I have been reading the posts for around 5-6 months now. I have a Pentax ME Super with M50/1.7 (and a PZ-1 also which I don't use though).
I now realize that I would like to have a longish zoom for taking portraits of family, street photography, birds etc. Also, I have never done macro but would want that feature as well.
You could try macro using your 50mm lens with a 49mm Minolta achromatic close-up lens #1 and/or #2 on it. They screw as a filter and permits getteing closer to subject. Achromatic ones (with two lenses in it( are a lot better than regular close-up filters. New, they are 30$ but used they come at $10-15 on eBay, although not regularly in 49mm size. The close-up lens #1 will start where the 50mm left (around half a meter) and will bring you closer to your subject. #2 is still stronger (brings you still closer).
You bring the "filter" with you, and when you fell macro, you screw it on your lens. Not as practical as having a macro function built-in a tele zoom, but the quality will be better. Canon also makes these achromatic close-up lenses, to be put on their zooms.
Andre --
