The Tamron SP AF 17-50/2.8 XR is my favorite standard zoom. Cheap and reliable. I have my second one after a fall with my bike.

Henk

Op 2016-10-29 om 19:06 schreef P.J. Alling:
So I've been getting along using a combination of a Manual focus Varafocal, (Vivitar 35-85mm f2.8), and a FA 20-35mm which satisfies most of my needs, but they can be damnably inconvenient, the varafocal makes me think that sometimes I need extra fingers and more inertial processing for my brain to keep track of stop down metering, re-framing and refocusing, which leads to a lot more missed shots than I'm happy with. Swapping to the 20-35 and back, is sometimes necessary at very inconvenient times which also leads to missed shots.

It doesn't look like a Full Frame camera is in my budget for quite some time, and let's face it, I've come to terms with APS-C. The K-5II is more than sufficient for most of what I do, in fact is better than most needs. A more identical backup body is what I'm more likely to get than an actual full frame camera, maybe a K-7 another K-5[II(s)], or K3 thought the latter would have some of the same problems as using the K20D as backup, though the K5II hasn't failed me yet.

So I'm looking at APS-C lenses.

I've kind of narrowed it down to five lenses, at this point, based on reviews.

Pentax FA* 16-55 f2.8 available new.

Sigma 17-50 f2.8, comes in couple versions, latest version still available new.

Tamron 17-50 f2.8 also comes in a couple of versions latest version still available new.

Pentax FA 17-70, seems to be discontinued, but still available new.

Sigma 17-70, three versions, latest one still available new.


All of them have pluses and minuses, the Pentax FA* is the most expensive, the first version of the Tamron is least expensive, of course it's only really available used. I like the idea of the 17-70 as it would cut down on the necessity of changing lenses when things are moving fast.

I know there are people on the list who've used later Sigma 17-70, and the two Pentax lenses, but what about the Sigma 17-50 and Tamron 17-50 has anybody got any experience with them? Optically good? Mechanically crap? Vice Versa?

It comes down to the fact that I don't trust most reviewers. I'll pick up something that's gotten bad reviews play with it a while and think, this isn't nearly as bad as I expected, hell this even seems to be pretty good, and things that have gotten good reviews and think, what the f*#k was that guy talking about this is pretty horrible. You guys have real world experience, what is it.




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