Jon,
Let me add my welcome to the many that have already come your way. Sorry it's taken a couple of days, but I'm way behind on the list, and it's only going to get worse this week (going down to your neck of the woods with the other PDML miscreants who are doing the GFM thing).
I don't know about the Pentax zoom you mention, but I have the big hunk o' glass that is the Viv S1 24-48, and despite it's size and weight, I love mine. Those things go for around $300 at KEH, so they're worth a bit. Can you get yours repaired? I know parts may be a pig, but it's probably worth looking into, even if you want to sell it.
I know it doesn't do macro, and of course there's the size, but it's sharp and quite distortion free, even at 24mm. I think it's a great lens.
But, go ahead and get the Pentax you want. It's a different lens for a different job. I just wonder if you should reconsider parting with the Vivitar.
Hope you enjoy your stay on the list. You will never leave, you know that. You're in for life now, so you might as well enjoy the ride! <vbg>
Oh yeah, don't believe anything I say.
cheers, frank, Toronto, Canada
"The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true." -J. Robert Oppenheimer
From: Jon M <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Newbie to the list Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 10:00:18 -0700 (PDT)
Hey y'all! Just thought I'd introduce myself.
My name is Jon, and I'm a Pentax enthusiast from North Carolina, USA. I got started with a K1000, and have recently aquired (super cheap) an A3000. My current selection of glass is as follows:
SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:2 Sears 80mm-200mm 1:4 Vivitar 24mm-48mm 1:3.8 (rarely used, wobbles and is clunky-huge!)
I've been considering the SMC Pentax-A 35mm-70mm 3.5-4.5 macro as my next lens purchase, partly to replace the Vivitar lens. Any thoughts about this lens, or suggestions for something better? What I want is something that'll do for most purposes, so I'm not constantly switching from one lens to another.
As for what type of photography I do, I take pictures of whatever catches my eye, be it mountains, the sea, a road, or a critter of some variety. I don't have much online, tho I do have this shot of the Blue Ridge Parkway: http://jon.beigetower.org/photo.html
Happy Pentax-ing. :) -Jon.
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger. http://messenger.yahoo.com/
_________________________________________________________________ http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-ca&page=byoa/prem&xAPID=1994&DI=1034&SU=http://hotmail.com/enca&HL=Market_MSNIS_Taglines
