18-55mm + 50-200mm or 18-250mm

[detritus]

Well said. You can also consider the various situation you are in when overseas.

I once was trekking a mountain and I had my megazoom with me. I can't imagine if I have to alternate between the different lens and also given the no of stuff i already have to carry, you will thank God for as little additional stuff as possible.

IMHO, get the megazoom (sell off your kit lens) and as you play around with it, you can decide if you need to upgrade to higher IQ delicated lens.

wouldn't you want a weather sealed lens for trekking?

if we were talking about a K-X, my conclusion might be different. go ahead and sell the DAL 50-200. there is a market for them and it is replaceable with lots of affordable alternatives from both pentax and 3rd party.

but we are talking about a K-7. weather sealing is a rather compelling factor to me. if u sell off the twin kit to upgrade, the only other weather sealed lenses are the DA* lenses.

i would keep them and save money to buy other lenses. you lose more money by selling them and going back to either buy the same thing or something much more expensive when u realise that u want weather sealing.

 

[wongcho]

somemore readings for your consumption.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/r...message=33869571&q=55300+vs+tamron+18250&qf=m

I love the 18-250 for my overseas travel.
If local can go back and take again easily. If overseas - time, money or even the moment you cherish may not be repeatable.
Thus you need to decide if image quality more important(also what level is acceptable to you) or
capturing the moment more important(maybe with less than ideal quality).
And of course space consideration for extra lens (to some no issue, to some yes) so your decision again.

 

[pinholecam]

I like to see it this way.
If you have good lenses.
You should use them for the BEST moments.

 

[Starcrew]

bro titus1984,

When you mentioned megazoom, what range does it covers?

Really appreciate all the comments and point of views from all of you. This will make me reconsider the my decision again....

At the moment, I will stick to what I have.

 

[detritus]

I like to see it this way.
If you have good lenses.
You should use them for the BEST moments.

:thumbsup: totally agree.

 

[titus1984]

bro titus1984,

When you mentioned megazoom, what range does it covers?

Really appreciate all the comments and point of views from all of you. This will make me reconsider the my decision again....

At the moment, I will stick to what I have.

I meant 18-250mm

I am thinking that 18-250mm IQ is not too far off from that of Kit lens so for the ease of usage you might want get the all-in-one-zoom and to sell the kit lens if you want to fund your zoom. As in high IQ delicated lens, I meant those fixed aperture lens. The IQ( and Price) is much higher. The feeling you give me is that you want more of ease and longer zoom not really a much improved IQ. Am i right?

I think it is not a matter of right or wrong but more of preference :>

Anyway for WR lens, i personally feel it is more of peace of mind. Havent really got the chance to test the limit such lens but if i were to own one, I would still treat it the same as normal lens just that i know at the back of my mind it is more resistant to weather. Unless you have no choice but to use it under conditions where it is expose to rain/dust for long period, you might not want to spend that much on WR lens.

With regards to trekking, I have used non-WR lens all along with no problem. Maybe cos I dont stay out there for too long say 2 weeks or a month.

Hope it helps :>

 

[Starcrew]

bro titus1984,

You are right....I want more of ease and longer zoom.
About IQ (I believe is image quality, right?)....Is there a lot of differences between the 15-200mm and my existing lenses?

The thing that I am not sure is that if I sold off my two lenses and get the 15-200mm, will I regret in future?

Another thought here....just buy the 15-200mm and start using it and if it is really fit my usage, I will sell off the other two lenses.

By the way, this 15-200mm lense, how much does it cost?

Thanks....

 

[titus1984]

bro titus1984,

You are right....I want more of ease and longer zoom.
About IQ (I believe is image quality, right?)....Is there a lot of differences between the 15-200mm and my existing lenses?

The thing that I am not sure is that if I sold off my two lenses and get the 15-200mm, will I regret in future?

Another thought here....just buy the 15-200mm and start using it and if it is really fit my usage, I will sell off the other two lenses.

By the way, this 15-200mm lense, how much does it cost?

Thanks....

You meant 18-250mm?

The image quality(IQ) is not as good as your kit lens but it is near there. You can check the reviews(plenty online) and decide if it is enough for you. Personally i feel it is good for normal usage. If you want really sharp image, i think fixed aperture lens might be a better choice.

If you can buy the 18-250mm( less than 700 but will get lower soon) without selling the kit lens, then dont. Have a feel of both then decide. I think BnS got a few WR lens selling and i am not sure if there is demand for it. If not, price will be pretty low.

Looking things from another point, there are some ppl who can live with the 2 kit lens and not get a all-in-one zoom. If you are not sure, then dont buy the zoom first. Stay with your kit lens and decide later. Perhaps you will not want to get if you feel you dont travel that much or you dont mind using the kit lens. :>

 

[pinholecam]

Not Pentax, but this site should give you a rough idea on image quality.

Sharpness (from thedigitalpicture)
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/...meraComp=474&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=3&APIComp=0


More, comparing a super zoom to kit lenses. (Distortion, Vignetting, CA, resolution)
Tamron 18-250
http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikk...f-macro-nikon-lab-test-report--review?start=1

Nikon 18-55
http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikk...f35-56-g-ed-dx-ii-review--test-report?start=1

Nikon 55-200
http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikk...4-56g-if-ed-dx-vr-review--test-report?start=1

 

[tootboink]

bro titus1984,

You are right....I want more of ease and longer zoom.
About IQ (I believe is image quality, right?)....Is there a lot of differences between the 15-200mm and my existing lenses?

The thing that I am not sure is that if I sold off my two lenses and get the 15-200mm, will I regret in future?

Another thought here....just buy the 15-200mm and start using it and if it is really fit my usage, I will sell off the other two lenses.

By the way, this 15-200mm lense, how much does it cost?

Thanks....

you might not regret it. :devil:

if you want utter sharpness and if you have the time to slowly compose and change lenses, primes would do a better job than the kit lenses.

imagine you have the 2 kit lenses, the 18-250 AND a couple of primes in the range. if you have time and want really sharp photos, you will bring the primes. if you want good on-the-go shooting, do you think you will bring out the 18-250, or the other 2 lenses to change about?

wr is handy to have. you do however have to assess whether you really will go out in the rain to shoot, wr lenses or not. if you are carrying bags, out with your friends etc, you might not want to be out in the rain in the first place.

that being said, the 18-250 is reportedly notably better than it's 18-200 or other megazoom cousins.

 

[detritus]

you might not regret it. :devil:

if you want utter sharpness and if you have the time to slowly compose and change lenses, primes would do a better job than the kit lenses.

imagine you have the 2 kit lenses, the 18-250 AND a couple of primes in the range. if you have time and want really sharp photos, you will bring the primes. if you want good on-the-go shooting, do you think you will bring out the 18-250, or the other 2 lenses to change about?

all this talk about primes taking a lot of time to compose and having to change lens everytime if not using superzoom is quite weird to me

zooms and primes all have their relative pros and cons. they are both versatile in their own way.

frankly, based on your scenario above, there are many possible options, depending on what the photographer wants to achieve.

its about user preference and how accustomed they are with their equipment, not about the relative superiority of superzooms versus other types of lenses.

 

[titus1984]

all this talk about primes taking a lot of time to compose and having to change lens everytime if not using superzoom is quite weird to me

zooms and primes all have their relative pros and cons. they are both versatile in their own way.

frankly, based on your scenario above, there are many possible options, depending on what the photographer wants to achieve.

its about user preference and how accustomed they are with their equipment, not about the relative superiority of superzooms versus other types of lenses.

Yup.

Best thing to do now: Use what you have and start shooting. Decide later when u start to realise what you actually need?

 

[tootboink]

all this talk about primes taking a lot of time to compose and having to change lens everytime if not using superzoom is quite weird to me

zooms and primes all have their relative pros and cons. they are both versatile in their own way.

frankly, based on your scenario above, there are many possible options, depending on what the photographer wants to achieve.

its about user preference and how accustomed they are with their equipment, not about the relative superiority of superzooms versus other types of lenses.

it's very simple actually. the superzoom offers great convenience at a small trade off of image quality, allowing you to take quick shots of many things if you, or your subject, is a mostly on the move.

to the ts, maybe time will give you the best answer as you find out what you need, or already have, in your current setup

 

[detritus]

it's very simple actually. the superzoom offers great convenience at a small trade off of image quality, allowing you to take quick shots of many things if you, or your subject, is a mostly on the move.

to the ts, maybe time will give you the best answer as you find out what you need, or already have, in your current setup

if you don't mind a "small trade off in IQ", get a prosumer superzoom. relatively compact, no bigger than a small DSLR, good IQ, can zoom, got manual controls and no need to change lens at all.

 

[wongcho]

Someone in the other forum talk about the advantage of the 18-250 being very handy in very cold climate/low temperature.
I guess maybe -20C or lower where one have to wear gloves. Under such condition some worry about condensation or could not
hold the lens properly. Not an issue if you don't travel to cold countries frequently.

Like what the other brothers mentioned, you may get another 1-2 prime lens of your desired style/photography interest and you can
get the best of both worlds. Better advice spend more time taking pictures with your camera and find out what you really need. Buy what you need.

 

[evolutioner]

Someone in the other forum talk about the advantage of the 18-250 being very handy in very cold climate/low temperature.
I guess maybe -20C or lower where one have to wear gloves. Under such condition some worry about condensation or could not
hold the lens properly. Not an issue if you don't travel to cold countries frequently.

Like what the other brothers mentioned, you may get another 1-2 prime lens of your desired style/photography interest and you can
get the best of both worlds. Better advice spend more time taking pictures with your camera and find out what you really need. Buy what you need.

now u got me thinking... hahaha
my winter is indeed -20 and below...

 

[tootboink]

if you don't mind a "small trade off in IQ", get a prosumer superzoom. relatively compact, no bigger than a small DSLR, good IQ, can zoom, got manual controls and no need to change lens at all.

hmm that is indeed possible. however, do take note that on a more overall viewpoint, you don't have sacrifice convenience for the sake of changing lenses simply because the dslr allows you to do so. that would be rather contradictory to the versatility that a dslr is supposed to provide you with, wouldn't it. this could be particularly essential like on holidays for example, as mentioned above.

 

[detritus]

hmm that is indeed possible. however, do take note that on a more overall viewpoint, you don't have sacrifice convenience for the sake of changing lenses simply because the dslr allows you to do so. that would be rather contradictory to the versatility that a dslr is supposed to provide you with, wouldn't it. this could be particularly essential like on holidays for example, as mentioned above.

you are correct. the basic premise and key feature of a DSLR is that it allows the user to change lenses so as to use the best lens, for the best job. this allows users to have choices.

the choices that can be made are dependent on the needs and style of the individual user. there is no one size fits all. it is not necessarily true thing that superzoom = best holiday lens, and simply not true that primes = hard to compose, must change lens often.

they are simply different types of lenses meant to be used in different ways, sometimes for the same purposes, sometimes to complement each other and sometimes for different purposes.

since you mentioned the overall perspective, lets take a holistic view of things and take note that everyone has their own style and approach to photography and will make different choices with regard to equipment, and their respective uses.

 

[pinholecam]

TS, look at it this way.
You use the 2 kit lenses, you spend nothing.
You get better images than a super zoom.
The kit lenses are good enough to see you through even if your tastes become more 'refined' and you want good photo quality.
The kit lenses atm are your 'best' lenses.
You don't want to look at tour photos later on when you are more knowledgeable (esp. in a year or two) and say "pity, I did not bring a sharper lens"

The counter argument for the super zoom has always been the convenience of not changing lenses and having all FL in one lens.
A less good picture is better than no picture sorts of sum up the main advantage of a super zoom.


Now, the community is certainly wide enough for ppl who like super zooms, ppl who like primes, ppl who like quality zooms and everything in between. Just make sure you make an informed choice. No right or wrong, just what you can accept and trade off for.

 

[le petit prince]

I would say, just keep shooting until you find what you like.

I started off with the two kit lenses to cover 18 to 200mm range, but end up shooting almost exclusively with primes which cover just the 21 to 70mm range -- which is my personal style and liking and enough for me. (It will be only primes once I finished my work in Timor and sell off the F35-70.)

That applies even for travel. But of course, it depends on what kind of travel you do -- with family, alone, with photobug friends, for leisure, for work, for hobby, etc.