As I usually don't use my 55-100 zoom or fixed 200mm wide open, I was wondering about just getting the 2X converter instead of the new 90-180mm lens. The BIGGEST advantage of the converter is that it's smaller and lighter. Carrying two major zoom lenses AND their cases may force me to use a bulkier backpack which would cramp my style. I'm also skeptical about the new lens. I hate to be the first to buy it, but it would make diff

-- Howard Schulman (hschul6778@aol.com), April 14, 2002

Answers

How about a fixed lens instead of the 2x? Maybe the 150mm SMC Takumar. It's right in the middle of the 100 and 200 so it may work.

-- Steve Rasmussen (srasmuss@flash.net), April 17, 2002.

SR, Theoretically, a 150 makes sense, but PRACTICALLY changing lenses really bites. Going from the 55mm and 105mm set up to a 55-100mm zoom gave me back my 35 mm SLR camera feeling. It is just not fun changing lenses all the time out in the middle of a wind storm, blustery beach, or anywhere but a studio setting. The Pentax 67 was meant to travel. With the wide and telephoto zoom to choose from i can put the lens I think I'll need most before i get out of the car...event though i just ordered the 90-180mm, I still wonder abouth the 2x con

-- Howard Schulman (hschul6778@aol.com), April 18, 2002.

Howard: A thought: Now that you have the two zooms, for a few hundred more than the price of a 2X extender, you could pick up on EBay one of the many P67 bodies for the 2nd lens. This would make it a lot more convieient for you, w/better quality without the loss of light on the extender. I'm by no means an optics expert, but all I've read indicates extenders on zooms sacrifice image quality. Good luck ! mark smith

-- mark smith (msmith@fayar.net), April 24, 2002.