RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Thanks Godfrey! Your graphic puts the difference in good perspective - except at the wide end, the difference is fairly insignificant. I think I'll probably pick up the 28-105 when BH open again, along with a hand-strap and polarizer. (All in all, I think the lesson is that I should spend less time worrying about gear and more time taking pictures.. but it's so fun, and what then would I do while at work?) Odd about the 24/2 - http://stans-photography.info/Intro6.html has it listed as the top of the favoritesic lenses of the PDML crowd. Maybe it's time we had a new poll - I'd love to see a tally of votes from the LBA on their favourite lenses for Pentax digital in various categories. (all-round, wide, standard, tele, wide-tele zoom, tele-zoom..) Thanks again for your help. jp -Original Message- From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 12:36 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. On Apr 21, 2005, at 9:41 AM, Jon Paul Schelter (R* Toronto) wrote: I'd love to hear from anyone who has the 24-90 - *is* it worth the premium over the 28-105? the comments at Stan's (http://stans-photography.info/) are mostly positive, but don't answer my questions. Does anyone know of any lens tests of either of these? I haven't see a response which addresses your question yet. While I haven't seen formal lens tests of the FA 24-90/3.5-4.5 and FA 28-105/3.5-4.5, I did have access to a 24-90 for a few exposures during the NorCal PDML gathering in March (thanks, Patsy!). Conditions were far from ideal for lens testing (indoors at a cafe, snapping pictures of people at ISO 400 and 800, hand-held) but examining them in comparison to similar pictures taken under similar circumstances with the 28-105, they are so similar in overall rendering, contrast and sharpness as to be nearly indistinguishable. Build quality didn't seem much different one to the other either. I would choose between them based on the focal length range and price rather than the lens quality. The 28-105 nets a little more reach at the expense of some wide-angle coverage, which seems to be where my photography takes me more of the time nowadays. The differences are modest... this little graphic gives you a list of FoV at the zoom limits and a picture display of the FoV difference on the *ist D/DS: http://homepage.mac.com/godders/2zmFoVcomp.jpg * I'm a patient person, but they've had my money for a month now and can't tell me when or if I might see a lens. (During which time I've acquired two lenses from eBay - A 50/2, and a Tamron 70-300) maybe I should get the FA 24/2 in stead of the 35/2? AARGH. too many lenses, going away too quickly! As mentioned in another thread, the FA24/2 AL is a large and heavy lens. Some people using it on the D/DS cameras have found it to be less than satisfactory wide open and have some chromatic aberration problems. Godfrey
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005, Jon Paul Schelter (R* Toronto) wrote: Odd about the 24/2 - http://stans-photography.info/Intro6.html has it listed as the top of the favoritesic lenses of the PDML crowd. It is not great on digital (purple fringing), and the site has opinions predating the *ist-D. It was very good on film, but at f2, it would be heavy. Kostas
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
- Original Message - From: Kostas Kavoussanakis [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 8:44 AM Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, Rob Smith wrote: I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. More details of the converter? Apologies for the late reply. 'DOI MC AUTO TELECONVERTER 1.5X FOR PK Japan' scribed on barrel. By AUTO it doesn't mean any of this modern nonsense just that it will auto actuate the iris, no electrical A contacts of course so anything it is attached to is just a K or M - mind you all my long good class is K series now. Actually I haven't used it for a while and am sad to see some fungus on it - I'll have to look for another. My light weight mountain kit used to be MX,28,50,200 with 1.5x and 2x converters (which gives everything 28,32,50,75,100,200,300 and 400 - 150 and 600 as well if you are prepared to stack the converters). Not bad from three lenses, especially if you were a student and short of cash. Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Have you tried the 1.7AF T/C? Yes, it's a nice toy I am playing with at the moment. Twice the size of the DOI but not much heavier as its made from plastic not metal. Like the 2x I tend to regard it as a device to extend my longest lenses rather than something to 'fil in the gaps' as 1.7x doesn't seem to give the right multipliers for my kit. Being able to get autofocus on old manual K glass is a real hoot and it's probably going to be the converter that is always in the bag if I haven't got something special in mind. To clarify, where I suggested that I would expect a 50 plus 1.4(5) converter to yield better results than a 40 plus the 1.7 that wasn't a reflection of the 1.7x converter (which is pretty good) but rather the relative merits of the 50 and 40 primes. Rob. -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.7 - Release Date: 12/04/2005
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
I haven't filled that gap. My prime line-up is: A20,A28,M35,FA/M50,K105,K135,M200,M*300mm + 1.7 and 2.0 converters. (I recently sold my 2/85mm wich I didn't like). I need a nice AF wide angle first, and I just had to replace my AT-X 28-70mm :-((. So, I need a 14 or 16mm and a 77, 85 or a 90mm. I would prefere the 77mm. The Limited one is SO nice and world class optics BTW. My zooms are 28-70, 28-80, 35-80, 70-150 (MF), 70-210mm. (only the AT-X 28-70mm and the F70-210mm are excellent. Then I wish for a FA20-35mm/Sigma 2.8/18-50mm and a very good 200-500mm. Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -Oprindelig meddelelse- Fra: Peter Williams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 24. april 2005 03:32 Til: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Emne: RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16,24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. Don, you left out the wheelbarrow ;-) -- Peter Williams
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Hi Jens, I just bought an M85/2, it arrived yesterday. What didn't you like about it? Something I should watch out for? Don -Original Message- From: Jens Bladt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 1:10 AM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap. I haven't filled that gap. My prime line-up is: A20,A28,M35,FA/M50,K105,K135,M200,M*300mm + 1.7 and 2.0 converters. (I recently sold my 2/85mm wich I didn't like). I need a nice AF wide angle first, and I just had to replace my AT-X 28-70mm :-((. So, I need a 14 or 16mm and a 77, 85 or a 90mm. I would prefere the 77mm. The Limited one is SO nice and world class optics BTW. My zooms are 28-70, 28-80, 35-80, 70-150 (MF), 70-210mm. (only the AT-X 28-70mm and the F70-210mm are excellent. Then I wish for a FA20-35mm/Sigma 2.8/18-50mm and a very good 200-500mm. Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -Oprindelig meddelelse- Fra: Peter Williams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 24. april 2005 03:32 Til: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Emne: RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16,24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. Don, you left out the wheelbarrow ;-) -- Peter Williams
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
I've bid on a few 120/2.8's, they all went way too high for me. One of these days tho. ;-) Don -Original Message- From: Shel Belinkoff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 8:52 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Don, You really need to find a K120/2.8. It's an absolutely wonderful lens, on par with the K105/2.8 and the K135/2.5 - it's a better lens in some respects than either of them. Shel [Original Message] From: Peter Williams Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16,24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500.
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Sorry, I've got one of those too! ;-) Don -Original Message- From: Peter Williams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 8:32 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16,24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. Don, you left out the wheelbarrow ;-) -- Peter Williams
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
My preferred kit is 14/24/50/100 with 1.7AF. Sometimes 200 as well. The 50 is either A1.4 or A2.8 macro, depending on likely subjects. Nick -Original Message- From: Godfrey DiGiorgi[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22/04/05 05:48:37 To: pentax-discuss@pdml.netpentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. On Apr 21, 2005, at 7:15 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16(fisheye),24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. I tend to prefer wide spacings between primes when I'm carrying them. One of my all time favorite kits in 35mm (Leica M gear) was 21/35/75. I do this with the DS now by carrying 14/28 [or 35]/50 or 24/50/85, depending upon which range I'm in the mood for. I think I carried the 24/50/85 kit at the NorCal PDML gathering day, got a lot of good photos with it. Godfrey
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16,24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. Don, you left out the wheelbarrow ;-) -- Peter Williams
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Don, You really need to find a K120/2.8. It's an absolutely wonderful lens, on par with the K105/2.8 and the K135/2.5 - it's a better lens in some respects than either of them. Shel [Original Message] From: Peter Williams Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16,24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500.
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, Rob Smith wrote: I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. More details of the converter? Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Have you tried the 1.7AF T/C? Kostas
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, Don Sanderson wrote: I seem to be having a lot of trouble with accurate focusing with shorter lenses on the D, don't have a clue why, it was never an issue with the film bodies. Don, I think you have to let Pentax take a look at it. You can't learn to live with it, I don't think. Kostas
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
I think you're probably right. I'm going to do some more detailed and documented testing this weekend. That way if it is the camera I can give Pentax an accurate description of the problem. Don -Original Message- From: Kostas Kavoussanakis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 2:47 AM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap. On Thu, 21 Apr 2005, Don Sanderson wrote: I seem to be having a lot of trouble with accurate focusing with shorter lenses on the D, don't have a clue why, it was never an issue with the film bodies. Don, I think you have to let Pentax take a look at it. You can't learn to live with it, I don't think. Kostas
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Don Sanderson wrote: Actually I do have a 19 but it's one of the Vivitar 19/3.8s. I'm not very fond of it. Can you describe why you don't like that lens? Since I have one and use it fairly frequently, I want to see if that's just something I'm missing! Oh, and is that with the D, or on film cameras? [...] I seem to be having a lot of trouble with accurate focusing with shorter lenses on the D, don't have a clue why, it was never an issue with the film bodies. I seem to be consistently focusing well past the intended point. I'm trying to stick to wide open, fast, primes until I figure out why this is happening. Since it also happens fairly often with the FA50/1.7 set to autofocus, I'm not quite sure it's all me and not partially the ist-D. The thing that's still driving me crazy is that the viewfinder image says I'm focused, so does the confirmation indicator. But I'm not. :-( That's the worst part, isn't it,,, That says to me that you first notice it when you upload those images to your computer or later. That's really too late... This doesn't happen with lenses 85mm or longer. I've got 2 film bodies loaded up just to prove I can still focus properly with them. Very frustrating problem. Don That would be very disconcerting to me. I'd be tempted to send it in for repair! That alone would make the camera useless to me. Good luck, keith whaley
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
This is with the D. Compared to the Zenitar 16/2.8 and the Sigma 24/2.8 it seems to lack sharpness and the bokeh is very 'rough'. I haven't tried it on film yet. There was a thread not long ago about the filter size on this lens, it appears there are at least 2 versions of it. Mine is the KA version with 62mm filter threads. Serial number 91103029. Don -Original Message- From: Keith Whaley [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 5:13 AM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Don Sanderson wrote: Actually I do have a 19 but it's one of the Vivitar 19/3.8s. I'm not very fond of it. Can you describe why you don't like that lens? Since I have one and use it fairly frequently, I want to see if that's just something I'm missing! Oh, and is that with the D, or on film cameras? [...] I seem to be having a lot of trouble with accurate focusing with shorter lenses on the D, don't have a clue why, it was never an issue with the film bodies. I seem to be consistently focusing well past the intended point. I'm trying to stick to wide open, fast, primes until I figure out why this is happening. Since it also happens fairly often with the FA50/1.7 set to autofocus, I'm not quite sure it's all me and not partially the ist-D. The thing that's still driving me crazy is that the viewfinder image says I'm focused, so does the confirmation indicator. But I'm not. :-( That's the worst part, isn't it,,, That says to me that you first notice it when you upload those images to your computer or later. That's really too late... This doesn't happen with lenses 85mm or longer. I've got 2 film bodies loaded up just to prove I can still focus properly with them. Very frustrating problem. Don That would be very disconcerting to me. I'd be tempted to send it in for repair! That alone would make the camera useless to me. Good luck, keith whaley
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Don Sanderson wrote: This is with the D. Compared to the Zenitar 16/2.8 and the Sigma 24/2.8 it seems to lack sharpness and the bokeh is very 'rough'. Okay. I have not limbered up the FA 24mm I recently got, so I can't make a comparison in that range. The depth of field is such that I rarely notice bokeh, but I think I'll go back thru my prints, see what I can tell about that. It may simply be that I haven't used it wide open enough to bring that aspect of it's performance into play. I haven't tried it on film yet. And I only use it with film, as I don't yet have a digital camera that will accept it, so there you are! :-) There was a thread not long ago about the filter size on this lens, it appears there are at least 2 versions of it. Mine is the KA version with 62mm filter threads. Serial number 91103029. Don That's the version I use. S/N 97114018. Other than the lens cap, I use no add-ons including filters with this lens. Anyhow, now that I know what your complaints are, I'll keep them in mind, to see what I find. Up to now, it's performed very well for me, for what I've asked of it! The use of film, with max print sizes of 5X7 don't exactly require the ne plus ultra in wide angle lenses! Thanks, keith whaley
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On Apr 21, 2005, at 9:59 PM, David Oswald wrote: I tend to prefer wide spacings between primes when I'm carrying them. One of my all time favorite kits in 35mm (Leica M gear) was 21/35/75. I do this with the DS now by carrying 14/28 [or 35]/50 or 24/50/85, depending upon which range I'm in the mood for. I think I carried the 24/50/85 kit at the NorCal PDML gathering day, got a lot of good photos with it. I keep seeing SMC Pentax-FA 24mm f/2 AL lenses going on eBay, but heard that the performance of that lens on the *ist-D/s is not as strong as people hope for. Is that the case, or have you found it to be a nice alternative? Just curious. I don't know ... I'd seen some interesting debate on that lens and took a look at one, but found it to be too large and heavy for me. My friend bought one and discovered the same ... he sold it fairly quickly. He felt it has some CA issues on the D/DS. I use the Pentax-A 24/2.8, which is small, light, and an excellent performer on the DS. Godfrey
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
I'm dithering right now between these three lenses : The Voigtlander 75/2.5 (manual focus), 289+50$hood at CameraQuest the SMCP-FA 28-105 3.2-4.5, 210$ at BH the SMCP-FA 24-90 3.5-4.5. 430$$ at BH. BH has 300US$ of my money right now, as I missed out on the 35/f2 stock*, so the 24-90 is only another 130$ - that's cheap! :) I'd love to hear from anyone who has the 24-90 - *is* it worth the premium over the 28-105? the comments at Stan's (http://stans-photography.info/) are mostly positive, but don't answer my questions. Does anyone know of any lens tests of either of these? jp * I'm a patient person, but they've had my money for a month now and can't tell me when or if I might see a lens. (During which time I've acquired two lenses from eBay - A 50/2, and a Tamron 70-300) maybe I should get the FA 24/2 in stead of the 35/2? AARGH. too many lenses, going away too quickly! On Wednesday, April 20, 2005 8:20 PM Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: For me, what fills that gap is either an FA28-105/3.2-4.5 or F35-70/3.5-4.5. I know: you were looking for a prime ... but there aren't a lot of primes in that range. The 28-105 is a very sweet lens, I'm liking it a lot. I am told the FA24-90 is even better, but at double the money I wonder how much better it really is. Godfrey On Apr 20, 2005, at 4:17 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
From: Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don Hmmm, if you consider 50-85 to be a big gap just how many primes are you going to carry around with you? I find a 1.4x converter fills in the gaps nicely between primes and solves the problem of how much weight I'm prepared to lug around. 1.4x converters have an easier time and generally yield better results than you get from the normal 2x jobbies. I would hesitate to use a converter on a wide angle lens, however a 1.4x converter on a 50 is an ideal combination, should give you the focal length you are looking for. I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Rob.
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
I acquired the 24-90 a couple of months ago. Although I haven't done any formal testing, it does seem to be a very sharp lens, though not as sharp as my 77mm or my FA 100mm 2.8 macro (and I should hope not!). It doesn't feel quite as sturdy as one might wish for a lens that costs so much, but I have no complaints about performance. John On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:41:55 +0100, Jon Paul Schelter (R* Toronto) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm dithering right now between these three lenses : The Voigtlander 75/2.5 (manual focus), 289+50$hood at CameraQuest the SMCP-FA 28-105 3.2-4.5, 210$ at BH the SMCP-FA 24-90 3.5-4.5. 430$$ at BH. BH has 300US$ of my money right now, as I missed out on the 35/f2 stock*, so the 24-90 is only another 130$ - that's cheap! :) I'd love to hear from anyone who has the 24-90 - *is* it worth the premium over the 28-105? the comments at Stan's (http://stans-photography.info/) are mostly positive, but don't answer my questions. Does anyone know of any lens tests of either of these? jp * I'm a patient person, but they've had my money for a month now and can't tell me when or if I might see a lens. (During which time I've acquired two lenses from eBay - A 50/2, and a Tamron 70-300) maybe I should get the FA 24/2 in stead of the 35/2? AARGH. too many lenses, going away too quickly! On Wednesday, April 20, 2005 8:20 PM Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: For me, what fills that gap is either an FA28-105/3.2-4.5 or F35-70/3.5-4.5. I know: you were looking for a prime ... but there aren't a lot of primes in that range. The 28-105 is a very sweet lens, I'm liking it a lot. I am told the FA24-90 is even better, but at double the money I wonder how much better it really is. Godfrey On Apr 20, 2005, at 4:17 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.1 - Release Date: 20/04/2005
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Thanks Rob! I do have a 1.4x Tamron I'd forgotten about. I'll give it a try, 70 would be just right. And be able to stay at F2 if needed. Don -Original Message- From: Rob Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 5:20 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. From: Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don Hmmm, if you consider 50-85 to be a big gap just how many primes are you going to carry around with you? I find a 1.4x converter fills in the gaps nicely between primes and solves the problem of how much weight I'm prepared to lug around. 1.4x converters have an easier time and generally yield better results than you get from the normal 2x jobbies. I would hesitate to use a converter on a wide angle lens, however a 1.4x converter on a 50 is an ideal combination, should give you the focal length you are looking for. I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Rob.
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
My prime kit now consists of 16(fisheye),24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. (NO, I don't carry them all at once) ;-) Though the 40 and 90 are redundant they have an entirely different character than their 35 and 85mm counterparts. The missing length between 50 and 85 bothers me for some reason. 50 seems a bit short and 85 a bit long for some portraits on the D. Heck, maybe I'm just a lens addict! ;-) If the sun ever comes back out I'll try the 50/1.4 with the 1.4x. Might just do the trick. Don -Original Message- From: Rob Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 5:20 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. From: Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don Hmmm, if you consider 50-85 to be a big gap just how many primes are you going to carry around with you? I find a 1.4x converter fills in the gaps nicely between primes and solves the problem of how much weight I'm prepared to lug around. 1.4x converters have an easier time and generally yield better results than you get from the normal 2x jobbies. I would hesitate to use a converter on a wide angle lens, however a 1.4x converter on a 50 is an ideal combination, should give you the focal length you are looking for. I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Rob.
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Seems that you have a much bigger gap between the fisheye and the 24 than between the 50 and 85. -- Best regards, Bruce Thursday, April 21, 2005, 4:03:06 PM, you wrote: DS My prime kit now consists of 16(fisheye),24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, DS 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. DS (NO, I don't carry them all at once) ;-) DS Though the 40 and 90 are redundant they have an entirely different DS character than their 35 and 85mm counterparts. DS The missing length between 50 and 85 bothers me for some reason. DS 50 seems a bit short and 85 a bit long for some portraits on the D. DS Heck, maybe I'm just a lens addict! ;-) DS If the sun ever comes back out I'll try the 50/1.4 with the 1.4x. DS Might just do the trick. DS Don -Original Message- From: Rob Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 5:20 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. From: Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don Hmmm, if you consider 50-85 to be a big gap just how many primes are you going to carry around with you? I find a 1.4x converter fills in the gaps nicely between primes and solves the problem of how much weight I'm prepared to lug around. 1.4x converters have an easier time and generally yield better results than you get from the normal 2x jobbies. I would hesitate to use a converter on a wide angle lens, however a 1.4x converter on a 50 is an ideal combination, should give you the focal length you are looking for. I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Rob.
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Actually I do have a 19 but it's one of the Vivitar 19/3.8s. I'm not very fond of it. I'm starting to use wides more often but the 50-150 range is still by far my most frequently used. I took the 50/1.4 with the 1.4x out for a bit tonite, on the D that's a very comfortable length for me. That's not surprising as the 100/105 is/was always a favorite on film. Unfortunately the quality with the 50+1.4x isn't the greatest. I'll fill in for now with the A35-70/4 set at 70, a bit slower than I'd like, but a very nice lens. I seem to be having a lot of trouble with accurate focusing with shorter lenses on the D, don't have a clue why, it was never an issue with the film bodies. I seem to be consistently focusing well past the intended point. I'm trying to stick to wide open, fast, primes until I figure out why this is happening. Since it also happens fairly often with the FA50/1.7 set to autofocus, I'm not quite sure it's all me and not partially the ist-D. The thing that's still driving me crazy is that the viewfinder image says I'm focused, so does the confirmation indicator. But I'm not. :-( This doesn't happen with lenses 85mm or longer. I've got 2 film bodies loaded up just to prove I can still focus properly with them. Very frustrating problem. Don -Original Message- From: Bruce Dayton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 8:43 PM To: Don Sanderson Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Seems that you have a much bigger gap between the fisheye and the 24 than between the 50 and 85. -- Best regards, Bruce Thursday, April 21, 2005, 4:03:06 PM, you wrote: DS My prime kit now consists of 16(fisheye),24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, DS 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. DS (NO, I don't carry them all at once) ;-) DS Though the 40 and 90 are redundant they have an entirely different DS character than their 35 and 85mm counterparts. DS The missing length between 50 and 85 bothers me for some reason. DS 50 seems a bit short and 85 a bit long for some portraits on the D. DS Heck, maybe I'm just a lens addict! ;-) DS If the sun ever comes back out I'll try the 50/1.4 with the 1.4x. DS Might just do the trick. DS Don -Original Message- From: Rob Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 5:20 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. From: Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don Hmmm, if you consider 50-85 to be a big gap just how many primes are you going to carry around with you? I find a 1.4x converter fills in the gaps nicely between primes and solves the problem of how much weight I'm prepared to lug around. 1.4x converters have an easier time and generally yield better results than you get from the normal 2x jobbies. I would hesitate to use a converter on a wide angle lens, however a 1.4x converter on a 50 is an ideal combination, should give you the focal length you are looking for. I use an old DOI 1.4 converter that is stunningly good and a fraction of the size of any 2x converter - so small you don't notice it. The DOI came top in a comprehensive converter shootout in Amateur Photographer at the time yet, if you see one, you probably won't need to pay much more than a tenner for it. Or the 40mm pancake with the 1.7xAF converter could be fun - I wouldn't expect the results to be as good though. Rob.
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
55mm? mishka (never imagined there is a gap between 50 and 85...) On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On 21 Apr 2005 at 23:12, Mishka wrote: 55mm? mishka (never imagined there is a gap between 50 and 85...) Pentax did, then they filled it with a 77 :-) But Don hasn't seen the light yet, he keeps mentioning cost ;-) Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/ Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
and got rid of 85 altogether? mishka On 4/21/05, Rob Studdert [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Pentax did, then they filled it with a 77 :-) But Don hasn't seen the light yet, he keeps mentioning cost ;-) Rob Studdert
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On Apr 21, 2005, at 7:15 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16(fisheye),24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. I tend to prefer wide spacings between primes when I'm carrying them. One of my all time favorite kits in 35mm (Leica M gear) was 21/35/75. I do this with the DS now by carrying 14/28 [or 35]/50 or 24/50/85, depending upon which range I'm in the mood for. I think I carried the 24/50/85 kit at the NorCal PDML gathering day, got a lot of good photos with it. Godfrey
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: On Apr 21, 2005, at 7:15 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: My prime kit now consists of 16(fisheye),24,28,35,40,50,85,90,100, 135,150, 200, 300, 400 and 500. I tend to prefer wide spacings between primes when I'm carrying them. One of my all time favorite kits in 35mm (Leica M gear) was 21/35/75. I do this with the DS now by carrying 14/28 [or 35]/50 or 24/50/85, depending upon which range I'm in the mood for. I think I carried the 24/50/85 kit at the NorCal PDML gathering day, got a lot of good photos with it. I keep seeing SMC Pentax-FA 24mm f/2 AL lenses going on eBay, but heard that the performance of that lens on the *ist-D/s is not as strong as people hope for. Is that the case, or have you found it to be a nice alternative? Just curious. Dave
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
- Original Message - From: Rob Studdert Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. But Don hasn't seen the light yet, he keeps mentioning cost ;-) He'll learn. William Robb
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Sure thing, Don. Voigtlander has a 75/2.5 Color-Heliar. I've been thinking about getting one for myself. They're available from Cameraquest and BH for just under $300. It seems no one stocks the K-A mount, so it looks like we'll have to wait a few weeks. But they do focus the right way! http://www.cameraquest.com/Voigt%20SL.htm On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Thanks Scott, I had looked at that once, forgot all about it! Don -Original Message- From: Scott Loveless [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 6:40 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Sure thing, Don. Voigtlander has a 75/2.5 Color-Heliar. I've been thinking about getting one for myself. They're available from Cameraquest and BH for just under $300. It seems no one stocks the K-A mount, so it looks like we'll have to wait a few weeks. But they do focus the right way! http://www.cameraquest.com/Voigt%20SL.htm On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
For me, what fills that gap is either an FA28-105/3.2-4.5 or F35-70/3.5-4.5. I know: you were looking for a prime ... but there aren't a lot of primes in that range. The 28-105 is a very sweet lens, I'm liking it a lot. I am told the FA24-90 is even better, but at double the money I wonder how much better it really is. Godfrey On Apr 20, 2005, at 4:17 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Manual focus lens prices in the 85 to 100mm range really have gotten ridiculous. I've always wanted an 85mm lens, but everything I find is either in really bad shape or too expensive or both. Voigtlander's also got a 90/3.5, but I've had my fill of slow lenses. Besides, the focusing screen on my MX just doesn't like them. So it's a 75/2.5 for me. On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thanks Scott, I had looked at that once, forgot all about it! Don -Original Message- From: Scott Loveless [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 6:40 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. Sure thing, Don. Voigtlander has a 75/2.5 Color-Heliar. I've been thinking about getting one for myself. They're available from Cameraquest and BH for just under $300. It seems no one stocks the K-A mount, so it looks like we'll have to wait a few weeks. But they do focus the right way! http://www.cameraquest.com/Voigt%20SL.htm On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com
RE: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
Thanks Godfrey, I have the F35-70/3.5-4.5, I like it a lot, also the FA (Tamron) 28-105/4-5.6, another pretty good one. I'm trying to put together a kit of primes to force me to think a bit more about composition, position, FL choice, etc. As I've mentioned before, probably before you joined the list, I'm a lot better at fixing cameras than I am at using them. ;-/ I've developed a lot of horrid habits like depending on the camera and zooms to make a good photograph. My use of M and screw mount primes slows me down a bit. It's a bit more work so I pay more attention. Now that I have the D and even film/processing fees are gone I tend to takes 100s of 'snaps' instead of a few 'photos'. Gotta work on that. Don -Original Message- From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 7:20 PM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap. For me, what fills that gap is either an FA28-105/3.2-4.5 or F35-70/3.5-4.5. I know: you were looking for a prime ... but there aren't a lot of primes in that range. The 28-105 is a very sweet lens, I'm liking it a lot. I am told the FA24-90 is even better, but at double the money I wonder how much better it really is. Godfrey On Apr 20, 2005, at 4:17 PM, Don Sanderson wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
A good zoom would be far superior to a prime with a 2X converter. Sure thing, Don. Voigtlander has a 75/2.5 Color-Heliar. I've been thinking about getting one for myself. They're available from Cameraquest and BH for just under $300. It seems no one stocks the K-A mount, so it looks like we'll have to wait a few weeks. But they do focus the right way! http://www.cameraquest.com/Voigt%20SL.htm On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Any suggestions, other than the 77Ltd. (Which I can't afford) for manual focus primes to fill the gap between 50 and 85mm? I'm good down to 16mm and up to 400, but 50-85 is a pretty big hole, and I'd rather not fill it with a zoom. I was thinking of the K35/2 with a good 7 element 2x but I hate to do that to that nice lens. ;-/ Don -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com
Re: Filling the 50-85mm gap.
On 4/20/05, Don Sanderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Now that I have the D and even film/processing fees are gone I tend to takes 100s of 'snaps' instead of a few 'photos'. Gotta work on that. Sorry, Don. I didn't realize you were using a D. I'm still thinking in terms of 35mm film. Pentax has that 60mm DA that's about half the price of a 77. You could also go with a 55/1.8. That one's between 50 and 85 g. -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com
