moving and imaging

I've now reached the point of packing up the home where living minimally will need to serve.  With several items in the kit not receiving much use, some lenses can pack up easily - but others should be more visible.  The challenge of not cramping one's style is now in play!  Worse yet is the risk that, once all is unpacked again, I may have learned to do without what was packed... not a bad thing really, but sobering.

Step one is easy: I really don't need the two full-frame zooms in my APS-C bag right?  Well, one is my only 1:2 closeup option (though I have several 1:3ish that will do), and the other gets me to 300mm.  I'll take the chance and pack them.  The two Limiteds will stay out, as will the DA16-45.

For lighter telephoto and poor weather the DA50-200WR should stay - wait though, that doesn't really matter with the K-01 does it?  The K-5 is being packed as its electronics are in need of service, and that includes SR - so really the 50-150 f/2.8 is as useful for low light as the 50-200 f/4-5.6 is for weather seals.  Ah well the WR lens is pretty small so it can stay, and the SMC-A 24/2.8 and new 8mm fisheye can go in the packing box.

The easy-to-pack items are the SMC-M 50mm f/2 and the 400mm f/6.3 preset; those are very rarely in use and can be done without for a bit.

So for the next month or three this is my mini-kit:
K-01 ghost-camera + DA16-45, 50-200WR and Sigma 50-150 zooms + DA Limiteds 40 and 70

And the Q might as well be easy to reach too, being so small.  As daylight weakens it shows its limitations with the small sensor though.  Were I seeking a small camera again, the Lumix GM-1 looks mighty handy: Q size but m4/3 sensor, and a 12-34mm zoom that would play nicely with the two adapted Limiteds.  Oh yeah, I'm not seeking a small camera... shame on me for speculating so much.

YAKU October '13

So here's the kit as of autumn 2013. The K-5 and K-01 have some new optical company!

The top row is the SMC-A 24mm f/2.8 and new Rokinon 8/3.5 fisheye.  This one replaces the Sigma 15/2.8 fisheye, which was crowded out by the DA16-45 f/4 (center of 2nd row, flanked by DA50-200wr and Quantaray 28-90 1:2 macro).  The third row is the Sigma 50-150/2.8, DA70/2.4 and DA40/2.8 Limiteds, and the Quantaray 100-300.  

The 55-300wr has just been announced; that should be a challenge to keep out of my bag -especially now that the 50-150 has covered the DA50-200wr's territory.  Sure wish the Sigma were rated as weather resistant!

The two Quantarays are full-frame friendly and allow 28-300mm on my Pentax ME/SE film body; the 24mm works for film also, as it was intended!

We'll see what 2014 brings!

 * YAKU = Yet Another Kit Update

Ricoh brings the K-3 to market

The K-3 is quite a dense camera, features galore and more than before!  The K-5 is still all I need and substantially more, but those new specifications are head-turning.  I'm doing my very best to hold with what I have now so its grand opening will not see me in any virtual lines - but it's good news for Pentax and therefore for owners of all K-mount cameras.