[Nicole6]

I'm still pretty new to dSLRs. I have a K110D that I got about a year ago. I'm ready/wanting to upgrade to a K-x. I have the K-x with the regular lens on backorder and am debating whether to get the deal with the regular kit lens and the 50-200mm from Beach off Ebay instead.

I don't have any experience with any lenses other than the K110D's kit lens and a Tamron 28-200mm XR that I bought off Ebay also last year. Is the Pentax kit 50-200mm any better than the Tamron I have? I know they're both probably nothing to write home about, but like I said, I'm pretty new at this.

Thanks!

[Just1MoreDave]

The way I would approach the question is, you only need one of them. So if you're comfortable with selling one lens, get the kit and decide for yourself.

I would expect that the Pentax lens has better image quality, but I'd also expect the differences aren't big enough to notice right away. Sometimes a non-Pentax will render colors in a very different way, but you would have noticed this by now. I would take a few shots of the same subject with each lens and look at them the way you'd look at a good photograph. Don't bother examining side-by-side pixels at 100%, though. If you don't see quality differences in regular viewing, observe handling, build quality and focus speed.

Choose the one you want to use the most. I can tell you that even when I have proven Lens A has sharper corners at f2.0, I'll still use Lens B because I like it better. Sometimes I can even ignore the popular opinion here that Lens A is really better.

[hcc]

It is generally agreed that the Pentax kit lenses are extremely good value for money and have good image quality. If you do not like them, you can sell them on e-bay for almost the same price your puchased these that is nearly half-price of the brand new lens price.

A lot of pentaxians like/love the 55-200mm and 55-300mm Pentax kit lenses, despite some debate between 55-200 and 55-300. The 18-55mm + 55-300mm package (for K-x) is regarded as possibly as a better value with the K-x.

You already got some useful feedback from Dave.

Why don't you get the kit lenses? then test the lenses and decide then to sale your Tamron or one of the Pentax lenses? Nothing can beat or replace the personal experience, hands-on the camera and lenses. Some shops will even allow you to return your purchase within 15 to 30 days (read carefully the fien prints).

Hope that the comments will assist ....:ugh:

[JeffJS]

I'm still pretty new to dSLRs. I have a K110D that I got about a year ago. I'm ready/wanting to upgrade to a K-x. I have the K-x with the regular lens on backorder and am debating whether to get the deal with the regular kit lens and the 50-200mm from Beach off Ebay instead.

I don't have any experience with any lenses other than the K110D's kit lens and a Tamron 28-200mm XR that I bought off Ebay also last year. Is the Pentax kit 50-200mm any better than the Tamron I have? I know they're both probably nothing to write home about, but like I said, I'm pretty new at this.

Thanks!

Nicole, For what it's worth, I tried the 50-200 when I first got my K10d a few years ago (same vintage as your 110). I found it to be not too sharp, and the 200mm wasn't long enough for when I wanted a zoom. I have no experience with your tamron but based on experience with my 70-300, it's a much nicer lens. I think therefore that you'd be much happier in the long run if you with with the 55-300 Pentax with your Kx kit. It may be slightly more expensive but I think the extra 100mm makes all the difference in the world.

Enjoy your new camera when you get it..

[Nicole6]

Thank you for your input guys. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I think I'm going to stick with my original order (still on backorder, grrrr) for now. When all is said and done, it would cost me about $120 extra to get the 50-200mm added or about $210 for the 300mm. Doesn't seem like enough of a savings right now to pull the trigger for either.

Now to just wait for the new camera to come. I'm dying here!

[Alfisti]

For $200 get the 300mm, 200 always feels short.

More importantly, avoid ebay like the plague and buy from B+H or Adorama, NewEgg etc etc etc ... reputable places that are usually cheaper than the shark infested pool that is ebay.

p.s most ebay 'packages' are absolute junk of th ehighest order. Those 'kits' are near worthless and the packaged 28-80 lenses ..... glorified paper weights

[Nicole6]

The Ebay seller I was considering was Beach Camera's Ebay store, so I know they're legit.

[Alfisti]

Yeah it's not a bad price, just $5 more than B+H.

[Nicole6]

Yeah it's not a bad price, just $5 more than B+H.

Plus the 8% Bing cashback from Ebay, makes it an even better deal. I'm in NY so B&H, Adorama, and Amazon all get me with sales tax. It's a little less painful when I settle up at the end of the year on my income tax forms.