K20 D Lens

Although I am new to Dslr camera's, I thought the package with the 18 - 55mm AL 11 would be enough to get me started in this more advanced world of photography. I had just enough money to buy the camera with the lens included. I understand that you have to invest in different lenses to achieve different results. I am just a little annoyed that the 'kit' lense with the K20 D is only X3 zoom.
My Fuji S5800 (on ebay at this minute) had a good zoom for the cheaper range of camera, X10.
The reason I went for the Pentax was for image quality and the vast amount of options to adjust to your needs , and I must admit, I am impressed with the quality.
Can someone recommend a good zoom lens at a 'reasonable' price for a Dslr beginner

Have a look at the Pentax DA 55-300mm to complement your 18-55mm, SRSmicrosystems have it at £199. If your budget cannot get to that, you could always look at the Sigma 70-300mm APO or the Tamron Di 70-300mm
both are good lenses for the price. I have the non APO Sigma which is even less, yet still get some good shots with it.

With lenses, it is good to remember that when the zoom range gets larger (eg 3x, 5x 10x etc) it can have a detremental effect on the IQ that the lens can give, due to the compromises that have been made to get the range.

Have a try on the 3 mentioned, then go with the one that you feel most comfortable with

Hope this helps

Wouldn't you rather have a wide angle lens? telephoto lenses are are all well good but they don't permit the same perspective as wide angles.

Mike

Or if your budget is very tiny, you could look for the Pentax 50-200, it's 50£ at Jessop's ...

At this price ....

^^^ I agree with this ^^^

For £50 you really can't go wrong!

I use this lens and can vouch that it is a good performer.

My local Jessop's had one on display on Friday so there appears to be some stock left !

Or the Tamron 70-300mm Di macro is only £70 at jessops also.
Longer reach but has a few problems at the long end so I have read but probably useable up to 250mm.
Plus its "macro" facility (1:2) is supposedly quite good.

i second the Tamron 70-300. it's a great lens for the money. i've not had any problems at the long end - although i have found it tends to over expose, but only slightly. the macro facility is pretty good. i've also worked out that you can use it with extension tubes, to get even closer, as it's got a manual aperture ring. it's my most used lens - although i don't have that many.

Funny you are complaining about the limited range of the standard zoom lens.

I have a rule that I won't even think about a zoom range of more than 1:4, and would normally go for 1:3. So many compromises are involved in producing any zoom lens, let alone one with a wide range, that you will inevitably end up with most or all of the following:

lower image quality
slower speed (small max aperture)
variable aperture
greater size
greater weight
greater cost

If you must have a zoom, a range of 1:3 is ideal.

G

May I add to that the thought that the problems of zoom design increase with wide angles. Hence the 12-24mm has only a x2 zoom range. Telephotos are easier to design and the 55-300mm is actually a pretty good lens, with its much greater zoom.

The 18-250mm is actually remarkably good as well, but has all the other diadvantages such as size, weight and cost that George mentions.

You don't get Something for Nothing.

Translating into 35mm film primes, your 18-55 would equate to a 28mm, a 35mm, a 50mm and an 80mm which a lot of people would have thought themselves pretty well sorted with and not at all limited by! That said, the 50-200 Pentax DA is great and fantastic value given that I paid almost four times the current price. A 10X zoom will not be a great performer.

Thanks for your input all. The Pentax 50-200mm f/4-5.6 DA ED Lens looks a real bargain right now, lets see if I can scrape enough together lol.

I also agree the 50-200 is a great lens for that price.

I agree - I have the Tamron 70-300 macro and a Samsung 50-200, and I'm happy with both, except that with the Tamron, the filter end rotates during focussing - a bit annoying when you are using a polarising filter.

£50? Bargain!. It might even be better than my Sigma 55-200mm. I think I might even go to Jessops tomorrow and get one! Oh the joys of LBA.....lol