Superzoom lens for Pentax?

[MarkRSi]

Having come from a FZ28 superzoom bridge, I'm finding the biggest PITA with my new Pentax K-R is swapping between the 18-55mm and 50-200mm kit lenses. As soon as I've got one on after a few shots I'm either at the short end of the 50-200 or long end of the 18-55. It's enough to make me consider taking my FZ28 some days which seems to do a fine job in good light...

However I am finding the 18-200 range suitable - So what I'm thinking of is a getting a single zoom lens to replace the two kit lenses.

Looking on Fleabay the choice seems to be Tamron and Sigma 18-200mm zooms. Are these good makes/lenses? Are they any other focal length ranges I should be aware of?

Cheers

[adamfogerty]

Hello Pentax users seem to be rare around these parts.

Pentax themselves make a DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR . It's relatively new (launched last year I think), weather sealed and has an AF drive motor built-in.

Not used it myself but it's meant to represent good value for money.

They also made the SMC Pentax-DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF] which is now discontinued.

Both the above are specifically for the crop DSLR's. There's also a range of discontinued lenses from the film-era that cover part of the focal range you're after, including:

Pentax-FA 28-200mm F3.8-5.6 AL [IF]
Pentax-FA 28-105mm F4-5.6 [IF]
SMC-Pentax FA 28-105mm F4-5.6
Pentax-FA 28-105mm F3.2-4.5 AL [IF]

I'd love to pretend I'm a fountain of knowledge, but truthfully I lifted most of the above from:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews

It's also worth noting that Pentax actually released a lens roadmap in the last week and it shows a 'DA High Magnification Zoom Lens' covering approx. 18-200mm scheduled for release this year. Here's the link to the roadmap (PDF file): http://www.pentaximaging.com/files/pdf/lens_roadma...

Sigma do two Pentax mount super-zooms: 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC and 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

(reference: http://www.sigmaphoto.com/sigma-lens-finder)

Tamron appear to have three: 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO , 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical [IF] MACRO and 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO

(references: http://www.tamron.com/en/photolens/di_II_all_in_on...
and http://www.tamron.com/en/photolens/di_all_in_one)

Hope it helps some.

Adam

[MarkRSi]

Outstanding post! Cheers

Not sure I'd go for the 105/135 models as I'd end up wishing I'd got a 200 (unless there's a difference in quality? I'll check the links...). I'll check out the 18-250 models too.

Oh yes hello (I assume you're a Pentax user too?)