QuickChanges

• Just like that: I decided, posted and sold the DA40 in about an hour 
• Also one copy of the 18-55wr is leaving soon* 
• and The K-s1 white body arrived while I was packing up the lenses!  

I'll be back in learning mode for a while with the new K-s1 - maybe I'll even read the manual!  It's a small and solid camera, with control dial and 4-way pad crowding each other but everything else looks good (buttons are not where I expect - yet).  After ten minutes the settings are where I like them, but no doubt a few new ones await my discovery.  A firmware update is already out so that's up next.

It's handy that my K-r battery fits, no waiting just plug & play!  Another nice update: the nearly-ubiquitous micro USB port instead of having a micro-D cable for cameras only.  Well done!  USB3 would have been nice but this will do fine.

• Just like that II: 18-55 is sold, and
• I picked up a 'used' FluCard for the K-s1!

The FluCard is Pentax' wireless-transfer mechanism for a few recent cameras, now endangered thanks to the K-s2 and its interal WiFi.  This card also allows for remove viewing/shooting via smartphone.  I barely touched that option on the NX300 but it could be fun for kittens and other critters.  And oh yeah, the FluCard is also a 'normal' 16GB memory card so it's not all wireless fun!

* Why sell the 18-55WR?  I already own a white 18-55 DAL that would almost match the K-s1 - but it has a broken mount.  I found a spare online for $19, not an awful price  but a black DAL lens cost $20! Easy choice = another kit zoom in the closet, a WR kit lens became available to sell and the price was right.

the DFA 50mm makes its case

I've owned the DA40 Limited more than once; I used it, enjoyed it, and captured many excellent images.  It really has no need to sell itself to me - that part has been played.

Now along comes another 50mm lens to squeeze out some space that the DA40 so dominates.  I've owned many 50s also: Sears f1.4, Pentax M and A series, and Sigma's f2.8 Macro.  What I had not tried is the DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro - so now its time has come.

up close with the DFA 50/2.8

After a dozen or so test images, I must say that I'm impressed.  The lens is larger than other 50mm lenses, but nothing like Sigma's 50 was.  This little wonder telescopes with two nested tubes, not a typical way of doing things now.  This isn't a "now" lens though; introduced at the beginning of the digital era (hence the D), still fully functional for film (the F) but at heart an A-series lens with aperture ring and A-aperture position.

My first afternoon was decidedly windy, which plays havoc with any flower shots.  I found a fine and intensely blue hydrangea with blooms low to the ground - however now it was I that swayed a bit!  Color contrast and sharpness are exquisite, which is no surprise.  The ability to quick-shift to a different focus is really handy.  And AF was quite fast for the full range of a macro lens, which also was not what I remember of the Sigma model (or any others like the Tamron 90, Cosina 100/3.5 and Sigma 105).


I'm not done with my tests, but two things are immediately clear:

• The DA40 has some stiff competition here, and
• whichever lens goes I'll be keeping an amazing lens!

revenge of the primes

It's been a big 3 weeks of gear-trading!
 - and I did not see it coming.  I made my plans but the path meandered a bit..

It began with a great deal on a DA* 50-135 followed by an absurd deal on a DA17-70.  The DA* is a great lens, but the 55-300 was holding strong to its place in the lineup; slower yes and in more ways than one, but so much more convenient and less bulky.  While contemplating next steps I sent away a lot of gear the 50-135 rendered less relevant in hopes of grabbing a used DA14 or DA15; neither was available so instead I came away with a gently-used DA10-17 Fish-Eye.
 Then an trade offer hit the forum: Limited primes for DA* zooms!  With a minimal amount of negotiation I came away with the DA15 and DA40  - and the 55-300 retained its place.  In theory I gained value with both the great price on the 50-135 and again with the two primes; value was important but in practical terms I'll use the Limited primes more often than the bulky DA* zoom.
Speaking of value, the DA15 was a sure bet to crowd out the 10-17 since an ultrawide prime was my original goal - so the 10-17 became available to sell and recoup some expenses.  And after some hard thinking I decided the DA15 plus 24-40-50-100 primes was more userful and practical to me than the 17-70.. so that zoom also became expendable.

Today those two zooms left the building, victims of the DA15 and the primes in my bag.  The NX300 and 135mm lens left two days earlier, so cupboards are quite bare - but the remaining lenses are quite uniformly excellent and very well matched.  On a scale to 10, forum users review my lenses thusly:
DA15 / K24 / DA40 / M100 / 55-300 -> 9.2 / 8.6 / 9.6 / 9.3 / 8.8
While those are just opinions, experience shows these to be reasonable estimates - and my prices were seriously low which increases the value factor.  The low rating on my list is the smcA 50mm f/2, which is underrated by its proximity to the 50mm f/1.7 variants.

- But wait!   One last deal remains to be sorted, as a DFA 50/2.8 1:1 macro arrives tomorrow to contest with the DA40 Limited.  If the macro (user rating 9.4) wins out the DA40 will likely sell for a net gain of funds, as the DFA was priced lower than I'd have expected.

In the end I saved on several levels: weight, expense, aperture (all except the DA15 are f/2.8 or faster).  Add in the imminent arrival of the supercompact K-s1 dSLR and those primes will really be able to show their best: the faster AF motor and absence of a low-pass filter means my images will be as good as anything currently available.  Oh sure, 42 megapixels beats 20M every day   And when you can afford the camera with that sensor..- when you can store them.

Stay tuned! Another group photo will be coming soon !
In the meantime a bit of humour:

less than a month ago I posted

this as my "power team" lens set - 

now only the 55-300 (far left) remains!

Goodbye Hello

A few 'last' changes to the gear just came about.  Reasons are complicated but sound, not merely an excuse to acquire .. not this time!

I broke down and bought a white K-s1 body after refusing the siren call a few times as the price drifted lower.  This is not the body or the color I would choose if all options were open, but financially this was an easy call.  It was the last one in stock so acquired an extra 20% discount which dropped the price below $280.  Memories of the white K-01 come to mind: it fell to about $235 when I picked it up a few years back. Today a similar price nabs a nice AA-free 20Mpx camera with full viewfinder in a baby body.  Sure it has a few compromises, but if the K-r is acceptable the K-s1 definitely will serve me well!

This camera brings me to the end of my Samsung days.  That's a shame as the NX300 is a great little camera and the 16+30 pancake primes are most excellent.  I now have the Pentax 15+40 Limited lenses though, so optically I lose very little and logistically I have just one mount to consider going forward.  The nx300 sold in about three hours, so the price must have been on the slightly low side of just right.. or the ideal person read my note at just the right time!

Never the same-  DA40 and 15, M135*, K24 A50* and M100 with zooms behind.  Shot with *NX300 (* =departing soon).

The M135 departs with the Samsung along with NX adapters.  That leaves 15-24-/40-55/-100 plus 55-300 zoom, along with a spare 18-55 & a few old zooms to play with.  The M100 f/2.8 just arrived from KEH (mounted on the K-r) and yet again their Ugly rating is vastly underrated; it's in great condition with only a few meaningless cleaning-marks on the front element.

The new small kit also earns a new small camera bag*, a sling type that can hold a small dSLR 4 primes and a zoom.  My days of needing a pack that can hold camera and bike gear plus laptop and spare work clothes are long gone, after all.

image from pentaxforums.com

Never last and surely not least: Adorama offered up a VG-grade DFA 50/2.8 1:1 macro,  a well-regarded macro lens that I have not tried.  If this works well the DA40 can go for more than the 50's cost, adding a smidge more money to the bank for future use.  Hope it's a keeper, as it has AF + quick shift; that will result in precise and fairly speedy focus yet still allow for precise touch-up.  The Tamron push-pull MF design really didn't fit my mind - so I'm thinking this will feel a lot better!
In any case the smc-A 50mm f/2 can depart; the DA40 or FA50 will do the job.

 - -  - -  - -  - -  - -  - -  - -  - -  - -  - -
* so much for camera bags from China.  I ordered the pack above in Gold only to hear back that the seller only had black, was that OK?  Hmm, the company has two separate listings for gold models but only have black - oh and a few red (but no listings show the red version).  No thanks - refunded.  I then found this blue one, identical to the other store and also in China.  Yay?  No they have no blue - just black, and a few red.  This group Also has no red one showing online, so I got another refund.  This time I saved $20 and just bought an insert that will pad the bottom parts of my hydration pack.
You guessed it: I bought it in red!  That will match my red/black pack but at least I know what this red pack looks like!!

Fun with numbers III

Yes even with Roman numerals!

I feel like Portland's NBA franchise right now as I wheel and deal in search of the Right Fit.  They are doing this right now to fill behind the dearly-departed LaMarcus Aldridge .. so why not join them?

As noted previously, I allowed a DA* zoom to depart, traded for two Limited primes.  The DA15 is ideal for me (mind control, already?) and the DA40 is a great little lens.  It's clearly better than my humble A50mm f/2 - but are other needs more glaring, like maybe the big gap from 50 to 135mm?  While the DA70 pairs nicely with the 40 it's too near the 50mm for my tastes.  Perhaps find an excellent 85-100mm prime, keep the 50 and allow the 40 to go in another trade?  Like a base-salary bench warmer the 50 and 135mm lenses have no decent market value, unlike the DA 40.

Hmmm: right on cue: someone is selling their Tamron 90 macro in order to buy Limited primes.  That sounds like a fine trade opportunity that would fill my largest gap and bring 1:1 macro back into the bag, so I'd be picking up a two-position lens with great versatility.  *Update* - the trade negotiations did not pan out so instead I picked up an 'experienced' former star: a KEH "Ugly"-grade smc-M 100/2.8.  No macro but talented and small, which I always like!


The M100 and I have a history, in fact I traded another copy away last season.  This and the M85 f/2 compete for the mid-tele slot much like the DA55-300 and Sigma 100-300 have dueled in the past for the telephoto zoom position.  I'm convinced now that the 55-300 is superior despite its slower focusing, and that the 85 and 100 are sufficiently similar not to worry (or spend!) too much for 15mm and one-stop difference.  For now this is a fine fit for me, so my work here is done.

And so here, yet again, is my kit!
Pentax primes: DA15/4 - K24/2.8 - DA40/2.8 - M100/2.8 -  A50/2 and M135/3.5 in reserve
Pentax Zooms: DAs 18-55WR, 55-300L --  for sale: DAs 10-17, 17-70
off-brand zooms: Vivitar 35-105 f/3.2-4 one-touch, JCPenney 80-200 f/3.5



OK that's enough fake 'roundball' talk.  It isn't my favorite sport, not even top-3.. but for pro sports it's all Portland has. 

Wide Angles & mind control

In the dSLR lens world I have tried many superwide variants.  Tamron's 14mm SP came first and showed me the possibilities with my SonyAlpha.  Once in the Pentax world the DA16-45 suited me well for wide views but felt a bit cramped at the long end.  I went in other directions but later picked up the SMC 17mm Fish-Eye for extra width - and liked it a lot.  Most recently it was the DA10-17 fish-eye, which has intrigued me for a while but 10mm is really wider than I'd ever need.  Yes that's a dangerous thing to say, but for now I believe it!

In the meantime, the Pentaxforum fanatics couldn't say enough about the DA15 for wide-view needs. Their "the DA15 controls my mind.. club" says plenty about general feelings about this lens!   I liked the idea but never found a copy at 'my' price.  I nearly acquired a DA14 recently; the price was right but it had some damage that restricted focusing.  Set to five feet and f/8 and who needs to focus? -- but it was taken before I could claim it.

image from pentaxforums.com

And now by a surprise trade the DA15 is coming my way.  It should set itself somewhat apart from the 16-45 in both width and talent.  Pentax makes smaller primes but this is still easy to carry pretty much anywhere.  I'm thinking it will find ways to come along despite the very wide field of view.  I suspect that's where the mind control kicks in - you find ways to make use of it even when logically it might not be deemed the typically ideal lens for a shot.

A copy of the DA40 Limited is coming too and that's great because I've missed it.  When it comes to size and great images the DA40 (Limited or XS) is tough to match.   The lens practically disappears on most bodies and takes excellent images from f/2.8 up.  Several 'wow' images came from my previous copy.  Welcome back!

These did cost my first and only DA* to acquire - but right now I'm quite all right with that.

wonders and mini-miracles

My most recent post strongly implied two things:

1. I'm done buying camera lenses/gear for the next several months
2. I'm not quite satisfied with the setup I have - but it'll do just fine

So what comes up online but a trade option: DA Limited lenses for DA* zooms.  There's the Answer!

Don't get me wrong, the DA* 50-135 is quite excellent and among the best lenses I've owned.  Also on that list are the DA 40 and 70mm Limiteds.  I had been seeking a DA15 (or 14mm) to go wider than my K24, but settled on the 10-17 fisheye instead.  I also admitted that I'd prefer the 40 and 70 Limiteds to my 50mm f/2.  I cannot take all four DA primes for my 50-135 so I settled for an offer of the 15 and 40..and it seems to have done the job.

What does this adjustment mean?  Plenty:

• the 55-300 takes over as my sole telezoom.. the DA* was being left behind anyway so I'll be OK
• the prime set just became 15-24-40 (..135..400), a well-spaced & fun setup (esp. with the 55-300)
• the 10-17 fish-eye just became expendable if the 15 joins my bag.  Money back, yay!

So my kit is more satisfactory and I didn't violate the no-buying-lenses promise.  I can even pay a bill or two with the departure of the 10-17.  It would be great fun to keep, but really the 15mm is wider than I ever expect to need and saves some grams and cubic centimeters.

Slightly more complicated is the DA17-70.  It came into my life for two-plus reasons: it was insanely on sale, it filled the wide-midrange nicely and its filter size matched the 50-135.  Reason three is gone, and the primes look so much better now.. and the 18-55wr is really not that bad of a zoom option (and is far less bulky).  Hmmm.. I believe that two zooms just reached the boarding platform!

The one loss is weather sealing, which for now doesn't matter much since the K-r body has no protection.  The 18-55WR is still here in any case, so I won't weep long.  Bad idea anyway, weeping on non-WR gear..

So here is kit #42a, my Best Kit Ever*

DA15 - SMC24 - DA40 - DAL 55-300

backups: DA18-55wr, smcA50, smcM135, Vivitar 35-105, Hanimar 400mm

*I'm either lying or am myself misled; such a thing is entirely mythical!  Still, it's a mighty good kit..

the new small option

My wife wants a 'small' camera.  The nx300 is a very good choice - and so is the K-r with its new DA 40mm XS.

Not even NX lenses come this thin (yet!); I expect that most people presume the XS is a fancy lens cap.  However it's optically the DA Limited 40mm in disguise, with nine aperture blades and all the talent within, merely modified by designer Marc Newsom to go with his K-01 dream camera.  Few actual photographers shared his dream but at $300 closeout prices people came around :-) and learned of its special talents (like standing on end on a flat surface for vertical shots!).

Every now and then this lens also can be had cheaply.  Lórien could use the K-r with a manual 50mm, but when I found this deal I knew the automation and exquisite Image Quality were for her!

One lens has yet to arrive in this K-mount realignment.. so another update soon.

cutbacks

Well I had not planned for a property-tax bill in October, but here it is.  Given that new reality I felt compelled to visit the KEH buyer (who was in Vancouver WA this week) and parted with some well-liked gear.  Some items they offered little or nothing for, so I didn't lose all my best items - but the DA40 and A50 macro are gone, replaced by an SMC-A 50mm f/2.  Faster and more compact, but no more 1:2 shots except with the Quantaray 28-90; thankfully that lens does 1:2 quite well so no major issues.  Another option is the macro TC which yields 100mm f/4 at the macro setting of my choice!  The offer price for my other f/2 lenses (28 and 85) were not worthy so my kit didn't change much.  They had no interest in the Quantarays so they are still here too.

Despite the low offer for the K-5, I let that great camera go: it needs repair for the mirror-flip which would take longer to fix than the tax bill allows, and may in fact be deemed outside of warranty and cost me more money to fix!

Despite all this activity, the kit still looks good :^)

• bodies: just K-50 for now, plus film bodies and Q
• primes: 17-28-50-85-135 and 400
• zooms: Pentax 18-55 DA wr, 55-300DAL + Sigma 21-35 + Quantarays 28-90 1:2, 100-300 + JCPenney 80-200/3.5  (all of the above lenses except the Pentax zooms work for 36x24 imaging)
• extras: Pentax  AF280T flash, O-GPS1, and -- well, I have a nice tripod around here somewhere...

the prodigal lens returns!

I have owned several lenses more than once (18-55s 16-45s, 18-135... yes nearly every kit-like thing).  This has happened for a very good reason - every single time it's been a good one though slightly different each time.  Well so it's an excuse/reason, call it what you will - but here goes.  Pick the word that best suits your reading, and enjoy!

Jim's Law of Gear Obtainence (LoGO):
Each new lens is bought to meet a want/need, and that is very much based on what other lenses you own that don't quite do the job/lust-slaking.  That's what keeps a kit alive/healthy/expensive!  And of course, filling that empty/imaginary hole in the kit redefines the next want/need, and the cycle repeats again/endlessly/until you check into rehab.  

Financial pressure may create/justify a need to sell a few lenses, so after examining/drawing straws regarding what's in the bag, the shooter choose what gets less use/love/good reviews and carefully/recklessly lets a few go.  And yet again the cycle repeats.

from dxomark.com

So what has me in such a reflective/silly mood (hey stop that!) today?  It's due to my repurchase of the DA40 Limited.  Yes I owned this before and really liked it, then went all-in on zooms like the Tamron 28-75 that was just as fast but more versatile, then went to all-manual primes.  But clearly there was this gaping hole between 24 and 50mm and by the LoGO I had to... (hey stop that!)

At one point I also owned the DA40 XS lens, which is cuter and tinier (well, not cuter as such) than the Limited.  The quick-shift clutch is a nice feature though, so the Limited is a better choice for me because... OK spill it: I found a used Limited 40 for $229 online, and that was irresistible.  There: I said it, and I am feeling much better now!

Of the three Limited lenses I've tried (40, 70, 21) I liked the DA40 best, so picking up this bargain was a no-brainer.  Literally!  Well, I really liked the 70 best too, but that's at least another $100 used so I can afford to like the DA40 more.  Yes, that's it - I like the DA40 best per square mm and per dollar, so it's really value density that matters.

My other amazingly good reason is that I own a prime lens from every Pentax manual-focus lens series (Tak, SMC-M, SMC-A) but not a Limited, which focuses manually/any time I want even when in autofocus mode.  So it had to be in my kit!  That and it's tiny & cute (less and more so respectively than the XS).

Oh wait I forgot the best reason/excuse of all!  I own the Limited-lens version of PentaxForums' 2013 t-shirt (the middle one but in white), and I don't want to give it back - so I must own a matching Limited.  So it's a matter of use it (lens) or lose it (shirt) more or less, as it were.  Although to be entirely correct I believe that's a DA70 focus scale on the shirt... maybe next time?

image from pentaxforums.com 2013 t-shirt sale

two pancakes, one crêpe

Many have extolled the virtue of the Pentax DA pancakes: 21mm, 40mm and 70mm Limited primes that serve very well and are tiny to boot.  At one time I owned the DA40 and 70 at once, and I liked them very much but the budget demanded a sacrifice.  I later picked up the DA21 so my lifetime triple was complete!

Now I have picked up a new 40mm - not the DA Limited but the XS model that came with the K-01.  If the others are pancake lenses, this is surely a crêpe as it's substantially thinner.  It loses quick shift but is optically the same excellent lens; I look forward to using it to replace my lens cap! :^)  Actually the lens-cap for this is about the size of a rubber quarter, so hopefully I shall be able to keep track of it.

The fourth prime is a Sigma 105mm macro, which is larger and heavier than these three combined.  Hopefully I can justify carrying such a 'beast' now and then!

so many ways to play

So assume you have a couple of lenses you like, and some you don't.  An easy assumption since nearly every camera user will invent reasons to rework the kit, sometimes on a mere whim or rumor! In any case, how does one go about rearranging the kit, and find true imaging happiness?

Wide/Normal
I have a few great primes in the DA21 and DA70 Limiteds plus a nice Sigma 105mm macro.  I can stick a prime in between the Limiteds (35 or 40mm?), or choose the new 20-40mm Limited zoom and release the DA21 back into the wild.  Another option is a 17-50mm f/2.8, which would go nicely with the 70 and 105.  I could also abandon Pentax and pick a Sigma or Tamron 28-70 or 28-75 zoom at f/2.8, which could send the DA70 packing¹.

I really dislike Pentax' forcing a lens change around 50mm (16-45, 16-50, 18-55 + 50-135, 50-200, 55-300 etc.)² as I find the 50mm zone worth moving past in one direction or another.  This suggests that I'm a good candidate for their upcoming DA 17-85mm± offering, which should appear in 2014.   In the meantime a DA35/2.4 would fill my gap with the least expense - assuming a DA40xs does not magically appear.

Tele
A few shots with the DA50-200 have shown how the primes obliterate this compact lens - but what after that will I be willing to carry?  Actually the Sigma 100-300 can cover that ground for a while despite its relatively slow f/4.5-6.7 aperture, though the HD 55-300WR would be a good option too.  I owned and liked the Sigma 50-150, and the DA* 50-135 does drop into my price range at times.  This is less of a priority so I can punt on telephoto decisions for now - but I'd think a weather-resistant 17-85 + 100-300mm would make a simple and impressive pair most days!



P.S.  The magic worked: I found a used DA40XS for less than the price of a used DA35/2.4!  I did not expect that, but I'll cheerfully take it.  Most reviews say this is an optical clone of the Limited lens without quick shift, but some like it a lot less.  When the time comes it can be sold with my K-01 and bring it back to its original complete and bizarre nature. :^)

¹ I do have a Quantaray 28-90 with 1:2 macro, but it's f/5.6 at the long end, and it flares some when the light is wrong.
² the DA 17-70 bridges that gap, but with no WR I'll wait and manage with primes.

Farewell to the Forty.. and ??

I had not intended to let any Limited lenses get away... but that was before the DA16-45 began crowding them out.  I had unsuccessfully marketed the DA70 a couple of times - keeping the 70mm makes much more sense than the DA40 given the 16-45, and the 70mm is slightly faster and nearly as small.  This injection of camera funds helps alleviate my financial remorse over the Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 as well.  I had felt that the 70-150's arrival made the 70mm expendable, but the huge size/weight difference really doesn't make for a fair comparison of the two on 70mm images alone.

So yet again, the kit has shifted.  Maybe at some point a 100-135mm prime will go along with the 16-45 / 70 / ?? for hiking trips (the 50-200WR is great except at the edges, where the 50-150 bests it handily).  I have diopter attachment lenses for decent closeups, but of course a 100mm or 105mm macro would be even better - but after the K-5 has been serviced.  Perhaps I can find a manual lens to fill in for now.

Rumors swirl around a Pentax 20-40mm Limited zoom, which may be WR and/or have DA motor; that would be fun to own, but it definitely will not be a cheap lens!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

And hello 105...
The 50-150 tests are in, and results are clear on several levels - and the truth hurts.  Without doubt it's an amazing lens, sharp right to the edges below f/4, silent focus, plenty of good.  At the same time, that 750+ grams could be used to carry several other items.  One that has stood out as an ideal match is a 100mm± macro lens.  Yes, guilty as charged: I recently sold off a Cosina-made 100/3.5 but it had no focus limiter and focus was loud & crazy.  In this case a Sigma 105mm EX.DG finally came up at a good price, and here it comes now to complement my 16-45 and 70 Limited as a top-notch hiking trio.

This means the 50-150's purpose has lessened, as the less-edgy but far lighter DA50-200WR can reclaim its position as both good telephoto and foul-weather choice.  Yet that makes less sense when attached to a K-01, and my K-5 sits in the moving van awaiting both unpacking and servicing for a few age-related issues.

The easy answer is to trade the 50-150 for an updated K-5 so I'm ready for the wet season.  I'm more convinced now that the II-series has features I would really like, notably the improved AF and crisper screen.  So the Sigma is on the block for cash or a K-5II trade; if I am cashed out I shall await a good post-Thanksgiving fire sale.  As to the II versus IIs debate, I am satisfied that the IIs may be sharper overall but the color moiré is a risk (though a slight one) and my skills are more in play than the AA filter by a long shot.

Now for the silly part: I also have the K-01 on the block.  That's just silly, both because I really enjoy it and also because all of its boxes and manuals are packed for our move and wildly inaccessible!  I shall not be aggressive with the sale or lower the price, so we shall see where that leads.

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.

tests at 50mm

Another common focal length in my collection (and others' as well) is around 50mm.  I have five ways to play right now: Rikenon XR and SMC-M f/2 primes, the DA50-200 (max f/4), a Quantaray 28-90 macro (f/4.5 at 50) and the DA40 Limited is close enough.  Oh rats I forgot the 16-45 at f/4 - so a supplement will follow soon!

Tests were not precise: hand-held and manual focus at the widest apertures, since they will all be fine at f/5.6 anyway.  All were shot with auto ISO and WB, and as DNG raw files with the K-01; no processing other than posting from Picasa so its raw defaults are shown here.

Depth of field was an issue with the f/2 primes, as the center of the bud and the pollen stems are not a match with the petals.  Anyway, in this case the no-surprise winner was the DA40 Limited, which loses a stop to the f/2s but is a modern optical marvel and a mechanical throwback with its all-metal construction.  Second* would go to the 28-90 macro; this lens dares to perform well despite its bargain-bin price of $35-50 most of the time.  If you hit the first Ritz closeout it was under $10, which is what I paid to go with my Sony Alpha A200!

The two 50mm primes did pretty well but contrast was down a bit, likely from their older coatings.  The 50-200 has a fairly long minimum focus that is better suited for flower shots above 100mm.  Still, the image is decently sharp with great color & contrast. 

I've tried the DA40 with a bargain +1 and +2 closeup filter attachment, and while this brings one closer the images are just not the same.  Sure your DoF is razor thin, but it just looks less saturated and less amazing.  No doubt a $100 closeup filter would outperform a $10 one, but we use what we have not what we might consider.  The DA40 Limited does excellent work and can get pretty close, and for me that'll do.

* Update: the DA16-45 is quite good also; exposure was a little brighter but the time of day was different.  Sharpness and bokeh are pretty similar on this shot.  And I got a bee-fly in the scene (lower right), that's pretty cool!  

DA40 at f/4 at the top.

the Kit - this time I mean it! mean it... mean it... me

OK, a final flurry of shopping and the kit is reshaped.  Here is the core* of my photo gear as of late June.

Mounted on the K-5 is yet another fine copy of the DA16-45.  That lens was one of the big reasons I went back to Pentax as a digital choice after letting Sony go reinvent itself without me.  I have been forced to sell it once, and chose to a couple of other times - this is my fourth copy so this is truly the voice of experience speaking -- and I dearly hope I've learned from it all!  If nothing else my pension checks will dictate that it stay around, I expect...

To cover the midrange I have the DA40 and DA70 Limited duo (hiding in their fine leather pouches).  These are absurdly good lenses and I hope never to part from them, unlike other lenses I have owned.

In the WR and telephoto department I will carry the DA50-200WR.  This lens is plenty good enough and much easier to carry than the well-regarded 55-300mm (another lens I have owned at least three times), and on a wet hike it will be the on-camera option for max moisture resistance.  It has the additional ability to make use of 49mm filters like the Limited primes!

On the occasional day when more reach is needed, the 100-300 Quantaray/Sigma will join me.  Other than being quite slow optically (f/6.7 at 250mm +) it's talented, compact and lightweight, and is faster to focus in good light than the DA55-300.  When lighting and weather are at their best, I can cover quite a bit with 16-45, 40, 70 and 100-300.

* Not appearing above because they won't get much use:

• Sigma 15mm fisheye, good enough to get more use but less vital with 16-45 in the bag
• SMC-A 24mm f/2.8, a nice lens but the 16-45 excels in this zone with greater versatility
• SMC-M 50mm f/2, which cannot compete with the Limited pair & has 'limited' resale value
• Sigma 18-200DC gen-1, a quite decent all-purpose lens that will be on the K-01 often
• Quantaray 28-90mm w/1:2 macro, a great $35 lens that is hardly worth the price to ship! :~)
• Hanimar 400mm f/6.3 preset, for emergency wildlife only!

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early-Aug update: the 28-200 and 18-200 are gone, as is the venerable Vivitar 28-105.  The 15-fish and 28-90 remain available but no takers yet.  The primes will not harm me if they stay, and if I take them to goodwill I fear that I might return home with more! :~)
mid-Aug: the 15mm fisheye is gone, sad to say.

Everything Changes.

That title about covers it.  Whether it's the ideal set of lenses in your bag, the camera they fit on, or saying farewell to a 33-year career with no real plans in sight, life just keeps moving along, and forcing decisions.

Re: imaging: I seem to be turning a bit of the kit upside down.  The DA18-55 WR has been my foul-weather standby, but I'd really prefer a DA16-45 for hiking, a bit of extra light grasp and wide-angle fun, and generally better image quality.  If that happens though, a different WR lens would be a good idea - and looky here: a grade-9 used DA50-200WR for comfortably below the going rate at B&H. Done! - but what will the 55-300 think?  For that matter, what will the 15 fisheye think of a 16mm zoom?  Good thing lenses don't think out loud... but sometimes owners do!

The DA21 Limited calls my name, but I continue to resist - and the 16-45 can help with that.  For half the price of a DA21/3.2, the DA16-45 is a smidge slower but a lot more versatile, and very very good.  I've owned it before but only with non-WR cameras like the k-100d and k-x... so why not the K-01?  If I don't find a very good deal though, I'm fine with the 18-55 WR.

On the tele side, the K-01 is quite awkward for me with the 55-300, so the 50-200 will be a better fit with that camera - and WR gives it high value on the K-5.  I owned the 50-200WR before too, and I found it acceptably sharp and liked its consistently good bokeh.  And how often do I find 300mm useful really, is it worth having the range if it's seldom used - or worse yet used badly in lesser light, replacing lens sharpness with image shake?  Hmmm...

As to the DA70 and the 100mm macro, they are safely tucked in the bag come what may!  While I know of prettier lens in the 90-105mm macro range, Promaster's results speak for themselves, and they say very good things.

Any kit shifts will need to be balanced with sales, but I'm OK with that; in fact the SMC-A 24 and 50mm lenses will depart soon.  The DA55-300 is an impressive lens, but I can grab another easily - and letting go could allow more chances for the Hanimar 400mm to play.

This realignment would make the kit appear thus:

• zooms: 18-55wr (possibly DA16-45), 50-200wr, manual Rikenon 70-150/4 
• primes: 15/2.8 fisheye, Rikenon 28, DA Limiteds 40 & 70, 100/3.5 macro, 400/6.3
• on the fence: DA 55-300, Vivitar 28-105, SMC-As 24 and 50

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As to the adventure of retirement - well that's true too, and coming soon.  My pension will be decent but the LBA needs to end!  At some point I will likely add a part-time job but it's not guaranteed to be awaiting me, so it's a leap of faith.  My wife is very happy about this upcoming change, so it's a leap of love too.

lens testing: 50 vs 50 vs 55 vs... never mind

I recently picked up a Rikenon 55mm f/2.2 for a bargain price.  I was allured by its perfect focal-length fit between DAs 40 and 70, and was not deterred by its relatively slow speed of f/2.2.  However this copy came with some fuzz/fungus or something on the lens elements.  Today I uncsrewed it to pieces, cleaned the elements and put it back together.  I put it on my K-01 at f/4, manually peak-focused on the mailboxes across the street and took a shot.

Hmmm not great, I think.

So out came the SMC-M 50mm f/2, and a Rikenon 50/2 XR(s), and oh why not toss in the DA40 and 70, and the DA18-55wr too?  Chimping at each shot I learned tow things:

• I'm no good at manually focusing the 18-55 even at 40mm f/4.5 with peaking, and
• every shot was better than the 55/2.2 gave me.  Oh well.

So the winning lens is... ?

Well, before I even dumped them to my computer for further scrutiny I logged into pentaxforums, and saw an SMC-A 50/1.7 on the market that trumps them all, for a really good price.  Now to fill a box for the thrift-store, or maybe the dumpster, and make room in the bag for what many consider the best of the Pentax 50mm optical formulae whether in M, A or F series.  I had an f/1.7 for a while a year or so back, and I'm sure I sold it for more than I will pay today.  Sometimes the timing is great, most times not; today feels good.

in the San Juan Islands

While I'd like to show you fine details on the gull, I really like the concentric rings created by its bathing - so you get the wide view!

We spent several days of our anniversary in the same place we spent our honeymoon, on Orcas Island in NW Washington.  While most of the time was foggy and rain-free, a few times the sun broke out and gave us some great views.  The K-01 and Limited lenses received most of the use but the Sigma 15mm fisheye and a zoom or two also had some sensor time.  It was a fun trip but it was very cold - no surprise on mid-January trips at 48°N latitude!  Even the wood stove was reluctant to do its thing, but some store-bought kindling brought things around.

This was our first trip with the new car, and it performed admirably.  Lens buying will be restricted while it's being paid off but the warranty and reassurance of a new vehicle are worth it.  I'm still quite comfortable with the camera gear I have right now, so if I take good care of it all this Pentax stuff will easily outlast the car payments!

the gear list, part XVII, give or take X

As 2013 approaches (and the Mayan calendar panic recedes!) the gear list has earned another entry in the 'blog.  Much gear has been sacrificed for Limited primes and the K-01 bargain, but what remains is truly good stuff.  I can look back and miss a few items that have left the list, but overall regrets are few. For example, the K-01 and its focus peaking would have rendered the 50mm f/1.4 Sears lens much more usable - but the DA40 Limited that has taken its range is far too good for any regrets!

Bodies:

• K-5, still amazing after a year in my bag.  No real complaints, especially now that I have the next item with its focus peaking ability (yes more versatile video too, and some day I'll learn how to use it!).
• K-01 (white), great fun since early November.  It's definitely a different way to achieve similar goals, some better and some worse.  I find I can manage a few things I didn't think I'd ever be willing to try, which is seldom a bad thing.

Lenses, in approximate FL order:

• Sigma 15/2.8 fisheye: yes the DA15 would be smaller, but this has so many good things going for it that I have no complaints.  It's not all that large in any case, and it's faster, focuses closer and works with full-frame (film) cameras. Oh yes, often a bit cheaper too on the used market!  Great fun and very talented, and really not all that fishy for landscapes on an 16×24mm sensor.
• Pentax 18-55WR: when the weather outside is frightful, this will do nicely.  Yes the 18-135 has its place and I enjoyed some time with a good copy - but the price difference was enough for this lens and a DA40 Limited (oops, that came up out of order).
• SMC-A 24/2.8: I had once owned a Vivitar 24/2.0 but it was larger heavier and for some reason didn't resonate with me.  This one does just great, and colors are more correct than the Rikenon 28mm that I've enjoyed so much.  The 24mm also focuses closer and images are equally sharp by my my casual inspection.
• Pentax DA40/2.8 Limited - yes it's true what others say: absurdly small, absurdly talented and worth owning.  For many it's the first Limited because of its price; I got such a good deal that I cannot repeat it, and it's a real keeper even had I paid $100 more like most other owners.  Sharp in focus and smooth elsewhere, thanks to great optics and nine-blade aperture, and too small to justify leaving behind.
• Pentax DA 55-300: the perennial favorite telephoto lens for Pentaxians on a budget, whether financially or by weight.  Most owners and testers say it outperforms the many 70-300 zooms on the market, and other than some vignetting and not being f/2.8 it's hard to find much fault.  For 420 grams I'll take the speed penalty, especially with the sweet-16Mpxl sensors that I have in the K-5 and K-01.  When I need telephoto it's hard to need more than this.
• Pentax DA70/2.4 Limited - ditto at least, except that this one was not to be found cheaply.  It's still worth the price.  Something about this feels illegal, to be a bit telephoto yet tiny and fast - and let's not forget the nine aperture blades to make the images really snap.  Live and learn: Limiteds are worth having.
• Rikenon XR 70-150/4: when I put down my bid at auction I barely knew this lens existed.  It's been with me quite a while, relatively speaking, and other than its old-school lens coating it's a real marvel.  I don't recall seeing many 2-ring internal-zoom lenses in my 1980s film days but clearly a few were out there, and this one is smooth and sharp.  It's a bit dense and at 440 grams it's heavier than all but the 400mm - but fixed f/4 through the range, 52mm filter threads and a built-in shade are nice to have.  Optically it's of prime caliber and can sorta do close focusing in its 'macro' mode.  O What Fun!
• Promaster 100mm f/3.5 macro (AF): I had tried two other macros, and felt like Goldilocks.  The Tamron 90 was excellent but too bulky, the Sigma 50 excellent but I had to get sooo close for real macro images.  The Promaster only goes 1:2 on its own - but I have the original 'matched' multiplier to achieve 1:1 shots (which works fine with the Limiteds by the way), and it's well under half the size and weight of the Tamron.  This does very well for my mid-tele and macro work, and is another small wonder.  I've made it pretty clear that I like that in lenses!
• Hanimar 400/6.3: and then there's this thing.  A preset T-mount lens (with 16 aperture blades!) it's a curiosity that was handed to me by my father-in-law; for the price of a K-mount adapter any 400mm lens is hard to beat.  I need to use it more but it's done quite well on my few test outings.

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A few additional items have not yet left the building.
The Rikenon-P 28/2.8 has been a real gem, and I've enjoyed its time on the camera.  While the 24mm has crowded it a bit I still find occasional use for it; perhaps one day it will leave me, which I did not think I'd ever say aloud.  That's saying something about the SMC-A 24!  The SMC-M 50mm f/2 is very good but the DA40 takes its spot for nearly everything, and the Vivitar (Kobori) 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 is a fun one-touch zoom that the 24-40-70-100 primes have supplanted.

Compared to earlier times, that's not many lenses - but it's more than I can use at any one event that's certain.  Most events can go with perhaps two primes and a zoom, and seldom would more than four go anywhere with me.  A very comfortable kit.

Micro four-thirds:
On the non-Pentax side, we own two Lumix G1 cameras, two 14-42 OIS kit lenses and a 45-200 OIS zoom to share.  My wife really wants to learn about imaging, and having identically-spec'd cameras was how she wanted to learn.  These are decently talented micro/43 cameras with electronic viewfinders and flip screens, so very versatile.  I also have a basic adapter to allow the K-mount lenses with aperture rings to work as well, though no stabilization in that case.  I must try the 400mm Hanimar on the G1 soon!!

Software:
 I now own Elements 10 and Premiere 10, having upgraded from 9.  Not usually worth taking a single step up, but I didn't have Premiere before this, and the package price was very good - and since I now have the K-01 I might do some video work.  Some day.
Plugins for the above include NeatImage for noise reduction, SmartCurve for lighting adjustments and ReDynamix for gentle redistribution of dynamic lighting without all the HDR effort. I also use Picasa software for the easy changes and quick text additions.  That'll do for now.

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Update March '13

Add a Pentax Q to the list with its standard 02 zoom, and yet another SMC-A 50mm f/1.7 - I had one just a few months ago, but that was before the K-01 made faster lenses practical thanks to focus peaking.  This one cost about half the other's price too - bargains get to me like that!  It will get used when light is really scarce, otherwise the DA40/70 team will crowd it.  
The Q does not have a PK adapter... yet... so expect another update when I break down at last.

April update - subtract a G-1, add a DA 50-200WR to the mix.