Welcome aboard. Be prepared for LOTS of PDML messages per day.
In addition to the A 35-70 3.5/4.5, you also might want to consider the A 35-70 f4, an earlier and slightly larger lens. The constant f4 has a 58mm thread, focuses to slightly beyond 1:3 life size at 70, and is a 2-touch. Noticable barrel distortion at 35, which is pretty much gone by 50mm.
The only complaints about the f4 on list have been focus and zoom feel; I find it much better than almost any autofocus lens.
And it's more than usable, wide open, in my experience.
Jon M wrote:
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.
