HELP!

Hey everyone,

I am in the process of buying my first dSLR. I really love macro photography but also slow shutter and landscape photography (including zoom). If you guys (and gals) could help me out in my buying process I would really appreciate it. Below are the three options I have as of now. Feel free to suggest otherwise:

1. Buy *ist DL brand new with SIGMA 18-50mm 3.5-5.6 DC & 55-200mm 4-5.6 DC lenses for around $460. This is on eBay (what is the max I should pay for this kit?)

2. Buy kit with *ist DL and Pentax 18-55mm lense for $466

3. Buy body of *ist DL only and buy lenses seperately. $416

Unfortunately I do not really know what I am doing with the lenses so if you all could help me out I would really appreciate it! I would prefer an all-around lense which I can take great macro photos and at the same time great zoom photos and everything in between. (Is this wishful thinking?)

Thanks,
MacroManiac

My suggestion, the 18-55 kit. Don't underestimate the kit lens, its one of the best offered on any DSLR.

Then go find yourself another lens or 2 after that. Maybe ebay a couple M lenses if you are into the full manual thing

but you'd be amazed what you can do with the kit lens. You aren't going to get any 1:1 macros with it though, no matter how hard you try

None of your three options will allow you to do "true" macro photography. You will need to add a dedicated macro lens, if the expense allows. There are other low cost options, such as close-up filters and/or extension tubes. These work best with a prime lens, not a zoom (to my understanding).

Of the three choices you list, I'd throw out #3 right away. The kit lens for only 50 bucks (in option #2) is a steal of a deal. Cannot offer an valid opinion of option #1, as I have neither of those two lenses, but from what I've read on this forum, they are decent lenses.

--
Steven
GMT -8

volosong said:

None of your three options will allow you to do "true" macro
photography. You will need to add a dedicated macro lens, if the
expense allows. There are other low cost options, such as close-up
filters and/or extension tubes. These work best with a prime lens,
not a zoom (to my understanding).

Of the three choices you list, I'd throw out #3 right away. The
kit lens for only 50 bucks (in option #2) is a steal of a deal.
Cannot offer an valid opinion of option #1, as I have neither of
those two lenses, but from what I've read on this forum, they are
decent lenses.

Click to expand...

The sigma 18-50 is the Ozz kit lens, and I know a lot, and I mean really a LOT Oz forum members who regret that and have gotten the DA18-55 aftrewards

volosong said:

--
Steven
GMT -8

Click to expand...

--
janneman
http://www.pbase.com/jl2

Hi Jan!

janneman02 said:

The sigma 18-50 is the Ozz kit lens, and I know a lot, and I mean
really a LOT Oz forum members who regret that and have gotten the
DA18-55 aftrewards

Click to expand...

Yep. If you are in AU, the Sigma 18-125 is probably a better choice than the two-lens-kit.

As Macromaniac is in the US, the Pentax 18-55 kit is great value. It can do useful close-ups, but no "real" macros. Its 18mm end is useful for landscapes and interiors that are not too narrow. The 55mm end will be good enough for portraits.

Buy it and see whether you tend to shoot more macros or portraits or landscapes or animals - then decide which lens to buy next, if any.

Cheers
Jens

--
Member of LBA (Lens Buyers Anonymous), M-fourty-two section
'LBA knows no bounds, and seeks no justification...' (Jim King, 2005)
http://www.jr-worldwi.de/photo/index.html - Photography, Tech and Geek stuff :}
'Why is everyone answering rhetorical questions?' (Me, 2005)

JensR said:

JensR said:

The sigma 18-50 is the Ozz kit lens, and I know a lot, and I mean
really a LOT Oz forum members who regret that and have gotten the
DA18-55 aftrewards

Click to expand...

Yep. If you are in AU, the Sigma 18-125 is probably a better choice
than the two-lens-kit.

As Macromaniac is in the US, the Pentax 18-55 kit is great value.

Click to expand...

I know, but I wanted to use this example to have some comparson between the DA18-55 and the sigma 18-50.

JensR said:

It can do useful close-ups, but no "real" macros.

Click to expand...

JensR said:

Its 18mm end is
useful for landscapes and interiors that are not too narrow. The
55mm end will be good enough for portraits.

Click to expand...

JensR said:

Buy it and see whether you tend to shoot more macros or portraits
or landscapes or animals - then decide which lens to buy next, if
any.

Cheers
Jens

--
Member of LBA (Lens Buyers Anonymous), M-fourty-two section
'LBA knows no bounds, and seeks no justification...' (Jim King, 2005)
http://www.jr-worldwi.de/photo/index.html - Photography, Tech and
Geek stuff :}
'Why is everyone answering rhetorical questions?' (Me, 2005)

Click to expand...

--
janneman
http://www.pbase.com/jl2

Hi Jan!

janneman02 said:

janneman02 said:

As Macromaniac is in the US, the Pentax 18-55 kit is great value.

Click to expand...

I know, but I wanted to use this example to have some comparson
between the DA18-55 and the sigma 18-50.

Click to expand...

I know, I just tried to slip in a recommendation for the 18-125

Cheers
Jens

--
Member of LBA (Lens Buyers Anonymous), M-fourty-two section
'LBA knows no bounds, and seeks no justification...' (Jim King, 2005)
http://www.jr-worldwi.de/photo/index.html - Photography, Tech and Geek stuff :}
'Why is everyone answering rhetorical questions?' (Me, 2005)

Macro Maniac,

I recommend option 2. The Pentax kit lens is really a great place to start. You learn quite a bit about photography with this one lens and later you can buy all sorts of lenses.

In the meantime, I have a couple of suggestions for you. The kit lens isn't really a macro lens. So for a macro lens you might want to consider the following:

1) Pentax DFA 100 Macro - expensive but worth it. This is probably where you'd want to aim for if you are highly interested in macros (think long term). This is a great lens, both as a telephoto prime & macro lens.

2) Tamron 70-300 LD Macro - this is a consumer telephoto lens with a decent 1:2 macro ability. Very inexpensive, this lens performs much better than its price would indicate. There are several used copies of this lens which can make the investment even easier.

3) Vivitar AT-23 Extension Tubes - these tubes allow you to use lenses without an aperture ring (like the Pentax DA lenses) for macro photos. They work quite nicely and are not terrible expensive. These tubes allow you to achieve magnification that exceeds 1:1 for really close macros. This set works nicely with the Pentax kit lens.

--
alinla



http://www.trappedlight.com
http://www.socal-dslr.com/forum.php
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LAShooters/

yes, the lens with the kit is a very good choice. You might also consider the DS because i got mine for about the same price as the DL!