Pentax-DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED


kengoh

Senior Member
Jan 23, 2004
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Singapore
I was looking for a all-round travelling lens & seems Pentax only got 1, that is the DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED.
However when I called the popular stores, they told me it's EOL, no stock & currently there's no replacement.
Sigma & Tamron has it but not popular here, as they are either are C or N mount. :(
Was told by the distro maybe Pentax Japan will come out a replacement lens.
So now should I wait or just grab the limited available one here? :dunno:
 

The DA 18-250mm is optically equivalent to the Tamron 18-250mm, so you can ask the shops for that.
I haven't heard anything about a new replacement lens.
I'd wait until just before you really need it for travelling then buy it - maybe Emjay is right and Pentax will have a new model.
 

I was looking for a all-round travelling lens & seems Pentax only got 1, that is the DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED.
However when I called the popular stores, they told me it's EOL, no stock & currently there's no replacement.
Sigma & Tamron has it but not popular here, as they are either are C or N mount. :(
Was told by the distro maybe Pentax Japan will come out a replacement lens.
So now should I wait or just grab the limited available one here? :dunno:
was thinking the same thing. i wonder if the Tamron for Pentax AF 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 XR is any good? any advise from the gurus here?
 

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The superzooms that start from 28mm are meant for full frame cameras... you can still use them on DSLRs, but you lose the wide angle range from 18-28mm.
If that is ok with you, sure, get the 28mm.
And maybe use your kit lens when you need the wide angle... but if that's the case, then why not get the 55-300mm instead?
 

I was looking for a all-round travelling lens & seems Pentax only got 1, that is the DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED.
However when I called the popular stores, they told me it's EOL, no stock & currently there's no replacement.
Sigma & Tamron has it but not popular here, as they are either are C or N mount. :(
Was told by the distro maybe Pentax Japan will come out a replacement lens.
So now should I wait or just grab the limited available one here? :dunno:
if you must travel light, just grab a dual kit.

will give you better performance, light as well, only need to change lens once.
 

was thinking the same thing. i wonder if the Tamron for Pentax AF 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 XR is any good? any advise from the gurus here?

The difference between 18mm and 28mm on an APS-C sensor is massive... you'd lose out on the wide angle bit totally with the Tamron 28-300mm. The difference at the other end i.e. 250mm vs. 300mm isn't that great when you actually look through the viewfinder. Do keep this in mind when deciding.

EDIT: woefulwabbit beat me to it. His advice about the dual kit 18-55 and 55-300mm is also a smart thing to do... with the trade-off that you lose the convenience of having just a single do-it-all lens.

That said, I chose the dual 18-55 & 55-300 combo as my purchase decision. woefulwabbit, if I am not mistaken, is happy with his Pentax 18-250.
 

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The DA 18-250mm is optically equivalent to the Tamron 18-250mm, so you can ask the shops for that.
I haven't heard anything about a new replacement lens.
I'd wait until just before you really need it for travelling then buy it - maybe Emjay is right and Pentax will have a new model.

Thanks. I've asked & none have stock & need to indent somemore.
The price is $900+ :bigeyes:, is it okay?
 

The superzooms that start from 28mm are meant for full frame cameras... you can still use them on DSLRs, but you lose the wide angle range from 18-28mm.
If that is ok with you, sure, get the 28mm.
And maybe use your kit lens when you need the wide angle... but if that's the case, then why not get the 55-300mm instead?

There are times I really need the 18-28mm :eek:
If getting the 55-300mm I'll still endup swapping lens every now & then.
 

if you must travel light, just grab a dual kit.

will give you better performance, light as well, only need to change lens once.

I already have the dual kit (18-55 + 50-200). Find it quite troublesome to changes lens when the need arises...
 

was thinking the same thing. i wonder if the Tamron for Pentax AF 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 XR is any good? any advise from the gurus here?

I've thought of this lens. Think someone selling brand new no warranty @$350.
But I lose out the 18-28mm wide angle...
 

The difference between 18mm and 28mm on an APS-C sensor is massive... you'd lose out on the wide angle bit totally with the Tamron 28-300mm. The difference at the other end i.e. 250mm vs. 300mm isn't that great when you actually look through the viewfinder. Do keep this in mind when deciding.

EDIT: woefulwabbit beat me to it. His advice about the dual kit 18-55 and 55-300mm is also a smart thing to do... with the trade-off that you lose the convenience of having just a single do-it-all lens.

That said, I chose the dual 18-55 & 55-300 combo as my purchase decision. woefulwabbit, if I am not mistaken, is happy with his Pentax 18-250.

Thanks. I tihnk I'll be happy with 18-250 only if the price is okay...
 

it really isn't that bad.

but what do i know, i'm not you. ;) cheers.

Another reason is I would prefer a higher zoom than 200mm.
My 1st trip to the birdpark encountered some shots that needs to heavily crop the bird. So I suppose the additional 50mm will help. ;p
 

Another reason is I would prefer a higher zoom than 200mm.
My 1st trip to the birdpark encountered some shots that needs to heavily crop the bird. So I suppose the additional 50mm will help. ;p


hmm, that time, somewhere just before CNY, i went into the shop(manly i think) at chinatown and and asked for prices for the 18-250mm. The Samsung equivalent was around S$750 whilst the Pentax one was S$860...you might wanna try asking them if you really interested...
 

Another reason is I would prefer a higher zoom than 200mm.
My 1st trip to the birdpark encountered some shots that needs to heavily crop the bird. So I suppose the additional 50mm will help. ;p

55-300

or 70-300 from sigma/tamron, though these two will be soft from 200-300. ;)

on the bright side, both are around 200-300 bucks only (for the 70-300).
 

hmm, that time, somewhere just before CNY, i went into the shop(manly i think) at chinatown and and asked for prices for the 18-250mm. The Samsung equivalent was around S$750 whilst the Pentax one was S$860...you might wanna try asking them if you really interested...

You are refering to Manly.
I know them, got the price too... at least better than MSC $950 :nono:
Didn't know they have the Samsung equivalent?
 

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55-300

or 70-300 from sigma/tamron, though these two will be soft from 200-300. ;)

on the bright side, both are around 200-300 bucks only (for the 70-300).

I've considered that initally but would need to change lens ...
Think the Tamron 28-300 @$350 would be a better choice, but I'll miss the 18-28 wide angle.
 

I've considered that initally but would need to change lens ...
Think the Tamron 28-300 @$350 would be a better choice, but I'll miss the 18-28 wide angle.

let me warn you that 28-300 is going to be very very tight for a dslr. as others have pointed out, it is more apt for a film camera.

28x 1.5 = 42mm.

if you want anything remotely wide, you will be lost.
 

let me warn you that 28-300 is going to be very very tight for a dslr. as others have pointed out, it is more apt for a film camera.

28x 1.5 = 42mm.

if you want anything remotely wide, you will be lost.

Yes, I'm aware of that. I would definitely need the 18-28mm.
Just that the price between the 2 lenses is so much!
 

Well, if the one lens option for you is not available because it is too costlye, then the next best thing for you is to reduce the trouble it causes you to change lenses. You can do this by:
- thinking ahead -- anticipate what and how you want to shoot, to reduce the number of changes you need to make.
- pack properly and practice your change -- develop an efficient change sequence, pack for it, and practice; this could become 2nd nature and you may eventually end up feeling that you don't need that 18-250 after all.