[docney]

Hi, everyone! I'm glad I found out about this forum... I am a newbie to the DSLR arena and so I got a Samsung GX-1L just for starters at Ebay. It comes with a Pentax DA 18-55mm lens. As I would want to dab into telephoto, what bargain (cheap, i.e., just to learn the ropes) but good telephoto lens could I get? Will the Pentax DA 50-200mm suffice? I have seen a bargain for a Sears 60-300mm lens for PK /KA mounts. Will this work with my samsumg? I hope somebody could help me out... Cheers all!

[Ash]

G'day and welcome to the forum.
Unfortunately, you get what you pay for in lens quality.
Image quality improves dramatically once you step up from the budget consumer level of lenses, although the DA 55-300 has been acclaimed as a very decent consumer lens, which I can vouch for. I've not tried the 55-200 but wouldn't be keen to get one to try out myself.

Have a look at the forum's lens review database for more specific info on each lens you may be interested in.

[docney]

Thanks, Ash. Do you have any specific lens recommendation?

[ManixZero]

I bought the Tamron 70-300 LD Di Macro.

I has plenty of reported faults but I think plenty going for it when used carefully.

The AF can be slow and you do get fringing in high contrast areas but nothing that stops me using the lens.

Here are a couply of vastly different shots taken with it





Sigma offer a pair of lenses that are roughly comparable in optical quality and price but in the end and after much head scratching I plumped for the Tamron and have not regretted it.

It and the Sigmas are a good cheap Telephoto introduction for those who can't afford the much much more expensive Pro lenses.

My tammy cost £69 - an absolute bargain!

Regards MZ

[axl]

From personal experience, I agree with ManixZero.
Tammy 70-300 is a great starter lens for both tele and macro/close up.
If you know close ups are not for you then DA55-300 might be worth a look.

BR
Peter

[docney]

Great pictures there, ManixZero. Thanks. While trying to research online, I did consider the Tamron. I hope to hear more suggestions then make the final call...

[Marc Sabatella]

Those are the standard options - DA50-200, DA55-300, Tamron & Sigma 70-300. Each has its fans, and there are many previous threads comparing them that should turn up in a search. I've got the Tamron 70-300 and the DA50-200, and prefer the 70-300, both for its slightly better image quality to my eyes (although this is subjective), but also for its smaller size/weight, faster autofocus, and support for "quick shift" to allow manual focus while in AF mode. My experience with these two lenses suggests to me that 300mm isn't *that* much longer than 200mm - nothing you can't simulate through cropping - so I'm not really interested in the 55-300.

[docney]

Thanks axl and Marc for your replies. Any ideas on the sears 60-300mm lens supposedly with KA mount?

[Marc Sabatella]

No experience with that lens. But in general non-name older zooms aren't worth the bother. I doubt very seriously it would be better than any of the other options, and it sounds like it isn't AF, meaning you'll be stuck with crippled SR if/when you upgrade to a camera that has it (as well as no AF, of course).