@@sdhute i hear nothing but great things about that lens, but when I look at sample images I'm not too sure. Purhaps I've seen poor examples, but I see many rave reviews about it. Would you be able to share some info about it, what makes it your favourite.
@@i.like.pixels I took some good sunset photos with that lens. The focus motor is not loud. I also shoot a lot of street photography and that focal length is perfect as a one lens setup.
The 20-40 is a great all-around lens, perhaps the ultimate travel / vacation walk around lens. I don’t leave home without it. With the 100 macro, 20-40, and 55-300 PLM you have a perfect vacation kit. Through in the 15mm limited if you need wider indoor or landscape.
I have a large collection 0f Pentax cameras with Pentax and Sigma glass and my favorite compact lens that works great on the APSC camera bodies are the 31mm and 77mm limited edition prime lens. I started 16 years ago with a Pentax K100D Super and then the k10 D. My favorite cameras i have, Kp, K3 MKIII and a K1 MKII. I ordered the monochrome k3 and the first run sold out so I ended buying the Nikon ZF.
It's really pleasing to hear your unbiased relatively fresh opinions on a brand and system. So many Pentaxians are die hard fans, without the worldly experience of shooting anything other than Pentax. Here (correct me if I am wrong), it appears the K3IIIm was the bait into the system, so now you're moving through the available lenses. There's really not many that have taken that path. Usually it is preexisting Pentaxian owners buying the K3IIIm with already a mass of glass. Anyway, yeh... the lenses. I do get a little cross with Pentax for not updating their glass. You've witnessed the power of the PL Motor yet it exists in only two lenses.. The DA Ltd lenses I find a bit of hit and miss but what is most perplexing is that we have this hugely weather sealed camera yet a fair amount of glass that is not?! What is the point of the rugged rubber flaps on the body if the DA Ltds are not sealed?! And Autofocus is the sum of all its parts, so screw drive is definitely holding the system as a whole back. I would like to see all the lenses updated to having WR and PLM... but yeh that ain't gonna happen. I've done all the DA Ltds, in the end I chose the 20-40 to being the main keeper. It is not screwdrive, fairly silent AF, more accurate and weather sealed with rendering very similar to the other trio. Or you could save for the PLM 16-50, between that and the 55-300PLM you have a lot covered with the best AF it can give. For portraiture I recommend the DA70/2.4, tis quite nice indeed.
Yes the K3iiiMonchrome really pulled me into Pentax, then seeing how well rated the 150-459 was I was sold and took the risk. I'm definitely not a brand snob or die hard fan of anything. I'm pretty brutal with gear, and have no problems selling equipment on if it doesn't do what I need. And I agree there is too many reviews from brand fans, giving misleading information. I'll give you a summary of my experience with K3iiiMonchrome. 1.Excellent viewfinder and build 2. Unbelievable resolution for it's sensor 3. BUT, frustrating to tune the af system. When it works it wipes the floor with the a6400 and 7dii. But then it totally misses the mark occasionally for no apparent reason. Hopefully I can dial this in long term, I'll be sure to be transparent with my findings.
Agree about the 55-300. It's the best "bang for the buck" zoom in the Pentax range. I found it was weak/soft at 300 and I was coveting the photos I saw taken with the 150-450. So I also got the 150-450 like you did. Wow, that lens is so great. So great that my 55-300 is getting less use. I notice you do not have the 16-50PLM. The price made me hesitate and I was grumpy when I bought it. Not anymore. That lens has the fast focus of the PLM and is very sharp...and fast at constant f2.8. I feel it can do anything I ask. I have my bodies set up to focus and shoot where/when I tap the rear screen in live view. This works best with PLM as it is fast...I can hold it next to a subject and just tap the rear screen where I want it to focus/shoot. Furthermore if I use the electronic shutter the camera is silent when I LV shoot because the mirror is already up! Try it with your 55-300!
@@vincemokry2380 i did not know it could do electronic shutter in live view, I'll definitely be checking that out. During autumn I take a lot of low angle macro photos with slow shutter speeds, this will be invaluable! Yes the 150-450 is truly amazing, I'd say the most impressed I've been with a lens in years!
Try the 40mm Ltd. It's a great slightly long standard lens on APSC. Focus is snappy due to its small size and weight. Again due to its small size it makes any Pentax DSLR much nicer to carry around. I would go for the HD version as it shares the same aperture blades as the XS one, but in a nicer body. The "do it all" zoom, 18-135mm is also very worthy of consideration without breaking the bank.
I second giving the older FA limiteds a try on the monochrome sensor. The FA 31 is one of my personal favourites on the monochrome sensor. Also definitely agree on the 55-300 PLM, amazing image quality and usability for the price! Interesting to hear about your experience with the 21mm. I've found it a very capable lens in monochrome for street photography and photojournalistic stuff and I've captured some of my favourite K3III Mono shots with it.
@@shiroganesam purhaps I had a poor variation of the lens, the samples I'd seen online seemed to have more pop. If I see another for a good price I may try another copy. I've yet to try any of the older FA limiteds, although I look forward to testing some in the future.
Given your film background, perhaps try the FA 43/1.9 if you get a chance. Quite quirky rendering up until f/2.8 or so, very small, and a gem to behold. It may not be the right focal length for you but unless you can rule it out upfront, give it a try sometime. The FA 31/1.8 is a great wide angle (pretty much a "normal" lens) with an astoundingly smooth bokeh. Not every copy is great, beware of those with loose inner barrels, but a good one is fantastic.
The 55-300 is a gem. Why they have not yet introduced at least a companion PLM standard zoom like a 16-70 f4 or similar is beyond me. A replacement for the dated 18-135, and the slightly less dated 16-85.
It makes no sense to create another lens very similar to already existing 16-85 for barely any customer base. And if any new lens, then 16-135/4 to be similar to excellent Olympus 12-100/4 PRO which I like much. Similar range to my DA18-135WR but image quality is another level. I would like to have similar lens for K mount. At least DA18-135WR is small. And camera capable of accurate focusing, which even K3III is not.
Can they make something with the IQ and (similar) range of the 12-100 M4/3 ? Go ahead, I'd buy it. But replacing (not adding) old designs is desirable even if you have a relatively small user base. If you want to attract new customers you need an appealing system. Imagine a new user that has the monochrome with one lens and wants to invest more in the system with a K-3 color and more lenses. He might see outdated stuff, revamped 20-30 years old design (the "new" DFA 50mm....) with annoying and inaccurate screwdrive AF and take a pass. A modern lens lineup is a must. If you don't have the resources to develop/maintain it, you are going to be pushed out of the market fast. You will only appeal to vintage lenses enthusiasts and that's it. A niche in a niche.
The optics are the same , just the coatings that are different. The HD lenses control flare better, but the SMC ones are no slouch. The HD 40mm has different aperture blades to the SM version. Then there is build quality to consider. My HD 70mm has separation of the glass and does not focus or expose properly, which is a great shame because before it went wrong I really liked it. I have replaced it with an earlier SMC version which works so much better.
I am carefully watching every one of your videos,I'm currently gathering up all my random lenses and bodies to get rid of everything and leap into the monochrome,but I don't think I'll sell my Nikkor d lenses I'll keep for film sell everything else ,but I really don't know if Pentax has nice equivalents or not
The best Pentax glass they have is for full frame, the FA Ltd's (31, 43 and 77) are legendary in their own right. Go read up about them (you should find heaps of info). Whether you're happy with having to use them on APS-C is up to you, for me a lot of the magic dies when doing that. So many of us are holding out for Pentax to release a K-1mono 🤞
It really depends on shooting style, screw drive suits me fine for still life, but the 55-300 is just worlds apart and very comparable to canon usm lenses . I've not tried their standard zooms yet, so not sure how the autofocus performs on the 18-135 or 70-200. Like everything, it really helps if you can find a camera shop with samples out to try. One thing I'm finding the hardest is tuning the af system, on canon, Nikon and Sony I never had to change much. So it does require some time investment.
@@SummersSnaps legendary if you like soft edges unles stopped down to F4+, chromatic aberations, coma and inaccurate focusing.. Sad thing is that Pentax has only few modern lenses for hi-res sensors and those are not from film era. FF makes no sense at all. Obsolete camera, only few lenses. K1 mono is just your wet dream, because that sensor is no longer manufactured by Sony and K1II bodies are only being sold from stock no longer produced. Similar applies to all those Tamron OEM lenses 15-30/2.8, 24-70/2.8 and 70-210/4 which will be gone soon like penTamron 18-270 already is. What will remain can barely be considered as FF system. Ricoh really devastated Pentax.
I should have had a faulty 150-450 as I was not impressed at all by the image quality compared to the 300 f4. I returned it and unfortunately I do not have a shop nearby to try out another copy.
@@DavidBriard yeah that sounds like a bad copy, I've had a couple of bad eggs and returned them promptly. I've only used my copy of the 150-450, and it is razor sharp all the time. I also have the 300 f/4 now, and they are nearly identical in resolution. Very impressed with the 300. From my experience with photo stores, they rarely have enough Pentax stock to try before you buy. A real shame.
The 150-450mm lens is the best lens I have ever used. Mine is tack sharp wide open and has an amazing quality to it.
My latest travel setup is the Pentax 16-50 2.8. Lens Pentax 55-300 PLM WR and the Pentax 150'-450 all three great lenses
The 20-40 is my favorite
@@sdhute i hear nothing but great things about that lens, but when I look at sample images I'm not too sure. Purhaps I've seen poor examples, but I see many rave reviews about it.
Would you be able to share some info about it, what makes it your favourite.
@@i.like.pixels I took some good sunset photos with that lens. The focus motor is not loud. I also shoot a lot of street photography and that focal length is perfect as a one lens setup.
I second the 20-40 recommendation!
The 20-40 is a great all-around lens, perhaps the ultimate travel / vacation walk around lens. I don’t leave home without it. With the 100 macro, 20-40, and 55-300 PLM you have a perfect vacation kit. Through in the 15mm limited if you need wider indoor or landscape.
I have a large collection 0f Pentax cameras with Pentax and Sigma glass and my favorite compact lens that works great on the APSC camera bodies are the 31mm and 77mm limited edition prime lens. I started 16 years ago with a Pentax K100D Super and then the k10 D. My favorite cameras i have, Kp, K3 MKIII and a K1 MKII. I ordered the monochrome k3 and the first run sold out so I ended buying the Nikon ZF.
It's really pleasing to hear your unbiased relatively fresh opinions on a brand and system. So many Pentaxians are die hard fans, without the worldly experience of shooting anything other than Pentax. Here (correct me if I am wrong), it appears the K3IIIm was the bait into the system, so now you're moving through the available lenses. There's really not many that have taken that path. Usually it is preexisting Pentaxian owners buying the K3IIIm with already a mass of glass.
Anyway, yeh... the lenses. I do get a little cross with Pentax for not updating their glass. You've witnessed the power of the PL Motor yet it exists in only two lenses.. The DA Ltd lenses I find a bit of hit and miss but what is most perplexing is that we have this hugely weather sealed camera yet a fair amount of glass that is not?! What is the point of the rugged rubber flaps on the body if the DA Ltds are not sealed?! And Autofocus is the sum of all its parts, so screw drive is definitely holding the system as a whole back. I would like to see all the lenses updated to having WR and PLM... but yeh that ain't gonna happen.
I've done all the DA Ltds, in the end I chose the 20-40 to being the main keeper. It is not screwdrive, fairly silent AF, more accurate and weather sealed with rendering very similar to the other trio. Or you could save for the PLM 16-50, between that and the 55-300PLM you have a lot covered with the best AF it can give.
For portraiture I recommend the DA70/2.4, tis quite nice indeed.
Yes the K3iiiMonchrome really pulled me into Pentax, then seeing how well rated the 150-459 was I was sold and took the risk.
I'm definitely not a brand snob or die hard fan of anything. I'm pretty brutal with gear, and have no problems selling equipment on if it doesn't do what I need.
And I agree there is too many reviews from brand fans, giving misleading information.
I'll give you a summary of my experience with K3iiiMonchrome.
1.Excellent viewfinder and build
2. Unbelievable resolution for it's sensor
3. BUT, frustrating to tune the af system. When it works it wipes the floor with the a6400 and 7dii. But then it totally misses the mark occasionally for no apparent reason.
Hopefully I can dial this in long term, I'll be sure to be transparent with my findings.
@@i.like.pixels Yeh I have a K3III, Pentax AF has always been a bit 'luck of the draw'.
Agree about the 55-300. It's the best "bang for the buck" zoom in the Pentax range. I found it was weak/soft at 300 and I was coveting the photos I saw taken with the 150-450. So I also got the 150-450 like you did. Wow, that lens is so great. So great that my 55-300 is getting less use. I notice you do not have the 16-50PLM. The price made me hesitate and I was grumpy when I bought it. Not anymore. That lens has the fast focus of the PLM and is very sharp...and fast at constant f2.8. I feel it can do anything I ask. I have my bodies set up to focus and shoot where/when I tap the rear screen in live view. This works best with PLM as it is fast...I can hold it next to a subject and just tap the rear screen where I want it to focus/shoot. Furthermore if I use the electronic shutter the camera is silent when I LV shoot because the mirror is already up! Try it with your 55-300!
@@vincemokry2380 i did not know it could do electronic shutter in live view, I'll definitely be checking that out. During autumn I take a lot of low angle macro photos with slow shutter speeds, this will be invaluable!
Yes the 150-450 is truly amazing, I'd say the most impressed I've been with a lens in years!
Try the 40mm Ltd. It's a great slightly long standard lens on APSC. Focus is snappy due to its small size and weight. Again due to its small size it makes any Pentax DSLR much nicer to carry around. I would go for the HD version as it shares the same aperture blades as the XS one, but in a nicer body.
The "do it all" zoom, 18-135mm is also very worthy of consideration without breaking the bank.
Try adding the 1.4 convertor to the 150-450, it’s outstanding.
I second giving the older FA limiteds a try on the monochrome sensor. The FA 31 is one of my personal favourites on the monochrome sensor. Also definitely agree on the 55-300 PLM, amazing image quality and usability for the price!
Interesting to hear about your experience with the 21mm. I've found it a very capable lens in monochrome for street photography and photojournalistic stuff and I've captured some of my favourite K3III Mono shots with it.
@@shiroganesam purhaps I had a poor variation of the lens, the samples I'd seen online seemed to have more pop. If I see another for a good price I may try another copy.
I've yet to try any of the older FA limiteds, although I look forward to testing some in the future.
Those two zooms are great lenses. With macro, I prefer manual focus as a rule. Enjoy!
Given your film background, perhaps try the FA 43/1.9 if you get a chance. Quite quirky rendering up until f/2.8 or so, very small, and a gem to behold. It may not be the right focal length for you but unless you can rule it out upfront, give it a try sometime. The FA 31/1.8 is a great wide angle (pretty much a "normal" lens) with an astoundingly smooth bokeh. Not every copy is great, beware of those with loose inner barrels, but a good one is fantastic.
@@coolcat23 yes the 43mm looks very tempting, I'm a big fan of smaller high quality lenses. Thanks for the recommendations.
The 55-300 is a gem. Why they have not yet introduced at least a companion PLM standard zoom like a 16-70 f4 or similar is beyond me. A replacement for the dated 18-135, and the slightly less dated 16-85.
It makes no sense to create another lens very similar to already existing 16-85 for barely any customer base. And if any new lens, then 16-135/4 to be similar to excellent Olympus 12-100/4 PRO which I like much. Similar range to my DA18-135WR but image quality is another level. I would like to have similar lens for K mount. At least DA18-135WR is small.
And camera capable of accurate focusing, which even K3III is not.
Can they make something with the IQ and (similar) range of the 12-100 M4/3 ? Go ahead, I'd buy it.
But replacing (not adding) old designs is desirable even if you have a relatively small user base. If you want to attract new customers you need an appealing system. Imagine a new user that has the monochrome with one lens and wants to invest more in the system with a K-3 color and more lenses. He might see outdated stuff, revamped 20-30 years old design (the "new" DFA 50mm....) with annoying and inaccurate screwdrive AF and take a pass.
A modern lens lineup is a must. If you don't have the resources to develop/maintain it, you are going to be pushed out of the market fast. You will only appeal to vintage lenses enthusiasts and that's it. A niche in a niche.
I saw you had the old lens with the green ring, the hd upgrade has the red ring. They are of different optical quality.
@@martintretjak1396 yes that is something I'm willing to explore one day, when I find the HD coated lenses for a sensible price.
The optics are the same , just the coatings that are different. The HD lenses control flare better, but the SMC ones are no slouch. The HD 40mm has different aperture blades to the SM version. Then there is build quality to consider. My HD 70mm has separation of the glass and does not focus or expose properly, which is a great shame because before it went wrong I really liked it. I have replaced it with an earlier SMC version which works so much better.
I find the 21mm a bit mysterious. It just seems to be very sharp but lacking some character I just haven’t found its mojo.
I'd agree, its a fine lens but not worth calling it a limited.
I am carefully watching every one of your videos,I'm currently gathering up all my random lenses and bodies to get rid of everything and leap into the monochrome,but I don't think I'll sell my Nikkor d lenses I'll keep for film sell everything else ,but I really don't know if Pentax has nice equivalents or not
The best Pentax glass they have is for full frame, the FA Ltd's (31, 43 and 77) are legendary in their own right. Go read up about them (you should find heaps of info). Whether you're happy with having to use them on APS-C is up to you, for me a lot of the magic dies when doing that. So many of us are holding out for Pentax to release a K-1mono 🤞
It really depends on shooting style, screw drive suits me fine for still life, but the 55-300 is just worlds apart and very comparable to canon usm lenses . I've not tried their standard zooms yet, so not sure how the autofocus performs on the 18-135 or 70-200.
Like everything, it really helps if you can find a camera shop with samples out to try.
One thing I'm finding the hardest is tuning the af system, on canon, Nikon and Sony I never had to change much. So it does require some time investment.
@@i.like.pixels well I'm using almost exclusively screw drive lenses so I don't think I would mind much
@@SummersSnaps legendary if you like soft edges unles stopped down to F4+, chromatic aberations, coma and inaccurate focusing.. Sad thing is that Pentax has only few modern lenses for hi-res sensors and those are not from film era. FF makes no sense at all. Obsolete camera, only few lenses. K1 mono is just your wet dream, because that sensor is no longer manufactured by Sony and K1II bodies are only being sold from stock no longer produced. Similar applies to all those Tamron OEM lenses 15-30/2.8, 24-70/2.8 and 70-210/4 which will be gone soon like penTamron 18-270 already is. What will remain can barely be considered as FF system. Ricoh really devastated Pentax.
I should have had a faulty 150-450 as I was not impressed at all by the image quality compared to the 300 f4. I returned it and unfortunately I do not have a shop nearby to try out another copy.
@@DavidBriard yeah that sounds like a bad copy, I've had a couple of bad eggs and returned them promptly. I've only used my copy of the 150-450, and it is razor sharp all the time. I also have the 300 f/4 now, and they are nearly identical in resolution. Very impressed with the 300.
From my experience with photo stores, they rarely have enough Pentax stock to try before you buy. A real shame.