A nice copy of the 18-200 Sigma caught my attention, a PGE lens I have known since 2009 in Quantaray disguise and Alpha mount. It was essentially my only lens on the Sierra hike and allowed me to zoom in on coyotes across the valley. At $120 it can replace every prime, though with far slower light collection; is that a really big deal right now though? Later, yes - but not now. For longer shots and to replace the outbound 100-300mm, I won a bid for yet another famous PGE lens, the Pentax DA-L 55-300. I also picked up an old Sigma 50/2.8, a true 1:1 macro, with 'A' contacts; I bid lower than the asking price and despite crossing my fingers.. the seller said OK. However this clinches it: no more bids or offers! I lost two other bids over the past week - and I feel just fine about that!
*as noted before PGE = Plenty Good Enough*
The next step was contacting Adorama to offer a blockbuster trade of fairly fast primes and a few seldom-used zooms in K and NX mounts and my lone MD/NX hybrid, the Rexatar 200/3.3. I shall miss several of these, but not enough to rend my garments.
So the Lucky 7 are
- 24, 50, 100 macro, and 135mm primes plus Hanimar 400mm for rare use
- 18-200 + 55-300 zooms
Which 50mm lens is TBD, either the A50 f/2 or Sig50/2.8 macro. That decision could also determine the fate of the 100mm 1:2 macro! Two 18-55wr lenses are in storage with a second K-r body, for when my wife is ready to team up with a matched camera/lens pair. The NX300 now has 16 and 30mm native primes - and an adapter for the K lenses.
In my dreams the simple kit would become 20-40Ltd, DA* 50-135 and that 55-300, with a 14-15mm prime for when 20mm won't do. These would mount to a K-3 or perhaps a K-s2. The alternate dream is a Samsung NX1, the 16+30mm tiny primes and their 50-150/2.8 S. If either dream comes true it must wait 6-9 months, perhaps even a year..we'll see.
