On 12/29/06, W. Guy Finley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hello all! Found this list after intensely studying Stan's Pentax > page trying to figure out what in the world I was doing with lenses > for my new baby. > > I learned on my dad's K1000 (more later) and after a hiatus until > early adulthood I got back into photography but went Canon with an > EOS-3 and a Tokina 28-80/2.8 as my mainstay lens and a couple of > primes. I went broke feeding film into that camera so when digital > started hitting it big I grabbed a Canon G3 and ditched my EOS > system. I then had a Sigma SD-9 and then a Sony DMC-V1 that I went > to the extent of getting a Metz 50 MZ-5 system for. > > The Sony has long since been wanting to be retired so I started > looking at another bridge camera. That's when I saw reviews for the > new Pentax K digitals. I had thought about an ist-D a bit back but > never made the leap. I went and found the trusty K1000 and sure > enough the M 50/2 and Takumar 135/2.8 were still with it. Not the > best lenses in the world but hey, a start. When I saw these would > work with the new digitals I made the leap and went for K110D > deciding I really didn't need shake reduction.
The M50/2, while not the best of the Pentax 50s, is certainly a good lens. Common wisdom dictates that it's almost impossible to come across a dog of a 50. I have that lens and an M50/1.7. The 50/1.7 is slightly sharper and it does get mounted on the K100 from time to time. I mostly shoot B&W film and actually prefer the contrast of the 50/2 for that application. Of course, this is a matter of personal taste. I've never mounted the 50/2 on a digital body so I really can't comment on that. > > After much confusion and screwing up of my order I ended up getting > the kit lens which isn't too bad but after doing my first Christmas > photos in Lightroom and PS CS3 beta I saw just how many shots I was > taking at 50 or 55mm. I was going to get an ultra-wide zoom but > decided to get some manual primes instead given these results but I > can't find an FA50 in stock anywhere with a UPC intact (with the > Pentax rebates going on I wonder where those UPCs went?? hmmmm). > > After much debate, back and forth, etc, I picked up an A 50/1.4 from > KEH and saw by complete accident an M 28/3.5 at Adorama and grabbed > both along with the new Metz SCA adapter so hopefully I should be > doing some decent flash work soon. I did Christmas completely in RAW > with the kit lens, the M 50 and the Takumar and I was really pleased > with how the shots came out aside from the obligatory tweaking I had > to do in Lightroom and PS. After working with JPEGs for a long time > since the SD-9 (which has a proprietary RAW) working in a RAW > workflow is a godsend. It was actually a joy to work in Lightroom > and then send images that needed more care over to PS if they needed > it and then have Lightroom recognize the PS update and add that to > the shoot. Adobe has been doing some great work there. The M28/3.5 is very sharp. At what they sell for it's a hell of a bargain. > > So, I look forward to tips and suggestions, any thoughts on lens > areas I may wish to fill in would be welcome. I'm considering > holding out a few months until the new f2.8 zooms come out, the > 17-50/2.8 likely being the prime target. > > My meager start is up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wgfinley > > Thanks, > Guy > Welcome to the list. Good to have you. Your inbox is about to take a beating. ;) -- Scott Loveless http://www.twosixteen.com Shoot more film! -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
