Lenses to watch for?

<p>I'm coming back to Pentax after a long hiatus and have just ordered a K-x which I'm excited to try out. I've been shooting with an Olympus e-510 for a while and while it seems capable in a lot of situations, the low light performance was just never as good as I'd like. The high ISO performance of the K-x has me excited to do more indoor shooting without a flash. I'm also a generalist, so outdoors, sports, macro, and wildlife all interest me as well. I like relatively small & light bodies so I can easily take it hiking, skiing, or mountain biking for the sports and nature pics.<br>

I'm just getting the single lens kit, and I have a couple of old manual lenses from my ME Super (an 80mm and a 150mm, both f/3.5-5.6 IIRC) but I'd love to round out my collection a little as I can afford it. So I thought I'd ask here about lenses to pick up to compliment my setup for various specialty applications.<br>

After reading around, it sounds like I should be able to find some deals on wide pancake lenses, like the A 24mm f/2.8 or A 50mm f/2.0. I like wide, small, and fast for walking around, so that 24mm looks particularly interesting. Inexpensive too! That's likely to be the first addition if I can find one for a good price.<br>

What other lenses are out there with similarly good price to performance ratios? I don't mind manual, but AF is good too. I'm thinking a longer zoom and a macro would be good items to round out the collection but the zoom will probably be somewhat expensive to get reasonable quality, so that may need to wait. A fisheye would be fun too, but not something I'd want to sink a lot of money into because it's so specialized.<br>

Any suggestions for me? Thanks!<br>

Matt</p>

<p>The SMC-A 24mm f/2.8 is not a pancake lens and is manual focus. It's also quite pricey in the used market. You might want to check out the DA 21mm f/3.2, which <em>is</em> a pancake lens, and is designed specifically for APS-C.</p>

<p>If you want a 50mm lens (equivalent FoV to a 75mm on the K-x's APS-C sensor) I would recommend the classic (autofocus) FA 50mm f/1.4, which recently took a serious price hike, and was then discontinued (AFAIK). Awesome lens for low light and non-tight portraits. If you want cheaper, try the manual focus SMC-A 50mm f/1.7, just make sure the aperture ring works fine because they have a tendency to be wonky in this particular model.</p>

<p>In general, I would recommend you buy lenses from the SMC-A series onwards, as they will allow autoexposure and use of all shooting modes. Prior to that you have the SMC-M and SMC (sometimes called SMC-K) lens lines, which do not have electrical contacts on the mount, which means you'll need to use stop-down metering to shoot them on any Pentax DSLR.</p>

<p>Any and all information about the Pentax K mount can be found on Bojidar's massive <a href="http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/">K-mount site.</a></p>

<p>Welcome back to Pentax world. You really have to state a dollar limit. There's forty years worth of lenses (including screwmounts) to choose from, and one person's 'affordable' is another person's 'no way'.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technology/lens_terms.html">This particular page</a> should clear up the alphabet soup in regards to lens terminology in Pentax Land.</p>

<p>Welcome, Matt. The <a href="http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/lenses/primes/ultra-wide/A24f2.8.html">A24/2.8</a> isn't really what I'd call a <em>pancake</em> , but it is a <em>prime</em> . Perhaps that's what you meant. Sigma has relatively inexpensive, pretty decent 24/2.8 substitutes as well, both autofocus and manual focus, similarly compact. I think you'll find 28/2.8 smaller and less expensive than 24mm--since they were so common historically, 28 and 50mm are usually the cheapest. Personally I'd favor a A50/1.7 over the A50/2, and it shouldn't cost much more.</p>

<p>Another consideration is whether the manual focus lenses have the 'A' position on their respective aperture rings. While your ME Super could shoot AV mode with A-less lenses, the Pentax DSLR's mount is crippled a bit so you have to shoot manual mode with semi-accurate stop-down metering only unless the aperture ring has the 'A' position. Usually on the used market the lenses with the 'A' go at a small premium over their older (but often better-built) A-less predecessors.</p>

<p>Small, light, wide, and reasonably fast would be the <a href="http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/lenses/primes/ultra-wide/DA21f3.2.html">DA21/3.2 Limited</a> pancake, though it's a bit expensive. A bit more of a bargain in the small category is the <a href="http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/lenses/primes/normal/DA40f2.8.html">DA40/2.8 Limited</a> pancake.</p>

<p>Thanks for the answers so far! Yes, I was mistaken about the SMC-A 24mm f/2.8 being a pancake lens. But it still looks like a lens I would like to use!<br>

As far as price ranges go, right now I'm pretty depleted so I'm looking for stuff in the sub $300 range (the closer to 0 the better!), but really I'd like to hear about any lenses that seem like a bargain under a grand or so. Once I get my cash reserves replenished, I'll be able to spend a little more.</p>

 

<p>Hi Matt,<br>

You'll enjoy the plethora of K-mount lenses, and the quality shots they are capabile of producing.<br>

As others have stated, the A24mm f2.8 is not a pancake, but it is one excellent fairly small lens. I owned one for years, but I neglected it after obtaining the DA 12-24mm and ended up selling it. The 24mm focal length is one of my favorite in the APS-C world. Sigma and Vivitar also make very good lenses in that focal length.<br>

The prices of the newer DA Ltd pancake lenses have gone ape**** over the past 4 months. You can find an older 40mm M lens that is pretty decent and tiny for under $150.<br>

Also small, light, cheap, and good is the M135 f 3.5. Plenty of these around for under $55; I still use mine. So easy to take along on a hiking or x-country ski trip.<br>

50mm is a pretty useful mod-telephoto these days. I have a A 50mm f 1.4 in primo condition. Outstanding optics. Send a PM if you are interested.<br>

ME</p>

 

<p>A 24mm FL on a DSLR is like a 35mm lens on your ME Super. A good, versatile, useful moderate wide angle. A 28mm is like 43mm, also versatile as sort of semi-wide. 40mm up goes into the tele regions. The small 18-55mm kit lens is quite capable. </p>

<p>For your compact needs of hiking, biking, etc, nothing like a Limited lens. These unique, compact, superbly- made primes are worth establishing a special piggy bank to get. The DA 21mm Limited is a very versatile, compact, high-quality wide angle for scenics and many general purpose uses. That with the DA 40 mm or FA 43mm (this one is also great on your ME Super as well) Limited make for a fine 2-small lenses combo for very compact carrying. It may take time to acquire, but good lenses are worth the effort.</p>

<p>Another way I sometimes go is taking the 21mm Ltd on a compact camera body in a "fanny" belt pouch, with a zoom lens in another lens case on my belt. This opens up numerous possibilities, yet keeping very good portability. Here are some: 21mm Ltd plus-- DA 18-55mmkit lens. DA 55-300mm lens. "F" 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens (often available used, very good imaging quality, remakably compact). Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 lens. Or for bigger, faster, more expensive higher-end but still workable: Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 EX DG (if you can still find one). Tamron 28-70mm f/2.8 lens. DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 SDM. (Sometimes I go with this last zoom and the 21mm/43mm 2-Limited combo for extended range with still good portablity and very high quality.) </p>

<p>The zoom lenses are not really pocket lenses, unless you are wearing a jacket with big pockets, except for the "F" 35-70mm. I also have a small belt camera holster I like when using a small zoom, and it only cost me $10 at a local chain store. </p>

<p>The DA 50-200 is highly underrated. It's cheap but good (not great, but cheap)</p>

<p>Sigma 24mm f2.8 super wide II MF/AF<br>

Vivitar 24 or 28mm<br>

Tokina 17mm f3.5</p>

<p>A quick comment on the SMC ''A''-24F/2.8mm...I want one!...I have lost two bids the past few weeks. I had no idea how HOT these are? The last one I bid on, I left a bid of $350.00 and It sold for $380.00...The ''M'' versions are not a whole lot cheaper either....As for Rays list above, I have all of those and love them.</p>

<p>There are just too many choices of good manual focus primes around. You will NOT be surprised that you hear differing opinions on lenses. For me, I don't necessarily go for the Pentax branded one. Javier and I both like the Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 from Cosina. My copy has 'A' with the Ricoh P/K-AR pin but it is the retractable one. Expect the price to be from $25 to $75 subject to condition and specific version.</p>

<p>For 50mm, you can't go wrong with any Pentax one, I think. The A 50mm f/1.7 easily won my heart and my soul. But for people with a film body, I highly recommend the M lens instead as the M works without the need of stop-down in the film bodies. The KAF2 mount in our digital bodies are crippled K-mount. Had it been the non-cripppled K-mount, I would go for all the M lenses instead of the A lenses. But flash always prefer to go out as a dating pair with the A lenses unless you are the cool guy who are Manual in everything. You are the man and I salute to you as the ultimate king of M who uses flash also. </p>

<p>For the 28mm, I never understand the craziness of choices. I chose none to get my LBA sanity. I settled for a Sigma AF 28mm f/1.8 II with the older version that is a cheap plastic. It is NOT meant for MF as it has a short focus throw. I hate those lovely Kiron 28mm f/2.0 as many of them have sticky blades with oil leakage.</p>

<p>For the 85mm, you can go very wrong or very good with a Jupiter 85mm f/2.0 for $125.0</p>

<p>For the 135mm, I have the slightest clue as I prefer the use of DA* 50-135mm that are almost four in 1 lens for 50, 70, 100, 135. The manual focus in DA* is king of M. </p>

<p>For more of my past and current MF choices, you can see <a href="http://www.techtheman.com/2008/04/hins-camera-gear.html">Hin's Camera Gear</a></p>

<p>My latest crush is on the adaptall-2 primes and zooms in 17mm, 24mm, 90mm, 180mm, 200mm, 500mm. You can see them in my blog page. I have not documented the 24mm and 500mm yet.</p>

<p>I second the F35-70. For $50 (or less sometimes!) I doubt you can find a better common lens. If you do, it is a steal. Maybe an M 50/1.7 is close in price/performance ratio. Of course the F 50/1.7 gives you auto-focus, and for $150-175 or so it is a very nice lens as well.</p>