Went from Pentax to Canon - DPChallenge Forums

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

05/28/2014 10:34:48 AM · #1

Let me start off by saying I am sorry to my team in last years DPL. I signed up and didnâ��t even get a chance to participate. I became very sick and was hospitalized. I am finally beginning to feel better the last few months. I have had an elevated kidney and liver functions and the only way this could have happened was with the medications I was taking. I will survive and just an annoyance now. But enough of that. The real reason I am here is the fact I left the Pentax camera camp.

I started my stint at DPC with a Fuji S3100 point and shoot. While it was not a great camera is sure did what it needed to so and got me started. I soon listened to a former member (Glenn or Artyse I believe was his name) and he had a Pentax camera. I wanted to be different and not follow the main crowd so I thought I would give them a chance. I picked up a *ist DS and a DL. It changed my whole outlook on photography moving from a point and shoot to a dslr. I was in heaven but I soon found out I needed better lenses than the kit lenses. I slowly picked up better lenses here and there and better speed lights etc. I then moved on to better dslr's from Pentax as they became available. I went from a *ist DS â�� K10D â�� K5. I thought it was time for another upgrade so I looked at the relatively new K3. I did some reading and before pulling the trigger discovered that on mirror look up and some shooting scenarios people were having problems with the camera locking up and going fully auto as in a machine gun. I didnt like the sounds of that so I did some bold I sold all my Pentax lenses and bodies (K5 is in the shop getting fixed). Here are the lenses I had so you get a chance to see what I used the most.

Pentax 10-17mm Fisheye - never used it maybe once but only owned it for 4-5 months
Pentax 16-45mm f4.0 - Used it pretty much every time I could use it..portraits, weddings, etc
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 â�� was going to replace the above lens â�� just barely picked it up a month ago.
Pentax 18-55mm â�� never used it very much.
Pentax 50mm f1.4 â�� used it to reverse on my 105mm.
Pentax 77mm f1.8 - never used it as much as I would have liked too.
Pentax 50-200mm never used it.
Pentax 50-300mm never used it.
Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro â�� I used it a lot. I used it for macros and portraits sometimes.
Sigma 170-500mm â�� I used it last year for YAFL football and loved it.
Kenko 1.5 tele converter â�� I used it on Sigma 170-500mm to get longer shots.
Kenko Extension tubes â�� used them here and there.
2 Sigma Flashes or speed lights.

I am in the process of selling most of it on ebay and its going pretty well. What I decided to buy to replace all my Pentax gear. I picked up a Canon 70D. I just got it in yesterday and I love it. Here is what I am in the process of buying. Some I already have others I am thinking of buying.

Canon Battery Grip
Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM (only lens I have currently)
Canon 100mm macro f2.8
Canon 50mm f1.8
Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L
Canon Extensions tubes
Canon 580 EX II (own)
2 x Canon 430 EX II (own)

I think this will cover all that I used before I am just not sure. If anyone has any recommendations please feel free to post your thoughts.

I use to have a 10+ lens pack I carried all the Pentax gear in. Yes I know thatâ��s overkill and makes no sense but I wanted to make sure I didnâ��t need anything. It was heavy and bulky so I switched to a Tamrac 7x Expedition. So I am limited on how many lenses and gear I can bring. I plan on using the 2 430 EX II's as slaves in studio lighting set ups etc. So I only plan on carrying the 580 EX II in my bag. After getting the 70D I am really new to the menu and idea of a touch screen lcd. I read the manual but it didnâ��t even have the custom functions described in it at all and what each functions does. So I am at a loss as how to setup the camera I have most of it set up for the way I shoot currently.

So far I have noticed better glass does make for better looking picture in the camera. Just candid snapshots seem richer and more detailed than any of the Pentax cameras did. I hope to do some challenges soon and test out my new gear and see what it can do. Thanks for reading this long post. If anyone has any better suggestions on lenses I am all ears.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/28/2014 11:58:38 AM · #2

considering the quality of glass you intend or have the 50/1.8 seems like an outcast, the bokeh leaves a lot to be desired and it frustratingly hunts for focus and less than optimal light. I'd opt for the better 50/1.4 or forgo it and look into the sigma 18-35/1.8 instead for your crop.

Message edited by author 2014-05-28 12:09:21.

EstimatedEyes

Fujifilm GFX 50R

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8

05/28/2014 01:03:38 PM · #3

Sorry Pentax didn't work out for you (I love the K3, btw), but other than the 77/1.8 and perhaps the 10-17 fish most of the glass you had there was second tier at best. My advice with your new system is to buy the best glass you can afford even if it means building your lens collection more slowly. Bodies come and go, but you will have your lenses forever (assuming you don't jump to Nikon!)

Good luck with Canon ... I thought about making the same switch a couple years ago to go FF, but then determined APS was good enough for me and stuck with Pentax.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/28/2014 01:11:17 PM · #4

Originally posted by Mike:

considering the quality of glass you intend or have the 50/1.8 seems like an outcast, the bokeh leaves a lot to be desired ...

I was going to post exactly this. The Canon 50/1.4 is certainly a superior lens and is, IMO, worth the additional $$. that said, the Canon 50/1.4 is not a perfect lens, but it is a decent value. The "hot topic" in the 50mm prime category is the new Sigma Art 50/1.4, but now you are talking $949. Is it worth it? According to reviews, heck yes. But it's still $949 ;-)

Edit to fix quote

Message edited by author 2014-05-28 13:11:53.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/28/2014 01:16:52 PM · #5

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by Mike:
considering the quality of glass you intend or have the 50/1.8 seems like an outcast, the bokeh leaves a lot to be desired ...

I was going to post exactly this. The Canon 50/1.4 is certainly a superior lens and is, IMO, worth the additional $$. that said, the Canon 50/1.4 is not a perfect lens, but it is a decent value. The "hot topic" in the 50mm prime category is the new Sigma Art 50/1.4, but now you are talking $949. Is it worth it? According to reviews, heck yes. But it's still $949 ;-)

Edit to fix quote

I concur about the 50 f1.8. It's main selling points are sharpness and low price, but it's cheaply made, noisy, slow to focus and the bokeh looks like poop.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

05/28/2014 01:26:09 PM · #6

Thanks for the advice. The primary reason or the 50mm was to reverse it on the 100mm. I might just look for an older manual model or something similar. I do intend on getting the best glass I can afford. I definitely might consider an 85mm as well but we will see.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/28/2014 01:32:30 PM · #7

Originally posted by DustDevil:

? extension tubes and a 100mm macro? why bother reversing? buy a ring light instead.

the 85 isn't going to offer you much over a 70-200/2.8 considering how narrow it is on a crop. you may get shallower DOF but i dont you'd use it, now if you had fullframe...

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

05/28/2014 01:39:54 PM · #8

Very true Mike, I do have a ring light / flash. Probably easier to just use extension tubes if I need to go that extreme and not put rubbish glass on top of decent glass.

I guess I never really look at the crop factor problems from a APS sensor....but good point.

The more I think about it I want to stay away from primes besides a macro. I just never end up using them.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

05/28/2014 04:53:50 PM · #9

Get the 2nd-generation, stabilized 100mm f/2.8L macro if you can. Hellacious nice lens.

Cory

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

05/29/2014 04:18:25 AM · #10

DustDevil!

I'd wondered what happened to you... Glad to hear you're ok!

I'm back in town now - we should definitely GTG again sometime soon man.