50mm+ Zoom for *ist D

Having bought the 16-45mm (and am delighted with it) I am now looking for a zoom lens in the 50 or 70 to 200 or 300mm range, new or used.

My order of priority is image quality (edge detail and good contrast) followed by light weight.

Any suggestions?

Malcolm

Malcolm,
I'm in exactly the same situation. After some research, my lens "hit-list" is as follows:

1. SMC-FA 24-90/3.5-4.5 AL IF - has the same filter size as the 16-45, and is lightweight. Image quality is amazing. But expensive.

2. SMC-FA 28-105/3.2-4.5 AL IF (note the AL) - there are a few in the 28-105 range, but this one's got the ghostless coating like the 24-90. Quite a lot cheaper than the 24-90, but still interesting.

3. SMC-F 70-210/4-5.6 ED. A pretty heavy lens (like the SMC-F 100mm/2.8 I already have). Reasonably priced, as it's an older lens, but has good contrast and detail.

It would be really nice if there was a "DA" version in the 28-100 range or 50-200.

Matt

Hi Malcolm

You wouldn't happen to be the Malcolm Riches I've just bought a 18-35mm lens off on eBay would you?

If so, it's a smaller world by the minute!

Hi John

Yes, I'm him! Upgrading from the 18-35mm to the 16-45mm.

Your lens packed and ready to go!

Regards,
Malcolm

Regarding a telephoto zoom to compliment my 16-45mm, I think I already have the lens which was at the bottom of my cupboard!

For a long time I have owned an old Sigma 75-300 f/4.5 - f/5.6 DL AF "trombone" lens for use with my Pentax MZ-5n (now, sadly, unused).

As I was not always happy with its edge definition, particularly at wide apertures, I had dismissed this as a suitable lens for the *ist D.

But I forgot the smaller size of the image sensor, compared with 35mm film and now I find the edge definition is very acceptable when used with the digital camera.

So I now have a 110-450mm zoom that I'm very happy with.

Funny old world!

How well would a 2x converter work with the 16-45mm on the *ist D?

Which is the best make/model?

With an educated guess, considering that any converter will magnify the abberations in any lens, that they are designed for 35mm format preferably telephoto designs and that they don't work very well with zooms I would think most could be downright horrible!

As the *istD increases the focal length anyway I would suggest a longer zoom would give much better results.

John,
Thanks for your thoughts. I'll think again, and most likely do nothing!
Malcolm