K-5 + [Your Favorite Glass Poll]

This is a simple poll question for all of you K-5 owners. What piece of glass has found new life, seems to fit well with, or are you using heavily with your K-5? Maybe this is glass that didn't seem to quite be 'optimized' by previous Pentax cameras you owned, or maybe you are enjoying the new 'balance' of the lens on this smaller body (as opposed to perhaps an *istX or K20D). Maybe focus improvements have given one of your old beauties new life.

Put the lens name in your subject heading - and your reasoning/experiences in the body of your message

-Prime

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My Website
http://www.andrewallenphoto.com

My Pentax Street Gallery - Arranged By Lens Used
http://photobucket.com/andy_allen

For me - it's the DA*55. Multiple things have increased my appreciation for this lens after using it on the K-5 (as opposed to K-7 or K20D).

First, is focus speed ... while the SDM isn't 'sped up' by the new model, the accuracy and decisiveness of the K-5's AF means much less hunting, no 'end-to-end' focus hunting, and greater accuracy.

Second, is balance - of all of my glass; the DA*55 used in conjunction with the K-5 and grip (which I use full-time) is as solid as any piece of pro-kit currently available - wonderful weight balance, flawless handling, and it even looks stylish.

Third, the high ISO prowess of the K-5 (seriously, ISO 3200 is the new ISO 800) makes this lens an absolute low-light superstar; shooting at f1.4 and ISO 3200 makes even the lowest of light seem like a portrait opportunity.

Lastly, the sheer resolving power suits the K-5's demanding sensor (I've found that to get that extra kick out of this new Sony CMOS - DPR was spot on, you need the premium glass). Just incredible to have a sensor behind the glass that really equals some of Pentax's great primes and brings them new life.

-Prime

--
My Website
http://www.andrewallenphoto.com

My Pentax Street Gallery - Arranged By Lens Used
http://photobucket.com/andy_allen

K5 and and da 35 This combo is producing some awesome sharp pics.Better than my k7

I like this combo because u can use it like a point and shoot camera on days like yesterday (Xmas day ).Couple of glasses of white wine,food,laughter,so being pedantic on Xmas day is not on.Had the camera set to p mode,buit in flash,jpeg,just point and shoot.I ended up with some really ultra sharp pics.
The sigma 70-200 hsm not much difference between k7 except for af speed.

Havn't tried my 16-50 sdm yet.It looks like the k5 married to da 35 and the k7 married to the sigma.The 16-50 and the sigma 105macro when neccessary.

I am still deciding between the 2 lenses as my favorite. They both are excellent with the K-5.

AF is fast and accurate.

Color is superb.

I was shooting next to a friend (Canon 50D) the Iso performance was impressing him completely.

The ergonomics of the K-5 and the FA 31 are really appealing.

For me, DA*300 or FA*43 Ltd

Both can utilize the sensor perfectly. Because it is so dark outside, I mostly shoot inside (Holidays!) and there 43 works sooo nice. Oh, did I mention high ISO ;-)

My old F28 2,8 works also well...

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K5 / K20 / K10D/*istD
MZ5n/Z70/SF7/MESuper/MX/Spotmatic F
Pentax since Spotmatic F

K 5 + DA* 300
--



Pedro Ernesto Guerra Azevedo
pedro.azevedo @ ig.com.br

• São Paulo - Brasil

jogos http://pegazevedo.multiply.com/
formação http://pegazevedo1.multiply.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sereiasdavila/
http://www.santosfc.com.br/

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my PPG
http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/zakariamohie
k200 +/ k5 pre order/.
FA*200-fa 43 limited- dfa100 and some fa da lenses.

Hi Andy,

No real surprise here, since I use it a fair amount. My best explanation is this post:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=37071943

All shot handheld and high ISO (3200). Even being an f/4 lens, that combo is fast enough to capture very precise detail with fast subjects, and the high ISO ability can make up for low light shooting. To my eye the overall performance with the K5 goes well beyond K20D and K7 for this type of shooting. For short-range shooting/landscapes, I think the K20D is good enough not to notice much of a difference, so it stays as my backup.

Pete

Sounds like an echo but DA*300

On the K20D this lens had horrible focus accuracy, especially in low light.
K5 + Sigma 30mm F1.4 works fine
--
GMT+2

telfish said:

Sounds like an echo but DA*300

Click to expand...

What problems did the DA*300 have before ?

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http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/home#section=ARTIST&subSection=2323984&subSubSection=0&language=EN]MY PPG[ url]
K10D, K-7

Pentax: DA15/4, DA21/3.2, FA31/1.8, FA43/1.9, FA77/1.8, F135/2.8, FA*28-70/2.8, FA*80-200/2.8
Sigma Zooms: Sigma 100-300 F4

'Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming... 'Wow! What a ride!'

My tamron 1.4 TC does work better with the K-5 as I can easily stop it down to f5.6 or even f8 with my F4 telephoto lenses, thanks to the high iso performance of the K-5.
--

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/home#section=ARTIST&subSection=2323984&subSubSection=0&language=EN]MY PPG[ url]
K10D, K-7

Pentax: DA15/4, DA21/3.2, FA31/1.8, FA43/1.9, FA77/1.8, F135/2.8, FA*28-70/2.8, FA*80-200/2.8
Sigma Zooms: Sigma 100-300 F4

'Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming... 'Wow! What a ride!'

No problems per se - but in combination with K5 I'm getting a wider range of "keeper" shots than when paired with K20D or K7 (my experience so far).

Pete

pcarfan said:

telfish said:

Sounds like an echo but DA*300

Click to expand...

What problems did the DA*300 have before ?

--

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/home#section=ARTIST&subSection=2323984&subSubSection=0&language=EN]MY PPG[ url]
K10D, K-7

Pentax: DA15/4, DA21/3.2, FA31/1.8, FA43/1.9, FA77/1.8, F135/2.8, FA*28-70/2.8, FA*80-200/2.8
Sigma Zooms: Sigma 100-300 F4

'Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming... 'Wow! What a ride!'

Click to expand...

Well i'm part of the way there!
I own the DA300 but i'm missing the K-5.

What the heck - how about another old fave coming 'back to life' - the FA43. Focus speed is improved, focus accuracy is way improved, and the FA43 is one of the few lenses that can bully 16mp into giving up everything they have. This lens I like to use with the K-5 and no grip, with a wide camera strap (I typically use no camera strap at all). It's smaller than most 'superzooms', encompasses some of the best IQ Pentax can currently deliver, and it's a discreet street machine. The K-5 may be the first Pentax DSLR that really 'deserves' something as nice as the FA43 attached: just a random image from the combo with a little bit of DOF play ...



-Andy

--
My Website
http://www.andrewallenphoto.com

My Pentax Street Gallery - Arranged By Lens Used
http://photobucket.com/andy_allen

Well it was hard to say really but this lens and teleconverter combos finds new life more so due to the improved high ISO, on the K-7 the IQ took too much of a hit at high ISO, on the K-5 the combo making 1020mm F9.6 (used at F12.6) actually provides usable acceptable results.

a close runner up is the Pentax F 70-210mm F4-5.6, its AF speed is second only to the F 35-70mm F3.5-4.5 and plays very well with the K-5

a final runner up is my Pentax F 100mm F2.8 Macro, again aided mostly by high ISO performance in macros, the ability to stop down more or increase the shutter speed without degrading the IQ by noise and NR

I may have taken 5000 photos with the K-5 already but i haven't used all my lenses on it, at least not significantly. Other lenses may find new life when i end up using them.

I do find it rather interesting that the lenses i use most so far on Pentax's latest body at manual focus and F series lenses made in '1984 and '1987
--
Mike from Canada

'I like to think so far outside the box that it would require a telephoto lens just to see the box!' ~ 'My Quote '



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