[Ropuchy]

Please check this out.

Sigma 18-300 Review vs Tamron 16-300 - YouTube

Thanks for the video link!
The Tamron looks nice, although it does cost quite a bit.

---------- Post added 08-28-18 at 10:29 AM ----------

That is pretty much it and that series is usually over 600.00 USD! Not a budget lens or one for a beginner as UWA is a whole new world for most of us newbies!

---------- Post added 08-28-18 at 10:24 AM ----------



No, some updated lenses would be nice, but other than WR there are really no gaps in focal length that would demand new lenses. That statement is a fallacious argument since there are over several thousand different lenses to use on any K mount Pentax Camera. Your results will vary since many are not good and old poor quality consumers lenses make up a percentage of those thousands but there are some jewels that are inexpensive out there.

I was just using it as an example of a WR lens that is non-pentax.
Thanks for the input, though.

[alamo5000]

Both of those lenses look really nice, but they cost a bit too much for me.
Thank you for the suggestion!

I always try to be budget conscious because not everyone can afford everything. More people are on a budget than aren't. That said if you are willing to be patient it will pay off in big ways later on and in the big picture.


I've seen it time and time again... just ask anyone with a bad case of LBA. You buy one and you want another. It gets to be addicting.


My advice seriously is if you can't afford a nicer lens 'right now' just be patient and save up and trust those of us here who can give advice. Read the reviews as well. If you find a lens with a lot of reviews and it's still rated over a 9....you can rest assured it's going to be fine. Also known good performers tend to retain their value and if you ever do need to sell it it will be a much shorter process to do so.


If you combined that with shopping in the market place here, you are bound to get a deal. On your birthday or Christmas or whatever ask people to pitch in. If you look at it this way... buy a good lens even if it means putting it off for a while and making it a goal--it will be much much cheaper than the inevitable 3 other lenses that you will end up buying and selling before you get to that same lens anyway.


I am not trying to tell you how to spend your money but just ask around about people's stories about LBA. If you aren't choosy up front you're gonna spend even more swapping and trading lenses.

[Ropuchy]

I got the 18-55 WR as a kit lens with the K-70. It does a descent job in the middle of the range. I also have the 55-300 PLM WR which is very good if not great, The photos posted here support the 18-135, it was the option as a kit lens, as a good choice.

Alright, I'll keep that in mind.
Thanks!

[link81]

Thanks for the video link!
The Tamron looks nice, although it does cost quite a bit.

except that neither on is WR, and by definition super-zoom's are going to be a compromise in quality.
personally, i would start with the 18-55WR and 55-200 or 55-300 and see what range you use most, then look for higher quality lens's in that range.

the 55-300 is generally regarded as a better lens then the 55-200, but neither is bad by any means.
Pentax's "kit" lens, the 18-55 is no slouch, other then it being a little slow.

that kit will get you 18-200(or300) and will be a good compromise between price and quality while still retaining WR throughout the entire range.

you can probably find the 18-135 used in that range also, and that is WR, and a rather highly regarded lens.


all of the above can easily be found on the marketplace or other places used. (i prefer the marketplace personally, have not had a bad experience there yet)

[SSGGeezer]

I was just using it as an example of a WR lens that is non-pentax.
Thanks for the input, though.

Understood, but other than Canikon/Sony who have some WR lenses in their line up at exorbitant prices, (as in thousands of USD each,) the pickings are slim to non existent for third party WR lenses.
The OP should consider saving up for a DA* 50-135 that has been converted to screw drive since it is a brilliant WR lens. Working SDM or converted. Now that I have one I would go work overtime for the cash to get one if I saw one available; it is that good.

[Ropuchy]

I always try to be budget conscious because not everyone can afford everything. More people are on a budget than aren't. That said if you are willing to be patient it will pay off in big ways later on and in the big picture.


I've seen it time and time again... just ask anyone with a bad case of LBA. You buy one and you want another. It gets to be addicting.


My advice seriously is if you can't afford a nicer lens 'right now' just be patient and save up and trust those of us here who can give advice. Read the reviews as well. If you find a lens with a lot of reviews and it's still rated over a 9....you can rest assured it's going to be fine. Also known good performers tend to retain their value and if you ever do need to sell it it will be a much shorter process to do so.


If you combined that with shopping in the market place here, you are bound to get a deal. On your birthday or Christmas or whatever ask people to pitch in. If you look at it this way... buy a good lens even if it means putting it off for a while and making it a goal--it will be much much cheaper than the inevitable 3 other lenses that you will end up buying and selling before you get to that same lens anyway.


I am not trying to tell you how to spend your money but just ask around about people's stories about LBA. If you aren't choosy up front you're gonna spend even more swapping and trading lenses.

Right, I usually try to save up money to get the things that I'll be sure to enjoy rather than getting a bunch of smaller things that I don't enjoy as much.

The problem isn't so much that I'm not willing to save up for a nice lens, but that I want to keep this hobby more budget-oriented. It can get stressful when you put a lot of money into something.
Keeping it cheap keeps it fun for me
I've only spent about $250 on my K-5 and 6 lenses, spending the same amount or more on a single lens would seem a bit strange to me.

Thank you for your opinion, though!

---------- Post added 08-28-18 at 10:44 AM ----------

except that neither on is WR, and by definition super-zoom's are going to be a compromise in quality.
personally, i would start with the 18-55WR and 55-200 or 55-300 and see what range you use most, then look for higher quality lens's in that range.

the 55-300 is generally regarded as a better lens then the 55-200, but neither is bad by any means.
Pentax's "kit" lens, the 18-55 is no slouch, other then it being a little slow.

that kit will get you 18-200(or300) and will be a good compromise between price and quality while still retaining WR throughout the entire range.

you can probably find the 18-135 used in that range also, and that is WR, and a rather highly regarded lens.


all of the above can easily be found on the marketplace or other places used. (i prefer the marketplace personally, have not had a bad experience there yet)

He did say that the Tamron had some weather sealing.

I think I'll just look out for an 18-55.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

---------- Post added 08-28-18 at 10:47 AM ----------

Understood, but other than Canikon/Sony who have some WR lenses in their line up at exorbitant prices, (as in thousands of USD each,) the pickings are slim to non existent for third party WR lenses.
The OP should consider saving up for a DA* 50-135 that has been converted to screw drive since it is a brilliant WR lens. Working SDM or converted. Now that I have one I would go work overtime for the cash to get one if I saw one available; it is that good.

That's how it seems with a lot of the lenses and cameras from Canon, Nikon, and Sony. You can get these nice features, but they'll cost you an absolute tonne.

I'll keep the 50-135mm in mind.
While I agree that it's better to save up for something nice, I don't want to end up sinking a tonne of money into this hobby.

Thanks!

[Just1MoreDave]

The DA 18-135 is very versatile and worth saving up for. Look at used copies in the marketplace. The 18-135 is a great vacation lens for me - big range of focal lengths, decent quality, WR so I don't worry about unexpected weather, silent focus, etc.

I like my DA 18-55 WR and DA 50-200 WR lenses too, which I got before the 18-135 was introduced. They are lighter and smaller. I went on a couple of long hikes last month and the lighter lenses worked out better. Also the 18-135 has "zoom creep", so when you carry it while hiking, it keeps extending and bonking into other gear. Both these are fairly cheap used, and have some even cheaper L versions. Try to get a lens hood for the L versions because the hood helps keep water off the front element.

In actual rain or snow, I wouldn't worry much about these kit lenses being less sharp than expensive alternatives.

[link81]

He did say that the Tamron had some weather sealing.

I think I'll just look out for an 18-55.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

i wouldn't bet much on it.

you have 6 lens's already? shoot, i didn't know that.
what do you have?

here is an 18-55WR right now on the marketplace.
Pentax-da smc 18-55mm with filter (price reduced) - PentaxForums.com

[SSGGeezer]

The 18-135 is a great vacation lens for me - big range of focal lengths, decent quality, WR so I don't worry about unexpected weather, silent focus, etc.

And it is usually about 200 or less here and on KEH and the Adorama used site. That is less than the 50-135 would be by about 80-100 dollars but the 50-135 is a * lens and you would be amazed by the difference.

[Ropuchy]

The DA 18-135 is very versatile and worth saving up for. Look at used copies in the marketplace. The 18-135 is a great vacation lens for me - big range of focal lengths, decent quality, WR so I don't worry about unexpected weather, silent focus, etc.

I like my DA 18-55 WR and DA 50-200 WR lenses too, which I got before the 18-135 was introduced. They are lighter and smaller. I went on a couple of long hikes last month and the lighter lenses worked out better. Also the 18-135 has "zoom creep", so when you carry it while hiking, it keeps extending and bonking into other gear. Both these are fairly cheap used, and have some even cheaper L versions. Try to get a lens hood for the L versions because the hood helps keep water off the front element.

In actual rain or snow, I wouldn't worry much about these kit lenses being less sharp than expensive alternatives.

Well, maybe I'll be able to find a 18-135 someday. I do like having lighter lenses, though.
My 75-300mm does something similar. If I set it to 75mm and stand it upright, it slowly slides back down it 120!

Thank you for the info!

---------- Post added 08-28-18 at 11:04 AM ----------

i wouldn't bet much on it.

you have 6 lens's already? shoot, i didn't know that.
what do you have?

here is an 18-55WR right now on the marketplace.
Pentax-da smc 18-55mm with filter (price reduced) - PentaxForums.com

The lenses I have are older MF lenses from my K1000. I got 5 of them at an auction with the K1000 and 1 was gifted to me by a friend.
I have:
2 SMC Pentax-M 50mm f2. One is a bit beat up.
An Albinar-ADG 75-300mm f5.6.
A Sears 80-200mm f4.0.
A Ricoh 35mm f2.8.
And a Magnicon XC 28-70mm f3.8-4.8.


Thanks for the link!

[pxt]

I recommended Pentax 100 mm macro WR. I use it a lot.

[jatrax]

I suppose what I meant by 'beginner' was something not too expensive or specialized. An all-rounder sort of lens.Thank you for the input!

From experience I can say that buying 'cheap' lenses is a poor bargain. The 18-55 is not bad but the 16-85 is significantly better. Maybe look for a used 16-85, yes it is more money and you might have to save longer but in the long run you will be much happier. A good lens is a joy to work with for many, many years. A cheap one feels good only when you buy it. Just my opinion.

[Adam]

I suppose what I meant by 'beginner' was something not too expensive or specialized. An all-rounder sort of lens.

I would go for the 18-135mm. The added image quality and versatility over the 18-55mm is worth it in the long term IMO. If you get a used one, it should be quite affordable.

Our database supports searching by WR. Here is a comprehensive list of all WR lenses available for Pentax:

Weather Sealed Lenses | PentaxForums.com
Weather Sealed Third Party Lenses | PentaxForums.com

Sigma and Tamron do have some WR lenses, but they aren't available for Pentax.

[pearsaab]

this is an awesome lens


Pentax smc DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 ED AL (IF) SDM Lens - PentaxForums.com

[steve_k]

Please check this out.

Sigma 18-300 Review vs Tamron 16-300 - YouTube

I own the Sigma and it is not WR. The Tamron is not available for Pentax