[GoremanX]

OMG! I just got this sweet new zoom lens! It's a SMC Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] DC WR.

As soon as I pulled it out of the box, I just KNEW this thing was retina-slicing sharp. And it turned out to be true! Like a prime lens at every focal length, it's amazing (I know because I saw a picture from a prime lens posted on this forum last week)! The bokeh is oh-so-perfect and flawless, and the colour rendition... it's to die for. In fact, I already killed someone with it. It's THAT good!

The build quality is out of this world! All-metal construction, except for the plastic barrels, outer shell, focus ring and zoom ring. It came with an ultra-high quality front lens cap, and a pretty good rear cap. There's also a nice oddly-shaped plastic sleeve that fits around the zoom ring, I assume to protect the zoom ring during transport. How thoughtful!!! A zoom ring shield!!!

Since this lens is weather resistant, I figured I'd test it by submerging it in a large vat of diet Pepsi. It passed! But then the zoom ring became a little harder to turn. Probably just needs more breaking-in. Also, the buttons on the camera tend to stick now... typical Pentax quality control. When will they ever learn?

But that's not all! To further justify this lens' cost and convince myself and everyone else that I made a wise purchasing decision, this lens also auto focuses like greased lightning on ice, except it's completely silent! The SDM DC motor is perfection itself. There's nothing wrong with it, and never will be. Pentax clearly fixed all SDM issues. I can focus from my foot to the ceiling in less than one second flat.

After I gave myself whiplash by performing the above test repeatedly, I noticed that the lens also weighs relatively little compared to my friend's FA* 600mm F4. It's also a bit smaller than that lens, so that's a big plus. With the exception of overall sharpness, contrast and colour rendition, the image quality is EXACTLY THE SAME. I bet my friend gets real jealous when he sees this.

It's not all good and awesome, though. I did come across some problems. First and foremost, this range of focal length sucks. It's not at all what I needed. What I really needed was a 300mm F2.8 prime lens. Why isn't this lens like that? I'm deducting 2 points from its score because it's not the focal length I need. For that matter, the perfect lens would be a 10-600mm f1.2 zoom. With today's technology, this should be dead easy. But once again Pentax is behind the curve. Are you listening Pentax? Make a 10-600mm f1.2 macro lens that's weather-resistant, light as a feather, produces retina-slicing sharp pictures at all apertures, and has no aberrations or distortions whatsoever, and THEN I might start taking you seriously. Until then, Canon/Nikon/Casio will always have the upper hand!

Anyways, some samples to whet your appetite. Don't worry, I've got more coming!

My Dog


My TV (check out the bokeh!!!)


Macro Of My Dog

(I showed him one of these retina-slicing sharp pictures, that's why his eyes are bleeding)

You might need an optometrist to get your retinas un-sliced after looking at those pictures. Unfortunately, optometrists don't actually do surgery, so you'll have to live with deflated eyeballs for the rest of your life. Sorry.

---

Last edited by GoremanX; 03-09-2014 at 01:01 PM.

[Eyewanders]

This is officially my new 2nd favorite post on the entire forum.

[SuperSyx]

OMG... Is your dog decomposing?

Is that a picture of a picture of your TV on a Cowon D2 screen?

Gah, i feel seasick. Maybe my screen needs a degauss...

[GoremanX]

OMG... Is your dog decomposing?

Is that a picture of a picture of your TV on a Cowon D2 screen?

Gah, i feel seasick. Maybe my screen needs a degauss...

No, it's your retinas. They're sliced. I warned you.

[SuperSyx]

Now i am looking through my old scratched glasses, a wide angle screw on adapter and a polaroid filter that i sneezed on. Man these pictures are sharp. I am now cutting vegetable just by showing them your pics!

Seriously what the hell with those?

[stevebrot]

Seriously sharp! Glad I took your advice and put on safety glasses. Gotta get me one of those...


Steve

P.S. I can easily see this thread taking on a life of its own on the order the "Why I won't buy a K-3" thread. Truly!

[Lokusart]

so sharp, my monitor was cut in half after the pics loaded

[GoremanX]

so sharp, my monitor was cut in half after the pics loaded

Like I said, a prime at every focal length... *swish*!

[SuperSyx]

*Bleeding on my mac* Wow PentaxForums color Theme!

[jpzk]

@ GoremanX ...

Are you sending copies of those shots to Ricoh-Pentax ?
I'm sure they'll want to add these to their collection and perhaps for publicity !

Way too sharp and dangerous for me, so I guess I'll pass
Now I am running to the local drug store to get some more band-aids for my cuts ....

JP

[agsy]

I agree with the sharpness, I'm using mine as a saws-all with laser blade. It'll definitely be very helpful in the upcoming kitchen remodeling :-)

[sholtzma]

Retina slicing.... Hmm. Now where have I... Oh, yes.... "Un Chien Andalou". (Obscure film history reference)

[paulh]

P.S. I can easily see this thread taking on a life of its own on the order the "Why I won't buy a K-3" thread. Truly!

I think you called it right

[AquaDome]

10-600mm f1.2 lens that's weather-resistant, light as a feather, produces retina-slicing sharp pictures at all apertures, and has no aberrations or distortions whatsoever

It will be released only in a DA version just before the full-frame is announced.

[yusuf]

I knew it, destined to be a cult lens.