Originally posted by DSims Why a zoom? Get something like an A (or M) 50/1.7 or 1.4, and an A (or M) 100/2.8.
If you really want AF, quality, speed (which some portraits need) and zoom, you'll have to spend more. Otherwise you'll have to give something up, especially if buying new.
If you want an inexpensive AF lens covering that range that can do portraits I also vote for the FA28-105 (specifically the f/3.2-4.5 version). The DA55-300 is also good, but I never employed it for portraiture, so I can't comment much in that regard.
AF is not important as well as wide aperture;
The K-01 makes me comfortable to pump up the ISO and the focus peaking makes manual focusing a breeze
What matters is a quality (sharpness, mainly) and buget
Zoom comes next but also important for flexibility
I don't feel well about buying old lenses off the internet since there's no way to check their quality
So, I'd rather pay a bit more for new lenses that are more consistent in the quality