I currently have the following assortment of lenses:
Zooms:
SMC Pentax-DA 16-45 f/4 ED AL
SMC Pentax-FA 28-105 f/3.2-4.5 IF AL
SMC Pentax-FA 80-320 f/4.5-5.6
Single focal length:
SMC Pentax-FA 28mm f/2.8 AL
SMC Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4
SMC Pentax-FA 135mm f/2.8 IF
I find that my zooms get a workout when I'm on full-fledged vacations,
with family, where I don't really have time to fiddle much, and where I
probably won't have a second opportunity to visit in the near future.
In other words, places where I want to grab a bunch of quick shots.
I find that my non-zoom lenses are in use most of the rest of the time;
around town, mini-trips to destinations where I'm already somewhat
familiar with the surroundings, holidays, family photos, and so on. In
other words, places where I have more time to pay attention to the art
of photography.
I feel fairly well covered with respect to zooms. My only regret is
that the 80-320 is such a "slow" lens, and fairly bulky. On the
*ist-DS, I would probably be better served by the 50-200, at least for a
reduction in size.
But where I'm always feeling a need is in my non-zoom lenses. First, I
don't have anything that I would consider to be in the range of wide
angle, mounted on the *ist-DS. I've considered the following options,
but have been hesitant to jump in with wallet and both feet:
SMC Pentax-FA 20mm f/2.8 AL
Pros: Compact. Wide-ish angle. Not prohibitively expensive.
Cons: Used on a DSLR, it's not really all *that* wide.
SMC Pentax-DA 14mm f/2.8 AL
Pros: Ultra-wide angle.
Cons: Priced a little beyond my comfort level for a wide angle lens.
A little wider than I feel my "only" wide angle lens should be.
Frankly, I feel that the right choice for me just isn't made. If it
were, it would be called: SMC Pentax-DA 16mm f/2.8. Could such a
contraption be on the horizon?
Now on to the other gap I'm feeling: the moderate telephoto. I've got
the 50mm lens, which is a good lens for not-so-tight portraits. And
I've got the 135mm lens, which gets me in there really tight. But I'm
always wishing for something between those two. Here are the options
that I see:
SMC Pentax-FA 77mm f/1.9 Limited
Pros: Image quality, build quality, convenient focal length.
Cons: What amateur can honestly justify its price tag?
SMC Pentax-FA* 85mm f/1.4
Pros: It's an FA*! It's super fast.
Cons: Big, expensive, reportedly not ideally suited to digital.
SMC Pentax-FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Pros: Excellent reputation for image quality. Macro is a bonus.
Cons: Tending toward being a little longer than I need; I already
have a 135, after all. And it's a little heavy. Not all that
fast, compared to the 77 and 85.
SMC Pentax-DFA 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Pros: Reported to have excellent image quality. Macro also a bonus.
Cons: A little spendy. Not real fast. And still, a little longer
than I think I want, when I already have a 135.
I feel like I already kind of know Pentax's lineup well enough to know
that there's no good answer to my needs, but what say you? I'm
interested in any suggestions or comments.
Dave
