Basic & versatile lens for AG AF100

syd,

i'd first look at

1. Pentax DA* 16-50 f2.8 It's weather sealed and has a good range that could work for the mojority of your shooting.
Alternatively there is the tokina 16-50 2.8 that is similar but i don't think it's weather sealed

2. Pentax DA* 50-135 F2.8 Again, weather sealed, fairly compact, no rails needed.

If you need wider than 16 there is a sigma 10-20 f3.5 or the panasonic 7-14

Then you have a reasonably compact package that requires no rails or matte box, and all lenses are constant apertures and zoomable during shots.
 
I just sent a guy down to Haiti to shoot footage at our church's orphanage there. He went down with a Nikon 50mm 1.7, a Tokina 16-50mm, and I think he brought a 70-200mm 2.8 Nikon.

I would really advise a 16-50mm 2.8 lens (tokina, tamron 17-50, 17-55 nikon). 16mm is generally plenty wide, and that's coming from a DVX100/HPX170 background. The 11-16 tokina is a good choice too if you know you will be cramped for space indoors or if you love wide shots. I don't know how much you want/need long shots, but a 70-200 Tamron 2.8 is probably a really good choice if you think you'll need extended ranges. A good 50mm prime would also be a good idea. Maybe a 20-40mm prime as well.

If under $700, I'd get a 16-50mm 2.8
If under $1000, I'd get a 16-50mm 2.8 and one of (50mm 1.4 or a 85mm 1.8)
If under $1500, I'd get a 16-50mm 2.8 and a 70-200mm 2.8
If under $2000, I'd get a 11-16mm 2.8, 16-50mm 2.8, a 70-200mm 2.8

Or if you prefer primes and shallower DoF, get the 20mm 1.7, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8. And a 7-14 lumix or 11-16 tokina.
 
yes, you will need the novoflex kmount to m43 adapter for the pentax lenses, for tokina you'd need the adapter for whichever version of that lens you get, I believe they make it in several mounts.
 
So Syd, what did you decide and where's the film :)

Its an old thread but I am in the same predicament. Moreover, I would like to shoot in the Amazon as well. So just wondering what tips you may have.
 
I, too, would be curious to know about Syd's experience.

FWIW, my first reaction when reading this thread was, for what the OP describes and the budget he mentioned, I would have gone with 2 or 3 GH-2, each with its own "fixed" lens (probably 2 fast primes and one zoom). I lived several years in a tropical island with a rain forest, and the last thing you want to do there is have to change your lens... Compared with the logical option of going with one fixed lens camcorder, this can be considered as having one or two "spare" cameras in case one fails (and they *are* prone to fail in that climate).
 
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