Road Trip w/ 50-135/K3ii

manual_focus wrote:

Drove up to Anderson, South Carolina to pick up a tool and on the way back shot some architectural images with the K3ii and the DA* 50-135mm. Drove back through Due West, which is near Level Land, to Abbeville and McCormick to see Greek Revival antebellum mansions.

Very nice captures of interesting landmarks.  I like the Frazier-Pressley house!  I doubt my current kitchen reno will get me there

Now knowing that Ricoh is updating the DA* 16-50mm my mind wandered to what I would want if they also decided to update the 50-135mm. Having the K1 and the FA* 70-200mm, my primary want was that the APS-C lenses should be relatively small and easy to transport. There needs to be a real difference between the two formats. The need to have large, heavy bulbous lenses to ensure edge to edge sharpness and reduced distortion at fast f-stops means I'm willing to compromise on those factors to a degree for the sake of size and weight.

Here are some size (dia.) and weight information.

• DA*50-135 f2.8 67mm 685 g
• DA*60-250 f4 67mm 1040g
• FA*70-200 f2.8 77mm 1755g

What is the sweet spot for APS-C? Should the 50-135mm even be upgraded?

ABSOLUTELY.  New motor - after 2 SDM failures my 50-135 currently works on screw drive.  PLM, DC... whatever works.  Current HD coatings of course.  Rounded aperture blades... can't hurt.  Otherwise... yup, one of my favourite lenses.

And I agree that I do not want anything heavier for APSC, even the 50-135 gets taken out less than my 55-300 because of size/weight.  Ya... I am a lightweight

Doug

hurt.The Old County Court House with the obligatory confederate monument in Anderson, SC

Due West Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, You can generally tell the denomination by the steeple. I don't believe there is any significance to the vulture sitting on top!

Abbeville Main Street United Methodist Church. Notice the difference?

Abbeville, Burt-Stark Mansion. Noted as the location of the last Council of War of cabinet members of the Confederate government in May 2, 1865. Classic antebellum mansion of a square, two story with a four wood column front porch.

Cedar Springs Historic District, Frazier-Pressley House. Built in 1852, this is not a classic Greek Revival antebellum mansion in that it is three-story, stuccoed brick building, with three octagonal elements joined with a connecting hallway. The columns are brick (not the usual wood) also.

Near McCormick, Eaton Hall, 1854. Classic Greek Revival that features a pedimented, two story front portico. Two image panorama. Take away the front porch and this is a simple two story wooden box house that had no plumbing or gas/electricity. So it wouldn't catch fire the kitchens were in another building nearby.