So far all of my lenses aren't anything really good. However I'm feeling that I should expand my bad before upgrading lenses I already own. So the 2 pieces I'm really missing for a round kit are a UWA and a dedicated macro. So do you think its worth it to get some semi-specialist lenses like this before upgrading my kit lens, etc?

i have a super boner for this thing: http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-Aspheric...7598090&sr=1-7

What do you have now and why is it lacking? Also what's your budget. To me, I want to cover more range before I get a guicci lens in the same range. IE I'd keep the kit and add the lenses you feel you need before you upgrade the kit. But if you don't feel the kits FL is holding you back, just it's AF or Aperture, then upgrade it first. Also there are a lot of cheaper easier macro options over a dedicated lens. Macro lenses are great, but they're not cheap, and they're pretty specialize. I usually recommend tubes over a dedicated lens...

yeah dude, what's your budget and all that jazz.

are you shooting the 18-55mm kit lens? i actually REALLY like that thing

yah, I'm using the 18-55 f3.5-5.6 kit. That a sigma 70-300 DL f4-5.6 and pentax-m 50 f1.7.

I generally find myself towards the long end of the range more than the wide end which is why I went telephoto first. The 300 has a descent macro capability, (1:2) but its a really really long working distance and the the focal length makes it hard to hand hold shots. I'm looking at the sigma 70mm f2.8 macro as its can do double duty for portraits.

As for quality. I'm okay with the kit lens outside. Its too slow for indoor work really though. The sigma zoom is a bit soft, but I'm not ready to drop $700 on a real zoom. Especially since I have that range covered now. The 50mm is good for indoors, but I'd like an AF version sometime. I guess the 50 could work with tubes for marco as macro is mostly MF anyways. Just the k10d wont stop down M series lenses in anything but M mode, and I'd really like to be able to use Av mode.

A FA-50mm 1.4 AF + tubes would still be $100 cheaper than a dedicated macro, but I'm unsure of the performance of using the tubes or the overall magnification factor I'll get.

Hmmm looking around more it doesnt appear anyone makes AF extension tubes for pentax right now. None of the ones I found seem to have the electrical contacts on them.

yeah, i don't know if they exist either

Originally Posted by Geekybiker

Hmmm looking around more it doesnt appear anyone makes AF extension tubes for pentax right now. None of the ones I found seem to have the electrical contacts on them.

AF isn't at all necessary when doing macro photography, so I don't see that that's really a big negative. It would be nice at times, but I'm using a MF macro lens from the 70s...

yeah, as Mark said it's not necessary. Nice, sure, but you'll probably use MF at least 50% of the time and the non AF versions are much cheaper anyway.

Will it still report aperture though? I want Av mode at least

Dunno about Pentax, but I just had to program the focal length and min. aperture into the D200, and I just turn the aperture ring to get the aperture I want.

It's cake!