[tonyt]

Hi
Although I have done plenty of reading and searches I am still not fully understanding lenses. I want to buy a 'budget' wide angle for landscapes and a reasonably long zoom in the UK. £250 each???
Does anyone out there have any suggestions? Your help would be much appreciated.
I get confused with all the talk of 'fast glass', focal lengths. apertures, chromatic aberration, etc, etc……
Many thanks
tonyt

[EricT]

At that price level, I would suggest you just go with the kit lens for the wide end. It really is quite excellent for landscapes. Your only tele zoom which fits the criteria is the Pentax 50-200mm. I would suggest you stretch your budget a little bit (you save some from the kit lens, remember) and go for the Pentax 55-300mm. Better range AND better image quality.

Finally, I would suggest a fast prime lens to get a taste of what a really good lens can do in terms of sharpness and depth-of-field. Good, cheap suggestions are the DA 35mm f/2.4 and the FA 50mm f/1.4.

Try to not get caught up in all the technical details, just have fun and enjoy your new camera!

[SpecialK]

The 16-45 is a good performer and gives you a bit more "wide". The 55-300 is a better performer (and longer) than the 50-200, though a bit more expensive. That would make a good 2-lens setup.

Those lenses show up in the forum Marketplace from time to time.

[RioRico]

Opinions are like lenses, we all have one (or more). Here is mine: When I got my K20D just 2.7 years ago, my original kit was the DA10-17, DA 18-250, and FA50/1.4. Were I starting now, I'd replace the 10-17 with a Tamron 10-24 (which I recently bought) or a Sigma 10-20. The 18-250, or its Tamron twin, alas are no longer made but are not hard to find. Were I allowed just one lens, it would be the 18-250. Were a second allowed, then the 10-24 or 10-20. Those give great coverage.

I get confused with all the talk of 'fast glass', focal lengths. apertures, chromatic aberration, etc, etc……

As suggested, enjoy the camera. But it's good to know the lingo and the concepts behind it. I'll suggest: visit a public lending library and borrow any book on photographic basics. Then borrow another one. Enjoy!

[Eagle_Friends]

For zoom, I would say DA 55-300mm

For prime, I would definitely buy the DA 40mm f2.8

[tonyt]

Many thanks to those of you who posted replies. Thank you for some uncomplicated and helpful advice.

I take the point about understanding concepts, I will indeed continue my studies!!

Cheers all

tonyt