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03-18-2015, 07:07 PM   #1
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Looking for a new "kit" lense

Greetings all,

I have a K50 with the 18-55 kit lens. I want to pick up another zoom, something with a bit more reach to take landscapes and some wild life pictures. While I know it is best to buy the best quality lens the real world tends to get in the way. Would love to have the Hubble to mount but I have a much smaller operating budget so $1000+, even 500+ lenses are out of the question at this time.

I'm looking at the Pentax 50-200 mm kit lens, Sigma 70-300 APO, and the Tamron 70-300mm. All can be had for around or under $200 and I do like the idea of weather resistance on the Pentax, plus it is brand name.

How does the image quality of these lenses compare and in your opinion, would the extra 100mm be worth going to an after market brand? I have an old off brand 70 to 200 zoom for my old Minolta film camera and while I can tell the difference in image quality between this and one of my Minolta primes, the image quality was generally acceptable.

FWIW, I tend to shoot in manual mode the most and kind of prefer to manually focus if that matters. Old habits die hard.

Thanks in advance.

03-18-2015, 07:27 PM   #2
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I have no experience with those 50-200s, but I know a store where they sell used for under $50. There are plenty of MF zooms to be had cheaply, but MF zooms are usually not very good, there are exceptions, check out the lens review section. You can usually get good deals on used 7x-300 zooms too, but the quality from copy to copy can vary quite a bit.
03-18-2015, 07:30 PM   #3
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I'd recommend the DA55-300 HD WR if your budget can stretch a bit,
It has better image quality than the 50-200 (at least with my copies of both), the extra reach you seem interested in, and weather resistance.
B&H has it for $370 now, there have been some deals and sales that get it down to about $340 or so new.

Note there are three versions of this lens, only the new HD has WR, the others are the original DA lens and the DA-L which has a plastic mount and does not offer the quick shift focus. All are apparently the same optical formula.
The older lenses can be had used in your price range, they pop up pretty regular in the Forum marketplace.
03-18-2015, 07:47 PM   #4
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I don't know about the other 2 but I have a rebadged Tamron 70-300 F4/5.6 it is soft pretty much thru out its range. I met a lady awhile back that was using the same lens under Tamrons badge. She had the same response as mine when I asked her what she thought of it. I have an M 80-200 f4.5 that is noticeably sharper. and has better contrast. The 70-300 sits on a shelf

03-18-2015, 07:55 PM   #5
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The best inexpensive telephoto that I know of is the DA L 55-300 which can be had for well under $200. SMC DA and HD DA WR versions of this lens can be found for more depending on the features you need. Highly recommended vs. any version of the 50-200 but only because the extra reach and quality outweigh the weight/size and cost advantage of the 50-200 in my opinion.
03-18-2015, 07:59 PM   #6
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There is a 55-300 on the marketplace right now $225 inc postage
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/286945-sal...0mm-smc-2.html
03-18-2015, 08:03 PM   #7
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Have a look in the marketplace. There's a few 55-300s (non WR) for sale at your price point. I know, one is mine! (shameless plug). These are the DA version, not the DA-L, which lacks the quick shift focus and the lens hood, both of which are pretty much essential. Also, you get a nice padded case.

Having said that, the WR version would be nice, which is what I want and is why I'm selling mine.
So if you could afford the extra, it's worth buying the WR.

The 55-300 pentax is much better than any version of the 70-300 sigma - which I had and sold, I believe the sigma is better than the Tamron, which has a lot of purple fringing.

03-18-2015, 08:03 PM   #8
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https://www.keh.com/352642/pentax-55-300mm-f-4-5-8-smc-dal-ed-k-mount-autofo...ensor-dslrs-58
03-18-2015, 08:04 PM   #9
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I have the HD 55-300 WR and I really like it. It is easy to use hand held and has nice reach. You can pick one up for about $350. The DA and DAL 55-300 lens have different coatings than the HD version however they are still highly regarded by users. The 55-200 is not much bigger than the 18-55 and is very compact. However if it is reach you want I would go for the 55-300. Since you like to shoot manual focus may want to stick with the DA 55-300, the DAL 55-300 does not offer quick shift focus, which is nice for switching to manual focus effortlessly. The Sigma and Tamron lens do not offer quick shift focus. I learned on a K1000 30 years ago so I still tend to use manual focus as well. I find the quick shift to be quite useful. You can use auto focus to get you close quickly and finish tweaking manually. I have used and still own both Sigma and Tamron lens and find they can get reproduce the colors of the Pentax lens. Pentax lens also have some of the most durable coatings in the industry.
03-18-2015, 08:42 PM   #10
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I think the choices in consumer-grade lenses in this range are not the best. I've had the DA 55-300, the WR 55-300, the DA 50-200, and the Tamron 70-300. All of them have quality control issues to one degree or another. The Tamron is the most consistent across the frame throughout the zoom range, although on mine the left side is a little weak in the mid-range of the zoom. The 50-200 has an issue on the left side at the long end. The various 550-300s have been all over the map - some of mine have been truly horrible. If you could get a 55-300 that was consistent across the frame at all focal lengths, it would be the best performer of the bunch. The 55--300s are have better contrast than the other lenses, and if you look at pre-PP results - and you have a rare good copy - you'll prefer the 55-300 over the other lenses. After PP, the results get closer. I wish there was something in-between the xx-300s and the 60-250 (price, performance, and size/weight-wise), but as far as I know, there isn't (for Pentax, at least.)
03-18-2015, 08:54 PM   #11
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Had an original Pentax 50-200, and Sigma 70-300 APO. They were essentially equally average. Got the Pentax 55-300 that was noticeably better and the other two went on the shelf (where the Sigma died an aperture-blade death or suicide, because it was DOA when I went to sell it at the same time as the 50-200). Fast forward a few years (after getting a Tamron 70-200 and selling the 55-300), got a 50-200WR version that seemed a little better than the original - but it's too short for "wild life".

I say get some version of the 55-300 - and a hood - as it's probably the best bang for the buck in your budget.
03-19-2015, 05:45 AM   #12
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Another vote for the DAL 55-300 "plastic fantastic". It's the same lens as the DA 55-300 minus quick shift and the metal mount. Mine is astoundingly good considering it was so cheap to buy new as a broken up box set. Are there better lenses around - of course, but not for the price these things go for. I also use it on my Q with the Pentax K adaptor.
03-19-2015, 05:53 AM   #13
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I'd advise against the Tamron 70-300, it's a budget lens and shows. It focuses quickly enough, and accurate, but has a lot of chromatic aberrations. It was usable on my K10 but terrible on the K5. The purple fringing was terrible.
03-19-2015, 07:13 AM   #14
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Having both the 50-200mm and the 55-300mm I would say they are worthy of having both. I say this because the 50-200mm is a sleeper lens, it's light, has good enough IQ and compliments switching from wider angle lenses when one needs a closer perspective without going to a super telephoto. The 55-300mm is a fine lens I love mine but like most super telephotos it can be a bit tricky to get that very good IQ it is capable of. It's a bigger and bit heavier lens making it slightly more cumbersome on a walk around and like most super telephotos controlling motion shake hand held may require utilizing a 1 1/2 x focal length shutter speed vs being able to somewhat rely on SR at longer telephoto focal lengths, but that seems to be the case with most super telephoto lenses I have found. It all takes practice.

If you are thinking of picking up a 50-200mm then I suggest looking for a good used one, KEH is a good starting point to look. If your going to do that then I recommend picking up at least DA 50-200mm ED or ED WR verses the DA L . I replaced both my kit DA L 18-55mm WR and DA L 50-200mm WR for the DA ED WR versions primarily for having a metal mount & manual Quick Shift focus vs not. If your not so big on having WR, KEH has a DA ED 50-200mm for $65.00 right now.

If you decide to go for a longer telephoto then at some point I would still recommend picking up a 50-200mm down the road even if a super telephoto still covers that focal range. Don't get me wrong I am exceedingly happy with my 55-300mm for me I like having the choice of which to use when the occasion arises.
03-19-2015, 12:00 PM   #15
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Check out this thread here. For under $75 you can have a lens with better IQ than the Pentax 55-300 or 50-200. Others may disagree but they would be wrong

http://https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/290893-smc-pentax-f-70-210-vs-takumar-f-70-210-a.html
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