Lenses for Pentax K100D

I am new to digital photography but for many years used a Richo SLR (until it broke finally). I now have a Pentax K100D with the 18-55 Kit lens

I have a collection of lenses from my old camera which seem to work quite well, but am interested in getting something like an 18/200 zoom so that when I am walking I only really need to lug one lens around.

I like the spec on the Sigma 18/200 f/3.5-6.3 DC and also the spec on the Tokina AF 24-200 f/3.5-5.6

Has anyone any experience of either of these? Will I get full functionallity from the camera with either or both?

Peter

The best super zoom available at the moment is the 18-250 Tamron which is said to perform better than any 18-200 available. It is more expensive though at £400 and because it is internal focusing you get change in focal length with close subjects.

I had the Tokina AF 24-200 f/3.5-5.6 for quite a while.
Used on the Pentax Z1 it was a great lens - sharp, contrasty, and well built.

I used it on the *ist-D for quite a while, but by then I also had lenses like the SMC-DA 16-45 and SMC-FA 24-90 which outperform it by a mile. I kept giving it the benefit of the doubt, but in the end I sold it for a pittance on ebay (think I got £40!!). I reckon the image isn't well collimated - which becomes an issue on digital.

Matt

I use the Tamron 18-200 XR DiII IF LD AS - great fast lens for it's price.

I would personally prefer to use 2 lenses to cover the range you mentioned.

I would choose the SMCP-DA 16-45mm or 12-24mm to cover the bottom end, and probably the SMCP-DA 50-200mm for the top end, or even a SMCP-FA 80-320mm to get the extra focal length and forego the gap between 45 and 80mm.

Reason:- Modern Pentax lenses are very light in comparison to older Pentax lenses and you'd have better & faster glass to cover the range you want. The extra weight of a DA lens to carry is almost negligable. You would have the possible inconvenience of having to occasionally change lenses.

Whenever I go out I take the SMCP-DA 12-24mm, SMCP-DA 16-45mm, SMCP-FA 28-105mm, SMCP-F 70-210mm, SMCP-FA 31mm Limited, SMCP-FA 50mm 1:1.4, SMCP-FA 100mm Macro, and Sigma 135-400mm APO as a minimum to cater for 99% of my needs.

The closest lens I have to your spec. is the SMCP-FA 28-200mm, a fine performer if I can only take one lens.

You forgot to mention the sherpas.

G

Sorry George, I forgot to mention . . . my wife always comes with me, and stop calling her sherpa, her name's Shirley (close enough I suppose). Well I can't carry all that lot by myself .

The closest lens I have to your spec. is the SMCP-FA 28-200mm, a fine performer if I can only take one lens.

Back in my film days even though I had FA* lenses and F2.8 zooms I often just used one of the FA 28-200's for days out with the family (who aren't tolerant of constant lens changing) and I found it to be a pretty decent lens.

What I'd really like though is a digital equivalent of a later lens I bought for "walkabout" type use, the Sigma 24-135mm F2.8-4.5 - that little bit wider at the short end I found more useful than a bit more on the long end (especially as that lens AF's fine with a 2xTC).

I had a Tokina 20 -200mm and got rid of it pretty quick, not very good. The problem with these wide range zooms is the compromises they have to have in their design so they end up being neither a good wide angle or a good telephoto.

I currently us a Sigma 17 - 70mm f2.8 - f4, very good if a little heavy, but it matches my Sigma 70 - 300 APO Macro perfectly so I'm covered for a wide range with just 2 lenses.

Chris