Lenses for Pentax K1000

[s.johnson]

Hey guys..

Pretty soon I want to start looking for a zoom lens, somewhere around 60 - 100,(do macro zoom lenses work for distances too?) and also a wide angle lens for my Pentax K1000 film slr. Or I guess one that goes from 30- 80? Although I hear the aperture range isnt that great on those..

Does anyone know any good brands/models I should look for on ebay or any other places? I want to get them used (which may actually be my only option, I guess) Also, I would like to know the going rate for these kind of lenses.

I'm new at all of this, and have a tendency to blow my money on the first thing that comes my way, so I want to have a plan before I start shopping, so please share any advice that you may have.

thanks

 

[Don Simon]

As you indicated, one thing to look for is aperture range. Preferably something with a large maximum aperture (low F-number), but if possible one that keeps that maximum aperture throughout the zoom range, rather than becoming say an F5.6 at the furthest end. It doesn't necessarily mean it's the best lens optically, but a faster lens can be more flexible.

If it's used manual lenses you're after, I'd recommend looking at Vivitar zooms in the range of 70-150 or 70-200. Some Vivitar lenses are better than others, but some really are very good for the little money they cost; they also cover a reasonable zoom range. Personally I would suggest avoiding zooms in the 30-80mm range, because you could do so much better with a 50mm prime lens, and maybe another fixed lens - either a wide-angle or portrait lens, whichever you think you'll use more. The thing with a 30-80mm lens is that it's unlikely to be very good either at 30mm or at 80mm, meaning landscapes and portraits will suffer, and you'll end up using the lens mostly in the middle of the zoom - where a 50mm fixed lens could do a better job, and would give you a much larger maximum aperture.