What's in your lens kit?

[bigdawg]

DigitalGal wrote:

I have been reading this thread thinking.. what can I say..

I have only Pentax K10D and 2 kit lenses..

DA 18-55mm, and
DA 50-200..

For me they both are great lenses..

Well.. I am pointing to a few more.. in future, of course..

Cheers!

Irena

Nothing to be ashamed of Irena....You are probably the only sane person here.....The others need to be thinking gucci....http://www.gucci.com/

Dawg

[Trojansoc]

bigdawg wrote:

I agree with Roy here. I can't count the time I've dropped out of AF and used the manual focus on my AF lens because the AF just won't cut it. Main reason for me to dump my Kodak 6490 and go DSLR is because the all AF point and shoot would Hunt and hunt and hunt and finally lock focus on something other than what I was trying to focus on. Most times now even with AF lenses I drop out of AF and manually focus...This way you get it the first time and don't have to wait for the $#%^&&*^^%$$## AF to stop it's $#$%%$#$#$$%^^%$ Hunting...Just my Nickel's worth!

You pretty well sum up my position, Dawg. My carry-on bag is all AF because the AF generally does a better job than my poor eyesight WHEN IT CAN FIND THE RIGHT TARGET! Thus, particularly on long shots, I routinely kick it down into MF. The other reason I commonly switch to MF with the Phoenix 100-400 is that it is SO noisy as it adjusts. That's a good way to end a session shooting small birds from relatively close range.

Paul

[bper]

Paul - I am finding that with my M lenses, I rely on the focus light more all the time to verify sharp focus. I just can't trust my eyes anymore. Wearing bifocals, you never know when you are down trying to line up on a flower if it is the bifocals or the camera out of focus, so I look for the focus light and if it comes on, I feel it is ok to take the picture. If I am shooting in an awkward position and cannot really get it in focus, I use the focus trap method with theM lenses.

I hate to admit it, but I use the M lenses about 95% of the time now, even though they can be more work, they take wonderful pictures and focus so nicely- Bruce

[bigdawg]

bper wrote:

Paul - I am finding that with my M lenses, I rely on the focus light more all the time to verify sharp focus. I just can't trust my eyes anymore. Wearing bifocals, you never know when you are down trying to line up on a flower if it is the bifocals or the camera out of focus, so I look for the focus light and if it comes on, I feel it is ok to take the picture. If I am shooting in an awkward position and cannot really get it in focus, I use the focus trap method with theM lenses.

I hate to admit it, but I use the M lenses about 95% of the time now, even though they can be more work, they take wonderful pictures and focus so nicely- Bruce

Without the focus light and the beep I'd be hard pressed to get an in focus shot! Just the truth...Variable focus glasses would make it almost impossible any other way for me!

Dawg

[Monza76]

Yeah, my MF lenses pretty much stay in the storage bag. I have used my DL and FA50mm f1.4 almost exclusively for the last couple of weeks. I really find that "zooming with my feet" is more fun. I will still use the DS with24-135mm Sigma for any event photography and the DL with the FA35mm f2.0 will travel with me when I really need to travel light.

My MF skills cannot give me the percentage of in-focus shots that AF can, and I have said before that my DL, in spite of a far simpler AF system, gives me more accurate focus with the two fast primes than the DS does.

Ira

[nhmom]

bper wrote:

Paul - I am finding that with my M lenses, I rely on the focus light more all the time to verify sharp focus. I just can't trust my eyes anymore. Wearing bifocals, you never know when you are down trying to line up on a flower if it is the bifocals or the camera out of focus, so I look for the focus light and if it comes on, I feel it is ok to take the picture. If I am shooting in an awkward position and cannot really get it in focus, I use the focus trap method with theM lenses.

I hate to admit it, but I use the M lenses about 95% of the time now, even though they can be more work, they take wonderful pictures and focus so nicely- Bruce

Bruce, That's my problem, too. The darn bifocals. I have progressives and move my glasses around so much to try and see if I'm really in focus or not. And, half the time can't tell, so just shoot if the camera says it is. Very frustrating.

Am due to have my eyes checked again and am hoping the new lenses with a larger focus area are available.

Patty

Forgot to put what's in my lens kit. Not much. Pentax 18-55 and50-200 and Sigma 20-80 that seems to be on my camera all the time now. Seems to fulfill my need to not have to change lenses so often. And, I haven't really had any problems with it. Need to practice more with the macro switch. Bought some flowers today that I'm hoping to practice with since nothing is blooming here right now.

[Heathglen]

2. Fish-Eye Zoom: 17-28mm - f/3.5-4.5 Pentax SMCP-F FEZ17-28

1. Zoom: 18-55mm - f/3.5-5.6 Pentax SMC DA 18-55

2. Zoom: 20-35mm - f/4 Pentax SMC FA 20-35

2. Power Zoom: 28-105mm - f/4.5-5.6 Pentax SMC FA 28-105

1. Zoom: 50-200 - f/4-5.6 Pentax SMCP-DA 50-200

Zoom: 80-200mm - f/4.7-5.6 Pentax SMCP-F Z 80-200

2. Zoom 80-320mm - f/4.5-5.6 Pentax SMC FA 80-320

Power Zoom: 100-300mm - f/4.5-5.6 Pentax SMC FA 100-300

Soft - 85mm - f/2.8 Pentax SMCP-F 85 Soft

Macro: 100mm - f2.8 Pentax SMCP-F

Standard: 55mm - f2 Pentax SMC Pentax K mount

Wide Angle Zoom: 17-28mm - f/4-4.5 Vivitar PK-AR

Zoom: 35-210mm - F/3.5-4.2 Tamron SP BBAR MC

Wide Angle: 28mm - f2.8 Vivitar T-Adaptor

Wide Angle: 35mm - f/2.8 Soligor Pentax Screwmount

2. Standard: 50mm - f/1.4 Pentax Pentax Screwmount

Moderate Telephoto: 135mm - f/2.8 Soligor Pentax Screwmount

Telephoto: 200mm - f/3.5 Soligor Pentax Screwmount


1 - In the bag or on the camera most of the time. Not great, but convenient

2 - When I'm serious

The others are special purpose (e.g., macro, sporting eventsor portrait) or are just hanging around.

Larry in Dallas