Pentax 50-200 or 55-300?

Wanting to trade in the old sigma aspherical 18-200 and finally purchase a nice zoom to go with my 16-50 and 28 prime. Looking into the 50-200 and the 55-300 (which is a bit more expensive). Wanting a descent zoom, but nothing exceptional as my major work is done with my wide angle and prime, but a wedding for friends here and there and maybe a trip to africa, may see me wanting to through the old aspherical in the bin and update. Any thoughts?

No brainer really, 55-300.

Davex

For me the 55-300 is a good performer, whereas the 50-200 is a not bad performer.
The 55-300 is a very versatile lens going right from a portrait lens to a wildlife capability. The improved optics and the extra reach make it a favourite.

Loved my 55-300mm until I broke it.

The 55-300 is by far the better option. The 50-200 was average. I traded up for the 55-300 and it performs well beyond it's price point suggests.

+1. The 55-300 is a terrific - go for this if you have the resources.

55 - 300 all day long..

I've never used the 55-300mm but find the 50-200mm OK for a walkabout lens.

The size/weight and WR are a bonus when out walking in the Lake District and if you know the lenses limitations it is fine, stopped down to F8 and used for landscape/detail shots the 50-200mm is fine.

I wouldn't use it for wildlife because AF is too slow. As always it depends what you want to use the lens for.

Not to disagree with any of the above as I have no experience of the 55-300, but I've been using the Samsung version of the 50-200 for the past few weeks and I've been more than happy with the quality (see my recent Gallery shots for an idea of sharpness and colour rendition.)

So, if money is at all an issue (and there aren't many folks for whom it isn't) then I reckon you'd be satisfied with the little brother. As a bonus, it's very light and short, just like a standard zoom, which makes hand holding (and carrying it about) relatively easy.

The WR version is also a very useful all weather lens, but the 55-300mm is slightly better. I wouldn't dismiss the 50-200mm though as it can produce excellent results.

55-300 without a second thought.

If you are going to Africa (safari) though you want to beg, borrow or steal (or rent) much better lenses !

The 55-300 is brilliant - definitely the one to go for.

The 55-300 is a very good general purpose lens and capable of results way beyond what its price suggests when used in its comfort zone. One huge positive I find with the lens is that the shake reduction seems to work remarkably well with it, I have some surprisingly sharp handheld shots at some pretty low shutter speeds. However, it does have limitations of course - I find it doesn't always handle higher contrast well (wedding dresses could be tricky) and autofocus is pedestrian and hunts too much (could be tricky on safari).

So for the odd wedding I think I might consider hiring (or buying and reselling) a 50-135 and for a one off Africa trip a DA*300 or Sigma 100-300f4 (if you could find one).

All interesting thoughts, not made of money so I think I will go with my instincts and go for the 55-300. Sure a 50-135 would be great, but we know what the prices are and after recent probs with my 16-50 I am a little declined to spend that extra mile and go for a lens that breaks on me. Thanks for the help guys.

This is mostly due to the unusually long focus throw IME.

If you get it close with quick shift, I find it pretty quick on the K10D.

Do you mean generally, or just if you let the subject get out of the centre spot?

If the latter, yes, I find this too. Once it hunts to the near or far extreme, it takes ages to get back. I'd suggest setting AF point selection to auto - at a distance, if there's only one main subject to focus on, it's a lot easier to track and just as accurate.

I don't find it hunts at all if I point the camera accurately in the first place. Which I often don't with fast moving aircraft.

But I've had some very satisfying results with the 55-300, and would heartily recommend it. Just as an example of the sharpness achievable, here are some of the Red Arrows. This is a 100% crop from that picture.

It's not quite that good out at 300mm, but it's pretty good.