've got a new 8mm Peleng (M42 screw mount) and a used but good condition 16mm Sigma (Pentax K-mount) Both prime lenses.

Okay, but both are fisheye lenses, right? FE lens is fun to use, but a normal wide angle zoom lens comes very handy for a walk around or travel.

Anyway, it's your call. If you don't like to keep the kit lens, just sell it (but hard to find a buyer here locally, I tried it before). Then use the money to get another manual lens

Oh btw, I'd love to try that Peleng lens someday. Maybe we should arrange a meetup to test it out ;p

Cheers!

 

[alvinsclee]

I will be looking out for good manual 'rectilinear' ultra-wide prime lenses.

Indeed, I am not so put off by fisheye lenses as others... perhaps, it is because I am into amateur astronomy and therefore rather comfortable with fisheye 'distortion' in my mind's eyes. In astronomy, we observe the sky from inside a 'celestial sphere' and hence we are more used to spherical co-ordinates. And sometimes, it is better to have 'natural fisheye distortion' than to have 'rectilinear corner stretch', as described by someone's experience here...
http://home.comcast.net/~dougsmit/fisheye.html

I bought the Peleng so that I can do whole-sky photography... it would be interesting, despite the extreme distortion. Here is a link on use of Peleng for astrophotography (my fellow astronomer friend airconvent will love this )...
http://www.astrosurf.com/cavadore/chungara/kaf6303E/AllSkyMon/index.html

 

[renbmx]

Hi Fengwei,
I've got a new 8mm Peleng (M42 screw mount) and a used but good condition 16mm Sigma (Pentax K-mount) Both prime lenses.

Hello! I´m new in this forum! Sorry to cross over in this conversation, but i was looking for a peleng lens for my Digital Rebel, if you´re interested on sell it, i would be glag to buy it for a reasonable price(because i have a low fisheye budjet ) This is, if it´s ok for you shipping to Europe!

 

[alvinsclee]

Hi renbmx,
I think you misread this thread... I am planning to sell my Pentax kit lens, not my Peleng.

Try using the "Search this forum" function (next to "Forum tools" on the right-hand upper corner) in this forum category to search for the lens you want...
http://forums.clubsnap.org/forumdisplay.php?f=73

Else, try eBay or other online 2nd-hand sales site.