[Ahab]

The Tamron 17-50 2.8
Tamron AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR LD Aspherical IF SP Lens Reviews - Tamron Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

I'm leaning towards it, best bang for buck I assume.

Seb

Yes indeedy, I use mine most of the time. It replaced the Sigma version I had but I do use a DA40 for street use.

[ak_kiwi]

The DA 18 - 135 works ok for me and I have found it to have slightly better IQ compared to the 18-55WR (The 18-55WR is still a good lens though)
Here is one that is a fairly heavy crop from the K5iis

[jimr-pdx]

So much depends on where you walk around and what you prefer to shoot. Is WR vital, shots above 50 or 70mm, real closeup ability?

While you try to decide, grab a 28-80 Sigma or 28-90 Quantaray for maybe $40 - you'll be very pleasantly surprised. Mine's the Quantaray 28-90 macro which can do 1:2 closeups. Slow at f/3.5-5.6, that's probably why it's so cheap. This shot was cropped but not retouched -

[woodywesty]

Nice pics from Eric, Kiwi and Jim. All look pretty sharp. I think that the vast number of pics I'll take with the walk around lens will be out doors,.. flowers, dogs and vast scenery and nature pics. Water resistance would be nice but not necessary. I've never taken a camera out in rainy weather and that will be a hard habit to break... ;-) Sounds like the Pentax DA 16-50 is the softest at the wide end and I'd like a lense that is sharp at both ends... but.... maybe that only happens with primes! Maybe I should scrap the idea of the K5lls if there really aren't any really sharp zooms??

[lesmore49]

I've got around 9-10 (basic arithmetic ain't my strong point ) Pentax digital lenses. Everything from wide angle, fish eye, portrait, 50 normal, macro, super telephoto.

But my favourite walk around lens by far.....the Pentax 55-300 (metal mount). The wide range, light weight, sharpness (my was one of the very first produced), small physical size....in my eye's it's perfect.

Portraits....long shots and everything in between.

[lytrytyr]

Maybe I should scrap the idea of the K5lls if there really aren't any really sharp zooms?

But the Tamron 17-50/2.8 is really sharp,
if you get it focused properly.
From that point of view,
it compares well with my DA Ltd and ZK primes,
although I don't like its rendering quite as much.

The major issue with the Tamron involves front/back focusing.
I've sidestepped that by using it with CDAF on the K-01.
Here's a post where a very senior forum member, @Ash,
indicates that you might not have the problem on the K5 IIs
("None of my lenses, including the Tamron ones,
have needed any fine AF adjustment on my K-5 IIs."):

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/144302-k-3-speculation...ml#post2514151

I don't have a K5 IIs (although I might get one when they're being remaindered),
so I will not proffer any advice concerning its suitability.

[Driline]

I walk around with the FA 43... but when I don't know what to expect to shoot, I call upon my wonderful DA 18-135 and never regret anything

The FA 43 is also my choice when it comes to a walk around lens. Small and discreet. Sharp and great IQ. It's just fantastic........

[woodywesty]

The FA 43 is also my choice when it comes to a walk around lens. Small and discreet. Sharp and great IQ. It's just fantastic........

True, the reviews support this lens as one of the best but on a K5ll it becomes a 64mm lens which is "portrait" territory and thus requires a second lens for scenery shots. It seems that my goal of attaching a zoom lens of comparable high quality to the K5lls isn't possible. The only zoom lens that I've not read negatives about (other than size and weight) is the Sigma 24-70 but there are not a lot of reviews on this lens either.

Its like "SpecialK" said, "its all a compromise", and it seems to me like I've set my decision parameters to a point where there is really no good solution. I've picked the very best camera that Pentax makes and I want to attach the very best zoom of equal photographic capability. Seems that the very best are the high end Pentax zooms, the DA 50-135, DA 16-50 and the DA 60-250 which are all above my current price limit. So I think what I will do is purchase the K5lls body while they're still available and let it sit until I can get the lens decision sorted out.

I got into this "modernification" of my old gear because I want to do bird photography and the only serious lens at this point thats available is the Sigma 300mm 2.8 which is also out of financial reach at this point so I figured I could take a year (or more) while waiting to be able to afford such a costly lens and learn the new camera technology. All of this is complicated because the nearest Pentax dealer is in Chicago which is 6 hours away from me which means that I will have to buy all of these new items without ever trying them or actually ever holding or seeing them... Thats why I depend on the comments of folks on this list. Problem is that you each have your own photographic goals and "parameters"..

If I were to buy a "walk around" zoom right now it would be the DA 16-50 (if it were under $1000) or the DA 17-70.... but if I read long enough there are photographers that dish both these lenses as well. (especially the DA 16-50) Sure would love to actually look through these two lenses and handle them.....

[reeftool]

I've tried to dislike my 18-55 kit and it always comes back to surprise me and I still carry it. If I was starting today I would go with the 18-135 as the extra reach would be handy. Most of the time, if I'm carrying it as a walk around, the kit is fine and I don't need something faster. I do have the DA 40 if I do and I also have the DA 15. The 40 fits in my pants pocket or even shirt pocket and the 15 isn't much to carry either and is also pocketable if you are wearing cargo pants/shorts that aren't tight.

[Driline]

True, the reviews support this lens as one of the best but on a K5ll it becomes a 64mm lens which is "portrait" territory and thus requires a second lens for scenery shots

If I had it my way the FA 31 would be my walk around lens, but I could not justify the cost at the time. The FA 43 New cost me $584 just a few months ago.

[mickey]

I use a Sigma 17-70 2.8-4.5.
I've always found this a good, solid lens with a decent macro function.