Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
12-20-2010, 06:26 PM - 1 Like   #16
Veteran Member
selar's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,042
I had a really rough time with my DA* 16-50, so rough, in fact that it took nearly a year to get it acceptable, and that year nearly killed off my interest in photography. For all that I still consider it a great zoom, and its nearly glued onto my camera body.
I have learnt that great lenses can be like racehorses, extremely fickle and temperamental, it takes patience to master them.
The DA* 50-135 is what kept my hobby alive during my struggles with the DA* 16-50, it is one of the greatest lenses I own, but not the greatest, that spot is forever taken by my F* 300/4.5

The DA* 16-50 and 50-135 combination is about as good as it gets with a matched pair of zooms in Pentax land and I would heartily recommend it.

12-20-2010, 06:45 PM   #17
Veteran Member
alexeyga's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 838
And why not 18-135 and 60-250? That first one is damn compact and comes with the newer gen. SDM.... Just a thought....
12-20-2010, 06:56 PM   #18
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jul 2010
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,395
QuoteOriginally posted by alexeyga Quote
Just a thought....
_____________
It's a good thought, it really depends how much controlling DOF is important to the OP.

I know that personally, I would want some sort of lens that was, at a minimum, f2.8. A 50mm 1.4 prime would fit the bill with those zooms, though.
12-20-2010, 07:05 PM   #19
Veteran Member
alexeyga's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 838
QuoteOriginally posted by paperbag846 Quote
It's a good thought, it really depends how much controlling DOF is important to the OP.

I know that personally, I would want some sort of lens that was, at a minimum, f2.8. A 50mm 1.4 prime would fit the bill with those zooms, though.
Well, the original poster is making a choice between the 16-50 and 17-70 on the short end... and practically speaking, there won't be much difference between 17-70/4 and 18-135/3.5-5.6 when it comes to DOF control... Though, even the 16-50 isn't much of a DoF demon when compared to the 50mils...

12-20-2010, 07:13 PM   #20
Veteran Member
GeneV's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Albuquerque NM
Photos: Albums
Posts: 9,830
QuoteOriginally posted by alexeyga Quote
And why not 18-135 and 60-250? That first one is damn compact and comes with the newer gen. SDM.... Just a thought....
The 18-135 is a good lens, but so far, it does not look to have quite the IQ of the other choices, if that is important.
12-20-2010, 07:18 PM   #21
Veteran Member
alexeyga's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 838
QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
The 18-135 is a good lens, but so far, it does not look to have quite the IQ of the other choices, if that is important.
Well... as far as I can remember, 17-70 never really made it to the "Stellar IQ club" either... A solid lens nonetheless, but nothing exceptional to be referenced to...
12-20-2010, 07:24 PM   #22
Veteran Member
johnmflores's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Somerville, NJ
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,361
Sorry to hear about your bad experience, Hound Tooth. It must have been a touch embarrassing. But it's unprofessional for others to chuckle at your misfortune - as if they've never had equipment failure before.

One piece of advice - always have a plan B, whether it's a second body or a backup lens or even a good point and shoot in the bag with decent zoom range. Sometimes Plan B is little more than a different shooting strategy in case something goes wrong.

When I come back from an assignment, sometimes half the gear was left untouched - because it was my Plan B gear. At the end of the day, a lens with a motor in it may fail, whether it's got a 1 year or 5 year warranty, no matter if it's DA* or Canon L glass.

12-20-2010, 07:44 PM   #23
JHD
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2010
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,406
I was thinking of buying the DA* 16-50 and the 50-135 too, but now I'm leaning towards the Tamron 17-50 and 70-200. Here in Canada at Prodigital2000 the Tammy combo is almost$650 cheaper, comes with 6 years warranty vs. Pentax 2 year warranty and no possibility of SDM issues. Looks like a no brainer to me.
12-20-2010, 08:31 PM   #24
Pentaxian
panoguy's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Washington, D.C.
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,327
QuoteOriginally posted by JHD Quote
I was thinking of buying the DA* 16-50 and the 50-135 too, but now I'm leaning towards the Tamron 17-50 and 70-200.
Or, if you don't need the longer end, split the difference! I've been quite happy with the Tamron 17-50 and DA*50-135.
12-21-2010, 02:25 AM   #25
Veteran Member
twitch's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,571
I'd say get the f2.8 double. You can always add a da*200 or 300 later
12-21-2010, 06:17 AM   #26
Forum Member
buster110's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: College Park, GA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 50
QuoteOriginally posted by panoguy Quote
Or, if you don't need the longer end, split the difference! I've been quite happy with the Tamron 17-50 and DA*50-135.
I second this.
12-21-2010, 07:25 AM   #27
Veteran Member
GeneV's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Albuquerque NM
Photos: Albums
Posts: 9,830
QuoteOriginally posted by alexeyga Quote
Well... as far as I can remember, 17-70 never really made it to the "Stellar IQ club" either... A solid lens nonetheless, but nothing exceptional to be referenced to...
Have you shot with the DA17-70? I don't recall using the term "stellar IQ club," but Photozone called it "undoubtedly the most desirable standard zoom lens in the current Pentax lens lineup" which, FWIW, is more unequivocal praise than was given to the DA*16-50. Its tests (and those of the 16-45 which many others use as a reference) hold their own quite well with the DA* at twice the price and exceed it in the corners. I think most of us who own it and use it regularly would tend to use it as a point of reference when we consider a new lens
12-21-2010, 10:05 AM   #28
Veteran Member
alexeyga's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 838
QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
Have you shot with the DA17-70? I don't recall using the term "stellar IQ club," but Photozone called it "undoubtedly the most desirable standard zoom lens in the current Pentax lens lineup" which, FWIW, is more unequivocal praise than was given to the DA*16-50. Its tests (and those of the 16-45 which many others use as a reference) hold their own quite well with the DA* at twice the price and exceed it in the corners. I think most of us who own it and use it regularly would tend to use it as a point of reference when we consider a new lens
Well, if I was photozone I'd call it the "undoubtedly the most desirable standard zoom lens in the current Pentax lens lineup" lens a well... because at the time Pentax really had not much to offer... both 16-45 and 16-50 are a tad too short on the long end... not to mention that 16-45 is quite large for the speed and range offered... So as far as "standard zoom" lens goes, yes 17-70 is much more desirable... Well, it was until the 18-135 was released... At least as far as i'm concerned, i'd take the 18-135 over the 17-70 on any given day due to the fact that it's more compact, longer and WR'ed... Test charts? I leave that part to measurbators... I actually do use my camera to shoot something else besides test charts...
12-21-2010, 10:21 AM   #29
Veteran Member
Cambo's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 1,016
Original Poster
IQ

As a guy who has been shooting with FA* lenses for more than a decade, I know the DA* would be their equal, but how about this smaller, lighter, and more versatile F=4 combo of the 17-70 and the 60-250? The 17-70 focusses fast because of the VERY short throw of the focussing ring, which means it would be a nightmare to focus manually (one drawback). Also, to get my IQ rocks off, I was planning a collection of limiteds (finally). I would just like to be able to go out shooting in ALL weather, or not have to cut things short just because of a little rain. Also, I can no longer carry the extremely heavy FA* around in the backpack, so I'm thinking of selling them all and getting a new, lightweight weather-resistant combo.

So I'm thinking K5, and either of these zoom sets, as well the 35 mil macro, ringflash, and a regular flash to start, possibly the 15 or the 12-24.

Cheers,
Cameron
12-21-2010, 11:55 AM   #30
Veteran Member
GeneV's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Albuquerque NM
Photos: Albums
Posts: 9,830
QuoteOriginally posted by alexeyga Quote
Well, if I was photozone I'd call it the "undoubtedly the most desirable standard zoom lens in the current Pentax lens lineup" lens a well... because at the time Pentax really had not much to offer... both 16-45 and 16-50 are a tad too short on the long end... not to mention that 16-45 is quite large for the speed and range offered... So as far as "standard zoom" lens goes, yes 17-70 is much more desirable... Well, it was until the 18-135 was released... At least as far as i'm concerned, i'd take the 18-135 over the 17-70 on any given day due to the fact that it's more compact, longer and WR'ed... Test charts? I leave that part to measurbators... I actually do use my camera to shoot something else besides test charts...
So, if you are not talking about measurebating (on which the DA17-70 does quite well), then what is the basis for saying that the IQ of the 17-70 is not worthy of being a comparison for zooms in the range we are talking about? Have you actually used it?

I've taken a few thousand shots with it, and found it up to the task. I'll probably have an 18-135 as well, someday, as it appears to be a nice lens, but I see that lens as serving a different purpose. It seems like we've both participated in other threads where the consensus was that one should not expect IQ from a 7x zoom that you find in a 2x or 4x.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
da*, k-mount, pentax lens, slr lens
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
DA 18-250/ 18-135 compare shots Fl_Gulfer Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 10 12-10-2010 08:49 PM
DA* 50-135 or 60-250? photoholic Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 6 07-28-2010 01:53 PM
da*50-135 vs da*60-250. Need help choosing bfo Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 44 03-06-2010 04:53 PM
Has anyone compared DA*50-135 vs DA*60-250? HermanLee Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 3 05-26-2009 11:50 PM
TAKUMAR 135 vs PENTAX 18-250 charliezap Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 7 04-04-2009 07:35 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:37 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top