Good All Around Lens for K100d Super

[dpcarlton]

Hi..

I just got my first DSLR, a K100D Super and love it. Moving up from a Panasonic point and shoot.

My question has to do with a great all around lens for the Pentax. I travel extensively for work, and do not want to me lugging around a bag full of equipment.

I am looking at the Tamron AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) lens for the Pentax. Seems to be a good combination of wide-angle and zoom.

http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/18250_diII.asp

I shoot manly inanimate objects, sometime people and occasionally action shoots. I want to be able to shoot in many different lightening conditions.

Does anyone have any experience with this lens (I know it is new) or a recommendation for another lens that is similar?

Any advice would be great and appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

[wulf]

There is a small set of pictures taken with it on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/tamronaf18250mmf3563diiildasphericalifmacro).

Just going by the name, it should be pretty adaptable although, as with most zoom lenses, you'll need good light at the further end of the range.

Wulf

[mattdm]

FWIW, looks like Pentax has now licensed and rebadged this lens as the "Pentax smc P-DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL(IF)". Should be pretty much identical to the Tamron version, except probably with better optical coatings. Supposed to be around the same price, too.

[inkista]

One question: did you want to do available light shooting (i.e., indoors without a flash)? Because that lens probably can't do it--you typically need a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or wider. If this is an issue, then you may want to look into adding a fast prime (50mm f/1.4 or 40mm f/2.8 Limited maybe? I don't know Pentax lenses).

[baseballboy828]

I have a friend who uses a Pentax body and a tamron 18-250. IMO, it is absolute garbage. It has bad zoom creep, and is slow. However, for casual use, it's cheaper than the camera brand and will do fine for you.

[GEli]

I don't think this is a great choice for a walk-around lens, particularly if space is a big issue. With space being an issue, I'm assuming you aren't going to have a tripod on you when you're walking around with this lens. I also know that with a lens this slow, extended fully you will definitely need one to get any sort of useable image. This is assuming the lens is perfect aside from this aforementioned problem -reviews seem to indicate this is not at all the case.

Might you consider a slightly shorter zoom (both range and minimum length)? The Pentax DA 50-135mm f/2.8 is a really nice lens, though slightly more expensive (~$900 USD). If you're looking for something cheaper, the Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 is actually a really well built lens for a kit lens, and really reasonably priced. If you were willing to buy two lenses, you could use this as your walking around lens and get a separate, longer telephoto zoom (or even a telephoto prime!) for special occasions when you have access to a tripod and want to do some work with a longer lens, all while remaining within a reasonable budget.

[RexK_Cozumel]

I have the Tamron 18-250 lens that you mentioned and I think it is a very good lens for the price. But as others have mentioned before it is not a fixed aperature lens so you will be limited on the types of shots you can get with it especially at the long end. Optically the lens is pretty good for the price and considering the large range that the lens covers. If you are looking for a lens that lets you shoot in many different lighting situations then I would probabbly go with a different lens. Perhaps the tamron 28-75 f2.8 which is about the same price range and while it does not zoom as wide or as long is a much better lens for shooting in different lighting situations.