Pentax K10D Standard Lens...Thoughts?

[roseberry guitars]

I will be purchasing a Pentax K10D during the next couple weeks. I've been a

die-hard film user forever (Minolta SRT and Zeiss Ikon Contax and various

Medium Format)and have decided to take the plunge and get a DSLR kit. I've

researched the various brands and models until I'm sick of it all. I've came up

with the K10D as the machine that will best suit my needs at this time. If or

when film runs out things might change.

 

My question is concerning lenses. The kits available from a Mail order store, I

plan to purchase from, can come with a one of SMC DA 18-55, SMC P DA 16-45 or

Sigma 17-35. Reviews I've read on the 18-55 have led me to think this lens to

be OK but not great, the 16-45 is "The one to get" and the Sigma is excellent.

As one last bit of research I thought I'd ask for some feedback from any of you

folks that have experience with these three. I'm not asking "Which one should I

buy?" just your thoughts on the quality, value for the money and any other

thoughts concerning the lenses in this size range.

[mc2imaging]

I have no complaints with the 18-55 other than speed. Just comming from film myself, the

widest thing I had was 23mm, and not a great one at that. For $40 to get the kit over the

body, it was a no brainer. When I need better detail or a faster lens, I use a prime. Rather

than upgrade to the DA 16-45, I'm saving my pennies for the DA* 16-50 SDM.<br><br>

 

<i>...when someone stumbles upon this exchange four years from now via a Google search,

they are going to say</i> 'They still made film in 2007?...'

[andrew_ng7]

I really like the 18-55 and find that it produces quality images but it is a little slow. I might have opted for the 16-45 if I had a choice but since I got my k10d 2nd hand for dirt cheap, beggars can't be choosers. ($800 shipped from the US to Canada for the complete kit with no more than 400 exposures)

 

After using the 18-55 exclusively for a bit, I picked up an FA 28-80 for next to nothing to be a lens I don't need to be as careful about. Again, it's a bit slow but for money it will get banged up and abused. I recently bought the DA 50-200 to add to my bag of goodies and it's just long enough for most of the stuff I shoot.

 

I'm still debating if I want the 15-45 since it's a bit close tot he kit lens. I have been looking at a few lenses lately but can't seem to justify the cost at the moment. A used FA 35mm f2.0, DA 40mm f2.8 and an FA 43mm f1.9. Also researching the Sigma 10-20mm f4 or the DA 12-24mm f4 to add to my collection.

[william-porter]

One of the first things I did was sell the kit lens that came with my K100D. When I upgraded to the K10D, I just purchased the body. Certainly for the price, the kit lens is excellent. If you can't immediately afford a better lens, don't despair: I've seen some outstanding photos taken with the kit lens. But I did buy some other lenses fairly quickly, and I found myself never using the kit lens.

 

I have the Pentax 16-45 f/4. Excellent lens, but not right for the stuff I'm doing, so I'm selling it. (If you're interested, let me know, as I haven't listed it on eBay yet.) My main lens now for "normal" shooting is the Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 DC EX macro and it's an excellent lens -- faster and I think better optically than the Pentax kit lens. I can't say that the Sigma is better than the Pentax 16-45 f4, but it is faster, which is why I use it more often.

[tommyinca]

Have you consider instead of getting DA lenses, a set of full frame lens like 20-35/4 FA, 24-90/3.5-4.5 FA and 35/2 FA?

[steve graham]

I've got the 18-55 and 16-45 and there is no comparison - the 16-45 is a much better lens as well as having a more useful (for me at least) focal length range. The Sigma 18-50 F2.8 doesn't appeal to me because while faster it's not as wide - and I tend to find I use the wide end of a "normal" zoom most often.

 

I've no experience with the Sigma 17-35 so can't compare it with the two Pentax lenses.

[denys_meunier]

When i bought my k10d,i had the choice to get the 18-55 or the 16-45,i choose the 18-55 and i said if i`m not satisfed put on ebay and get the 16-45 or another one in the same range,and i try the 18-55,had beautiful picture sharp and clean for the price of this lens and after that i bought the 50-200 DA and this one surprising me for the price to,beautiful picture to,sharp,clean, nice color,very soft barrel,great lens.This is my first Pentax gears,i`m very happy about the product,i shoot for many years with nikon,i can say pentax got beautiful optics,unexpensive lens compare to unexpensive lens nikon,pentax is the winner,i have similar picture shoot with the pentax compare with my nikon D200,i prefer my Pentax,so my next optic will be a 16-50 2.8 DA Pentax and a 70mmDA pentax to for portrait.

[jeffpolaski]

Cheap, easy, and quite good enough when you have to bring home the bacon.

 

Never been able to blame a bad photograph on my equipment.

 

That said, I prefer a 50mm fixed focal length lens. even when cropped 1.5.

[chetan_dighe]

I have kept my older manual lenses, 50/1.4, 24/2.8, 28-105/3.5-4.5, 28-200/3.8-6.3, and use them more frequently than the kit lens. Not that it is bad, but others are better. Plus, the rebate you get on not buying the kit lens is not much, so just take it with the body. Later, upgrade to better lenses.