Wow you guys were right...

[ZIN]

I asked earlier about Pentax-vrs- Nikon and Canon and many said that glass for the Pentax would be limited but I thought yea right how hard can it be? Well I really liked the Pentax for price and its stability built into the camera bit I have been looking a bit for lenses that I think I might want and there are not many out there for Pentax compared to the other two. I am looking at a macro and a moderate telephoto but I see most are not made for the Pentax.
Not that I doubted everyone I just figured I am just starting out so how hard could it be to please my needs. :hail:

 

[Alpha]

What?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/8458/for_Pentax.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/12042/Digital_SLR_Interchangeable_Lenses_for_Pentax.html

There's also a wealth of lenses on KEH, both AF and MF.

 

[doobs]

I have a few good macro and telephoto lenses for my Pentax Film SLR, I'm not sure what you're talking about. They're all old as hell and MF, but they work. (I prefer MF)

 

[Alpha]

And all of the k-mount film lenses will fit on the digital bodies. You certainly can't say that for a fair number of Canon and Nikon lenses.

 

[frXnz kafka]

Don't the Pentax digitals use the K mount? I would think there would be an enormous surplus of lenses out there, and on the cheap if you're willing to give up your AF.

 

[usayit]

yes... MF Kmounts do work on the latest digital SLRs... there's a boat load of lenses out there.

 

[ZIN]

I am only looking at AF, and when I punch in certain lens option it seems to be Nikon and Canon on BHphoto anyway. I never said there werent any lenses out there for the Pentax I just said there were not as many options which is what I was told in other threads.

 

[Alpha]

Well what sort of AF lens are you looking for? I guarantee whatever it is, it's out there in K mount, and usually at a price much lower than Canon or Nikon.

 

[Mike Jordan]

It might be a lower price, but that doesn't mean it's going to be as good or better quality. A bargin lens that does not give clean, crisp, sharp images is no bargin at all.

Mike

 

[jstuedle]

As an aside, most Nikon AI/AI-S MF mount lenses do fit the new AF bodies, and almost all F mount ( pre - 1971 or so ) lenses can be retrofitted with AI mount rings. The rings have not been manufactured in a long while but there is old stock for almost all of them if you look hard enough.

 

[Alpha]

It might be a lower price, but that doesn't mean it's going to be as good or better quality. A bargin lens that does not give clean, crisp, sharp images is no bargin at all.

Mike

I'm sorry but you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. At the very least, you can't have ever shot with Pentax SMC glass or you'd be singing a very different tune.

 

[Alpha]

As an aside, most Nikon AI/AI-S MF mount lenses do fit the new AF bodies, and almost all F mount ( pre - 1971 or so ) lenses can be retrofitted with AI mount rings. The rings have not been manufactured in a long while but there is old stock for almost all of them if you look hard enough.

Point taken. However, the ability to mount old glass to new bodies without adapters is always convenient.

 

[usayit]

Zin,

I don't see the limited options you are referring to.. they might not be as wide of a selection as the Canon's or Nikon but there is certainly not a limited choice.

I know you said AF... but you can't get the excellent image quality that you would get from the older manual SMC Takumars at the same price range. The K-mount has been around for decades and there are wonderful options out there. A wonderful macro is the old Tamron 90mm macro in adaptall form. Just make sure you get the adaptall for K-mount.

Both BH and Adorama show two options for Pentax branded Macros and Telephoto. Another option to explore is to find a local retailer via the Pentax store locater on their website. There is something wonderful about building a relationship with a local shop. The final option is to order their products direct from them online.

Sigma also makes lenses in Pentax AF mount. On Adorama's site, a search for Sigma and Pentax mount AF yeilded 34 results.

 

[Mike Jordan]

I'm sorry but you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. At the very least, you can't have ever shot with Pentax SMC glass or you'd be singing a very different tune.

If you think Pentax glass is better across it's whole range and under the same conditions than Canon 'L' glass, then I can understand why you would be sorry.

Mike

 

[Tolyk]

I'm a Canon shooter myself and I don't see the big deal with the L series. I've looked at many comparision shots from older manual lenses and quite a few of them blew the L series out of the water. Especially the old Contax Carl Zeis lenses, which are all MF and before computer engineering.