which lens.

I have three tamron zooms.

85-210 4.5 macro.

70-300 f4-5.6 tele macro

18-250 f3.5-6.3.

I need a compact zoom for travelling. Neither of the above are as compact as I would like.

What alternatives can posters recommend, please.

To be honest, that 18-250mm is just about as ideal as a travel lens could be. Is it really that bulky?

An alternative would be the Pentax 18-135mm, but that's a very expensive alternative.

I am going on a Carribian cruise that will be visiting a nature reserve. Guess there will be many animals not seen here abouts hence the longer zoom.
I have to travel through America and have been advised to keep my equipment as unobtrusive as possible.
Have toyed with getting a decent compact to shoot with whilst in America itself. These will be holiday shots.
I can pack my 300mm f4 as an alternative for the visit to the wildlife centre but it means a tripod or monopod as well.
A compact zoom at 80 plus in another make might meet the need.
Just unsure and wondering if someone with a similar experiece ccould suggest alternatives.

Its my usual ramble. Hope it makes some sense.

For whet reason?

Perhaps the OP intends to photograph military bases, nuclear submarine pens, weapon test sites and such.

B.T.W. I saw an American tourist here (in Edinburgh) actually lugging around a 645D the other day. His camera equipment was certainly not unobtrusive. I briefly considered mugging him but decided against it. (I've never mugged anybody before, but then I've never seen anybody carrying a 645D around before either).

Take the 70-300 with you and don't take it out just pack it and use it only when needed. For walkaround get a 21mm/40mm or if you are after really cheap and compact the 18-55

Ahhhh that would explain things. Fair enough. Area 51 is much approach with a compact.



Do they still wear those check golfing trousers?

I wander around North and Central America and I'm certainly not unobtrusive, being 1.9m tall and a few stone. (That's without the machete on my belt.) On my K20D, the DA18-250 is my basic lens -- all my ~215 others are specialty tools. My current ultra-minimal kit is DA18-250 for walk/driveabout, Tamron 10-24 for tight spaces, FA50/1.4 for dimness and action, and a Raynox DCR-250 to get close. Throw in a Komine 28/2 CFWA and a Nikkor 85/2 (modded for PK) and I'm as happy as a tornado in a trailer park.

No, the DA18-250 is *not* too large. When the CaNikoners pull out their big guns, it is dwarfed. Yes, it *will* survive tropical excursions. Mine has been driven down the Mexican Pacific coast and into Honduras, across Guatemala and Belize to Yucatan and Veracruz, etc. It was on a cruise to Mazatlan too. I can't do without it.

Take the 18-250.

I use mine as an all purpose walk about/holiday lens and get good results.

As an all rounder this lens is good for just about anything, if you check my gallery you'll see most of the shots are taken using my 18-250. It goes from this




to this




What more do you need?!

I am flying into Miami and staying for a couple of days prior to the cruise.

I travel very infrequently and have asked for advice on where to go and how best to avoid any kind of incident or trouble.

I have been advised by my Insurance Company. by the people organising the cruise and also by the American travel firm that I should keep my camera equipment as unobtrusive as possible.
One even suggested that my camera strap should be of a design that prevents it being cut and the camera stolen.

I thought the Forum would be the best place to get advice on a suitable compact lens, or even a suitable compact .

Smeggypants, you now have your answer. The reason is that I have been advised. I certainly did not warrant the following irrrelevant comments.
As a further aside, I have a walking disability and well past my bus pass age. I need to travel light.

HG. I have no issues with the 18-250. I get very good results as well.
Having been put on my guard I am somewhat nervous of even taking my K5. If this is the best and probably the most compact solution then I shall look no further. America has never appealed to me as a place to visit, illogical though this would be.

You would be best off with a pancake zoom.

Travelling light is always sensible. If you are concerned about theft, photographic camera insurance should give you peace of mind that you'll be covered against all eventualities, and is actually quite cheap.

Of course your travel insurance company and the travel firm will urge caution if you ask the question. They are kind of obliged to give that sort of advice when asked. They would say the same to anyone visiting the UK I'm sure. Keeping your kit unobtrusive might simply mean being sensible about when you take it out of the bag and start shooting, e.g. are you alone? Is the neighbourhood reasonably 'safe'? etc....

Just like the UK America has its fair share of 'dodgy' areas, but I would hope that the trip organisers would keep you away from those, and you should be no more at risk than you would be in the UK (probably less so TBH!)

America is a great country, the people are generally disarmingly friendly. I hope you enjoy the trip more than you seem to be expecting!

Thanks for that asssurance. I am naturally a nervous kind of person.
I have no experience of the USA or anyone close who has, so! kinda cautious. Knowing what to expect is preliminary to being cautious, I guess.
The cruise is with Southern evangelical christians. Kinda safe territory there. It's the two days either side which is heavily tourist territory with Disney Park close by. This does attract the criminal element.
I have a number of wide angle lens. I was anticipating not changing lens so the 18-210 would fit that need.

Thanks for the advice.

It sounds as if the insurance company is trying to discourage you from taking your camera gear with you, while happily taking your premium.

I guess that from the statement about your age that you're having to pay a substantial premium on your holiday insurance and the company will find a way of evading paying on a claim if you are relieved of your equipment.

I endorse Pentaxophile's recommendation to take out a separate camera insurance...I do think a K-5 & 18-250 is a fairly discreet package and you won't stand out from the substantial number of CaNikony owners using LiveView to frame their shots (saw this a lot in Munich this weekend). I recommend that when you go out that you hang the camera around your neck of the bag over the shoulders and not to hang the camera from the shoulder allowing any opportunistic thief just to snatch...

AND. Don't be put off taking your camera. Take the 18-250.

Forget the lens, dont bother taking a compact and dont even take the DSLR

Simply consider buying a bridge camera like the Pentax X90, a neat all in one package that will be easy to carry and give you all the zoom range you are likely to need and it wont attract the same amount of attention as a DSLR, you can pick up the X90 for less than £300 if you shop around.