got the camera, now the lens
The megazooms generally lose out in image quality when compared to shorter lenses. They're fine when stopped down a bit but that requires good light or a camera which can handle high ISOs without showing excessive noise.
Shooting the Welsh Wilderness with K-m, KX, MX, ME Super and assorted lenses.
Granted the long ends do suffer in poorer light, but what the heck!
Look around for a Sigma or Tamron 18-200, they pop up at silly prices from time to time.
I used a Sigma 18-200 for a period, it's now the standby lens on my K110 for when Honesty( my Daughter!) uses it
If you check the EXIF on my gallery shots you'll soon see how good these lenses can be.
K110+DA40, K200+DA35, K3 and a bag of lenses, bodies and other bits.
Mustn't forget the Zenits, or folders, or...
PPG entries.
Nikon. D800. D600. Sigma 500/4.5, Nikon 300/2.8 VRII, Sigma 120-300/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 21/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 35/2.0, Sigma 50/1.4, Nikkor 85/1.8, Nikon TC20EIII, Nikon TC14EII, Kenko x1.4, Sigma 2.0
Having got that out of the way the 18-250 is widely seen as the best option by some margin so it might well be worth pushing the budget if at all possible. If this isn't possible then the alternatives will probably produce similar results to your kit lens (only a guess as I haven't used them)so perhaps the DA55-300 makes more sense, if budget is tight the DAL version is worth a look - the Tamron 70-300 mentioned already is definitely worth thinking about the only downside being it produces more PF/CA than the Pentax options, just as sharp though
Simon
Simon
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AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
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I'd go for the Tamron as they are cheaper and all said and done the IQ is similar
Unless of course you find a Sigma on the cheap - the apo is more expensive than the non apo version.
Rarely used these days though because I find my DA*50-135mm long enough for most things.
EM
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