Buiding a Pentax system (yeah, again...) question

[slawek_jacek]

Could someone recommend a few good, but not VERY expensive (read:

used) "standard" AF zoom lenses for my new ZX-5n? It came with a

Tamron AF28-80, which does not seem to be a best lens according to

some reviews.

 

I also have Pentax-M SMC 50/1.4, Sicor-XL 28mm and manual Zeiss 70-

210 (on the old faithful ME Super). Those I'll probably stick with.

 

Sooner or later I will be also shopping for a AF flash. Any

sugestions there?

 

Thanks,

Slawomir

[unca mikey]

My standard walkaround lens is the FA 28-105 f3.2/4.5 -- small and light, a great match for the ZX-5n, IMO. (I use it on a *ist 35mm, similar size.) I don't know your definition of expensive, but it's about $200 brand new, and well worth it.

[steve graham]

Another good walkabout lens to consider is the Sigma 24-135mm F2.8-4.5. The 24mm wide end is very useful and the lens can be had new on Ebay pretty cheap.

[stemked]

I'd second Unca's recommendation. The 28-105 f3.2-4.5 is a great lens, I used one for 80% of my photography while traveling through China. It is lightweight and optically a wonderful lens. Be careful though there are two other Pentax lenses with the same range (28-105) both f4-5.6 I believe. The first f4-5.6 lens (58mm filter)is FANTASTIC but it weighs a ton, the second (62mm filter)is a rebagged Tamron and only so-so it seems.

 

As to the flash it really depends on your needs. For a little fill-in the flash on the camera is pretty good. To get an idea what Pentax ofers in the way of lenses and flash check out

 

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/index.html

 

I personally use two 200T for macro work, AF280T for a lot of other photography and offacionally an AF500ATZ or AF400T again depending on my needs.

[george_d._gianni]

The latest 28-105 incarnation Douglas and Unca mentioned is a very good lens, but not widely available. Consider the f4/28-70mm zoom, which was the standard kit lens for your MZ-5N. It is one of the best consumer zoom lenses built by Pentax.

 

I don't know the Pentax line of flashes. I have been using Metz units for decades and like them a lot.

[stemked]

I hate to disagree, but the 28-70mm f4 has been the most trouble of any Pentax lens I have ever owned. It has always had serious veginetting problems with polarizers and I got back frankly unuseable photos from a trip to Europe because I purchased and used the stupid overprised dedicated hood (rubber) for this lens. After moving to a new home, the lens had been in a box for about 4 months, I noticed a terrible light film in the elements that made it totally unuseable. At first I thought it was mold, but it turned out that it is not an uncommon problem with this lens. I personally would recommend an old cheap variable 35-80mm f?-5.6 over the 28-70 f4 anyday (not that I would really recommend a 35-80!).

[franka t.l.]

I have quite different experience with the FA 28-70/4.0, have no problem with it other than its sometime floppy manual focusing. I have had some great picture taken with this lens and it seems to work well for me. If manual focus is OK, I would recommend the SMC-A 35-70/4.0, a very solid performer.

[grillot]

SIGMA.. pick a focal length.. I have a ZX-5N (recently added the *istDS) .. aside from the Pentax 28-80 which came with the camera - I added a

Sigma 105 for portraits and a 24mm for outdoors.. both will work it you go to digital although the focal length (actually, field of view) falls victim to the lens multiplier of 1.5.