[seventysixersfan]

Excellent review, @bdery. I very much enjoyed reading it. I recently acquired the DA-L version from another PF member and have enjoyed using it-- lightweight, compact, silent focusing. I have no problem with the plastic mount.

A few points:

The additional sharpness and increased flare control that is attributable to the HD coatings, along with the included hood, are tempting reasons to spring for the HD version, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra $200 over the bundled DA-L version that comes with a camera kit. That said, if the HD version came down in cost over time (like the DA 18-55 WR has), it could be preferred over the DA-L version.

The retractable mechanism took me a little while to get used to. I thought I had to keep the button depressed while turning the zoom to extend or collapse the lens, but I found it works a lot better and more reliably/consistently when I pushed the button once and then let go while turning the zoom ring. I don't know if this is the "trick" to make it work. But several times during an outing yesterday, I found myself struggling with the retraction mechanism and missed a few shots because of the delay. I probably should have just left it extended for the entirety of the event, and collapsed it only when I put away the camera for good for the day. Retracting and extending the lens does feel a bit of a fragile and precarious operation, and I wonder about its durability over time. The fact that your HD version broke during testing does not exactly provide much reassurance!

One question I have is the review's comment that "Filters cannot be used with the hood in place, however." So that's similar to the DA 21mm limited hood, in that you can't put a filter on the lens and then attach the hood on top of the filter-- instead, the inside of the hood has a place to put a smaller filter. It sounds like the HD 18-50's square hood does not have a similar design to accommodate filters inside of it, correct? So right now, I have the DA-L 18-50 with a B+W filter on it. I'm tempted to buy a PH-RBJ58 lens hood on ebay to use with my DA-L version, but that means I couldn't use my current filter as well, right?

Thanks!

[bdery]

Excellent review, @bdery. I very much enjoyed reading it.

Thank you very much!

The additional sharpness and increased flare control that is attributable to the HD coatings, along with the included hood, are tempting reasons to spring for the HD version, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra $200 over the bundled DA-L version that comes with a camera kit. That said, if the HD version came down in cost over time (like the DA 18-55 WR has), it could be preferred over the DA-L version.

That's my reasoning exactly, adn the reason I wrote that I couldn't very well recommend one over the other. the HD is indeed better, but one must decide if the increased performances are worth it.

It sounds like the HD 18-50's square hood does not have a similar design to accommodate filters inside of it, correct?

Correct.

[seventysixersfan]

Thanks for your responses!

[seventysixersfan]

One question I have is the review's comment that "Filters cannot be used with the hood in place, however."

I recently ordered the lens hood and lens cap from Japanese ebay retailers, for use with my DA-L 18-50. I was pleased to discover that I could snap the lens hood around (on top of) my B&W uv filter. At first I wasn't sure it was going to work but then it snapped into place on my second try-- and I wasn't forcing it. So I think the lens hood does work with a thin-framed B&W filter; although I doubt a thicker polarizing one would work.