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LBA / GAS new toy

Larry Colen

Sun, Dec 14, 2025 12:03 AM

Let's pretend that this is a Pentax list and talk about Pentax mount gear.

Yeah, I spend an inordinate amount of of my money on glass. It's cheaper than racing and not as bad for my health as a lot of other vices. Since a lot of K-mount lenses are getting easier to find used, I can even pretend that I'm saving money.

When I bought my K-1, I didn't have the dineros to also buy the 24-70. I had the 16-50 to use as a fast standard zoom on my K3, so I bought the 15-30 for the angle of view, and a 28-105 for its weather sealing. I don't remember if I already had the Tamron 28-75 I bought used off of Miserere or I bought it shortly thereafter.

I recently found a nice copy of the 24-70 on ebay for about $700 and succumbed to temptation. It arrived yesterday.

My feelings of the three lenses with overlapping use cases.

Note that they are all about the same length.

Tamron 28-75/2.8 It's been my daily driver lens on the K-1 for about 7 years. It's reasonably fast and reasonably sharp, the only real drawback is lack of weather sealing, and lack of quick shift focusing. It is screwdrive only. Its major advantages are cost, diameter and lightness. Use case: when shooting indoors /low light, when weight or space in the camera bag counts.

Pentax 28-105/3.5-5.6 surprisingly sharp for the cost. About the same size as the Tamron. Great lens when there is plenty of light. It's big advantage is added reach. It does have quick shift focus. It's big disadvantage is being 1-2 stops slower. It doesn't have a zoom lock to keep the barrel from accidentally extending rather than staying at the shortest focal length.

Pentax 24-70/2.8 I've only shot 90 frames with it, and haven't processed them. It's the fattest and heaviest of the lot. It would make a great all condition daily driver lens, one that could be used indoors or out, rain or shine (hopefully not raining indoors, if that happens you have bigger problems). It will probably become my daily driver because I can just leave it on the camera and I won't have to worry overmuch about there being enough light, or if it might get rained on.

The one lens in this class I have been really curious about is the Sigma 18-35 /1.8. It's gotten to the point where they can even be found (used, NLA new) for under $500. A lot of my photography has been in low light conditions were the extra 1.3 stops (4dB) of speed could make a big difference. Before I bought the K-1 I did the mathing and the extra speed on an APS (given equivalent sensors) and the wider angle means that the real world final image with the 18-35 on an APS is almost the same as a 28-50/2.8 on FF. With the K-3 III having much newer sensor technology than the K-1, in low light it might actually out perform. But, that's all theoretical pixel peeper bullshit on the hairy edge.

In the real world, if I were shooting with the K-3 III indoors (which has other advantages over the K-1) it would give me about the same AoV range as the above FF f/2.8 lenses, and would be more convenient that swapping between two fast primes. My only fast AF prime in that range is my Sigma 20/1.8 which I have a complicated relationship with. Since it goes to 1:2 at closest focus, I mostly use it as a wide angle macro.

Do any of you folk have experience with the 18-35? What are your thoughts and feelings?

PS. I did spend a few minutes ripping out a quick album of the photos from last night. It was challenging lighting, shot in Tav at 1/20 and f/2.8.

None of the photos really show the 24-70 to its full potential, but do show how it works in rough conditions, with a little bit of help from LRC (Lightroom Classic, rather than me)

The backstory, Whitton runs the dance, it was her birthday and in addition to DJing with Vinyl rather than her laptop, she also had Brother Yusef play live blues music.

I'd say that my two personal favorites, from a story rather than image quality are

this one of Whitton DJing:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/54982322711/in/album-72177720330919494

And this one of Yusef "enjoying the show"
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/albums/72177720330919494

When I was leaving, the fog was pretty cool, so I got this one of the venue
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/54982574214/in/album-72177720330919494

full set:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/albums/72177720330919494

__
Larry Colen from Lothlorien
lrc@red4est.com

Let's pretend that this is a Pentax list and talk about Pentax mount gear. Yeah, I spend an inordinate amount of of my money on glass. It's cheaper than racing and not as bad for my health as a lot of other vices. Since a lot of K-mount lenses are getting easier to find used, I can even pretend that I'm saving money. When I bought my K-1, I didn't have the dineros to also buy the 24-70. I had the 16-50 to use as a fast standard zoom on my K3, so I bought the 15-30 for the angle of view, and a 28-105 for its weather sealing. I don't remember if I already had the Tamron 28-75 I bought used off of Miserere or I bought it shortly thereafter. I recently found a nice copy of the 24-70 on ebay for about $700 and succumbed to temptation. It arrived yesterday. My feelings of the three lenses with overlapping use cases. Note that they are all about the same length. Tamron 28-75/2.8 It's been my daily driver lens on the K-1 for about 7 years. It's reasonably fast and reasonably sharp, the only real drawback is lack of weather sealing, and lack of quick shift focusing. It is screwdrive only. Its major advantages are cost, diameter and lightness. Use case: when shooting indoors /low light, when weight or space in the camera bag counts. Pentax 28-105/3.5-5.6 surprisingly sharp for the cost. About the same size as the Tamron. Great lens when there is plenty of light. It's big advantage is added reach. It does have quick shift focus. It's big disadvantage is being 1-2 stops slower. It doesn't have a zoom lock to keep the barrel from accidentally extending rather than staying at the shortest focal length. Pentax 24-70/2.8 I've only shot 90 frames with it, and haven't processed them. It's the fattest and heaviest of the lot. It would make a great all condition daily driver lens, one that could be used indoors or out, rain or shine (hopefully not raining indoors, if that happens you have bigger problems). It will probably become my daily driver because I can just leave it on the camera and I won't have to worry overmuch about there being enough light, or if it might get rained on. The one lens in this class I have been really curious about is the Sigma 18-35 /1.8. It's gotten to the point where they can even be found (used, NLA new) for under $500. A lot of my photography has been in low light conditions were the extra 1.3 stops (4dB) of speed could make a big difference. Before I bought the K-1 I did the mathing and the extra speed on an APS (given equivalent sensors) and the wider angle means that the real world final image with the 18-35 on an APS is almost the same as a 28-50/2.8 on FF. With the K-3 III having much newer sensor technology than the K-1, in low light it might actually out perform. But, that's all theoretical pixel peeper bullshit on the hairy edge. In the real world, if I were shooting with the K-3 III indoors (which has other advantages over the K-1) it would give me about the same AoV range as the above FF f/2.8 lenses, and would be more convenient that swapping between two fast primes. My only fast AF prime in that range is my Sigma 20/1.8 which I have a complicated relationship with. Since it goes to 1:2 at closest focus, I mostly use it as a wide angle macro. Do any of you folk have experience with the 18-35? What are your thoughts and feelings? PS. I did spend a few minutes ripping out a quick album of the photos from last night. It was challenging lighting, shot in Tav at 1/20 and f/2.8. None of the photos really show the 24-70 to its full potential, but do show how it works in rough conditions, with a little bit of help from LRC (Lightroom Classic, rather than me) The backstory, Whitton runs the dance, it was her birthday and in addition to DJing with Vinyl rather than her laptop, she also had Brother Yusef play live blues music. I'd say that my two personal favorites, from a story rather than image quality are this one of Whitton DJing: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/54982322711/in/album-72177720330919494 And this one of Yusef "enjoying the show" https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/albums/72177720330919494 When I was leaving, the fog was pretty cool, so I got this one of the venue https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/54982574214/in/album-72177720330919494 full set: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ellarsee/albums/72177720330919494 __ Larry Colen from Lothlorien lrc@red4est.com

Henk Terhell

Sun, Dec 14, 2025 9:23 AM

For wide angle I've got a Sigma 17-35/2.8-4 DG lens, though I rarely use
it.
In the local concert hall I usually take pictures of the classical
concerts for their website (my latest pics are here:
https://concertlevenvoorneaanzee.nl/fotos-seizoen-2025-2026/). For this
I use the Pentax 28-105/3.5-5.6 on the K-1, mostly set around ISO 3200.
My experience is that a FF as the K-1 is essential in concerts with
difficult light, as with my K-70 I'm not able to get the same quality.
In view of the black background and harsh contrasts of the spotlights I
have to underexpose at least 2 stops. The 28-105 is such a sharp lens
and the extended reach is very useful. My lens never had problems with
unwanted zoom shift. A shutter speed of 1/50 is OK, not having to deal
with fast moving dancing people! And AI noise reduction brings a great
improvement. In rare situations where the Pentax 28-105 is too slow I
can fall back on my old Pentax 50/1.4 AF or 35/2.0 AF, however it is a
inconvenient limitation as I have to shoot from my seat and walking
around during the performance is not accepted in classical concerts.

Henk

Op 14-12-2025 om 01:03 schreef Larry Colen:

For wide angle I've got a Sigma 17-35/2.8-4 DG lens, though I rarely use it. In the local concert hall I usually take pictures of the classical concerts for their website (my latest pics are here: https://concertlevenvoorneaanzee.nl/fotos-seizoen-2025-2026/). For this I use the Pentax 28-105/3.5-5.6 on the K-1, mostly set around ISO 3200. My experience is that a FF as the K-1 is essential in concerts with difficult light, as with my K-70 I'm not able to get the same quality. In view of the black background and harsh contrasts of the spotlights I have to underexpose at least 2 stops. The 28-105 is such a sharp lens and the extended reach is very useful. My lens never had problems with unwanted zoom shift. A shutter speed of 1/50 is OK, not having to deal with fast moving dancing people! And AI noise reduction brings a great improvement. In rare situations where the Pentax 28-105 is too slow I can fall back on my old Pentax 50/1.4 AF or 35/2.0 AF, however it is a inconvenient limitation as I have to shoot from my seat and walking around during the performance is not accepted in classical concerts. Henk Op 14-12-2025 om 01:03 schreef Larry Colen: