K-x and Night Photography - Lenses?

[DRabbit]

This is something I want to get into. I recently saw some of the timelapse footage called "Timescapes" as was blown away. I don't expect to get that kind of quality without a lot of practice and I'm not looking to do timelapse (yet)... but I'd like to do more night photos.

I tried my hand at it tonight...



...K-x + kit lens... and I'm pretty happy with the result. When I go to PA around Thanksgiving, I'd like to do some starry-night stuff.

The kit lens is great, but I'd like something in the same range a little faster... suggestions for this type of photography? I wouldn't mind a little wider too... anyone have thoughts on this?

My goal is something fast enough to avoid star trails, so wide and fast (or faster than kit) would be good. I shot the above at ISO 1600 so I think I can get away with that.

Tips? Thoughts?

ps. Hubby has an awesome stable tripod... I didn't use that one tonight, but will for the future starry stuff. He spent some obscene amount of money on it and never uses it, so I might as well grab it for my purposes

Thanks!

Amy
--



Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
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[DRabbit]

Might not have been clear...

Was hoping for something wide and fast (or faster than kit).
Cheap would be good... even if it's an older prime that's on the used market.
Doesn't even need to be Pentax necessarily.
I'd like to keep it affordable. I'm broke these days! LOL

Thanks all...

Amy
--



Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
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[math guy]

Hi Amy,

I don't really have any advice to offer regarding a lens. But I just had to tell you that I really like your work. I spent a few minutes looking at your website. You have an incredible eye both for composition and processing. I have bookmarked your site and plan to visit it often as it is quite inspiring. Your photography is most definitely art!

--
-- Joe S.
'The laws of nature are but the mathematical thoughts of God.' ~ Euclid

 

[DRabbit]

--



Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
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[UtahManSir]

Nnice shot!

Faster than the Kit lens but wider is tough, There is the DA 14mm f2.8 but it is pricey. There are Zenitar 16mm f2.8 Fisheye Lenses: (- http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=zenitar+16mm&_sacat=See-All-Categories- ) that may fit your bill at around $200. Really fast Wide Angles are pricey though. There is a Sigma 10-20 f3.5 HSM that is just as fast but fairly expensive, and the Pentax 10-17 Fisheye.

Not entirely sure why you want to avoid Star Trails though...
(These were shot with the Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6)





Good luck!

Lloyd

“For every problem there is a solution which is simple, clean and wrong.” Henry Louis Mencken

http://lloydshell.blogspot.com/
http://lloydshell.zenfolio.com/
WSSA #354

 

[DRabbit]

Star Trails are neat, but not the look I'm going for. I recently saw footage from Timescapes.org and want to set out to create a photo with a night sky like that

Of course, living in NY it will be near impossible, but I'd like to see what I can do. My trip to PA soon should offer some dark sky opportunities (if the weather holds out - hopefully).

I've got it narrowed down to the Pentax 14 f/2.8, the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 and the Sigma 20mm f/1.8... the last is fastest, but not exactly the widest.

Amy
--



Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
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[Voikkari]

Beautiful!

I'd like to see more of those...

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

 

[El Grosso]

Wow, indeed, what a great stuff! Tx!

 

[DRabbit]

This isn't really what I'm setting out to accomplish... but I'm having fun trying out night photography anyway

I've pretty much decided to go with the Samyang 14mm f/2.8. It'll let me do 30 second exposures without star trails and let in more light than the kit lets. It seems to get great reviews and I can deal with the distortion with PTLens.

Amy
--



Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DangRabbit
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[Mortal Wombat]

Hello!

Nice Photo

I looked around on the market because I want to purchase the K-x with kit lens.
I really like landscape and low light photography.

What about Tamron's 17-50mm f2.8 ? It is around 610$ If I remember right

Bye