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Do we really need prime/limited lenses ?

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Kesha270057

Kesha270057

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Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that lenses for photos?

I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble when we have a workshop with fix lenses.

In my experienced, DA 16-45/DA*16-50+DA*50-135+FA50mm+DA55-300 are more than enough to get very very good shots.

--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
For display onscreen or making small to moderate-sized prints from the full frame, a good quality zoom lens can give very satisfactory results.

Where you will see the difference is if you need to crop part of the image, and enlarge that for onscreen display or printing.

Joe
 
Some of the newer zooms are of prime quality and surely more effective where foot-zooming is not an option. I think where the primes outshine is in bokeh rendering and perhaps in cropping quality. Some of the Ltd's are just overpowering in their outstanding IQ and bokeh, and if you need the very finest, they are what you will own...along with some nice zooms. I am personally a zoomer, but sure wouldn't mind being a Ltd. owner in the future.
--
'This is more serious than I thought.....but it is still fun!
http://www.pbase.com/rupertdog Take a look- It's Free!
 
Seriously, weather sealing, SR and quality limited primes, which are often smaller than other companies comparable lenses, are the only reasons to buy pentax. Canikon give you more choice and range of peripherals.
 
?? I'm confused. Is there something about there being prime lenses in the world that hinders your use of zooms?

This is like saying that there should be no motorcycles because there are cars. Yes, they both do the same thing, and one has more possible uses than the other on a practical level. But the experience of using one or the other is not the same.

Maybe there should not be workshops that require the use of zooms for best results? :)
--
Dan Daniel

http://dandaniel.zenfolio.com/
 
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that
lenses for photos?
Click to expand...
Do we need a Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini instead of a Camry/Accord/Hyundai?
Kesha270057 said:
I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble
when we have a workshop with fix lenses.
Click to expand...
Fix lenses? I am sorry, I do not understand your inference here.
Kesha270057 said:
In my experienced, DA 16-45/DA*16-50+DA*50-135+FA50mm+DA55-300 are
more than enough to get very very good shots.
Click to expand...
They certainly do, but then my Passat V6 4Motion is better to drive than my Hyundai.
Kesha270057 said:
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
Click to expand...
--
Lance B
http://www.pbase.com/lance_b

 
Wigglesworth and Rupert have got it so right. My pride of ownership in shooting Pentax is highest as it relates to the quality of the prime lens(s) I use. The bokeh, image quality and color rendering are extra, extraordinary.

I love photography and the primes I own really allow me to enjoy it all the more.
 
Fixed focal length lenses have advantages for size and weight (for a given f-stop), and simpler design (easier to correct for distortions, chromatic aberrations, etc since the focal length is fixed). That doesn't mean aberrations or distortions are actually better corrected, but it is generally easier for the designer to correct for them.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28177041@N03/
 
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that lenses for photos?
Click to expand...
I often sling my camera over my shoulder when I go out for a walk, and something that's small and lightweight is of great importance to me. The DA35 Ltd has been a mainstay on my camera since I bought it. Often I also throw my SMC M 50mm f/1.4 and SMC M 100mm f/2.8 into a very small fanny pack for occasions where I need a little more reach or a little less depth of field. The DA 50-135 could take similar pictures but it's a LOT heavier and bulkier and I'd not likely take it with me nearly as often.

I love my DA12-24 zoom, but I only take it with me when I have a specific use for it in mind. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming 15mm Limited which is bound to find a frequent place in my fanny pack.
 
Lance B said:
Kesha said:
I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble
when we have a workshop with fix lenses.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Lance B said:
Fix lenses? I am sorry, I do not understand your inference here.
Click to expand...
I think he's saying: "My friend with prime lenses often has trouble in our photographic workshops".

It does take a little more thought and organization to use primes effectively. It comes easily to those of us who started way back when with nothing but primes, but I suspect it takes a little learning for the "zoom generation".
 
Talking about bokeh, when shot a full body of model, FA 77 is not enough to give nice bokeh, we need 135mm - up.

The FA77 is only for half body shot to give nice bokeh.

but, the DA*200mm is a perfect for that kind of shot.
falsepositive said:
Wigglesworth and Rupert have got it so right. My pride of ownership
in shooting Pentax is highest as it relates to the quality of the
prime lens(s) I use. The bokeh, image quality and color rendering
are extra, extraordinary.

I love photography and the primes I own really allow me to enjoy it
all the more.
Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
Indeed lance, but your ferrari will not compete with Cherokee or Toyota RAV in another situation.
Lance B said:
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that
lenses for photos?
Click to expand...
Do we need a Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini instead of a
Camry/Accord/Hyundai?
Lance B said:
I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble
when we have a workshop with fix lenses.
Click to expand...
Fix lenses? I am sorry, I do not understand your inference here.
Lance B said:
In my experienced, DA 16-45/DA*16-50+DA*50-135+FA50mm+DA55-300 are
more than enough to get very very good shots.
Click to expand...
They certainly do, but then my Passat V6 4Motion is better to drive
than my Hyundai.
Lance B said:
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
Click to expand...
--
Lance B
http://www.pbase.com/lance_b

Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
Then, I saw many users, maybe new users here, interested for limited lenses, but I doubt he/she do the large print?

Here is from my DA 16-45.

I don't know, do we still need crop from limited, when DA 16-45 is sharp enough?




Joseph Tainter said:
For display onscreen or making small to moderate-sized prints from
the full frame, a good quality zoom lens can give very satisfactory
results.

Where you will see the difference is if you need to crop part of the
image, and enlarge that for onscreen display or printing.

Joe
Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
Horses for courses. It doesn't hurt you that there are primes out there, does it?

And in the end, none of us actually "need" any lenses, fixed or zooms, or a body to hang off the back. If "need" was everything, all but a tiny fraction of forum visitors to DPreview don't need any camera at all, and those few that do need a camera could almost always make do with a P&S, and never need a DSLR.

We get cameras and lenses because we want them, not because we need them. And if some people want to use primes, or zooms - or shoot film rather than digital - then that's what makes them happy. It's a hobby and "need" has nothing to do with it.
Kesha said:
Lance B said:
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that
lenses for photos?
Click to expand...
Do we need a Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini instead of a
Camry/Accord/Hyundai?
Kesha270057 said:
I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble
when we have a workshop with fix lenses.
Click to expand...
Fix lenses? I am sorry, I do not understand your inference here.
Kesha270057 said:
In my experienced, DA 16-45/DA*16-50+DA*50-135+FA50mm+DA55-300 are
more than enough to get very very good shots.
Click to expand...
They certainly do, but then my Passat V6 4Motion is better to drive
than my Hyundai.
Kesha270057 said:
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
Click to expand...
--
Lance B
http://www.pbase.com/lance_b

Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
Click to expand...
--
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jannem/
Blog: http://janneinosaka.blogspot.com
 
I agreed with the lightweight of limited lenses, but when you carry 3 limited lenses instead you can carry only 1 good zoom, I think this is the same.

For DA 50-135, you have the longer reach up to 135mm, when your limited can't reach and give you nice bokeh for full body (human) shot.

You need DFA 100mm and DA*200mm.
Sean Nelson said:
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that lenses for photos?
Click to expand...
I often sling my camera over my shoulder when I go out for a walk,
and something that's small and lightweight is of great importance to
me. The DA35 Ltd has been a mainstay on my camera since I bought it.
Often I also throw my SMC M 50mm f/1.4 and SMC M 100mm f/2.8 into a
very small fanny pack for occasions where I need a little more reach
or a little less depth of field. The DA 50-135 could take similar
pictures but it's a LOT heavier and bulkier and I'd not likely take
it with me nearly as often.

I love my DA12-24 zoom, but I only take it with me when I have a
specific use for it in mind. I'm really looking forward to the
upcoming 15mm Limited which is bound to find a frequent place in my
fanny pack.
Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
That's a good analogy Lance but then think about this also for a minute to expand on that: if the primes/ltd's are the Porsche 911's we can say good zoom lenses are like Porsche Cayennes - the 911 may be faster, have better handhling, etc. but when it comes down to it - you can't take your 911 off-road or on a sand dune, etc. and that's how you can think of a zoom lens - they may allow things otherwise not possible and still offer very good and respectable performance. See the new Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 samples posted here recently - amazingly good! Can hang with the best of primes no problem. But of course there exceptions and the opposite can be true - like as good as many new zoom lenses are I don't think there is any zoom that can rival the FA31 Ltd for example. Still there is no golden rule. That's what I'm trying to get at.

Cheers,
--
Sinan
http://sinantarlan.zenfolio.com/

 
Janne, for this reason, I agreed with you.
JanneM said:
And in the end, none of us actually "need" any lenses, fixed or
zooms, or a body to hang off the back. If "need" was everything, all
but a tiny fraction of forum visitors to DPreview don't need any
camera at all, and those few that do need a camera could almost
always make do with a P&S, and never need a DSLR.

We get cameras and lenses because we want them, not because we need
them. And if some people want to use primes, or zooms - or shoot film
rather than digital - then that's what makes them happy. It's a hobby
and "need" has nothing to do with it.
Kesha said:
Lance B said:
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that
lenses for photos?
Click to expand...
Do we need a Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini instead of a
Camry/Accord/Hyundai?
JanneM said:
I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble
when we have a workshop with fix lenses.
Click to expand...
Fix lenses? I am sorry, I do not understand your inference here.
JanneM said:
In my experienced, DA 16-45/DA*16-50+DA*50-135+FA50mm+DA55-300 are
more than enough to get very very good shots.
Click to expand...
They certainly do, but then my Passat V6 4Motion is better to drive
than my Hyundai.
JanneM said:
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
Click to expand...
--
Lance B
http://www.pbase.com/lance_b

Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
Click to expand...
--
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jannem/
Blog: http://janneinosaka.blogspot.com
Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
When I'm walking around during the day I normally have a zoom on my camera. But, I've been looking for an f/2 zoom for interior shots in old churches and I haven't found one yet so I usually put my 35mm on for those shots. When I walking in the street after dark I usually have my 35mm f/2 on the camera, too. Sometimes, just for fun, I'll put my 50mm f/1.7 on the camera in the evening.

I will agree the new zooms are great lenses. But, if you come out of the studio, it's a different world.

--
Patrick T. Kelly
Oaxaca, Mexico
 
Sorry Dan, I mean "he has a trouble with his fix lenses"
ddan daniel said:
?? I'm confused. Is there something about there being prime lenses in
the world that hinders your use of zooms?

This is like saying that there should be no motorcycles because there
are cars. Yes, they both do the same thing, and one has more possible
uses than the other on a practical level. But the experience of using
one or the other is not the same.

Maybe there should not be workshops that require the use of zooms
for best results? :)
--
Dan Daniel

http://dandaniel.zenfolio.com/
Click to expand...
--
------------------------------------------
-- Rusma

my multiply : http://kesha.multiply.com
 
Kesha said:
Yes, I know the limited lenses quality, but do we really need that
lenses for photos?
I saw my friend, he is limited lenses collector, but he has trouble
when we have a workshop with fix lenses.

In my experienced, DA 16-45/DA*16-50+DA*50-135+FA50mm+DA55-300 are
more than enough to get very very good shots.
Click to expand...
For the sake of argument I don't need my 21, 43, and 77. I could carry one do-all zoom or two zooms that could get close in terms of final results. The handling between the the equipment choices is much different.

You do some excellent work. I also think your work is more appealing than mine is. That's not the same as wishing to emulate you or your style. You choose your gear, I'll choose my own. I would not have bought into Pentax dslr's without excellent prime choices and especially the Limited's that are in the same league as Leitz and Zeiss lenses.

Just because your friend fumbles with fixed focal length lenses doesn't mean everyone does.
 
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