DS on the way! What else do I need?

[Joseph Tainter]

I have posted on this before. I tested the FA 20 f2.8 against the Sigma 20 f1.8, with both lenses at f2.8. For the Pentax that is wide open, while it is stopped down for the Sigma. The Pentax was definitely superior. It is also much smaller and lighter than the Sigma.

Search on my profile and you should find my earlier posts.

Joe

I think a 20 would be nice and may be my next lens purchase. What
is better, Sigma or Pentax?

A 77 ltd is something I would consider. Unless a 90 or 100 macro
would be more useful.

 

[John Glover]

4. long zoom

Really? I have a 10X zoom on my P&S and most of the time, it stays
at wide. I also have a 135 prime and a 2X.

We are talk a long zoom here in terms of focal length, not focal length range. A 10x zoom is meaningless unless you know the focal length of the lens. A 10-100mm zoom is a 10X zoom as is a 50-500mm. However, the theoretical 10-100mm zoom goes from extreme wide angle to a short telephoto while the Sigma 50-500mm goes from what is considered a normal view to extreme telephoto.

A typical long zoom for the *istD/DS would be an 80-200mm or a 70-300mm class zoom lens. Either of these would be ideal and provide you with excellent coverage for subject where you need the extra reach.

--
John
Pentax *ist-D, Pentax ZX-M, Oly Stylus
Fuji S7000Z, Canon A75

 

[Joele]

I am thinking about a 20mm and something between 77 and 100mm. Any
suggestions?

For 77mm don't go past the Pentax Limited 77mm (fantastic)

For 20mm I LOVE the Sigma 20mm DG EX f1.8, if you want a bright 20mm (brighter thean 2.8) it is the ONLY choice, otherwise look at the pentax 20mm f2.8

The Zenitar 16 looks like a lot of fun. Is it worth having?

Yes, its a great lens, I needed to tweak mine so it focused at infinity correctly, but most others seemed to not have this problem, and it was easy to do anyway...

------------
Joel - *ist DS/P30n/ME

 

[dgb2n]

Great idea to get a price match on an A&M price.

Frankly, I'm suprised they did it. A&M isn't exactly a highly reputable dealer (check out reseller ratings).

Congratulations on getting a great deal.

On what to buy next, my recommendation would be a good card reader. I found one that fits into my 3 1/2" drive bay and even gives me two more front USB ports for around $30 shipped from newegg. Even had interchangable face plates so that it matched my black case.

 

[K1000Photographer]

Well, it is on a P&S and I did not bother to look up the actual focal length. It is the equivalent of a 38 - 380mm zoom on a 35mm camera.

 

[K1000Photographer]

I was a little surprised and very happy about the price match. I hope all who are going for it also get it. samsclub is a great place to buy a piece of electronics. The return policy is so generous.

BTW, my computer has a built in SD reader.

 

[K1000Photographer]

I am thinking about a 20mm and something between 77 and 100mm. > > Any suggestions?

For 77mm don't go past the Pentax Limited 77mm (fantastic)

That is why I mentioned 77mm. It is supposed to be one of the best ever portrait lenses. The Tamron 90 macro is another one I would consider.

For 20mm I LOVE the Sigma 20mm DG EX f1.8, if you want a bright > 20mm (brighter thean 2.8) it is the ONLY choice, otherwise look at the > pentax > 20mm f2.8

The Zenitar 16 looks like a lot of fun. Is it worth having?

Yes, its a great lens, I needed to tweak mine so it focused at infinity > correctly, but most others seemed to not have this problem, and it was > easy to do anyway...

It is pretty cheap and that or the 20 may be my next lens.

------------
Joel - *ist DS/P30n/ME > >

 

[Michael Barker]

So, what equipment did you finally decide on? Or, still thinking?

 

[janneman02]

However, seriously consider the much talked about SMCP-FA 28-105mm
f/3.2-4.5 lens. Available for around $210-$220, it is a bargain.
Will cover most of the range you are interested in and is fairly
fast.

Well I am thinking of the Sigma 18-125 3.5
First becaus I already have the tamron 28-75 2.8 for "fast".

secondly, the smcp-fa is for some reason no so cheap here, in fact mor expensive than the sigma...

Furthermore, it's no so much the tele end I am interested in (rarely went beyon 100 mm in the past) but the ability of 18mm... and stil have some longer posibilities.

 

[Michael Barker]

by the way, I don't know what the best image tank is, but you might try the Storage and Media Forum:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1023

 

[Dave Lewis]

It was A&M photoworld. $579.00 with kit lens

They matched that price from A&M. Nobody ever bought the camera from them or their other name Broadway Photo for that price. Do a search on here and you will find a thread devoted to that subject. I'm all for ripping Walmart every chance we get, so more power to you. I am amazed they would match a known internet scammer, though. They are pretty stupid I guess.
--
Dave Lewis

 

[K1000Photographer]

I asked these questions to get an idea of what I may need, beyond what I have and am contemplating. I know that I will need more memory and am curious how much better fast SD cards are over standard. PSE3 will be purchased some time soon.

Lens purchases will go in stages. A wide prime looks like the first step. (FA20?) So far I have 28, 50, 135 and 270mm covered by my existing lenses. A portrait lens may follow along with a zenitar 16.

I need a hotshoe/PC adaptor for my big flash.

Bag(s) are another thing. I have a medium sized bag for the K but it is getting old. I would like to go as small as possible. Lately I tend to take my digicam or the K with a prime or 2. A Nova 2 or Rezo 160 would hold the camera and my lenses. I may get a zinger and use a small fanny pack to hold a lens or 2 for my usual trips. With the K, I tend to use the 28 indoors and 50 outdoors.

Am I missing anything?

 

[Dave Lewis]

It was A&M photoworld. $579.00 with kit lens

But what is the Sam's Club membership fee and what is the shipping and sales tax. I know you are probably a Sam's Club member, but many of the rest of us aren't. Of course you have to pay sales tax with them and shipping. What is the bottom line if you don't mind sharing.
--
Dave Lewis

 

[mvb123]

Lens purchases will go in stages. A wide prime looks like the first
step. (FA20?) So far I have 28, 50, 135 and 270mm covered by my
existing lenses. A portrait lens may follow along with a zenitar 16.

I haven't read the whole thread, but in this list I miss a macro. I bought the Tamron 90di because it seems to be the best (reviews on this forum, elsewhere on the web, and magazines). Also the focal lenght fits nicely between your 50 en 135 mm lenses.
Menno

 

[K1000Photographer]

I pay $30 per year for a business membership and save a lot more than that on the commodity items we buy.

The price was $579 + sales tax. I am not trying to rip them off either. I can not stand the fear and loathing that abounds because someone is successful.

 

[K1000Photographer]

The 77 ltd also fits in nicely but is not a macro. If the Tamron is close in quality, I will go with the 90.

 

[K1000Photographer]

I know this will be important for longer trips. I have a fiarly lightweight laptop that I used last year. I also see that 12 and 14" widescreens with 40- 60 Gig hardrives are a little more in cost than some imagetanks/viewers. Thie will take some digging and welcome the opinions and experiences of others.

 

[Godfrey]

I asked these questions to get an idea of what I may need, beyond
what I have and am contemplating. I know that I will need more
memory and am curious how much better fast SD cards are over
standard. ...

There seems little if any benefit from buying faster than 45x rated cards, but I've noticed lately that the prices of 60x cards are only separated from the 45x cards by a few dollars in some cases.

PSE3 will be purchased some time soon.

I'd make that a high priority as anyone really interested in exploiting the DS full capabilities should have access to a good RAW converter. Pentax Lab 2.1 does a poor job of it.

Lens purchases will go in stages. A wide prime looks like the first
step. (FA20?) So far I have 28, 50, 135 and 270mm covered by my
existing lenses. A portrait lens may follow along with a zenitar 16.

A 20mm lens is only a wide on the 16x24mm format. You have the longer end of the spectrum reasonably well covered in primes. I'd go for a DA16-45/4 rather than an FA20/2.8 prime for more versatility and a wider field of view option on this body. The Zenitar 16mm would be fun to play with as well, but I've avoided it because I don't like the notion of having to do fisheye-> rectilinear conversion processing.

Bag(s) are another thing. I have a medium sized bag for the K but
it is getting old. I would like to go as small as possible. Lately
I tend to take my digicam or the K with a prime or 2. A Nova 2 or
Rezo 160 would hold the camera and my lenses. I may get a zinger
and use a small fanny pack to hold a lens or 2 for my usual trips.
With the K, I tend to use the 28 indoors and 50 outdoors.

I love the Billingham L2 I obtained over the holidays ... perfect size and excellent protection for the DS plus a couple of lenses, plenty of room for all the other junk I tend to have to cart about with me too. But it's expensive. My alternate, with a bit more room when I need it, is a Tamrac Superlight 5 ... inexpensive, nicely made, and hangs well on the shoulder due to its tall/slim design.

If you tend to use a 28 and a 50 with a film SLR, the 16-45 and a fast 35mm would be a good pair of lenses to carry.

... redux: "Am I missing anything?"

A complete kit for my use, drawn from what I've purchased or have been considering purchase, from which you might see other possibilities you haven't thought of.

---
DS body
3x 1Gbyte SD cards
Power2000 NiMH AAs (2500mah) with fast charger
CRV3 Lithium battery set (backup)
Hakuba Grip LH hand strap
Sunpak 383 (non-dedicated) or Sigma 500DG Super (dedicated) flash
LumiQuest mini soft box and ultrasoft bounce attachments
Remote Release F and Cable Switch 203

lenses in order of use frequency:
A50/1.4
FA28-105/3.2-4.5
A24/2.8
F100-300/4.5-5.6
M85/2
DA16-45/4

filters: B+W Type 106 ND filter and circular polarizer for the most likely lenses.
Working bag: Billingham L2
Traveling bag: Lowepro CompuTrekker AW backpack
tripod: Bogen/Manfrotto 3444D legs with either Kirk BH-1
or Manfrotto 3265 ball head *
laptop for field work: Apple PowerBook G4 12"
reader: Belkin USB 2.0 8-in-1 card reader
software: iView Media Pro 2, Adobe Photoshop CS
image tank: CompactDrive PD7X or Epson P-2000 (40G drive is adequate)

• were I buying now, I'd go for the MagFiber version legs (a better, nicer column design) instead of the 3444D and would take the Manfrotto 322RC2 Grip Action ball head over the 3265.

currently using a PowerBook G3/500Mhz ... slow but still reliable.

still debating on these ... I like the Epson for its display, but the CompactDrive is much less expensive and uses the same batteries as the camera.

Add a couple of sets of Everready E3 AA Lithiums for travel/backup power.
---

I have a few other lenses and accessories, but the above is likely what I'll carry on my upcoming photo trip to the UK/Isleo of Man at the end of May.

Godfrey

 

[K1000Photographer]

There seems little if any benefit from buying faster than 45x rated > cards, but I've noticed lately that the prices of 60x cards are only > separated from the 45x cards by a few dollars in some cases.

What about standard vs 45X cards?

PSE3 will be purchased some time soon.

I'd make that a high priority as anyone really interested in exploiting the > DS full capabilities should have access to a good RAW converter. Pentax > Lab 2.1 does a poor job of it.

I have learned to pay attention to this forum and PSE3 will be purchased. ACR looks like the way to go.

A 20mm lens is only a wide on the 16x24mm format. You have the > longer end of the spectrum reasonably well covered in primes. I'd go for > a DA16-45/4 rather than an FA20/2.8 prime for more versatility and a > wider field of view option on this body. The Zenitar 16mm would be fun > to play with as well, but I've avoided it because I don't like the notion > of having to do fisheye-> rectilinear conversion processing.

I do like primes and know I can get by with carrying 2 -3 at a time. The 16-45 is a bit big and does not go bigger than f4. The fisheye Zenitar does look like a good creative tool. I may want to flatten some photos but would also like the fisheye.

I love the Billingham L2 I obtained over the holidays ... perfect size and > excellent protection for the DS plus a couple of lenses, plenty of room > for all the other junk I tend to have to cart about with me too. But it's > expensive. My alternate, with a bit more room when I need it, is a > Tamrac Superlight 5 ... inexpensive, nicely made, and hangs well on the > shoulder due to its tall/slim design.

I may use the old bag for a while and see what I like to carry around. Billingham's look good but are pricey. Tamrac and Lowepro are more in the range of what I would like to spend.

If you tend to use a 28 and a 50 with a film SLR, the 16-45 and a fast > 35mm would be a good pair of lenses to carry.

You like to push that 16-45. I will play with the kit lens, A28 and A50. Depending on what focal length I like/need, I may consider the 16-45 instead of the FA20.

... redux: "Am I missing anything?"

Godfrey added:

A complete kit for my use, drawn from what I've purchased or have been considering purchase, from which you might see other possibilities you haven't thought of.
---
DS body
3x 1Gbyte SD cards
Power2000 NiMH AAs (2500mah) with fast charger
CRV3 Lithium battery set (backup)
Hakuba Grip LH hand strap
Sunpak 383 (non-dedicated) or Sigma 500DG Super (dedicated) flash
LumiQuest mini soft box and ultrasoft bounce attachments
Remote Release F and Cable Switch 203

lenses in order of use frequency:
A50/1.4
FA28-105/3.2-4.5
A24/2.8
F100-300/4.5-5.6
M85/2
DA16-45/4

filters: B+W Type 106 ND filter and circular polarizer for the most likely lenses.
Working bag: Billingham L2
Traveling bag: Lowepro CompuTrekker AW backpack
tripod: Bogen/Manfrotto 3444D legs with either Kirk BH-1
or Manfrotto 3265 ball head >
laptop for field work: Apple PowerBook G4 12" reader: Belkin USB 2.0 8-in-1 card reader
software: iView Media Pro 2, Adobe Photoshop CS
image tank: CompactDrive PD7X or Epson P-2000 (40G drive is adequate)

• were I buying now, I'd go for the MagFiber version legs (a better, nicer column design) instead of the 3444D and would take the Manfrotto 322RC2 Grip Action ball head over the 3265.

currently using a PowerBook G3/500Mhz ... slow but still reliable.

still debating on these ... I like the Epson for its display, but the CompactDrive is much less expensive and uses the same batteries as the camera.
Add a couple of sets of Everready E3 AA Lithiums for travel/backup power.
---

I have a few other lenses and accessories, but the above is likely what I'll carry on my upcoming photo trip to the UK/Isleo of Man at the end of May.
Godfrey

Good recommendations. I have a non dedicated hotshoe flash and big handle flash as well. If I get a dedicated flash, it will be down the road. I will get batteries and fast charger as well quite soon.

My Compaq laptop travels fairly well. I like the 15.4" widescreen. It has a built in SD reader and the 5 hour battery life is nice to have. It and its bag are under 10lb.

I have some OK tripods and a tabletop tripod that is perfect for digicams. A monopod or other lightweight option will need to be looked at.

 

[Michael Barker]

My latest interest is the 70-300/4-5.6 Macro type, either Tamron or Sigma. You can get 1:2 Macro because you can focus at about a meter or less at 300mm focal length. So you take macro shots although it doesn't give you near the flexibility (distance and aperture) nor the sharpness of a real macro. Still, I'm interested in it because with the same lens you can take pictures of flora and fauna, for under $200 USD. What a great lens for a walk in the park.

So you see that once you have the basics covered in your list, what remains are very personal choices...