[ZombieArmy]

And when I say cheap I mean CHEAP. I don't really intend on using a long end zoom too much outside of this trip (and similar trips in the far future).

Here are some of the lenses I've been looking into, if you have any suggestions please put them in :P I'm looking to spend about 50ish bucks.
My only other "musts" is that it has to at LEAST have A contacts, and that it can't be very soft at the long end.

Tokina 80-200 SZ-X f1:4.5-5.6

SMC Pentax-A 70-210mm F4

Takumar-F 70-210mm F4-5.6

[mtux]

Get the Pentax-F 70-210, it's cheap with pretty good performance!

[ZombieArmy]

Get the Pentax-F 70-210, it's cheap with pretty good performance!

Would def pick that up if I can find it cheap enough.

[Macario]

or the FA100-300 4.7-5.8 (the silver version). On Safari, you will need all the reach you can get.

If you do not want 300mm, then the F80-200 4.7-5.6 is a suprisingly sharp lens

[Na Horuk]

Can't you get something like a used Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 and then just sell it when you are done? Or DA 55-300mm? (DA L, HD DA, whichever one) Seems like a cool photo opportunity.
Also, if you wan really cheap really telephoto, you can try a mirror lens. We have a couple threads about these, some are pretty bad, others are decent. Generally they are much cheaper than other telephoto lenses. These take some practice with the focus, though, and they need a big lens hood (usually not supplied, can make one yourself) and some time to adjust to ambient temperature. I think CiF usually doesn't work with these lenses.

[ZombieArmy]

.I think CiF usually doesn't work with these lenses.

Not that it matters, the K-01 doesn't even have it as far as I know.

And the reason I don't want to buy a more expensive lens and sell it is because I have very limited funds to work with.
I don't want to have to wait to get that money back because god forbid I need it in a pinch.

I guess renting is an option also I suppose, use something I'll never hope to be able to afford haha.

http://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Pentax_60-250mm_f_4_ED_DA_SDM

[patrick9]

PM sent. I have a decent lens you may be interested in especially for the price. I haven't used it in a couple of years.

[bassek]

I had the SMC Pentax-F 70-210mm F4-5.6 on my safari. Get a good long hood (round), my collapsible rubber one was too short with the harsh light.
OTOH paired with a 1.6x Canon screw on magnifier it performed surprisingly well without a hood.

You could at least get the takumar Takumar-F 70-210mm F4-5.6 for 50 USD, Different coating.

Seb

[WPRESTO]

For safari (Africa?) you get pretty close to the mammals so 200mm max will serve, but if you want to capture images of the smaller birds, and there are many, it's a problem.You might consider a 200mm f4 SMCA manual focus. Good IQ and can be had for maybe $100 in very good to excellent condition.

[bdery]

And the reason I don't want to buy a more expensive lens and sell it is because I have very limited funds to work with.

Since it sounds like a trip of a lifetime that should be enjoyable, I'd NOT go cheap (things are priced the way they are for a reason). Instead, consider renting something that's really good

That's exactly my advice. If I was going on a safari, I'd no more cheap out on a lens than on the day excursions...

[WPRESTO]

BTW: Were it not for your $50 for a good lens going to at least 200mm*, I would recommend a used 55-300mm. It has decent IQ at a reasonable price (about $200~300 for the original non HD version).

ALL of us would love to have an 18-600mm f4.0 constant aperture that weighed no more than 16oz and cost no more than $200. But there's that dreadful thing called reality.

[GeneV]

For safari (Africa?) you get pretty close to the mammals so 200mm max will serve, but if you want to capture images of the smaller birds, and there are many, it's a problem.You might consider a 200mm f4 SMCA manual focus. Good IQ and can be had for maybe $100 in very good to excellent condition.

The M 200 was going to be my suggestion. KEH has those for between $41-69. I have had mine for quite a while and gotten very nice results with it. It now sits on the Sony A6000, where it does much better than the Sony Zoom in that range.

It seems to me that one would not lose much putting the prime on the camera just for the trips out to see the animals and using other lenses for the times you need wide. Stop the M200 down a couple, and you can crop it to an even tighter FOV. Below is a very significant crop from that lens using the 10mp K10d at close to wide open (F/4). Limiting factor is DOF with the eye and bill the point of focus. Also, the bee is a 50% crop with the K5.

One other suggestion is, as long as the light is good, the 50-200, which is often available used at sub-$100. It is not great wide open, but I have gotten good results at F/7 on, and you get compact size and autofocus.

[ChristianRock]

SMC-A 70-210mm f4 Macro. Adorama has an E- for 25 dollars and you can find them for 50 dollars all day. It's heavier than newer lenses, but I'm a relatively young man and I can handle it

This isn't a Safari but it's a zoo. So you get an idea. I don't know if in a Safari, 210mm will be enough reach. But the constant f4 helps.

My rate of keepers with this lens is high, because it's a very easy lens to find focus (very contrasty) and these were all wide open, which helps with freezing the action. They all had at least a little bit of cropping, the giraffe had a lot.

[Dipsoid]

Access P-MC Macro 70-210 3.5

I'm almost sure it's the same lens as the Vivitar Series 1 2nd version. It's heavy as all hell, but it's a fantastic lens. Something no one seems to mention is the balance of these lenses. They're opposite of most push/pull zooms, in that the grip is close to the base of the lens when zoomed in, making these things much easier to handhold for ranged shooting. I don't know why this isn't the norm for push/pulls.

http://www.techtheman.com/2010/03/access-p-mc-70-210mm-f35-macro-in-rk.html

Never mind, missed the "A" contacts part. I still recommend this lens.

[reeftool]

Since it sounds like a trip of a lifetime that should be enjoyable, I'd NOT go cheap (things are priced the way they are for a reason). Instead, consider renting something that's really good.... Get it several weeks early, then practice using it until you feel comfortable; that is, get really good with it BEFORE you go. Nothing is more maddening than trying to learn new hardware when you are trying to sort out the confusion of a new setting.

...my 2 cents... M

Add another 2 cents to this good advice. While you can save money and look for a deal, look for a decent quality zoom.