DA*50-135 compared at f2.8

Wethphotography · 08-14-2007, 10:43 AM

Ahhhh, my faith and hope in Pentax is restored. After my disappointment with the DA*16-50 at f2.8 yesterday, my DA* 50-135 arrived today. With much trepidation I tested it at f2.8 against the D FA 100mm, the FA 50mm and the Tamron 28-75 f2.8......
As the full images below show the DA*, especially when I look at a 100% crop, came close to the D FA 100mm macro for sharpness at f2.8, bested the Tamron at 50mm, and was slightly beaten by the FA 50mm. I will keep this lens fo further tests. I am very pleased with its performance wide-open. All images made on a tripod with the K10d at 100iso, AV exposure mode at f2.8 with the 2s timer shutter release, center spot AF focus in JPG.

DA* at 100mm f2.8

DFA 100 macro at f2.8

DA* at 50mm f2.8

FA50mm at f2.8

Tamron 28-75 at 50mm f2.8

For image sharpness at f2.8, the DA* 50-135 is a great lens! I hope these image comparisons are helpful to others. I have been helped tremendously by others on this forum and am hoping to give back a little.
PS: Sorry for the depressing subject in the tests...I wasn't paying attention to the content at the time I tested.

kenyee · 08-14-2007, 11:41 AM

Can you test w/ portraits? It sounds like a great portrait lens since it covers the 90-135 35mm-equivalent range and it's decently sharp (FWIW, your findings on both DA* lenses mirror Photozone's reviews on the Tokina lenses the two DA* lenses are derived from....i.e., the 16-50 is kinda crappy wide open and the 50-135 is much better)

FotoPete · 08-14-2007, 03:35 PM

Eh the DA* 16-50 is not crappy lol. It just that the submit sample at photozone as well as Erl's DA* had centering defects.

Better quality control and you'd have a stellar DA* one two punch.

mtngal · 08-14-2007, 10:12 PM

Thanks for posting these - as you mentioned, the one thing I've noticed with mine is that looking at a 100% crop really shows how sharp this lens really is.

d.bradley · 08-14-2007, 11:47 PM

Different magnifications of the 100mm images...makes comparison a little difficult...?

Wethphotography · 08-15-2007, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by d.bradley

Different magnifications of the 100mm images...makes comparison a little difficult...?

Yes. As there is no 100mm (markings jump from 90 to 135mm) indicated on the DA* I got as close as I could in the time I had.