Pentax users advice

I asked cliftons if They were negotiable on the price they said they'd go to £369? Fair or hang on?
 
I would say that's fair considering you get 6 months warranty as well. You can always send it back if it's not as described.

I see they have a used 16-85mm as well, if you are looking to buy one then maybe they will do a better deal if you buy both?
 
Sorted [emoji2] going to leave the lens as I'm after the 50-135 and a prime first.
 
Mike.P said:
50-135mm is superb .. mine is tack sharp.

What prime you looking for?
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I'll probably start with the cheap fifty,which I've now just bought from LCE for £69 so can't go wrong at that price, just want something for those low light situations
 
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vrapan said:
they go for 400ish on another forum if you are so inclined. Amazing lens, the one I miss most having moved to Fuji.
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Yes thanks seen one on amazon but not so sure as it's no box although they say it's in good condition
 
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I stopped using Pentax a while ago, seem to remember some of the newer lenses had a problem with the SDM, was the 50-135mm one of them?
 
tijuana taxi said:
I stopped using Pentax a while ago, seem to remember some of the newer lenses had a problem with the SDM, was the 50-135mm one of them?
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It seems to have gone a lot quieter on that front.
Apparently lenses manufactured after 2012 have seen very few problems.
 
Picked up a 55-300 (red HD version) from srs£219 brand new, be useful for some birding and a bargain, they seem to go for that used.
 
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Yes looks pretty decent, excellent spider Mike, nice idea.
 
Mike.P said:
Decent lens, I use mine along with a DA 17-70mm when I want to travel light.



You can even stick a Raynox 250 on it and get some reasonable macro.


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I might hold on the 50-135 for now as I'll have that range covered now so might go for 16-50 as I've nothing below 50mm, is there anything else as good?

Camera arrived looks in perfect condition, just waiting on the lenses for a test drive
 
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Depends on your budget really ... 16-50mm is a great lens but it isn't cheap and it's a big chunk of glass. The Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 is pretty good and half the price.
Although I have a 16-50mm I rarely use it as I prefer my DA 17-70mm f4 or recently purchased 20-40mm ... or even the 18-135mm if I just want to use one lens.

These were taken with the 17-70mm on a K-5IIs but I still think the 16-85mm may be a better lens.



 
Mike.P said:
Depends on your budget really ... 16-50mm is a great lens but it isn't cheap and it's a big chunk of glass. The Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 is pretty good and half the price.
Although I have a 16-50mm I rarely use it as I prefer my DA 17-70mm f4 or recently purchased 20-40mm ... or even the 18-135mm if I just want to use one lens.

These were taken with the 17-70mm on a K-5IIs but I still think the 16-85mm may be a better lens.



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I tend to agree, I sold my 17-70 when I acquired the 16-85 in one of the SRS sales - it's a very good lens.
I also have the HD20-40 - I find it excellent.
 
Don't mind weight but I do wonder if 16-50 is enough? 2.8 v reach, I think the 16-85 would be the only other option, when I had nikon I had the sigma 18-35 and though a wonderful lens I found the focal range far too limited, which rules the 20-40 out

Price wise they're similar, in fact amazon have the 16-50 at £497
 
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Mike.P said:
Quite a few K-1 owners have bought the 28-105mm as it's just about right for full frame (which is why Pentax released it).

Personally it wouldn't be wide enough for me on a crop body.
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If I was going that route, might as well go the 18-135, I think for my purposes 2.8 would be more useful especially in the winter months
 
Robintaylor said:
If I was going that route, might as well go the 18-135, I think for my purposes 2.8 would be more useful especially in the winter months
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Robintaylor said:
Another question 16-50 or 16-85 is one any better than the other? 2.8 not so important for what I'll be using it for
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Make your mind up :)

Edit: SRS have a used 16-50mm for £399 with 12 months warranty
 
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Haven't taken the plunge yet, been reading a lot of sdm problems with 16-50 yet not so much with the 50-135. Did pentax / ricoh fix the problem at all or is still luck of the draw?
 
Robintaylor said:
Haven't taken the plunge yet, been reading a lot of sdm problems with 16-50 yet not so much with the 50-135. Did pentax / ricoh fix the problem at all or is still luck of the draw?
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The SDM issue was 'popular' some time ago, but has gone very quiet of late. There was never any official word as to whether or not the SDM motors were modified over time. It always seemed to be 'pot luck' as to whether a lens failed or not, but I've always felt it was associated with lack of use.

The theory is that the AF mechanism gets sticky through lack of use, the SDM motor has to work harder and if too hard just fails.

I have an early 50-135 which I run every few weeks or so (together with my other SDM/DC lenses) whether it's been used in the intervening period or not. So far, no issues.

Ditto my flash equipment, as it seems that internal capacitors fail over time through lack of use, so once again I power all my flash gear up every few weeks or so and fire them off a few times. Again, no failures.
 
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JohnX said:
The SDM issue was 'popular' some time ago, but has gone very quiet of late. There was never any official word as to whether or not the SDM motors were modified over time. It always seemed to be 'pot luck' as to whether a lens failed or not, but I've always felt it was associated with lack of use.

The theory is that the AF mechanism gets sticky through lack of use, the SDM motor has to work harder and if too hard just fails.

I have an early 50-135 which I run every few weeks or so (together with my other SDM/DC lenses) whether it's been used in the intervening period or not. So far, no issues.

Ditto my flash equipment, as it seems that internal capacitors fail over time through lack of use, so once again I power all my flash gear up every few weeks or so and fire them off a few times. Again, no failures.
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Yes I believe ed (photouniverse) said that, I'd except that coming from him.
Though I doubt it's the sole issue
 
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Robintaylor said:
Haven't taken the plunge yet, been reading a lot of sdm problems with 16-50 yet not so much with the 50-135. Did pentax / ricoh fix the problem at all or is still luck of the draw?
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See also my post #56 earlier in this thread.
 
A bit late to the party but a big plus to the 16-50 added to the 50-135 is the weather sealing. IQ is superb with both lenses but its nice to have both body and your choice of lenses completely weather sealed. Folk were talking about the difference in prints between the K-3 and K-5 - I've printed 30" plus wide from old images with the K-5 with no issues.

I had a variety of primes as well and my favourite was probably the 70ltd. I had the 15, 21, 31, 40 & 70 at one stage and they were all great lenses. Longest I had was the 60-250 which considering the huge range was superb.
 
Eljay said:
A bit late to the party but a big plus to the 16-50 added to the 50-135 is the weather sealing. IQ is superb with both lenses but its nice to have both body and your choice of lenses completely weather sealed. Folk were talking about the difference in prints between the K-3 and K-5 - I've printed 30" plus wide from old images with the K-5 with no issues.

I had a variety of primes as well and my favourite was probably the 70ltd. I had the 15, 21, 31, 40 & 70 at one stage and they were all great lenses. Longest I had was the 60-250 which considering the huge range was superb.
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weather resistance is a must really, especially with our weather, not that I couldn't live without it but all too often other equipment has had to go in the bag with anything but a few drops of rain. It's one of those attributes of pentax so might as well make use of it, not that i deliberately go out in bad weather but am going to Mexico later in the year in the rainy season, I wanted a better sensor than the P900 offers though it's good for what it is and have to say very happy with the k5iis. So much more solid than nikon Dslrs, well modern ones that is.
 
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Anyone had the sigma 17-50 2.8? Not ruled out pentax as many seem to think you just can't not use it for too long so maybe that's the simple answer?? and sorry if I'm getting on everyones nerves [emoji2] but asked 3 sellers of the 16-50 and all 3 had been back to pentax for repair so that lens is making me wonder a bit even though it's one I'd prefer. Had the Tamron a few years back (didn't like it) but hadn't considered the sigma
So wondered on their optical quality differences, going by what I've read there seems nothing in it?
 
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No one I guess [emoji16] anyway getting the sigma but still on the lookout for the 50-135 or sigma 50-150 if anyone comes across either that I might miss [emoji106]
 
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