Originally posted by Praestigium Any recommendations? I have a $300 budget :S
What to do: Get a bunch of inexpensive great primes with 49mm front threads. A 100mm or 135/2.8 or f/3.5 would be a good primary. Good secondaries would be 50-55-58mm, f/1.7 or f/2; 35/2.8; 28/2.8. I'm partial to M42 screwmounts because they're cheap and great (especially Takumars). With some careful eBaying, you can put together a good system for well within your budget. ZOOMS ARE NOT GOOD HERE. These lenses should all have their objectives right up front, without deep insets. If you get lenses (especially the primaries) with different thread diameters, you'll need step-up or -down rings, which separate the objectives slightly more.
What I use: Meyer Trioplan 100/2/8 (US$27) or Hamimar Preset 135/3.5 (US$18) as primaries; Takumar 28/2.8 (US$33), 35/3.5 (US$22), 55/1.8 (US$7); a 49mm thread reversal ring (US$4) and a set of macro tubes (US$6). All those are M42 but you'll find PK-mount equivalents for slightly more. By staying consistent with thread sizes and mounts, you'll be able to mix-and-match everything in many combinations.