[Wolfie665]

I recently purchase a Pentax K-r and now am looking for an inexpensive 70-300 mm lens. My wife and I are taking a wilderness trip and I would like to take photos with my new K-r. any suggestions on zoom lenses? I see a Tamron 75-300mm f4-5.6 LD 1:3.9 macro Pentax K for sale here on the Pentax Forums marketplace. Would that be a good lens to start with?? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Its funny I also just bought k-r and here is the list of lenses I consider for telephoto myself:

Based on quality:

Pentax DA 55-300mm
Pentax DAL 55-300mm (same optic but plastic mount not good idea it is supposed to change tele lens often)
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro (New DG or old DL version)

Based on price (in UK):

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro (New DG or old DL version) - DL used about 60 pounds
Pentax DAL 55-300mm (same optic but plastic mount not good idea it is supposed to change tele lens often) - hard to find used, new about 200 pounds.
Pentax DA 55-300mm - hard to find used, new about 240 pounds.

Based on the price probably will buy Sigma, then at some point will go for Penatx DA metal mount.

Have a fun with the new k-r

P.S. just bought Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro for 55 pounds from ebay...

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Last edited by Wolfie665; 01-02-2012 at 02:13 PM.

[hawaza]

P.S. just bought Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro for 55 pounds from ebay...

Haha,

By sheer chance i happen to be one of the people you outbid for that Sigma lens! Small world I hope you enjoy using it that lens looked in good condition.

Lenses do seem to be much harder to come by in the UK for a reasonable price compared to the US. I am new to this and have very little cash to splash especially for something which is going to take time to really get to grips with and learn to use.

If new to this and a beginner i think the pentax DAL 55-300mm is too expensive, better to get one of the other lenses. Ideally i want one of the 3 Pentax FA lenses listed at the start as all the reviews/reviewers seem happy with them and there isn't too much variance in ratings, but a tamron 70-300mm or a Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro (New DG or old DL version) for purposes as a beginner would be more than acceptable (i hope).

These lenses can be had for under 100 pounds if you look around, have patience and more importantly don't check your emails if an item you are hoping to win is ending soon!

[Wolfie665]

Haha,

By sheer chance i happen to be one of the people you outbid for that Sigma lens! Small world I hope you enjoy using it that lens looked in good condition.

Lenses do seem to be much harder to come by in the UK for a reasonable price compared to the US. I am new to this and have very little cash to splash especially for something which is going to take time to really get to grips with and learn to use.

If new to this and a beginner i think the pentax DAL 55-300mm is too expensive, better to get one of the other lenses. Ideally i want one of the 3 Pentax FA lenses listed at the start as all the reviews/reviewers seem happy with them and there isn't too much variance in ratings, but a tamron 70-300mm or a Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro (New DG or old DL version) for purposes as a beginner would be more than acceptable (i hope).

These lenses can be had for under 100 pounds if you look around, have patience and more importantly don't check your emails if an item you are hoping to win is ending soon!

that is coincidence, It is a small world

sorry for the auction mate, the funny thing is the guy has wrongly listed it initially as manual focus only, I have sent him an email pointing out that there is no such Sigma ever manufactured and he has fixed the listing on the last day, I suppose most of the guys in ebay already has wrongly assumed this is manual lens only. It is realy hard to find good and cheap AF tele for Pentax, I've got previously Canon kit too and the similar Sigma tele lenses for Canon are half the price...

Nothing can beat the fun I've got with Pentax M 50mm 1.7 though

wish you luck with finding good tele