[luftfluss]

luftfluss,
Yeah the "soft @ 300 is what I do not want.......I want sharp clear @ 300. This is why I have chosen to be so picky about what I purchase. I am checking out all the use ratings, what photographers have to say and seeking y'alls advice beforehand. Just wish there were the PERFECT/Affordable wide range walk around lens

I think most of us wish "there were the PERFECT/Affordable wide range walk around lens", too.

I'm sure you could get things more sharp @ 300mm if you stopped down to f/9 or so. I've tried 2 copies of the Tamron 70-300, a Pentax FA 80-320 and a Pentax 55-300, and the Pentax was sharpest @ 300mm wide open (f/5.8). The 55-300 & Tamrons had comparable sharpness @ f/8. The 80-320 could just never catch up.

Zooms just never do as well at the long end. My cheap-ish Sigma 170-500 is sharper @ 300mm f/5.6 than any of the above mentioned lenses.

I'll put this thought out there, and it's just IMHO and perhaps I'm wrong, but if you're interested in the 300mm for wildlife, in general viewers are less interested in the photo's biting sharpness when looking at a pic of, say, a moose. They are impressed to see a moose, and that you got close enough to take a pic!

[sany]

I will take DA 35 f2.4 as I am starting to realise its value slowly. But if you feel a bit of more flexibility in terms of shooting fast moving subjects, kids etc so you dont go near them I guess you must go for Tamron 28-75 f2.8 although I don't have it and the only negative I hear about it is it's weight - if that's not a factor for you.

If you think you would need to do a lot more like zoom into some distance subject it must be none other than DA 55-300.

[sany]

Uh, that's kind of a dream team of lenses. That's a prime line I would love to eventually have in my possession. Nice kit!

I don't even have one as fast as those...

[eddie1960]

If I only take one lens for a walk about, it will be in the 28-55mm focal length. (I only shoot film) It all depends on where I'm going and what FL I think will work best.

My top five most used would be:

K28/2.0
K35/3.5
FA43/1.9
K50/1.2
K55/1.8


Phil.

That's pretty close to a perfect film kit Phil (just missing a K 20 F4 and maybe a 24 f2.8

I'm off to Europe in october and i'll pack a kit that is DA14, Lentar 21 f3.5 m42 m28 3.5, Super Tak 50 1.4 or 55 1.8 and 100 2.8 with my K7 and one of my film bodies ( likely the spotmatic with a dozen rolls of b/w or so), I may toss in the 200 4.0 as well.
as a kit it weighs less than the one i use for covering events because it eliminates the heavy zooms and the 2 bodies with battery grips
it all also fits nicely in a discrete cheap messenger bag i've retrofitted with parts from my huge crumpler bag (which is along to transport things there including the laptop)

For a daily shooter my 28 is my favourite, but the DA 14 is really nice as well

[Designosophy]

I consider a walkaround lens to be a compromise. It has to handle wide angles for architecture and small spaces. It has to handle the normal range for portraits and the like. It has to handle telephoto to some degree for details and things inaccessible to foot zoom. Close focus capability would be nice too.

I had a Tamron 28-200 that did a decent job at this. It was best at 28mm, where it was sharp and contrasty. At the 200mm end, I had to stop it way down to get any sharpness out of it. I sold it as part of the effort to cover the costs of my Sigma 10-20mm, but I probably should have kept it. Now I'm limited to my kit 18-55mm DA L and my Sigma 70-300mm for walkarounds. The 18-55 is short and the 70-300 isn't wide. But I'd have to carry a bag to bring both.

The Sigma 10-20 makes for a challenging walkaround lens. It's not very versatile in range, but the ultra wide-angle perspectives can be quite interesting.

Some lenses I'd love to have for versatility include:

Tamron 24-135 SP (no longer in production)
Pentax DA 18-135 WR
Pentax or Tamron 18-250mm (I think they're the same lens - someone correct me if I'm wrong)
Pentax F 35-135 (Not quite as wide as I'd like, but a decent lens by all reports)

There are a number of 18-200mm, 28-200, and 28-300mm lenses out there, but I haven't heard much good about any of them. You can get a 28-200 for between $50 and 100. If money's tight, this is a good way to go, though keep in mind the compromises I mentioned above.

Incidentally, I'm considering selling my DA L 18-55 and getting a DA 18-55 WR. They can be had for under $100, and the water resistance and quick-shift focusing would be nice.

[eddie1960]

I consider a walkaround lens to be a compromise. It has to handle wide angles for architecture and small spaces. It has to handle the normal range for portraits and the like. It has to handle telephoto to some degree for details and things inaccessible to foot zoom. Close focus capability would be nice too.

I had a Tamron 28-200 that did a decent job at this. It was best at 28mm, where it was sharp and contrasty. At the 200mm end, I had to stop it way down to get any sharpness out of it. I sold it as part of the effort to cover the costs of my Sigma 10-20mm, but I probably should have kept it. Now I'm limited to my kit 18-55mm DA L and my Sigma 70-300mm for walkarounds. The 18-55 is short and the 70-300 isn't wide. But I'd have to carry a bag to bring both.

The Sigma 10-20 makes for a challenging walkaround lens. It's not very versatile in range, but the ultra wide-angle perspectives can be quite interesting.

Some lenses I'd love to have for versatility include:

Tamron 24-135 SP (no longer in production)
Pentax DA 18-135 WR
Pentax or Tamron 18-250mm (I think they're the same lens - someone correct me if I'm wrong)
Pentax F 35-135 (Not quite as wide as I'd like, but a decent lens by all reports)

There are a number of 18-200mm, 28-200, and 28-300mm lenses out there, but I haven't heard much good about any of them. You can get a 28-200 for between $50 and 100. If money's tight, this is a good way to go, though keep in mind the compromises I mentioned above.

Incidentally, I'm considering selling my DA L 18-55 and getting a DA 18-55 WR. They can be had for under $100, and the water resistance and quick-shift focusing would be nice.

I have an old Tamron 28-200 from film days (same as the Pentax one) it's nothing special but it can get some good shots

[a a i b]

I walk around with the DA15. If need be, I keep a DA 55 or even FA 77 in the bag.

[Aristophanes]

Outdoors it is the very light Tamron 28-105.

Works on 35mm as a bonus.

[legacyb4]

Usually DA 21mm, but I like to switch it up with the DA 70mm.

[Docrwm]

Over the past couple of weeks it has been my SMC M45-125/f4 push-pull. Wicked sharp, nice length, and with the diopter adapter on the camera I can focus manuals again

[jezza323]

Usually I go with the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8

But lately I have just been using the Sigma 30mm f1.4 a lot

The only exception is if I am going somewhere where I will want wide angles (hard to explain what I mean, but usually I will know before I go there!). In those cases ill take the Sigma 10-20mm f4.0-5.6

[kwetiaw]

Pentax DA 18-250mm for most occassion for me.

[r0ckstarr]

DA 21 or DA 40. It's always a tough decision.

[guinnessman]

Sigma 10-20, always useful for city/landscapes.

[gofour3]

That's pretty close to a perfect film kit Phil (just missing a K 20 F4 and maybe a 24 f2.8

I'm off to Europe in october and i'll pack a kit that is DA14, Lentar 21 f3.5 m42 m28 3.5, Super Tak 50 1.4 or 55 1.8 and 100 2.8 with my K7 and one of my film bodies ( likely the spotmatic with a dozen rolls of b/w or so), I may toss in the 200 4.0 as well.
as a kit it weighs less than the one i use for covering events because it eliminates the heavy zooms and the 2 bodies with battery grips
it all also fits nicely in a discrete cheap messenger bag i've retrofitted with parts from my huge crumpler bag (which is along to transport things there including the laptop)

For a daily shooter my 28 is my favourite, but the DA 14 is really nice as well

I’m also going to Europe in a few months, but will be only taking a small kit.
Two film bodies (K2DMD & K2) and three lenses maximum.

I’m leaning towards the K24/2.8 as a wide, FA43/1.9 for a standard and the K135/2.5 as my telephoto. Most likely will just shoot Kodak Ektachrome 100G and have most of it processed in my last stop before I go home. (One less x-ray hassle)

I’m glad that you will be shooting some film as well, enjoy your trip.

Phil.