Best all-round lens.

Nimrad · 03-30-2009, 08:55 AM

What is the best all-round lens? By that I mean ONE single lens that goes from wideangle (15-20 mm) to tele (200-300mm). Just simply. What gives me the best IQ? Don't care about the price.

Wheatfield · 03-30-2009, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

What is the best all-round lens? By that I mean ONE single lens that goes from wideangle (15-20 mm) to tele (200-300mm). Just simply. What gives me the best IQ? Don't care about the price.

This would be a lens that hasn't been invented yet.

Gooshin · 03-30-2009, 09:19 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

What is the best all-round lens? By that I mean ONE single lens that goes from wideangle (15-20 mm) to tele (200-300mm). Just simply. What gives me the best IQ? Don't care about the price.

it does not exist.

Kguru · 03-30-2009, 09:20 AM

Pentax/Tamron 18-250, not the best IQ ever but probably best in its class.

Nimrad · 03-30-2009, 09:23 AM

So, the pentax 18-250 doesn't exist?

Is that the best one?

Understand me right. I want one lens for my K20D that can replace 16-50 and 70-200 when I really dont have space for much more than a kit-lens.

Gooshin · 03-30-2009, 09:24 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

So, the pentax 18-250 doesn't exist?

Is that the best one?

define your baseline standards...

the 18-250 has more barrel distortion, vignetting, and lower resolution than a comparable prime in a given focal length.

then again you save a ton of money... and you only have 1 lens!

MrApollinax · 03-30-2009, 09:29 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

So, the pentax 18-250 doesn't exist?

Is that the best one?

Understand me right. I want one lens for my K20D that can replace 16-50 and 70-200 when I really dont have space for much more than a kit-lens.

the 18-250 variants will cover your focal lengths however they will not come close to performing on the levels of your two lenses you are looking to replace.

The 18-250 has some barrel distortion on the wide end and is a tad soft on the long end. Also this is a lot slower compared to the two other lenses you mention. However in well-lit conditions the 18-250 will be a decent performer. Just don't expect it to perform like a DA*

Nimrad · 03-30-2009, 09:36 AM

I don't expect it to perform anything near to my other two lenses. But it definately performs better than my iPhone that I now have to use when I go hiking. But are there no competitor to the 18-250?

Gooshin · 03-30-2009, 09:51 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

I don't expect it to perform anything near to my other two lenses. But it definately performs better than my iPhone that I now have to use when I go hiking. But are there no competitor to the 18-250?

you can get the TAMRON version of the 18-250

you can also look into the older 18-200 pentax/tamron/sigma variants.

or just buy a prosumer camera with one of those super multi zoom lenses on it...

jeffkpotter · 03-30-2009, 10:18 AM

An insane question. There is no such thing! But the Tamron17-50 comes close for me.

Venturi · 03-30-2009, 10:21 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

I don't expect it to perform anything near to my other two lenses. But it definately performs better than my iPhone that I now have to use when I go hiking. But are there no competitor to the 18-250?

Not currently, no. The Pentax DA version is reportedly discontinued(?) and an 18-270 I believe is slated to replace it sometime this century. The Tamron version is the "original"; Pentax rebranded it and put their coatings on it.

I had the DA version and it is rock solid for daylight/outdoor and flash shooting indoors. I have the Tam17-50 & DA*50-135 now and it was sitting on the shelf so I let it go. It does hunt in low light due to the max aperture, and there is some barrel distortion. But if your genre of photography suits its strengths it is a wonderful lens.

wide open (f/5.6) at 155mm

wide open (f/6.3) @ 250mm

RBellavance · 03-30-2009, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by Nimrad

Understand me right. I want one lens for my K20D that can replace 16-50 and 70-200 when I really dont have space for much more than a kit-lens.

Might I suggest another 2-lens solution, but a very lightweight one: DA18-55 "MkII" + DA50-200.

Nimrad · 03-30-2009, 11:28 AM

Originally posted by jeffkpotter

An insane question. There is no such thing! But the Tamron17-50 comes close for me.

So the DA 18-250 doesn't exist? I know I can't expect the best IQ, but I want the best available.

Quote:

Might I suggest another 2-lens solution, but a very lightweight one: DA18-55 "MkII" + DA50-200.

Thank you for your thoughts, but what I want is an easy solution that I can have hanging around my neck when I'm outside hiking. No indoor useage whatsoever. It's just that the way it is now I can't go hiking with my camera with any more tele than 50mm. And the 16-50 is a tad big too.

Thank you for the tips. Give me a heads up if there actually is another 18-250/18-200 or something like that that auto focuses on a K20D.

Venturi · 03-30-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Give me a heads up if there actually is another 18-250/18-200 or something like that that auto focuses on a K20D.

Two posts up.

Gooshin · 03-30-2009, 12:05 PM

Originally posted by Nimrad

So the DA 18-250 doesn't exist? I know I can't expect the best IQ, but I want the best available.

if you want an 18-250mm lens

the 18-250 is the best available

buy it and get it over with.

03-30-2009, 08:55 AM	#1
Nimrad Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 150	Best all-round lens. What is the best all-round lens? By that I mean ONE single lens that goes from wideangle (15-20 mm) to tele (200-300mm). Just simply. What gives me the best IQ? Don't care about the price.

03-30-2009, 09:24 AM	#6
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	Originally posted by Nimrad So, the pentax 18-250 doesn't exist? Is that the best one? define your baseline standards... the 18-250 has more barrel distortion, vignetting, and lower resolution than a comparable prime in a given focal length. then again you save a ton of money... and you only have 1 lens! Last edited by Gooshin; 03-30-2009 at 09:29 AM.

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03-30-2009, 09:13 AM	#2
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Originally posted by Nimrad What is the best all-round lens? By that I mean ONE single lens that goes from wideangle (15-20 mm) to tele (200-300mm). Just simply. What gives me the best IQ? Don't care about the price. This would be a lens that hasn't been invented yet.

03-30-2009, 09:19 AM	#3
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	Originally posted by Nimrad What is the best all-round lens? By that I mean ONE single lens that goes from wideangle (15-20 mm) to tele (200-300mm). Just simply. What gives me the best IQ? Don't care about the price. it does not exist.

03-30-2009, 09:20 AM	#4
Kguru Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Perth - WestAust Posts: 602	Pentax/Tamron 18-250, not the best IQ ever but probably best in its class.

03-30-2009, 09:23 AM	#5
Nimrad Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 150 Original Poster	So, the pentax 18-250 doesn't exist? Is that the best one? Understand me right. I want one lens for my K20D that can replace 16-50 and 70-200 when I really dont have space for much more than a kit-lens.

03-30-2009, 09:29 AM	#7
MrApollinax Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,529	Originally posted by Nimrad So, the pentax 18-250 doesn't exist? Is that the best one? Understand me right. I want one lens for my K20D that can replace 16-50 and 70-200 when I really dont have space for much more than a kit-lens. the 18-250 variants will cover your focal lengths however they will not come close to performing on the levels of your two lenses you are looking to replace. The 18-250 has some barrel distortion on the wide end and is a tad soft on the long end. Also this is a lot slower compared to the two other lenses you mention. However in well-lit conditions the 18-250 will be a decent performer. Just don't expect it to perform like a DA*

03-30-2009, 09:36 AM	#8
Nimrad Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 150 Original Poster	I don't expect it to perform anything near to my other two lenses. But it definately performs better than my iPhone that I now have to use when I go hiking. But are there no competitor to the 18-250?

03-30-2009, 09:51 AM	#9
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	Originally posted by Nimrad I don't expect it to perform anything near to my other two lenses. But it definately performs better than my iPhone that I now have to use when I go hiking. But are there no competitor to the 18-250? you can get the TAMRON version of the 18-250 you can also look into the older 18-200 pentax/tamron/sigma variants. or just buy a prosumer camera with one of those super multi zoom lenses on it...

03-30-2009, 10:18 AM	#10
jeffkpotter Guest	An insane question. There is no such thing! But the Tamron17-50 comes close for me.

03-30-2009, 10:21 AM	#11
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	Originally posted by Nimrad I don't expect it to perform anything near to my other two lenses. But it definately performs better than my iPhone that I now have to use when I go hiking. But are there no competitor to the 18-250? Not currently, no. The Pentax DA version is reportedly discontinued(?) and an 18-270 I believe is slated to replace it sometime this century. The Tamron version is the "original"; Pentax rebranded it and put their coatings on it. I had the DA version and it is rock solid for daylight/outdoor and flash shooting indoors. I have the Tam17-50 & DA*50-135 now and it was sitting on the shelf so I let it go. It does hunt in low light due to the max aperture, and there is some barrel distortion. But if your genre of photography suits its strengths it is a wonderful lens. wide open (f/5.6) at 155mm wide open (f/6.3) @ 250mm

03-30-2009, 10:34 AM	#12
RBellavance Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Montréal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,716	Originally posted by Nimrad Understand me right. I want one lens for my K20D that can replace 16-50 and 70-200 when I really dont have space for much more than a kit-lens. Might I suggest another 2-lens solution, but a very lightweight one: DA18-55 "MkII" + DA50-200.

03-30-2009, 11:28 AM	#13
Nimrad Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 150 Original Poster	Originally posted by jeffkpotter An insane question. There is no such thing! But the Tamron17-50 comes close for me. So the DA 18-250 doesn't exist? I know I can't expect the best IQ, but I want the best available. Quote: Might I suggest another 2-lens solution, but a very lightweight one: DA18-55 "MkII" + DA50-200. Thank you for your thoughts, but what I want is an easy solution that I can have hanging around my neck when I'm outside hiking. No indoor useage whatsoever. It's just that the way it is now I can't go hiking with my camera with any more tele than 50mm. And the 16-50 is a tad big too. Thank you for the tips. Give me a heads up if there actually is another 18-250/18-200 or something like that that auto focuses on a K20D.

03-30-2009, 11:42 AM	#14
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	Quote: Give me a heads up if there actually is another 18-250/18-200 or something like that that auto focuses on a K20D. Two posts up.

03-30-2009, 12:05 PM	#15
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	Originally posted by Nimrad So the DA 18-250 doesn't exist? I know I can't expect the best IQ, but I want the best available. if you want an 18-250mm lens the 18-250 is the best available buy it and get it over with.